Class was louder than usual.
Or maybe I was just present enough to notice.
I actually listened. Answered once. Even wrote more than I needed to.
My phone buzzed twice inside my bag.
Not distracting. Just there.
When the bell rang, Miren exhaled dramatically.
"I can't drop you today," she said while packing up. "I have to pick up my sister."
Before I could respond
"I guess you're stuck with me," Lunara said, already looping her arm through mine.
I smiled. "Tragic."
She grinned. "You love it."
The ride home felt easy.
Lunara talked about practice. How sharp we looked. How next week we might get moved forward in formation.
I listened. For once, my mind wasn't racing ahead of me.
When we pulled up outside my house, I stepped out and thanked her.
"Text me when you're inside," she said.
"I will."
I meant it.
I almost collided with someone at the gate.
"Oh!"
Arms wrapped around me before I fully registered who it was.
"Aunt Tavia?"
She laughed. "Cala! I just asked your mum about you. She said you'd be home late."
"I had practice."
"I can see that." She squeezed my shoulders lightly. "You look grown."
I rolled my eyes. "You say that every time."
She smiled, distracted, already half turned away.
"I have to run. We'll talk properly soon."
"Okay."
She kissed my cheek and headed toward her car.
I watched her drive off for a moment before going inside.
Erin was in the living room.
She looked up when I stepped in.
"You're back."
"Yeah."
"Your dinner is in the kitchen."
Her voice was steady.
I studied her face a second longer than usual. She looked tired. Nothing more.
"I ran into Aunt Tavia outside," I said.
"She stopped by," Erin replied.
I nodded.
That was it.
Aisling's door was slightly open.
I pushed it gently.
She looked up and immediately lit up.
"You're home!"
She ran into me, arms wrapping tight around my waist.
"I miss you," she said into my sweater.
"It's been one day."
"Still."
I laughed.
We talked for a while. School. Aunt Tavia asking too many questions. Nothing important.
I didn't say the house felt slightly different.
She didn't either.
"Go shower," she said eventually, pushing me toward the door. "You smell like gym."
"Rude."
She grinned and shut her door.
My phone buzzed the second I stepped into my room.
Then again.
I dropped my bag on the chair and finally looked.
Dylan:
Hope your day's going well.
Dylan:
Are you home safe?
A small smile slipped out before I could stop it.
Theo:
So you're alive again?
I shook my head slightly.
Just Theo.
I typed back to Dylan first.
Me:
Just got home.
Then I added:
Me:
Practice was good.
He replied almost immediately.
Dylan:
I knew you'd be fine.
I smiled at that.
Somewhere down the hall, a door closed. Voices moved faintly through the house.
The house sounded normal. Familiar.
I didn't look too closely.