-Kyle Vale:
Morning came quietly.
The rain had stopped sometime during the night, but the sky outside the windows was still grey, heavy clouds covering everything in a dull light that made the entire room feel colder than it actually was.
I woke up exhausted.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
Like my body had spent the entire night fighting something even while asleep.
For a few seconds, I just stared at the ceiling without moving, trying to remember where I was mentally before everything crashed back into me again all at once.
Dad.
The funeral.
The ceremony.
The nightmare.
My chest tightened immediately.
Beside me, Caspian stirred slightly the moment my breathing changed. He was still close, practically curled against my side under the blankets, one of his hands resting lightly against my stomach like he fell asleep trying to make sure I stayed there.
His eyes opened slowly.
The second he looked at me, I knew he could tell.
I looked away before he could say anything.
