Adrian's POV:
As I stir awake, there's still this dull ache in my shoulder, slow and stubborn like a reminder I can't ignore. I exhale, letting my eyes open, blinking against the dimmed morning light sliding through the curtains.
Then I see her.
Elena. Asleep, right beside my bed. She's seated on the floor, arms folded atop the mattress, her cheek resting over them.
Her breathing is slow and rhythmic. Her hair spills around her face, strands falling across her closed eyes, her lips parted slightly.
She stayed.
The thought settles like a foreign weight in my chest. She stayed. All night. How am I supposed to feel or react to that?
I feel a sense of gratitude, but at the same time, there's also a little bit of irritation.
Why did she stay?
And why does my chest feel so tight, looking at her?
This. This is the reason for my irritation. Because of these foreign feelings I can't explain. Feelings I don't want to give a name to.
