“It’ll be fun, won’t it?” Elena asked Fiona excitedly.

“Sure.” Fiona smiled. She couldn’t think of anything worse. When Jake had first mentioned the ski trip she’d smiled and nodded and expected it to go into the pile of things he mentioned but that they never got round to doing. Except it didn’t. The next week he’d bombarded her with tickets. And now she was stuck.

“I’ve never been before, have you?” Elena was Dylan’s girlfriend. Jake and Dylan had been best friends forever and the ski trip had somehow become a double date.

“Nope.” Fiona replied, throwing three hats into her suitcase. Elena chattered on happily, about the hotel they were staying in and restaurants they could eat in.

“I see you’re nearly packed.” Jake walked in smiling.

“Nearly.” Fiona smiled back. They’d been together for three years but sometimes it felt like they had been together forever.

“Whose ready to get their skiing on?” He joked, making skiing motions.

“Me definitely!” Elena laughed, playing along with him. Fiona made a noncommittal noise and hoped it would go unnoticed. Whoever came up with a skiing holiday?

“There’s too much fun going on in here.” Dylan joined Jake, laughing. “Is everyone ready?”

Fiona shut her case and nodded. It took them fifteen minutes to load the car and then they were on the way. Fiona fell asleep a couple of hours in and was shook awake gently by Jake.

“We’re here.” He told her. She stretched and climbed out of the car. She’d put on a thick jumper and winter coat before they’d left but the cold hit her like a ton of ice. Which it almost was. They checked into their hotel and made their way to their rooms.

“Well, it’s late.” Jake yawned, “See you in the morning.”

Fiona opened the door to their room. The room was beautiful, with a fluffy white rug and a sparkling chandelier.

“Nice, huh?” Jake smiled.

“Very.” She replied.

The next morning Fiona woke early. The clock said it was seven am. She yawned and turned over, but Jake was gone. She sat up and looked around.

“Jake?” She called. Fiona got up and looked in the bathroom but he wasn’t there either. “Jake?” She called again uncertainly. She tried ringing his phone but her calls went unanswered. She dressed quickly and made her way to Dylan and Elena’s room.

“You okay?” Elena answered her frantic knocks sleepily. She stood aside to let her in and Dylan waved at her from their bed.

“I can’t find Jake.”

“What do you mean?”

“He wasnt there when I woke up and he isnt answering his phone.” Fiona told them.

“Try him again.” Dylan told her.

“He’s not answering.” Fiona cried.

“I’ll go and have a look around.”

Dylan came back half an hour later shaking his head.

“No sign of him. His cars still here though.”

“I’m ringing the police.” Fiona sobbed.

“I found this.” Dylan handed her a piece of paper. “It was in your room.”

𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑤𝑎𝑦.