A Quite Unease

Evelyn woke with a startle, her heart throbbing as fragments of her recurring nightmare gradually faded. It had become like a norm on her every birthday. It has always been the same forest— swept in eerie moonlight.

The distant sound howls, and a pair of a piercing blue glow eyes that seemed to seep through her. The aftermath had always been unsettling, but this morning, the unease lingered longer than usual.

She massaged her temples, trying to ease the dull ache of migraine surging up. Instinctively, she swug her legs off the bed, "Not today." She muttered.

It was her birthday, after all. A day that should be filled with excitement and not some bad energy. She needed the right mood to lit the camping plans- yet the nagging feeling of something uneven wouldn't let go.

She sighed, brushing her curtains aside as she stood at her window. Allowing in the warm morning sun bath her room as she took into her surroundings.

Just then, her phone buzzed on the nightstand. Without hesitation, she reached for it, expecting his warm birthday wishes. It was a ritual— his usual thoughtful messages always came first thing in the morning.

But as she snatched the phone, her heart sank. It was just a group chat notification from her friends, excited about the evening's camping plans.

"Seriously, Liam?" she uttered, unlocking her phone. She scrolled through her messages but there was nothing. No missed calls, no texts. Not even a simple "Happy Birthday" wish.

He heart sank in disappointment. Liam wasn't the punctual guy, but this? This was unusual. They had been friends for 5 years, and officially started dating for almost a 2 years now. While he could be forgetful, he had never missed out on her birthdays.

Determined to lite up her mood, Evelyn grabbed her phone and headed down the hallway. There was not much to be done due to the mid-semester break. Gently, her door slammed behind her as she strolled out.

The sunlight streaming through the windows felt too bright, making tge dull ache in her head worse. She squinted against it, as she dialed Liam's number.

The line rang once. Twice. Three times.

Then the line went through voicemail.

Evelyn stared at her phone's screen, her thumb hesitating over the call button. Could she be overreacting? He might probably be busy. But on her birthday?

A sigh escaped her lips and she dialed again, leaning against the wall. This time, it went straight to voicemail. Her stomach chunk.

"What could he be up to?" she muttered, staring at the blank screen.

The sound of footsteps approaching interrupted her thoughts. Instinctivel, she glanced up. Her mum stood at the end of the hallway, a knowing smile on her face.

"Morning, birthday girl, up already?" she said brightly, holding a cup of coffee in her hands. Her face weighed of a late night spent editing news stories and probably doing a research. "Everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah," Evelyn lied, pocketing her phone. "Just tired."

Her mother threw her a skeptical look but didn't press. "Well, try to relax. It's your day, after all. And I don't want to hear anybcomplains about staying up too late at your party tonight."

Evelyn forced a smile and nodded, though her thoughts lingered elsewhere.

"When are you guys leaving?" her mother asked as she headed along the hallway into the kitchen. She had promised to prepare some dishes and cookies for the camping trip.

"By noon," Evelyn called after her.

"Roger that," her mom's voice echoed, already busying herself in the kitchen.

Evelyn strolled through the hallway, staring at her phone again. The unease from her dream, coupled with Liam's unusual silence, felt like a weight she couldn't shake.

After few minutes, her phone buzzed once again, pulling her attention back. This time, the name "Riley" flashed on the screen. Without hesitation, she swiped to answer as she headed back to her room.

"Morning, birthday girl!" Riley's cheerful voice came through. "You all packed and ready for the big day?"

"Hey, Riles," Evelyn said, a wry smile evident in her voice as she tried to sound cheerful to meet her friend's energy. "Yeah, just about to. You on your way?"

"Almost there." She snapped, "Traffic isn't terrible, for once." Riley paused, her tone softening. "You okay? You sound... off."

Evelyn hesitated, biting on her lips- contemplating. "I'm fine. Just... Liam hasn't called yet." She finally spoke up. "Not even a text."

A sigh escaped Riley's lips, her exasperation evident. "Ev, it's Liam. You know how he could be at times. He's probably planning something big or just being his usual forgetful self. Don't let this ruin the highlight of the day."

"Yeah," Evelyn murmured, though her heart said otherwise.

"Look, don't overthink it. Today is about you. We're going to have an amazing time. And by tonight, this will all be forgotten. I'll be there in a giffy, okay?"

Evelyn nodded, even though Riley couldn't see her. "Okay. Thanks, Riles."

"Anytime. Now get your stuff together, birthday girl!"

As the call ended, Evelyn sighed, glancing at the bags she had packed. She couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off, but Riley was right—this was her day, and she needed to focus on the celebration ahead.

She just hoped that the unsettling feeling wouldn't follow her to the camp site. She was the highlight of the moment.

-------

The cab idled in front of Evelyn's apartment as she emerged, her bag slung over her shoulder. A lunch bag packed with food and a tin of cookies her mom had prepared tucked under her arm. She hurried to the waiting car, where Riley waved impatiently from the backseat.

"Finally!" She exclaimed as Evelyn slid in. "You know we're already running late, right?"

"Relax," Evelyn said, already buckled up in her seat. "It's my birthday. They can wait a little."

Riley raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. Instead, she studied Evelyn's face. "Still no word from Liam?" She asked, concern etched on her face.

Evelyn slightly shook her head, her gaze briefly averting to the view with a sigh as the veered off. "Not a single call or text. It's strange, Riley. He has never been like this, especially not on my birthday."

Riley's brows creased, clearly thinking of something reassuring to say. "Maybe he's just... what do I say? busy?" she offered weakly.

Evelyn didn't say anything, her lips pressing into a thin line. After a moment, she leaned forward, her words directed to the driver. "Can you drive by Pinewood Apartments before heading to the campus? It's on the same stretch."

The driver gave a subtle nod, adjusting his route. Riley watched with concern and hesitation. "Ev? Aren't you being too anxious? It might not be anything serious."

"I need to know, Riley," Evelyn said, her tone gentle. "It's not like him to go silent, especially today."

Riley sighed, but didn't pressed further. Instead she pulled her phone out to scroll through their group chat. The ride to Pinwood was quiet except the occasional ding of Riley's notifications. Evelyn stared out the window, her thoughts a juggle of worry and frustration.

Soon, they pulled up in front of Liam's building. Evelyn's pulse quickened, briefly fidgeting with her phone as she hesitated for a moment before stepping out of the car.

"Wait here," she said to Riley, who in turn, gave her an hesitant nod.

Evelyn trod up to the building's entrance, glancing at the familiar set of buzzers by the door. She pressed the one for Liam's apartment, waiting as the seconds dragged on. No response. She tried again. Still nothing.

With a frustrated sigh, she pulled out her phone and called him. The line rang twice before going to voicemail.

"Liam, it's me," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "I'm outside your place. Are you okay? Call me back."

She hung up and turned back toward the cab, her shoulders slumping. Riley leaned out the window, her expression concerned.

"Nothing?"

Evelyn shook her head as she climbed back into the car. "No answer. He's not picking up, and he's not home."

Riley reached over, gently squeezing her hand. "He might already be on his way to the meeting spot. He wouldn't miss your birthday, Ev."

"You think so," Evelyn asked softly, though the sinking feeling in her chest told her otherwise.

As the cab pulled away from Liam's building, Evelyn tried to push her worries aside. Riley engaged her in a light conversation, chatting about the evening's plans.

By the time they got to the compus yard where their friends were waiting with the van, Evelyn had resolved to focusing on the night ahead. If Liam wasn't going to explain himself, then she will be in wait until he shows up.