Aiden’s POV
I paced the length of my room, glancing at my phone every few minutes, each check amplifying the worry twisting in my gut. The silence of the house felt heavy, stretching with each passing hour. Midnight came and went, and Lara still hadn’t returned. By now, my patience had worn thin. I went to the window, staring out into the dark street, hoping for any sign of her. Then, just past one in the morning, a pair of headlights pulled into the driveway. I squinted, watching as a car came to a halt. I couldn’t make out the driver in the shadows, but I saw the passenger door open, and Lara stepped out, looking exhausted. Before I could make it to the door to confront whoever had brought her home this late, the car had already started backing out of the driveway, disappearing down the road as quickly as it had come.
