LUCA HASTINGS
Luca barely had time to step through the front door before Kendric was in front of him, his face tight with worry.
"She looks devastated."
Kendric blurted out. His usual easygoing energy was nowhere to be seen, replaced with something tense and uneasy.
Luca frowned.
"What happened?"
"I don't know."
Kendric admitted, running a hand through his hair.
"But something is really wrong. At school, I didn't even see her for lunch."
His voice lowered.
"And when she left, she didn't even look at me. She just walked past like I wasn't there."
Luca's chest tightened.
That wasn't like Aria.
She was quiet, withdrawn, but she acknowledged them.
Without another word, he turned and headed straight for her room.
He knocked.
No response.
His jaw clenched as he knocked again, harder this time.
"Aria?"
Silence.
He pushed the door open.
Empty.
His brows furrowed, eyes scanning the dimly lit room. His stomach twisted when he heard it, water running from the bathroom.
She was inside.
Luca exhaled slowly, leaning against the doorframe as he waited.
He didn't know what he was going to say to her.
He didn't even know if she'd let him say anything.
But Kendric was right.
Something was wrong.
Minutes passed. The sound of water remained steady.
Too long.
Too silent.
A sinking feeling clawed at his gut.
Finally, the water stopped.
Luca straightened as the door creaked open.
And then she stepped out.
Ariana looked...
Detached.
Like she wasn't even there.
Her wet hair clung to her face, her oversized clothes draped over her small frame. But it wasn't that.
YOU ARE READING
Silent Scars
Teen FictionAfter enduring years of neglect and cruelty from her mother and stepfather, Ariana's life changes drastically when tragedy brings her under the guardianship of five brothers she's never met and they never even knew they had a sister. For her brother...
