GABRIELLA
The first thing that hits me is the lights.
It comes through my curtains in harsh stripes, directly on my face. It drags me out of my sleep. My eyes open slowly, and then I wince and cover my face again, blinking to adjust to the brightness of the room. My head aches as I glance around me.
The ceiling above me is familiar. I’m in my room. My bed. I can’t remember getting in here. I look down at the stuffed rabbit tucked under my arm, which I don't remember reaching for.
I lie there for a moment, waiting for my brain to catch up.
Then I turn, and I see him.
Leon is sitting on the small sofa in the corner of my room, his elbows resting on his knees and his head bent forward into his hands. He hasn't noticed I'm awake. He's just sitting there, still as everything else in the
