𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑴𝑨𝑵, ᵗʰᵉ ⁱⁿʰᵉʳⁱᵗᵃⁿᶜᵉ ᵍᵃᵐᵉˢ

𝟎𝟎𝟖: 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐲

The sunlight shone through the heavy curtains, pulling me from a deep sleep. 

My head throbbed like a drum, each pulse a reminder of the night before. I let out a groan, turning over and burying my face in the pillow, hoping to block out the harsh reality. But the memories began to filter back, though they were foggy—laughter, whiskey, and the shadow of Aaron leaning closer. 

But when I look to the side to see if he is here, I notice that I am alone in the bed. 

I don't remember much after that. But everything hurts and I'm not sure why. After a few moments of just staring at the ceiling in bed, I slowly take off the covers and get out of bed. 

Last night was a blur. But I have learned to not dwell on the past and focus on the future, no matter how bad or frightening either of them are. I go over to the closet, which is fifty percent filled with shoes and fifty percent filled with actual clothes. 

But as I'm walking over there, I realize I'm not wearing what I was last night. I'm dressed in a baggy t-shirt that smells like cologne. And that is it. 

I don't dwell on the fact for long though because the pounding in my head is enough. I wouldn't want to add more reasons to make the pain even more unbearable. 

I put on a casual outfit, which consists of a white skirt, black sweater, and black boots that end a little below my knee. I curled my hair and put a white headband on to completely throw the outfit together. Finishing the look with a good amount of makeup because recently I haven't been able to leave my room without it on. 

And on that note, I start making my way to the kitchen. You know it's a strange day when I have the urge to bake something. And that is how I feel right now. 

As a kid, I loved baking but getting older it just became another chore that I had to do. Something women were expected to do and I wanted to be more than just a house wife. 

It was still pretty early in the morning so I tried not to make too much noise as I finally made it to the kitchen and started to scroll through one of the only things I enjoy doing on my phone. Pinterest. And I find a pancake recipe that speaks to me. 

I finally felt at peace. My headache was going away due to an advil I took before I started baking. It's moments like these where I wish I lived in a normal house. With no crazy family members. No will. And no drama.  

Just as I flipped a pancake, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching. My heart quickened with a mixture of confusion and excitement. When Aaron entered the kitchen, his presence immediately lit up the room, and I couldn't help but smile. "Rory" he greeted me, a bright smile breaking across his face.

"Hey!" I replied, my heart fluttering. "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't resist. The smell is incredible," he said, stepping closer to the counter. The warmth of his gaze made me momentarily forget my worries.

We worked side by side, flipping pancakes and setting the table. It felt familiar, almost like old times, and I savored the moment. "I've missed this," he said, leaning against the counter with a relaxed smile.

"Me too," I replied, feeling a rush of warmth. But just as I began to relax, I sensed the tension lurking beneath the surface.

"Listen, Rory," he began, his tone shifting. "I need to talk to you about something important."

"Yeah I have something I need to ask you too" I told him, a sense of unease creeping in.

He gave me a small smile, "Okay" He says, "You can go first". I take a deep breath, attempting to ease the nerves that were slowly creeping up on me.