Iris arrived at the college that morning, her eyes scanning the crowd anxiously for Mia. Her worry grew with each passing minute as her friend remained nowhere in sight. Mia wasn’t answering her calls either, leaving Iris with no choice but to dial Devin.
“Hello?” His voice was brisk but warm.
“It’s me,” Iris replied, swallowing her nerves. “I haven’t seen Mia. Do you know where she is?”
Devin’s tone softened. “Oh, she didn’t call you? She’s sick and resting at home.”
Relief flooded through Iris. “Oh, okay. Thanks.”
After hanging up, she made a mental note to check on Mia later. As she walked to class, she couldn’t shake the strange feeling that followed her. Without Mia beside her, the day felt oddly lonely.
Settling into her seat, Iris was adjusting her books when someone sat down
