82 Clarissa

All day, I avoided Jalen. At night, I lay on the bed, my mind racing with emotions. Jalen was lying next to me, his breathing slow and steady.

Tension hung in the air between us, so thick I felt like I could reach out and touch it. I sighed my heart heavy with guilt.

His dad's death didn't give him the right to snap at me as he did earlier when I was on the phone with Genevieve. I turned to face him, my anger fading into a soft sadness.

He was lying on his back, his lips slightly parted. His dark hair was messy, giving him a rugged look. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for not understanding him. I resolved to apologize to him in the morning, hoping it would help alleviate the tension between us.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I slowly let out my breath and felt my body relax, finally drifting off to sleep.

The next morning, I woke up to find Jalen already gone from bed. I rubbed my eyes and sat up, taking a deep breath before gett