Jace

The gym was unusually quiet that morning. The silence enveloped me as I stood in the empty gym.

There were no sounds of punching bags or footsteps on treadmills, just the gentle hum of the air conditioning. My thoughts raced, spiraling out of control.

I couldn’t focus because I hadn’t slept. My mind was consumed with her. I couldn’t shake the memory of how Celeste looked at me when I told her I couldn’t stay away. The sound of her voice whispering my name before she finally fell asleep haunted me.

I had sat beside her bed for hours, watching her fever break, listening to her breathing become steady...