Alissa's POV
A couple of days after the picnic, I still hadn’t heard anything from Ivy. Unease settled in my chest like a persistent shadow.
After my morning class, I rushed to a quiet corner of the room to call her. But the signal kept breaking, and my attempts to get through were futile. Growing more anxious, I dialed Elias.
“Ivy’s fine,” he assured me, though his voice carried a hint of fatigue. “Our mom’s old illness flared up again. She’s in the hospital, but it’s nothing too serious. Ivy’s probably just exhausted from going back and forth.”
"Could you pass on my worries to Ivy since she's not answering her phone?" I smiled, a touch of bitterness in my tone.
"No problem. But are you alright? You sound exhausted," Elias asked, his voice filled with concern. "Maybe you should..." H
