Episode 1: The Invitation

The sun had barely risen, casting a golden glow over the city as Ava sat at the kitchen counter, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of her coffee mug. It was supposed to be a peaceful morning, but her phone buzzed, pulling her from her thoughts. She picked it up, already knowing who it was from.

"Hey babe, look! Kian’s organizing a reunion dinner. Remember him? The football team leader from school. It's been ages! You should totally come. It'll be fun!"

Ava felt a small lump form in her throat. Caleb, her charming, ever-optimistic boyfriend, was always the one to push for reunions, always the one eager to reconnect with old friends. She loved him for his energy, his drive, but there was something about this reunion that made her uneasy. She took a breath, trying to push the discomfort aside.

"Yeah, I remember him," Ava replied, her fingers hesitating over the keyboard. The message was short and nonchalant, but the truth was, there was more to it than she let on. Seraphina would be there. Seraphina, with her plastic-perfect beauty and flirtatious charm, always had a way of getting under Ava’s skin.

Ava’s insecurities flared up every time Seraphina was near Caleb. It wasn’t that Ava didn’t trust him—she did—but the way Seraphina looked at Caleb, the way she would always find a way to make Ava feel small and out of place, made her uncomfortable.

Ava's fingers hovered over her phone again as Caleb’s next message came in:

"Come on, babe! It’ll be great! It’ll be like old times. Sarah and Jack will be there too, right? You love catching up with them, and they miss you so much."

That last part made Ava pause. Sarah. Her best friend. They’d been inseparable during their school years, and despite everything, Sarah was always her anchor.

Ava sighed and put her phone down. She wanted to go for Caleb, for Sarah, for the memories. Still, there was a gnawing feeling at the back of her mind, the unease that always crept in when it came to Seraphina.

But Caleb was persistent. She didn’t want to let him down.

“Alright, I’ll go,” Ava texted back, finally relenting.

The evening arrived, and Ava found herself stepping into the bustling restaurant, her eyes scanning the room for familiar faces. The reunion had begun, and already, she could feel the shift in her stomach—the swirling mix of anticipation and dread.

The table was filled with the usual suspects. Caleb, as charming and upbeat as ever, was already chatting with Liam, who was grinning widely and making a joke about something Ava didn’t catch. Alex, looking more awkward than usual, was standing by Seraphina’s side, holding her coat with a kind of nervous devotion. Jack was deep in conversation with Sarah, clearly enjoying her company, while Isabella was nestled beside Noah, her arms wrapped around him, her head resting on his shoulder as he seemed to eye the room, his gaze lingering on the other women. Seraphina, of course, was positioned near Caleb, flashing her perfect smile as she leaned slightly into him.

Ava’s stomach tightened as she saw the way Seraphina’s gaze flicked to Caleb, her body language all too familiar—seductive and open. Ava forced herself to smile and approached Sarah first.

“Sarah!” Ava exclaimed, walking over to her best friend and pulling her into a tight hug. "It's been too long."

“I know, right?" Sarah said with a laugh, pulling back and smiling warmly at Ava. “It’s good to see you. I missed you so much.”

Ava sighed in relief, feeling a little of her tension melt away. It was good to see Sarah.

But as they settled into the evening, the atmosphere began to shift. Liam, noticing Ava’s presence, couldn’t resist making one of his usual flirty remarks, his tone light and teasing.

“Wow, Ava, you’re looking stunning tonight,” Liam said with a wink. Ava smiled awkwardly, but before she could respond, Seraphina chimed in with a laugh.

“Oh, Liam, you're always such a charmer," she said, glancing at Caleb before turning her gaze back to Ava. “But I must say, Ava, you’re so… different these days. Almost like you’ve grown up.”

Ava clenched her jaw slightly, forcing a polite smile, but she could feel the barbs of Seraphina’s words digging into her. It wasn’t what Seraphina said—it was the way she said it. Always undermining her, always making her feel small.

As the night wore on, the dynamic became clearer. Noah and Isabella were still wrapped up in each other, whispering sweet things, while Liam continued his flirtations, mostly aimed at Ava, though his eyes often flicked to Seraphina, as if seeking her approval. Caleb, who had been so lively at the start of the evening, seemed to be caught in the middle of it all, caught between Seraphina’s quiet seductions and Ava’s quiet discomfort.

But Jack, always the cheerful and confident one, leaned over to Ava and winked. “So, what do you think about our old crew?” he asked, a playful grin spreading across his face. “Still as messed up as we were back in the day?”

Ava couldn’t help but laugh at that. Jack always had a way of making things feel lighter. He was a good friend—one of the few who could read her emotions well.

But it wasn’t long before Seraphina noticed Jack’s attention on Ava. She leaned in, her tone sweet but laced with an edge. “You know, Jack, I think we were always better as a team, don’t you think?” Her gaze flicked briefly to Caleb, and Ava could see the spark of something there—something familiar and unsettling.

Before the situation could escalate further, Alex, standing nervously beside Seraphina, suddenly dropped his glass, causing a commotion. “Oh! Sorry! I... uh... just, you know, being clumsy,” he muttered, trying to regain his composure.

The tension in the group grew. Seraphina smirked as she flicked her eyes toward Ava, almost daring her to say something. Ava felt a hot flush creep up her neck.

And then Liam, sensing the building tension, looked at Ava with a sympathetic grin. “Don’t worry, Ava. Seraphina’s all bark, no bite. Besides, you’re looking way too good to let anyone get under your skin.”

Ava didn’t respond right away. She could feel the weight of Liam’s words, and yet, the fact that he was always the one to try and defuse these situations left her both grateful and irritated. He was sweet, but in his own way, he made her feel like she was a bit of a project for him to fix.

At some point, though, things took a turn for the worse. Seraphina, sensing her hold over Caleb slipping, made one last, bold move—she casually leaned into Caleb, pressing her body slightly against his, her eyes flicking over to Ava with a smug, knowing look.

Ava’s breath caught in her throat. She tried to maintain her composure, but she knew that Seraphina was doing this on purpose. The feeling of her insecurity was nearly unbearable, but before she could make her move, Sarah stepped in.

“Hey, Seraphina,” Sarah called out, her voice friendly but firm, “Why don’t we give Caleb and Ava a moment to catch up? They’ve been together for a while now.”

Seraphina froze for just a second, her fake smile faltering for the briefest of moments, but she recovered almost instantly. “Of course,” she said sweetly, standing up straight and stepping away, her gaze lingering on Caleb as she walked off to speak with Alex.

Ava let out a shaky breath, feeling Sarah’s protective presence beside her. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice shaky.

Sarah simply smiled, giving Ava a quick hug. “Don’t worry. She can’t get to you as long as I’m around.”

The rest of the evening was filled with laughter and chatter, but the undercurrent of tension never fully dissipated. Noah and Isabella were still entangled in their own world, Liam occasionally shooting flirty looks at Ava, and Caleb—though ever the charming, reassuring boyfriend—couldn’t seem to ease Ava’s discomfort completely.

As the night wound down, talk turned to an idea for a weekend getaway. A trip to an old villa deep in the woods. Everyone seemed excited—everyone except Alex, who looked like he’d rather be anywhere else.

“I don’t know, guys. I’m not feeling it,” Alex said, his voice shaky. “That place is creepy.”

But Seraphina, ever the seductress, smiled brightly. “Well, if I’m going, you should come too, Alex. Don’t be such a baby.”

And just like that, Alex reluctantly agreed.

The group was set. The reunion had rekindled something—a dangerous, unsettling energy. And they were all going to that haunted villa. No one knew it yet, but the adventure they’d decided to take was about to change everything.

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