Ava sat on her bed with her knees pulled tightly to her chest.
The house was completely quiet now. Dinner was over, the dishes were clean, and everyone had gone into their rooms.
She had not spoken to Leo since. She did not want to.
Her eyes moved slowly to her nightstand. She reached out, opened the drawer, and frowned when she saw it was empty.
Her notebook was not there.
She checked again, this time pulling the drawer all the way out. Still nothing.
Her heart skipped a beat.
That notebook had all of her stories. The ones she never showed anyone. Not even her mom.
She got off the bed and searched under the pillows, between the sheets, and even behind the curtain—just in case she had left it on the window ledge earlier.
But it was nowhere to be found.
She grabbed her phone and opened her mom’s chat. There were a few new messages.
Mom: Just checking in. Did you eat?
Mom: Be nice to Mr. Grant and Leo, okay? I’ll be back on Sunday night. I love you.
Ava sighed deeply.
Right. Her mom ha
