Ariana lifted her head, offering him a gentle smile.

"Not too bad."

Theodore held her hand even tighter. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. To confirm his suspicions, he asked, "Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?"

Ignoring him, Ariana lowered her head once more, returning her attention to her cell phone. She absentmindedly toyed with it, scrolling through the same two headlines multiple times.

Even in her boredom, she refused to engage with him. Theodore felt a rising panic, leaving him at a loss.