The Cabin

Sebastian: Arriving Home

Sebastian

Driving home felt like the longest ride I have ever driven. I have done this drive several times since going away to college, but this felt different. I woke up and panicked when I realized that the text I received last night was from James instead of Layla. Layla is always so good at communicating with me. Because Layla chooses to walk everywhere, she texts me when she arrives on campus or at work for safety reasons. Layla is the one who set up this system. Layla calls me when she gets home so we can talk about our days together. I have had a pit in my stomach all morning. Something just feels off. I'm trying not to be overbearing and give Layla space, but her radio silence is starting to freak me out. I will feel so bad when I finally see her and know that her radio silence was due to the storm or something. I drive the speed limit and force myself to relax.

After three hours and a half hours of being on the road, I pull up to the gate. I push the on the fob for our gate and I drive in slowly. I push on my garage door opener and pull into the furthest right stall. I begin to grab my things and my heart races as I think about seeing Layla again. I can hear the distinct footsteps of my father coming closer and I finished grabbing my things.

"Sebastian!" My father calls out with a hint of pride in his voice. I look over at him and see that his arms are extended for a hug. I walk over to him and feel his arms wrap around me. I can't help myself from looking behind him. I was shocked, but not panicked to find that no one was behind him. Layla and I always greet each other as soon as possible. We always try to make welcomes special. I pull away to look at my dad and the pit in my stomach grows.

"How was your final? Were you confident about the material?" My father asked as he held me tight.

"Yeah, easy breezy."I lied. I was a ball of nerves this morning.

"Where's Layla?" my father asked curiously as he looked at my car.

"What do you mean?" I ask cooly, my nerves were trying to unsettle me.

"I mean, where is Layla?" is she following behind you?" my father asks and continues with "When should we expect her?"

That was it. That was the moment first moment, where time stood still for me. My body gave up and I dropped my bags on the ground. A pulse of panic radiated up and down my body. I felt as though alarm bells were going off, but everything was silent. My father was still looking at me expecting an answer.

I looked at him wide-eyed.

"Sebastian. Where is Layla?" My father asked, his tone more concerned.

"Lay...Layla left yesterday." I stumbled to say.

"What do you mean Layla left yesterday?" My father asked. As my father became more worried, I became more panicked. I started breathing heavily. I felt like my lungs were on fire.

My father lead me by the arm to the house. My father pulled me onto the living room couch and he sat me down. Crouching down next to me and leveling out his voice my father walked me through the previous day.

"I was studying. I called Layla while she was supposed to be on the road. Layla answered. Layla was an hour and a half out, she didn't text me when she was supposed to have arrived." I listed off these facts. Listing off what I knew was all I could hold onto my control at the moment.

"Was she an hour and a half from home, or from here?" My father asked.

"I don't know, I didn't ask" I responded. My heart was pounding through my chest.

"Was she driving during the storm?" My father asked. He seemed so cool. My father was always a rock when it came to stressful situations. I loved this about him. I can panic as much as I wanted, but my father would always keep cool.