The door clicked shut, and the sudden silence of the hallway made everything finally feel real. I stood there for a moment, my hand still trembling on the iron latch of Caden’s door. The air in the corridor was freezing, but my body was a fever. My gown was damp, clinging to my inner thighs, and every time I shifted, the friction against my legs made my breath hitch.
I walked down the long corridor like a ghost. My legs were heavy, and the ache between them was a pulsing, rhythmic reminder of exactly where he had left me. I felt used. I felt discarded. But more than anything, I felt a raw frustration that made me want to scream.
I returned to my room but I didn't sleep. I spent the rest of the night staring out the window in self-loathe and embarrassment.
Every time I moved, I was remi
