Fractured

15. Complicated

I woke up, feeling like I'd only dozed off for an hour, but the warm, fading glow of a sunset filtered through the curtains in Lucas' office.

The soft amber light filled the room, casting long shadows that stretched across the floor and walls. It made everything look calmer than it felt. I blinked a few times, disoriented, trying to piece together how much time had actually passed. My head was still heavy, definitely from the crying.

Across the room, I spotted Lucas, seated at his desk. He didn't seem to notice me stir. His brow was furrowed, deep in concentration, the soft clink of his pen tapping against paper filling the quiet.

He had his glasses on, an obvious sign that he'd been working this whole time. Part of me felt embarrassed that I'd been out long enough for him to finish whatever he'd been doing, while I just...slept.

I shifted, sitting up straighter on the couch and rubbing the back of my neck. It was sore, probably from the awkward position I had been sleeping in.

Or maybe just the weight of everything.

Either way, it didn't help the awkwardness swelling inside me. "Hi," I mumbled, barely loud enough to cut through the quiet. My voice cracked a little, making me wince.

Lucas looked up at me, startled for a second, before his expression softened. He placed his pen down and leaned back in his chair, pulling his glasses off and setting them aside. "Hey," he said gently. "You were out for a bit there. How're you feeling?"

I glanced at the window again, noticing how much lower the sun had dipped. A pit formed in my stomach. I had been asleep for hours.

"Uh... yeah, sorry about that," I muttered, my fingers still massaging the tension in my neck. "I didn't mean to... y'know, pass out like that."

He waved a hand dismissively. "Don't apologize. You needed it, clearly." His gaze softened as he looked me over.

I rubbed my eyes, as if I could possibly rub off the tired I felt from the past month. What a joke.

"Yeah. I guess I did."

Silence settled between us, heavy but not uncomfortable. It was the kind of quiet that had too many unsaid things hanging in the air. Lucas cleared his throat, leaning forward again. "Do you... wanna talk about anything? Or just sit here for a while?"

I hesitated. Did I? Part of me wanted to spill everything, to let him in on the whirlwind that had been my life lately—the confusion, the guilt, the feelings I hadn't quite sorted out yet.

But another part of me screamed to keep it all locked up, to avoid making this even more complicated than it already was.

"I don't even know where to start," I said quietly.

He nodded slowly, giving me space to figure it out. "There's no rush," he said, his tone gentle but steady. "We've got time."

I felt the weight of those words, and something in me wanted to believe him. But time felt like the one thing I didn't have. Or at least, not enough of it. I stared at the floor, the light starting to dim as the sun dipped further below the horizon, leaving us both in the shadows.

"I think I should go," I said abruptly, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. I stood up, feeling the sudden need to get out of there, to escape whatever this was turning into. I didn't trust myself—my emotions were all over the place, and staying here only made it harder to think straight.

Lucas stood up quickly, catching the sudden shift in my mood. "Jessie, wait—"

"I just... I need some air, okay?" My voice cracked again, and I cursed myself for sounding so weak. "I can't—" I swallowed, trying to keep it together. "I can't do this right now."