Chapter 3 Melissa's Pov

"We're fine," I said quickly, though my voice shook.

"No, we are absolutely not fine," Aria cut in, shooting me a look that said are you crazy? "Troy was our ride, and I'm not about to call an Uber at midnight from a biker lounge parking lot. Do you know how many true crime podcasts start exactly like this?"

"Aria..." I started.

"It's not safe," the stranger said, his ice-blue eyes finding mine.

A smile tugged at his lips... that was the first real expression I had seen on his face. "Don't worry, I'm not a serial killer."

Despite everything , I almost laughed. "That's exactly what a serial killer would say."

"Fair point." His smile widened slightly. "But I'm offering anyway."

"I accept your offer. Thank you."

"So where are you going?"

Aria told him her address, and we followed him to a sleek black Audi parked at the edge of the lot. Of course he drove something expensive.

The ride was quiet. I sat in the back seat, pressed against the window, trying to hold back the tears. My throat burned with the effort of keeping them down.

But I couldn't stop replaying everything .

My phone buzzed in my purse, I pulled it out and saw Mom's name on the screen.

Perfect. Just perfect.

"Hello?" I tried to keep my voice steady.

"Melissa, where are you?" Mom's voice was sharp with irritation. "You were supposed to meet Gavin and his parents with me today. They drove all the way from Boston."

My stomach dropped. I'd completely forgotten.

"I'm sorry, something came up." I pinched the bridge of my nose, fighting back a headache. "I'll apologize tomorrow."

"You certainly will." I could hear her disappointment through the phone.

"I'll stay at Aria's place tonight. I'll be home tomorrow. Good night, Mom."

I hung up before she could say more.

Silence filled the car again. Thankfully, no one said anything after the call.

I totally forgot I was supposed to meet my mother's fiancé today. I wasn't in support of her getting married...she's barely forty and she has me...but I still felt terrible for forgetting.

The car finally pulled up in front of Aria's apartment building.

"Are you sure you will be okay?" He asked, without turning back.

"Yes, thank you," I said quietly.

The stranger turned in his seat to look at me. Those ice-blue eyes studied my face, lingering on the tears I knew were threatening to spill over.

"What's your name ?" he asked suddenly.

"Lisa." I lied, pushing my hair behind my ears.

"What about you?"

"Ben."

The name suited him.

"Good night, Ben. And thank you for everything." I said after getting out of the car.

He held my gaze for a long moment. Then he nodded driving away.

Aria and I stumbled into her apartment. I felt drained, almost like an empty shell.

I managed to walk to her bathroom. After taking off the stupid red dress all the tears I'd been holding back suddenly burst out like a dam breaking.

I slid down the bathroom wall, hugging my knees to my chest, and sobbed.

"Hey, hey." Aria rushed in, dropping to the floor beside me. "I'm sorry. I've got you."

She pulled me into her arms, and I cried into her shoulder. Ugly, gasping sobs that shook my whole body.

"Talk to me," she said gently, stroking my hair.

"I feel like a fool." The words came out broken, muffled against her shirt. "I feel angry."

"You're not a fool."

"He humiliated me in front of everyone, Aria." I pulled back, wiping my face.

Aria's arms tightened around me. "Hey, it's okay. Let it out. I've got you."

I cried until I had no tears left. Until my eyes were swollen and my throat was raw. Until the hurt dulled to a manageable ache.

Finally, I pulled back, exhausted.

Aria studied my face, after realizing I was okay a mischievous smile crept across her features. "Now can we please talk about that kiss ?"

I groaned, covering my face with my hands. "Aria, please..."

"No, seriously!" She pulled my hands away, bouncing excitedly despite the late hour. "That was like something out of a movie! A romantic movie! The way he just pulled you in?

Heat flooded my cheeks at the memory. "He was very... intense."

"Intense?" Aria laughed. "Melissa, that man looked at you like you were the only person in the entire club. Like you were the only person in the entire world."

I bit my lip, remembering those ice-blue eyes. The way his arms had felt around me. The taste of his lips.

"It was just adrenaline ," I said weakly.

But even I didn't believe that.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The next morning the warm smell of coffee and burnt toast filled Aria's kitchen as golden sunlight streamed through the window, painting everything in soft morning light. I sat at the counter wearing her oversized t-shirt, with my legs tucked under me.

My eyes felt swollen and gritty from crying. My head pounded with a dull ache that wouldn't go away.

"You know, I still think you should have gotten that Greek god's number yesterday." Aria sipped her coffee with a very serious look on her face. "It's just a shame you didn't get to fuck him. I mean, did you look at the same man I saw ?"

Despite everything, a laugh bubbled up in my throat. "You are just a slut."

"I'm a slut with excellent taste," she corrected, grinning. "That man was criminally fine."

"I gave him a fake name, so I wasn't actually planning a redo." I picked at the edge of my coffee mug, not meeting her eyes. "Plus, he looks way older than me."

"Does that matter?"

"No, not really." I sighed, running my fingers through my tangled hair. " But I'm also coming out of a relationship. I don't think I should be swayed by hot guys so soon . That's how I ended up with Troy in the first place."

"Yeah, you're right, but..."

My phone rang, cutting her off.

Mom's name flashed on the screen, and my stomach immediately clenched with anxiety. Mom never called this early. Something was wrong.

"Hello?"

Loud, gasping sobs came through the speaker.

"Mom? Mom, why are you crying? What's wrong?" Panic clawed up my throat, making it hard to breathe .

Her voice was broken, barely recognizable through the tears. "Melissa, baby, please come home. You need to come home now."

I was already standing. Adrenaline flooded my system, making my hands shake. "Mom, are you hurt? Did someone hurt you? Are you okay?"

"No, but I need you. Please come home." Then the line went dead.

"Shit Aria, something is very wrong. I have to go home. Now."

"I'll come with you," she said immediately, already setting down her coffee, her face filled with worry.

I was already moving, grabbing my wrinkled red dress from last night off her bathroom floor. I didn't care how it looked. I didn't care about anything except getting to my mom.

"No, I'll text you." I was pulling the dress over my head, my fingers fumbling with the zipper. "I know you have class today."

"Mel..."

"I'll be fine. I promise." But my voice wavered on the last word, betraying the fear coursing through me.

---

The drive home felt endless.

I tried calling Mom back three times. Each time, it went straight to voicemail.

What happened? Is she hurt? Is someone dead?

My mind raced with horrible possibilities , each one worse than the last.

My hands gripped the steering wheel so tight my knuckles turned white.

When I finally turned onto our street, my heart literally stopped.

A moving truck sat in our driveway like a vulture. All our furniture...our worn couch, my dad's old recliner that still smelled like his cologne, boxes and boxes of our belongings...were scattered across the front lawn like garbage.

I felt a mixture of shame and fear.

Two men in crisp suits stood near our front door, they were bank officials. I recognized the logo instantly, and my stomach dropped to my feet.

No.

This can't be happening.