Chapter 1

After wiping the dishes and putting them carefully in the crockery rack, Julia stepped into her yellow slippers and dried her hands with the towel hanging from the door handle of the door. It had been past 5 in the evening and Grace wasn't home yet. She must be at the library, she thought. That didn't have to worry her, like usual days. She would have called her and told her.
Julia pulled back the chair and sat, turning on her laptop, as the screeching noise filled the room. It was another chilling day of winter, clouds moved slowly in the sky like silver covers. A faint sound of rain could be heard from the outside, as Julia read her emails, just like everyday.
The doorbell rang. This must be her. Julia opens the door so quickly as if expecting Grace standing there, her hazel eyes beaming like always, and her blonde hair flowing in the cold wind. But to her surprise, there was nobody, nothing.
She looked around, to her right, then left. Nothing. Then her sight met the floor. Nothing, but three rose petals. They must've come from somewhere. The wind would've brought them. Nothing to worry about.
Julia went to the kitchen countertop, and made a cup of coffee, that would help the urge to fall asleep in her cozy bed, she thought.
The doorbell rang again. "Ugh," she murmured softly, walking in a slight pace to the main door, and opened the door with frustration of being separated from her coffee, only to see nothing. Nothing but 3 more petals, this time yellow ones. This may be a prank. Whatever, that doesn't harm. She would just lock herself in her a little more cut-off-from-the-world kinda house again, and call Grace, to check on her.
She locked the door from inside and dialed Grace, but she won't pick up. After trying a few more times, Julia decided to text:
Julia: Hey, Grace? Where are you?
She'd expected Grace to reply later, but after a mere minute her phone vibrated.
Grace: I'm at the library, Jules. Just looking for some good reads!
Julia: But why won't you pick up the phone?
Grace: I have to be silent here, Jules. Be right back in a while.
Julia: Okay.
Julia felt a little relief, as she put her phone back on the table in the kitchen, the dining spot, and went back into her bed, throwing the slippers off and curled into the blanket, like a little snail in her shell.
Is something actually wrong, or is it just a gut feeling?
The question lingered in the air, as Julia drifted off to sleep.
It was 7 P.M. when the sound of her phone ringing woke her. She answered the call in sleepy, weak voice:
"Hello?" She said while pulling herself up.
"Julia, It's mom, sweetie."
"Hey, mom, how are you," her voice lifted at the voice of her mother, and happiness washed over her face.
"I'm fine. Were you sleeping?" her mother asked in a comforting tone.
"Uh, yes, I took a nap," that's when she returned to reality and realised, Grace isn't home yet.
"Oh," Julia could literally hear the smile in her mother's voice. "Where is Grace?"
"Umm, mom I'll call you back in a while, I love you." Julia said so she could avoid the question and get to Grace.
"Okay, sweetheart. I love you too."
Where are you, Grace?
***
A/N: Hey loves, please leave any kind of feedback if you like this story!
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xx
