The Girl Next Door

31. When The Night Breaks

Alex's POV

Class ended, and the usual post-school buzz filled the halls. Geoff, ever the social ringleader, was throwing another party. This time, it was in celebration of Astrid's first win during volleyball in PE class. Geoff's enthusiasm knew no bounds, and honestly, I couldn't help but admire the guy. He always found a reason to bring everyone together, and somehow, it worked every time.

Matt and Blaine, of course, were quick to back him up. They lived for these kinds of gatherings. I, on the other hand, wasn't exactly the life of the party. Still, I couldn't deny that their unwavering excitement about life was something I appreciated. If nothing else, they made things interesting.

But as I packed up my things and slung my bag over my shoulder, a thought struck me. Astrid hadn't been in drama class after lunch. That wasn't unusual for her—she was known for skipping here and there—but today, it felt different.

I pulled out my phone and typed out a quick message:

Hey, Geoff's throwing a party to celebrate your win. You coming?

I hit send, hoping for a quick reply, but the screen stayed silent. No read receipt, no reply.

"Relax," I muttered under my breath. "She's probably busy."

The guys had already chalked it up to Astrid being Astrid. She had a way of doing her own thing, and most of the time, no one thought twice about it. But as I walked out of the building and toward my car, I couldn't shake this nagging feeling.

It wasn't like Astrid to ignore a party in her honor. She might not always love the attention, but she wasn't the type to completely disappear, either.

Geoff's house was alive with music and laughter when I arrived. It always amazed me how fast he could throw something together. People spilled out onto the lawn, red solo cups in hand, and the familiar hum of conversation filled the air. Matt and Blaine were already in the middle of the chaos, high-fiving Geoff and hyping him up for yet another successful gathering.

But my mind wasn't in the party. I scanned the crowd, half-expecting to see Astrid leaning against a wall or sitting on the stairs with that trademark smirk of hers. She wasn't there.

I pulled out my phone again and sent another text:

Hey, just checking in. Are you okay?

Still nothing.

The worry I'd been trying to suppress crept back in, stronger this time. What if something had happened? What if—

No. I shook my head, trying to clear the thoughts. This wasn't like me. I wasn't the type to spiral over something so small. But then again, this wasn't just anyone. This was Astrid.

The night stretched on, and the party showed no signs of slowing down. Geoff was in his element, Matt and Blaine were trading jokes with a group by the kitchen, and I was... well, I was glued to my phone, waiting for a message that didn't seem to be coming.

I stepped outside for some air. The cool night breeze was a welcome change from the heat and noise inside. Leaning against Geoff's fence, I stared at my phone again. Maybe I was overthinking it. Maybe she'd show up late, walk through the door like nothing was wrong, and roll her eyes at me for worrying so much.

But deep down, I wasn't sure that was going to happen. Something didn't feel right. And until I knew for sure, I wasn't going to be able to let it go.

The party buzzed on around me, but I couldn't stop glancing at my phone. The silence from Astrid was like an itch I couldn't scratch. It must have been obvious because Matt and Blaine finally caught on.