Twenty Years Ago

I barely slept.

By morning, I had convinced myself that the message was probably some elaborate prank.

It had to be.

There was no other explanation.

Still, the words wouldn’t leave my mind.

Ask Richard Blackwood what happened twenty years ago.

I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror while brushing my hair.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Aria.”

I said it aloud.

“You’re not going to interrogate someone’s father because some stranger sent you a text.”

That sounded reasonable.

Until I remembered the way Richard had looked at me.

The way his face had changed when I’d mentioned my mother.

I lowered the brush.

Maybe asking one question wouldn’t hurt.

⸻

Mia was already awake when I returned to our room.

She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, scrolling through her phone.

“You look terrible.”

“Good morning to you too.”

She smiled.

“Bad night?”

“Something like that.”

She studied me.

“Are you okay?”

I hesitated.

I could tell her.

But what would I say?

Hi, my dead mother’s name is somehow connected to the Blackwood family, and a stranger wants me to investigate what happened twenty years ago.

It sounded insane.

“I’m just tired.”

Mia didn’t look convinced.

Before she could question me, my phone rang.

Kian.

I stared at the screen.

Mia immediately sat up.

“Answer it.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s Kian Blackwood.”

“That isn’t a reason.”

“It is absolutely a reason.”

I answered.

“Hello?”

“Morning.”

His voice was warm.

“Morning.”

“Did you sleep?”

“Not really.”

There was a brief pause.

“Me neither.”

I sat on my bed.

“Why?”

“Family stuff.”

I almost laughed.

Apparently, we were both experts at avoiding difficult questions.

“What are you doing today?” he asked.

“Classes.”

“After?”

“Library, probably.”

“Good.”

“Why?”

“I need your help with something.”

“What?”

“Professor Bennett’s presentation.”

I smiled.

“You just want me to do the work.”

“Exactly.”

I could hear the smile in his voice.

“I’ll see you after class.”

“See you.”

The call ended.

Mia stared at me.

“What?”

She grinned.

“You like him.”

“I do not.”

“Your face says otherwise.”

“My face is tired.”

“Your tired face likes Kian.”

I threw a pillow at her.

⸻

After my afternoon class, I headed toward the library.

Kian was waiting outside.

He wasn’t alone.

Kael stood beside him.

I slowed when I saw them.

Kian smiled.

“You’re late.”

“By two minutes.”

“I’ve been suffering.”

“You’ll survive.”

Kael glanced at me.

“You look tired.”

“I didn’t sleep well.”

His expression changed slightly.

“Why?”

“Nothing.”

He studied me.

I hated how easily he seemed to notice things.

Kian opened the library door.

“Come on. We have work.”

We spent the next hour finishing the presentation.

Or, at least, we attempted to.

Kian spent most of it making jokes.

Kael spent most of it correcting him.

And I spent most of it wondering whether I should ask the question.

Eventually, I couldn’t stand it anymore.

I closed my laptop.

“Can I ask you something?”

Both twins looked at me.

“Sure,” Kian said.

I looked at Kael.

“Your father.”

The room seemed quieter.

“What about him?” Kael asked.

I swallowed.

“Has he ever mentioned my mother?”

Neither twin answered.

Kian’s smile disappeared.

Kael’s expression became unreadable.

“Why would he?” he asked.

“I don’t know.”

I looked down at my hands.

“He seemed to recognize her name.”

Kael exchanged a quick glance with his brother.

It lasted barely a second.

But I saw it.

“You noticed that too,” I said.

Kian leaned back.

“Aria—”

“No.”

I shook my head.

“I need an honest answer.”

Kael remained silent.

That silence told me more than words could have.

“What’s going on?”

Kian looked at his brother.

Kael finally spoke.

“Our father hasn’t told us anything about your mother.”

“Then why did he recognize her?”

“We don’t know.”

I studied their faces.

They weren’t pretending.

At least, not completely.

“Have you asked him?”

“No,” Kael said.

“Why not?”

His jaw tightened.

“Because our father doesn’t like being questioned about the past.”

That caught my attention.

“The past?”

Kael nodded.

“There are things he doesn’t talk about.”

“Like what?”

“Family matters.”

I frowned.

“That’s not an answer.”

“I know.”

I stood.

“I need to leave.”

Kian immediately stood too.

“Aria.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not.”

I looked at him.

“I just need some time.”

He nodded reluctantly.

“Okay.”

I gathered my things.

As I walked toward the exit, Kael spoke behind me.

“Aria.”

I turned.

His eyes met mine.

“If someone is telling you to investigate my family, be careful.”

My heart skipped.

“Why?”

He didn’t answer.

And somehow, that frightened me more than anything else.

⸻

That evening, I sat alone in the small café near campus.

I had my mother’s photograph in front of me.

I had taken it out of my wallet without even realizing it.

I turned it over.

There was nothing written on the back.

Nothing except a faint mark near the bottom corner.

I frowned.

I had never noticed it before.

It looked like someone had once written something there and then tried to erase it.

I tilted the photograph beneath the light.

A few faded letters became visible.

My breath caught.

There were only three words.

Blackwood. Summer. 2006.

I stared at them.

Twenty years ago.

My phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

This time, there was only one sentence.

Now you know where to start.