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3~
I stared up at the
ceiling for the longest time, pondering the question that seemed to have no
answer. I adopted the practice since leaving Lunar Manor. The simple act of
counting the cracks on the plaster centered me. Soon the aftereffects of the
dream receded. The chanting no longer drowned out other more normal sounds
around me, like the soft snores of the man beside me. I shifted my gaze to the
window by my side of the bed. The heavy snowfall dulled the city lights. The
weatherman expected fifteen inches to cover Crescent City this mid-February
morning—one for the record books. But the weather outside couldn’t match the
flash freeze inside my body. I barely felt my lungs inflate as I inhaled the
chilly air in my tiny apartment. The steady hum of the radiator couldn’t
compete with winter’s ferocity. Maybe I should add another heater, but then,
what good would it do when I practically counted down the days until
graduation?
Setting aside
crazy dreams and thoughts of another heater, I focused on the most important
thing: My final project. The looming deadline for the Spring Showcase forced me
out of my warm bed. The springs creaked as I pushed up. The guy beside me
grunted. I paused. He shifted onto his stomach. When his breathing returned to
soft snores, I pushed aside the heavy comforter and shrugged into a wool robe.
Not the sexiest of looks, but considering my state of nakedness underneath, it
would have to do.
Shoving my quickly
freezing feet into sheepskin booties, I heaved off the bed and stretched my
arms above my head. The vertebrae along my spine popped back into place and I
sighed. I rolled my head from side to side, unlocking all the kinks. A dull
ache pulsed along my inner thigh. I must have pulled something last night. I
rubbed at the tight muscle before shuffling out of my room into the living room
for my morning ritual.
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