Never Not You

I'm sorry

Leah was left alone in the quiet of their home, her head still pounding from the hangover, but her heart ached more from the unexpected departure of Aurora and Mateo. The house, usually filled with the comforting sounds of family life, now felt like an empty shell. She wandered aimlessly through the rooms, trying to make sense of the strange and sudden events. Aurora had seemed so distant and anxious, and Leah couldn't shake the feeling that something was deeply wrong.

After a while, Leah pulled out her phone, feeling the weight of uncertainty pressing on her. She took a deep breath, knowing she was risking stepping into a complicated situation, but her concern for Aurora outweighed her reservations. With trembling fingers, she typed out a message to Alexia, hoping for some clarity.

Leah

Hey Alexia. I know you're not actually in England

I need to understand what's going on with Aurora. 

Alexia's response came swiftly, though it didn't offer much comfort

Alexia

 I'm not going to say much because it's up to Aurora to explain things.

 I will say that Aurora has been in her own head lately

Leah stared at the message, her mind racing. Alexia's vague response did little to ease her anxiety. Aurora's sudden departure and the earlier confusion had left her feeling abandoned and uncertain. She had tried to be understanding and patient, but now she felt like she was standing on shaky ground, unable to grasp what was truly going on.

Leah replied, hoping to coax more information out of Alexia.

Leah

 I get that Aurora needs to talk about things herself, but I don't understand what I did wrong. Can you at least tell me if she's okay? I'm really worried about her.

Alexia

She will be okay

Leah read Alexia's message and sighed deeply. The lack of clarity was frustrating, but she recognized that Alexia's role was limited. She appreciated the effort to provide some reassurance but wished she had more concrete answers.

Feeling a growing sense of unease, Leah decided to go through her messages. She saw a new message from Keira and hesitated before opening it. 

Kei

 I know you're probably still upset, but really Leah, leaving me on read?

Leah was confused. She hadn't seen any messages from Keira recently. How could she have left her on read? Leah tapped on the conversation and saw several unread messages from Keira that had been marked as read. Her confusion grew as she read through Keira's texts, which painted a troubling picture. The messages seemed to suggest that something had happened between Leah and another woman, a situation Aurora must have misunderstood.

Feeling a sharp pang of hurt, Leah realized that Aurora must have seen these messages and assumed the worst. She tried to rationalize Aurora's actions. Maybe Aurora had been feeling insecure or had seen something that triggered her anxiety. Alexia had mentioned Aurora was in her own head lately.

Leah decided to call Keira immediately, hoping for some clarity.

Keira: (groggy) "Hey Leah, what's up?"

Leah: (voice trembling) "Hey, Keira. I just saw your messages. I'm really sorry I didn't respond sooner. Aurora must have seen them and misunderstood what was happening. Now she's left, both her and Mateo are gone."