Meghan
The bed beneath me feels unfamiliar, even though it’s my own. It’s been years since I slept in this room, but it looks exactly the same: the pale lavender walls, the white canopy bed, and the shelves lined with books I once loved. Everything feels preserved, as if my absence was temporary. As if I didn’t run away and leave everything behind.
I stare up at the ceiling, the dim glow of the bedside lamp casting faint shadows. My chest feels tight, my stomach still in knots from the events of the day. I close my eyes, but that only brings the memories flooding back—Chloe’s voice on the phone, the sound of her laughter echoing through the house, and Aaron. God, Aaron.
I let out a shaky breath and pressed my palms against my face, trying to stop the whirlwind of emotions tearing th
