THE DARKNESS THAT BINDS

It was a lovely Saturday evening, and the warm glow of the setting sun streamed through the windows of the Jones' residence. Mia and Rachel were busy in the dining room, helping Mrs. Jones set the table for dinner.

Mia had promised Rachel that she was going to join her parents for dinner after she was invited, she hadn't seen Rachel's parents in a while after they moved from LA. She was excited to see them again after so long, She had known Rachel's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jones, for as long as she could remember, and they had always been like a second family to her.

Growing up in LA, Mia had spent countless hours at the Jones' house, sharing meals, laughter, and memories with Rachel and her parents. Mrs. Jones, in particular, had been like a mother to her, offering guidance, support, and unconditional love whenever she needed it.

Mia's parents had always been busy with work, and while they loved her dearly, they hadn't always been able to spend as much time with her as they would have liked, this was why her parents didn't prevent her from moving to Santiago when she requested to finish high-school with Rachel. The Jones family, however, had always been there for her, filling the gaps and providing a sense of stability and security that she had sometimes lacked at home.

As she grew older, Mia's friendship with Rachel had only deepened, and the two girls had become inseparable. They had shared secrets, dreams, and aspirations, and had supported each other through thick and thin.

When the Jones family had moved to Santiago, Mia had been devastated. She had missed them terribly, and had felt a gaping hole in her life.

Mia carefully placed a delicate china plate at each setting, while Rachel arranged the silverware with precision. Mrs. Jones supervised, ensuring that every detail was perfect.

"Girls, don't forget the napkins," Mrs. Jones reminded them, as she smoothed out a wrinkle on the tablecloth.

Rachel nodded and began to fold the napkins into neat triangles, placing one at each setting. Mia, meanwhile, poured glasses of ice water and added a sprig of fresh mint to each one.

Mrs. Jones smiled, a warm sense of nostalgia washed over her. She remembered the countless dinner nights she had shared with Mia back in LA. Mia had been like a second daughter to her, and she had always loved having her over for dinner.

When Rachel had told her that Mia would be moving to Santiago to finish high school, Mrs. Jones had been overjoyed. She had immediately offered to have Mia stay with them, and Rachel had gratefully accepted but Mia had refused, she didn't want to be a burden but she didn't say that to them.

Now, as she watched Mia and Rachel work together to set the table, Mrs. Jones felt a sense of contentment. It was wonderful to see the girls getting along so well, and she was thrilled to have Mia back in her life.

She thought back to all the memories she had made with Mia in LA - the laughter, the tears, the countless hours spent talking and sharing stories. Mrs. Jones had always felt a special bond with Mia, and she was grateful to have the opportunity to rekindle that bond now that Mia was in Santiago.

Once the table was set, Mrs. Jones gave the girls a nod of approval. "You girls have done a wonderful job. Now, let's get dinner on the table."

Mia and Rachel exchanged excited glances. They knew that Mrs. Jones' cooking was always delicious, and they couldn't wait to dig in.

Just as Mrs. Jones finished speaking, the sound of the front door opening echoed through the hallway. "Honey, I'm home!" Mr. Jones called out, his deep voice warm and welcoming.

Mia and Rachel smiled at each other, knowing that Mr. Jones' arrival signaled the start of dinner. Mrs. Jones beamed with excitement, hurrying to greet her husband.

As Mr. Jones walked into the dining room, he was met with the warm and inviting atmosphere that his wife and the girls had created. The table was set with fine china and sparkling glasses, and the delicious aroma of Mrs. Jones' cooking wafted through the air.

Mr. Jones smiled, his eyes twinkling with appreciation. "Ah, it looks like I'm in for a treat tonight," he said, giving his wife a kiss on the cheek.

Rachel rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Dad, you're always in for a treat when Mom cooks," she teased.

Mr. Jones chuckled, taking his seat at the head of the table. "Well, I'm a lucky man, then," he said, smiling at his wife and the girls.

Tey sat down to eat, Mrs. Jones began to serve the meal. As Mrs. Jones served the meal, Mr. Jones turned his attention to Mia, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Mia, it's so great to see you again," he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You're looking lovely, as always. I'm glad you're adjusting well to life in Santiago."

Mia blushed slightly at the compliment, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Mr. Jones for making her feel so welcome. "Thank you, Mr. Jones," she replied, smiling back at him. "It's great to see you too. Your home is beautiful."

Mr. Jones chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I'm glad you like it. You're always welcome here, Mia. You're like a part of the family, especially with how close you and Rachel are."

Rachel grinned, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, Mia's my partner in crime," she joked, making everyone laugh.

Mrs. Jones smiled at Mia, her eyes shining with warmth. "We're so glad you could join us for dinner, Mia. It feels like old times having you here."

Mia smiled. "Thank you for inviting me."

Mr. Jones turned his attention to Mia once again, this time with a more serious expression. "Mia, how are your parents doing?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine concern.

Mia's expression softened slightly, and she set her fork down, taking a moment to collect her thoughts before responding. "They're doing well, Mr. Jones," she said, her voice measured. "They're still in LA, and I talk to them regularly. They're adjusting to me being here in Santiago, but they're supportive of my decision to finish high school here."

Mrs. Jones nodded sympathetically, her eyes filled with understanding. "I'm sure it can't be easy for them to have you so far away," she said. "But we're glad to have you here with us, Mia. You're part of our family, no matter what."

Mr. Jones smiled warmly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Absolutely," he said. "We're always here for you, Mia. You know that, don't you?"

Mia felt a surge of gratitude towards the Jones family, and she smiled back. She felt a deep sense of gratitude towards the Jones family, her heart swelling with emotion. She had always felt like part of their family, and now, being in Santiago, she realized just how much they had always looked out for her. From the countless dinner nights she had shared with them in LA to their unwavering support when she moved to Santiago, the Jones family had been a constant source of love and comfort in her life. Mia felt thankful for their kindness, generosity, and warmth, knowing that she could always count on them to be there for her.

"I do." Mia replied.

Mrs. Jones turned her attention to Mia once again, this time with a curious expression. "Mia, how's school going for you? Are you enjoying your classes?"

Mia nodded enthusiastically, taking a sip of her water before responding. "School's going great, Mrs. Jones. I'm really enjoying my classes, especially Spanish and history. My teachers are all really nice, and I'm making some great friends."

Rachel chimed in, "Yeah, Mia's like a total rockstar at school. She's already acing all her classes."

Mia blushed at Rachel's praise, but Mrs. Jones smiled warmly, her eyes shining with interest. "That's wonderful, Mia! We're so proud of you for adjusting to a new school and making the most of your time here. What do you think is the biggest difference between school here and in LA?"

Mia thought for a moment before responding, "I think the biggest difference is the pace of life here. Everything seems more relaxed and laid-back, whereas in LA, it was always go-go-go. I'm really enjoying the slower pace here, though. It's giving me a chance to focus on my studies and extracurricular activities without feeling too overwhelmed."

Mr. Jones nodded thoughtfully, his expression serious. "That's a great point, Mia. Sometimes, it's nice to have a break from the hustle and bustle of city life. We're glad you're finding a good balance here in Santiago." A warm smile spreading across his face. "Mia, how are you settling into your dorm? Is everything going smoothly?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine concern.

Mia nodded, taking a bite of her food before responding. "I'm doing fine, Mr. Jones. The dorm is nice, and I'm getting used to the new surroundings."

Mrs. Jones smiled, her eyes shining with interest. "That's great to hear, Mia. We were a bit worried about you being so far away from home, but it sounds like you're adjusting well."

Mia smiled back, feeling grateful for their concern. "Yeah, I'm doing okay. My roommate, Eres, is really nice, and we get along great."

As soon as Mia mentioned Eres' name, Mr. Jones, Mrs. Jones, and Rachel exchanged a look that Mia didn't take note of. It was a brief, subtle glance, but it seemed to convey a message that only they understood.

Mia didn't notice the exchange, too caught up in her own thoughts and the meal in front of her.

"Eres?" Mr Jones asked. "Tell us about her." He said.

Mia smiled, launching into a enthusiastic description of her roommate Eres. "Eres is really nice, Mr. Jones. We get along great. She's really into reading, just like me, and we've already had some great conversations about books."

Mrs. Jones's eyes lit up with interest. "Oh, that's wonderful! What kind of books does she like to read?"

Mia thought for a moment before responding. "I think she's really into fantasy and sci-fi. She's always got her nose buried in a book, and I love that about her."

Rachel rolled her eyes dramatically. "Sounds like you two are getting along just fine."

Mia nodded, smiling. "Definitely. And it's really cool that we have some things in common. Eres is actually from a small town in the Midwest, and she's always dreamed of living in Santiago."

Mr. Jones's expression turned thoughtful. "That's quite a change for her. How's she adjusting to life here?"

Mia's expression softened slightly. "She's doing okay, I think. It's been a bit of an adjustment for her, but she's really determined to make it work. Her parents weren't really supportive of her decision to come here, but she's following her dreams anyway."

Mrs. Jones's eyes filled with understanding. "That takes a lot of courage. I'm sure it can't be easy for her to be so far away from home, especially without her parents' support."

Mia nodded. "Yeah, I think Eres is really strong and independent. I think we're going to get along great."

As they finished dinner and began to clear the table, Mrs. Jones put a hand on Mia's shoulder, her eyes shining with warmth. "We're so glad you could join us for dinner, Mia," she said. "It feels like old times having you here."

Mia smiled, feeling a surge of love and gratitude towards the Jones family. "I'm glad I could come," she said. "I've missed you all so much."

Rachel grinned, putting her arm around Mia's shoulders. "We've missed you too, Mia," she said. "But now that you're here, we're going to make the most of it."

As they laughed and chatted, Mia knew that she was exactly where she was meant to be. She was with the people she loved, in a place that felt like home, and she knew that she was going to be happy here.

As the evening drew to a close, Rachel offered to drive Mia back to her dorm. Mia gratefully accepted, saying goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Jones and thanking them again for the delicious dinner.

As they walked out to Rachel's car, the cool night air enveloped them, carrying the scent of blooming flowers and freshly cut grass. Mia breathed deeply, feeling the stress and tension of the day melt away.

Rachel unlocked the car and they slid inside, the soft glow of the dashboard lights illuminating their faces. As Rachel started the engine, Mia settled back into the passenger seat, feeling a sense of contentment wash over her.

The drive back to Mia's dorm was quiet, the only sound being the soft hum of the engine and the occasional passing car. Rachel and Mia chatted lazily, discussing everything from school gossip.

As they approached the dorm, Rachel turned to Mia with a smile. "I'm so glad you could come over for dinner tonight," she said. "It felt like old times having you there."

Mia smiled back, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Rachel and her family. "I had a great time," she said. "Thanks again for inviting me."

Rachel pulled up outside the dorm, and Mia gathered her things, preparing to get out. "Hey, thanks for the ride," she said, smiling at Rachel.

Rachel grinned. "No problem, happy to help. I'll talk to you on Monday, okay?"

Mia nodded, getting out of the car. "Sounds good, bye!"

As Mia walked into the room, she was greeted by the soft glow of Eres' laptop screen. Eres looked up, a hint of a smile on her face. "Hey, Mia. How was dinner?"

Mia dropped her bag onto the floor and flopped onto her bed, letting out a contented sigh. "It was great, thanks. The Jones family is always so nice to me. We had a really nice dinner and caught up on everything."

Eres nodded, her eyes sparkling with interest. "That sounds wonderful. I'm glad you had a good time."

Mia smiled, feeling grateful for her roommate's friendly demeanor. "Yeah, me too. What about you? What have you been up to tonight?"

Eres gestured to her laptop screen, where a complex-looking spreadsheet was open. "Just working on some stuff for my econ class. Trying to get ahead on my assignments."

Mia nodded, impressed. "You're always so on top of things, Eres. I'm a bit jealous, to be honest."

Eres laughed, a soft, melodious sound. "It's just habit, Mia. I've always been a bit of a planner. But hey, it helps me stay organized, right?"

Mia smiled, feeling a sense of camaraderie with her roommate. "Definitely. I'm more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of person, but it's nice to have someone around who can keep me grounded."

Eres smiled back, her eyes shining with warmth. Eres leaned back in her chair, her eyes fixed on Mia with a curious expression. "So, Mia, how close are you with the Jones family?" she asked, her voice gentle and inquiring.

Mia thought for a moment, a soft smile spreading across her face. "I'm really close with them," she said. "I've known them since I was a kid, and they've always been like a second family to me. Rachel and I have been friends for years, and her parents have always been really supportive and loving towards me."

Eres nodded. "That's really sweet," she said. "It's clear that you care about them a lot. Did you spend a lot of time with them when you lived in LA?"

Mia nodded, a nostalgic look on her face. "Yeah, I did. I would often spend weekends at their house, and we would do all sorts of things together. They were always really involved in my life, and I appreciated that about them."

Eres smiled, her expression warm and understanding. "It's great that you have a support system like that," she said, her eyes held a mysterious glare.

Mia nodded unaware of the look in Eres eyes. "Yeah, it means a lot to me to have them in my life," she said. "They're really special people."

Eres smiled mysteriously.