Breaking the Grid

Wake up

My head was pounding as I slowly blinked open my eyes, the sharp light from the window immediately making me regret it. Every part of my body ached, my mouth dry, throat burning, and my stomach twisted in ways that made me want to crawl under a rock. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I could barely remember how I even made it home.

I groaned and shut my eyes again, trying to block out the harsh sunlight. What the hell did I do last night? My head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and every thought seemed distant and jumbled. I shifted slightly in the bed, hoping to ease the throbbing pain, but something stuck to my skin—a warm body next to mine, moving slightly as I stirred.

Panic flared in my chest as I froze, my heart skipping a beat. I felt the heat of another person against me, and slowly, I turned my head to the side, my breath catching in my throat as I saw Leah lying there, her body tangled with mine, both of us...naked.

What the hell?

For a second, I didn't move, just stared in disbelief. My mind raced, fragments of the night flashing in and out, but nothing made sense. How did this happen? Why was Leah here, in my bed, with me? Naked.

My stomach dropped, and my body tensed. Oh god, what did I do? What did we do?

Leah stirred next to me, her eyes fluttering open as she groaned, her face scrunched up in confusion and discomfort. It only took her a second to realize what I was seeing. Her eyes widened, and she sat up quickly, clutching the blanket to her chest as if trying to make sense of the situation.

"Blair..." she whispered, her voice raspy from sleep, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What...what happened?"

I stared at her, completely lost. "I-I don't know." My voice was barely audible, shaky, and filled with guilt. "I don't remember."

Leah's hand went to her forehead, rubbing at her temple, trying to think. But I could see it in her eyes—she was just as confused as I was. Neither of us knew what had happened. How we ended up like this.

My chest tightened as I sat up, pulling the blanket around me like it could somehow protect me from the reality of the situation. "Leah, I'm so sorry," I whispered, my voice cracking. "I'm...I'm dumb. I'm a shitty person. I'm sorry."

Leah didn't respond, her hand still on her forehead, but she was looking at me, wide-eyed, searching for answers. I felt a pit growing in my stomach, shame flooding every part of me as I kept apologizing. "I shouldn't have pushed you last night. I shouldn't have made you drink. I don't know what happened, but I know I messed up. I...I ruined everything."

But Leah didn't say anything. She didn't respond, didn't ask questions, didn't yell. She just stared at me for a second longer, her face expressionless. Her silence made everything worse, the weight of it crushing me.

Without a word, she sat up slowly, pulling the sheets away from her body. I watched as she found her clothes on the floor, her movements stiff and methodical. My heart sank further with every second, my mouth dry, my hands shaking slightly.

"Leah..." I tried again, but the words died in my throat. I didn't even know what to say. Apologizing wasn't enough.

She didn't look at me. She just grabbed her shirt, pulling it over her head, her back turned to me the entire time. When she was fully dressed, she stood there for a second, as if debating whether to say something.

But she didn't.

She glanced at me, her face blank, unreadable, and then she walked out of the room.

I shot up from the bed, barely pulling on a shirt as I stumbled toward the door. My body was screaming at me to stop, the hangover and sickness washing over me in waves, but I couldn't let Leah just leave like that. My heart pounded harder, anxiety flooding my system. I reached the hallway just in time to see Leah heading for the door, her back to me, and I called her name, my voice shaky and desperate. "Leah, wait—"