MERRIELYNN.
The text on my phone glowed faintly in the dark room, the only source of light as I read it over and over again.
“Will you come see me?”
Sent 27 minutes ago.
My heart hammered in my chest, each beat louder than the last.
The question lingered in my mind, and without thinking too much about it, I typed back:
‘I’m on my way.’
I didn’t feel even a hint of remorse as I tossed my blanket aside and got out of bed.
My bare feet hit the cold floor as I moved toward the bathroom, brushing my teeth again despite already having done it before bed.
Next came the shower—another routine I didn’t need to do but suddenly felt compelled to. The hot water did little to settle my nerves, though.
When I returned to my room, wrapped in a towel, I hesitated for what felt like hours. I s
