Chapter 131

Cutter

"I have to go," I remind her, whispering softly.

The breath I exhale disturbs the hair at her temple. The sun has risen into the sky, shining brightly through her window. We saw every hour last night, including the moon.

"I wish you didn't." She holds onto my waist tightly.

Her small voice kills me. It would hurt less if you filleted my chest open, exposing my heart. "I don't want to, but I need to get back to Laurel Springs."

Although I'm not sure what my life is going to be like there now. Thinking about the place I've loved since I was a kid doesn't make me excited anymore. When I close my eyes it's hard to imagine the streets in vivid colors and the people I love, like I've always been able to do. That color is now slightly muted, the voices of my family not as loud as they once were.

"I know." She pulls herself from me, sitting cross-legged in the bed, not bothering to cover her form. The long hair I've wanted to see down flows over her chest, only separating w