Alissa's POV (Contained Adult Themes)
The rain poured heavily outside, hammering against the glass window like a relentless symphony. Water streaked down the pane, blurring the view of violently swaying trees, their broken branches hanging precariously in the wind.
A dim nightlight cast a soft glow across my desk, but reading was out of the question. My focus was elsewhere—on the storm outside and the one within me.
Ethan hadn’t come to my room tonight. He usually did, keeping me company as we talked or quietly shared the space. Tonight, though, he had dried my hair without a word and retreated to his room, shutting the door behind him.
I drummed my fingers against my notebook, trying to shake off the uneasy weight pressing on my chest. Why did it bother me so much? Ethan would come a
