Seventy-Eight

Lenora

My eyes fluttered open, and I winced as my temple throbbed and a dull ache pulsed through my head. Every part of my body felt heavy, especially in my arms, legs, and torso. It took me a minute or two to figure out that the pain was from crying myself to sleep last night. I could taste the stale tears on my cheek.

A glance at the clock close to my bed told me that it was five-thirty. The room spun wildly as my head throbbed like someone had hit me with a hammer. The memories slowly trickled back to my mind and I flinched, remembering everything that had happened the previous day.

I rushed to my feet, wincing as the coolness of the marbled floor sent a shiver up my spine. CJ was still fast asleep, snoring softly, with every trace of worry gone from his face.

My stomach churned as guilt settled into my core at the thought of leaving CJ. It hurt so much because I couldn't imagine my life without him. My heart twisted, feeling like someone was stealing something away from me, and I