บท 58: Half of Halves

Kayden perched on her bed, her legs folded beneath her like origami cranes. The room, with its sun-kissed walls, seemed to hold its breath alongside her. Her phone lay beside her, screen dark, stubbornly withholding any sign of life. Paige's silence gnawed at her nerves like a persistent mosquito—annoying, relentless, and impossible to swat away.

She had been waiting for what felt like hours for Paige to text her back, and the silence was driving her crazy. She had already sent three messages, each one more anxious than the last.

"Hey, how's it going?"

"Is everything okay?"

"Paige, please answer me!"

But so far, there had been no response. Kayden's mind was racing with worst-case scenarios. Had Paige's mother found out about their plan? Was Paige in trouble? Or worse, had she changed her mind about everything?