Chapter 23 Aria
I’d gone straight to my room after dinner with my homework spread across my bed like a good daughter with a boring life. And for about an hour, I’d sat there staring at numbers, flipping my pencil between my fingers, and scrolling through my phone without really seeing anything on the screen. Then the restlessness crept in. It started as a tight feeling in my chest and no matter how I shifted, the sensation followed crawling under my skin. I told myself it was nothing but ever since the diner incident, my nerves had been stretched thin.
I pulled on a hoodie, slipped my phone into my pocket, and eased open the back door as quietly as I could. The night air hit me all at once carrying the scent of pine and damp earth. Our backyard stretched out toward the tree line and the woods loomed beyond the fence. The moon hung low, casting pale light that didn’t quite reach the forest floor. I stayed on the gravel path the crunch under my sneakers oddly comforting. I told myself I wouldn’t go far, just enough to catch my breath.
That’s when I noticed a movement. At first, I thought it was my imagination or a trick of the light. I froze, pulse thudding in my ears and eyes locked on the edge of the woods. The darkness shifted again and my breath got caught in my throat then the shape stepped forward, resolving into something solid.
It was human.
“Sienna?” The name slipped out before I could stop it.
She turned sharply like I’d snapped a wire tight. Even from a distance, I could tell she hadn’t expected to be seen. Her shoulders stiffened then relaxed when she recognized me.
“Oh, Aria!” She let out a breath and forced a smile, tucking a braid behind her ear. “You scared me.”
“What are you doing out here?” I asked, walking closer but stopping a few feet away. Close enough to see her clearly and far enough that I could still run if I needed to. Yeah, I was easily spooked.
Sienna shifted her weight. “Could ask you the same thing.”
“I couldn’t sleep and it's my home, remember.”
“That makes two of us,” she said quickly. “Not my home, though.”
I studied her. I’d known Sienna long enough to read the little tells: the way her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, the slight clench of her jaw, the way her fingers kept twisting the hem of her jacket. She was nervous.
“You’re out here a lot lately,” I raised my brows.
Her gaze flicked away toward the trees then back to me. “What makes you say that?”
“Because I’ve seen you. Twice now. Standing right at the edge like you’re waiting for something.”
She laughed again, but it sounded thin. “You’re paranoid, babe.”
“Am I?”
Silence stretched for a while. Crickets chirped deeper in the woods and a branch snapped somewhere far off. Sienna flinched before she could hide it.
“You’re jumpy,” I said quietly.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not.”
She crossed her arms, mirroring me and being defensive. “Can you not therapist me right now?”
I hesitated then asked the question that had been burning since the first time I spotted her out here.
“What are you actually doing?”
Her eyes snapped to mine and for a second something raw flickered there—fear, maybe guilt—before she locked it down.
“I told you. Clearing my head.”
“In the woods? At midnight?”
“It’s peaceful.”
“It’s creepy.”
She exhaled through her nose. “You sound like my dad.”
“Maybe your dad’s right.”
She looked at me—really looked—and for a moment the mask slipped. Her eyes were tired and fearful.
“Aria,” she said softly. “Just go back inside, okay?”
“Not until you tell me what’s going on.”
“Nothing’s going on.”
“Then why do you look like you’re about to cry?”
She blinked fast and swallowed. “I’m not.”
“You are.”
She glanced toward the house then back at me. Her voice dropped a tiny notch. “I can’t talk about it. Not now.”
My stomach twisted. “Sienna—”
“Please.” Her eyes were pleading now. “Just trust me. Go back inside, lock the door, and stay away from the woods at night.”
I stared at her.
“You’re scaring me,” I whispered.
“Good.” Her voice cracked. “You should be scared.”
Before I could answer, headlights swept across the driveway—Mom’s car pulling in early from her shift.
Sienna’s head snapped toward the sound. “I have to go,”
“Sienna—”
“Tomorrow. I’ll explain tomorrow.”
She turned and slipped toward the side yard, disappearing into the shadows between our houses. I stood there, frozen until Mom’s car door clicked shut. I slipped back through the kitchen door just as she walked in, scrubs wrinkled, and hair in a messy bun.
She looked up, surprised. “Hey, baby. You’re still up?”
I forced a smile. “Couldn’t sleep.”
She set her bag down, frowning. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” I said. “Just restless.”
Mom studied me for a second, then pulled me into a hug. She smelled like hospital antiseptic and coffee.
“Want some tea?” she asked against my hair.
“Yeah.”
We moved to the kitchen. She put the kettle on, and pulled out two mugs. I sat at the table, knees drawn upbwatching her. When the tea was ready she slid a mug in front of me and sat across.
“Talk to me,” she said softly.
I wrapped my hands around the warmth. “It’s nothing big. Just school, friends. The usual.”
She tilted her head. “You sure?”
I nodded.
She didn’t push. “You know, when I was your age I used to sneak out all the time.”
I looked up. “You?”
She laughed. “Oh yeah. There was this boy—dark hair, motorcycle, thought he was James Dean. I’d climb out my window at midnight, meet him at the edge of town. We’d ride out to the lake, sit on the hood of his bike, talk about everything and nothing. Felt like the world was ours.”
I smiled despite myself. “What happened to him?”
“Life.” She shrugged. “College? We grew up but those nights…” She trailed off, eyes distant. “They were magical. Stupid, reckless, beautiful magic.”
I stared at her. “You never told me that.”
“You never asked.” She reached across and squeezed my hand. “Just be careful, okay? Some adventures are worth it while some aren’t.”
I nodded slowly.
She stood, kissed the top of my head. “Get some sleep, baby. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
She disappeared down the hall but I stayed at the table. Sienna’s face kept flashing behind my eyes. I didn’t know what she was hiding.
But I knew one thing: Whatever was happening in Silverpine wasn’t done with me yet and it wasn’t done with her either.
AUTHOR’S NOTE:
The emotional whiplash is real 🖤. Aria’s gut is screaming that something’s wrong with her best friend, but Sienna’s walls are up high. What do you think she’s really doing out there? Hiding something or protecting something? Will Aria push Sienna for answers tomorrow, or let it simmer until it explodes?
See you soon, my lovelies!💙♥️