Alina stood up abruptly, the wristwatch still clutched in her hand.
Lorraine looked up from her seat, surprised. "Where are you going?"
"I… I just need to go," Alina said, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Wait, what? Is something wrong? You haven’t even had lunch..."
"I’m fine," Alina cut in, a little too quickly. Her voice was firm, but her steps were uneven as she headed for the door.
Lorraine followed her to the hallway. "Alina, talk to me. Did I say something wrong?"
"No. Really, it’s nothing." She forced a small smile, though her grip on the watch had tightened. "I just… I need to be somewhere.” She said before hurrying away.
****
By the time Alina got to Aiden's home, the house was quiet. She walked in slowly, making her way to the living room.
She sank into
