[Celeste]
The water had already gone cold by the time I realised I was still standing over the sink, hands braced on either side of the counter. I'd been staring at my reflection too long—eyes tired, lips pressed together like they could shut off every emotion that plagued my heart.
I turned the tap off and reached for the towel, wrapping it around my chest.
That's when I heard it.
The cough.
Not the kind that came with a sore throat or a lingering cold—but the deep, chest-rattling kind. One that worried me.
"Ryder?" I panicked, rushing into the bedroom.
He was seated at the edge of the bed, one hand braced on his knee, the other lifted slightly and smeared with red and he attempted to hide it.
My heart ached. "Are you okay," I asked, crossing the room fast even though I already kn
