The city lights blurred around Stella as she half-walked, half-stumbled back to her apartment. The small, sealed envelope was clutched so tightly in her hand that the paper was damp with sweat. Each breath was a shallow, painful gasp, her lungs refusing to fully expand under the crushing weight of the news. The familiar scent of their small, shared space – a mix of Blessing’s exotic spices and Stella’s lavender air freshener – usually offered comfort, but tonight it felt stifling.
She pushed the door open, the faint click echoing in the sudden silence of the apartment. Blessing was curled on the sofa, a textbook open on her lap, but her head snapped up the moment Stella entered. One look at Stella’s ashen face, the wild, pain-filled eyes, and the crumpled paper in her hand, told Blessing
