LUCA
The next day came quickly.
I woke up with the same knot in my stomach and the same question looping in my head. Why hasn’t she answered? I pulled on my hoodie, grabbed my phone, and walked to the quiet spot behind the training facility at exactly the same time as always. The sun was low, painting everything gold and soft, but none of it felt peaceful. Zainab had told me to call this same time and I had been doing that for days now.
I dialed Aria’s number. It rang once, twice, five times and straight to voicemail.
I called her office line and this time around, not even Zainab picked.
“Maybe she’s just busy,” I whispered to myself, staring at the phone booth, hoping she would call back.
The third day was identical. Same spot, same time, same silence. By the fourth day the wor
