The apartment smelled faintly of burnt toast and coffee, mixed with the lingering scent of Claire's failed baking attempt. Claire sprawled across the couch in mismatched pajamas, scrolling through her phone and sharing reels.
"Eva, how do you always make a smoothie that looks like it exploded?" she asked, grinning.
Eva rolled her eyes, chopping fruits for breakfast. "Because art should be chaotic, Claire. You wouldn't understand."
Lila walked in, holding her sketchbook like a shield, hair messy but eyes sharp as ever.
"Morning, you two disasters," she said, dropping onto the armchair with a soft thump.
"Breakfast smells… interesting. Eva, is that cereal with smoothie topping?"
Eva grinned. "One day, Lila, you'll learn to appreciate my masterpieces."
Claire snorted. "Masterpieces? This looks like a crime scene."
The three of them laughed, the apartment buzzing with the easy chaos of a life shared in friendship. Claire, the popular, playful mess who lived for fun and laughter; Lila, the caring observant type who saw through almost everything.
Eva's phone buzzed on the counter. She glanced at it and froze.
An unknown number.
She picked it up cautiously. A message blinked back:
"It's time."
Her heart skipped a beat. She quickly slipped it into her pocket.
Claire leaned over, curiosity lighting her eyes. "Who's texting you now? "
"Just… spam," Eva said lightly, forcing a smile.
Lila frowned. "Spam that says 'It's time'? Really?"
Eva shrugged. "Probably a wrong number. Nothing to worry about."
Breakfast continued, warm and messy, filled with laughter and teasing, but a tension clung to Eva that even her friends noticed. She laughed and joked with them, but every so often, her gaze drifted to the street below as if she was expecting someone or something.
That night, when the apartment went quiet, Eva slipped out without a word. The door clicked softly behind her, watching Claire and Lila sleep.
Morning came, and the apartment was still. Lila was the first to notice.
"Where's Eva?" she asked, a flicker of panic in her voice.
Claire's eyes narrowed, scanning the apartment. Her instincts screamed that this wasn't ordinary. "I don't know… she was here last night. Did she leave a note?"
Nothing. Just silence.
And that's when it hit them. Eva was gone.