A SUDDEN RUSH OF GRATITUDE

William sat on the sofa, his legs crossed as he read a book. The pages were filled with adventure and mystery, but he found himself unable to focus on the words. His gaze kept drifting to the wall clock, and he frowned as he realized how late it was getting.

He wasn't particularly worried about Dahlia, but he knew it wasn't safe for her to be out so late. What could be keeping her?

He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts of Dahlia. He had told himself that he wouldn't worry about her, that she wasn't his problem.

"I'm not concerned about her." He said aloud, but his voice sounded hollow, even to his own ears. He stood up from the couch and began pacing around the room, trying to keep his mind busy. "She's an adult, she can take care of herself." He repeated to himself, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.