In a reaction that absorbs energy, the reactants start at a lower energy level and end at a higher energy level. This means that the products of the reaction have more energy than the reactants. The reaction pathway would typically show an upward slope from left to right.
The energy is absorbed to break chemical bonds in the reactants and then released as new bonds are formed in the products. So, you would see an energy input or activation energy "hill" in the reaction pathway diagram.
If you have a specific diagram or more details about the reaction, feel free to describe it, and I can try to provide more specific feedback.