'What's wrong, Tess?' her friend asked worriedly. 'Jessie, I've done something incredibly stupid,' she cried as soon as she walked in. When she stepped into the apartment she shared with her best friend, she found Jess watching TV. She handed over the key, and exiting the hotel, took a taxi home. Collecting all her belongings, she fished out the keycard from her pocket and headed for the lobby. Her gaze shifted to the bathroom door as she contemplated taking a shower, but her exhaustion weighed on her. She rubbed her eyes, forcing them to stay open. Her head felt heavy and she was tired beyond words.

Getting up, she tiredly walked to the kitchenette and poured herself a glass of water. She reread the note a few times and even though she knew she should be happy about this, she wasn't.

Her eyes slowly focused on the note and she read his cursive handwriting, surprised at how neat and legible it was. Picking it up, she noticed the pristine state of the bedding on his side, and only then realized he hadn't slept there. The crunching noise that came from below one of her hands startled her and she gazed down to find a note he'd left on the pillow. Propping herself up, she attempted to get a better vantage point. She stirred, looking around the room for him but saw no clue of his presence. He must still be asleep, Tessa thought, and slowly opened her eyes to find his side of the bed empty. There were no sounds in the room, no smell of coffee. Her senses came back to her before her eyes opened.

Emilia by H.L. Swan