Always you

Chapter 38

The afternoon sun streamed through the curtains, casting a soft glow across Sasha's room. She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling drained and restless all at once. Her thoughts spun in circles, all of them leading back to Rafe.

When a gentle knock sounded on her door, she turned her head lazily. "Come in," she muttered, her voice hoarse.

Marie stepped in, her expression soft and understanding. "Hey, I just wanted to check on you. You've been in here all day."

Sasha sighed. "I don't feel like getting up."

Marie sat on the edge of the bed, brushing a strand of hair away from Sasha's face. "That's okay. Just... don't stay in your head too much, alright? If you need anything, let me know."

"Thanks, Marie," Sasha said weakly.

With a small smile, Marie stood and left the room, leaving Sasha alone again. She rolled over and grabbed her phone off the nightstand. The lock screen lit up, but there was no notification from Rafe. Her heart sank a little further.

Opening her messages, she saw two texts from Kiara.

Kiara: Hey, beach day? Perfect weather for it.
    Kiara: Bring the good vibes.

Sasha stared at the messages for a long moment before typing back.

Sasha: Not today.

She didn't add anything else. She couldn't bring herself to explain how heavy her thoughts were, how consumed she felt by the uncertainty of what was going on with Rafe.

The next hour dragged by, each minute feeling like an eternity. She couldn't summon the energy to get out of bed but couldn't find peace in lying there either. She was trapped in limbo, her mind replaying every moment of the past few days.

A sudden commotion downstairs pulled her from her haze. She heard voices—Sarah's, bright and insistent, followed by Kiara's unmistakable laugh. The sound of footsteps grew louder, and then her bedroom door swung open.

"Guess what?" Sarah announced, stepping into the room with Kiara behind her. Both of them were holding bags—one stuffed with snacks, the other with fast food. Kiara had a colorful stack of blankets slung over her shoulder.

Sasha blinked in surprise. "What are you two doing here?"

"Intervention," Kiara said with a grin. "Sarah told me what's been going on, so we're here to cheer you up."

Sarah set the bags down and plopped onto the bed beside Sasha. "We brought everything. Comfort food, blankets, and ourselves. You don't get a choice."

Kiara tossed a blanket over Sasha and climbed onto the bed as well, settling in on her other side. "We're not going anywhere until you're feeling at least 50% better."

Sasha couldn't help but smile, despite herself. "You guys didn't have to do this."

"Of course we did," Sarah said, opening a bag of chips. "You've been there for us when we needed it. Now it's our turn."

Kiara handed Sasha a burger and unwrapped one for herself. "Also, we're kind of starving, and eating with you seemed more fun than eating by ourselves."

The three of them laughed, and for the first time that day, Sasha felt a flicker of light break through the darkness.

They spent the afternoon eating, talking, and watching cheesy rom-coms on Sasha's laptop. The heavy weight in her chest didn't vanish completely, but with her friends beside her, it felt a little easier to bear.