登入I go back out for one more run. That has been the plan anyway. One final lap session before calling it a day and leaving the bike alone until tomorrow. But once I get back on and roll out onto the track, something shifts. I've stopped thinking. Stopped rehearsing speeches, stopped wondering if I’ve
The next hour passes by easily. Jen eventually succeeds in her mission as she drags Sav into the water. Chase follows behind them shortly after. Soon, there is splashing and arguments over who started what. I stay back for a bit with Will and Randy. Will leans in slightly, “You okay?” I nod, “Yeah
GregI wake up before my alarm, as I don’t want to disturb Jen’s sleep. For a few seconds, I don’t move. I just stare up at the hotel ceiling and listen. Vegas has a strange quiet in the mornings. Not silent exactly, but there is always the faint hum of air conditioning, the occasional distant eleva
By the time we get back to the room and the door clicks shut behind us, I have reached that weird travel point where I feel both completely awake and absolutely exhausted at the same time. Greg has already abandoned any attempt at looking presentable. Both of our shoes are off, and his magazine has
The crowd slowly starts moving after the fountain display ends. People drift away in groups, talking over each other and checking photos they’ve just taken. Nobody seems to be in a rush. That is one thing I have noticed about Vegas already. People walk everywhere, but somehow never look like they ha
If there is one thing I learned within the first hour of walking the Las Vegas Strip, it is that nobody walks normally. Everyone wanders. Everyone stops every three minutes to stare at something. And I fit right in. Greg, meanwhile, has already accepted his role as unofficial bag carrier and profess
I barely make it anywhere down the hallway before my knees give out. The apartment door slammed shut behind me seconds earlier, but instead of storming off as I intended, I sink down against the wall outside my own apartment with tears pouring uncontrollably down my face. My chest hurts. Not physica
Greg takes a breath, visibly trying to remain patient. “I was trying to protect you.” “There it is,” I mutter. “What’s that supposed to mean?” “You deciding what’s best for everybody.” Greg stares at me. “You think I wanted to do this?” “I think you crossed a line.” His expression darkens slig
JenI wake with a start, disoriented by the unfamiliar brightness pouring through the curtains. For a moment, I just blink up at the ceiling, my body heavy and sore, my mind foggy from restless sleep. My ribs are aching. My shoulder is throbbing from where the bruises still stain my skin. Every move
“But—” “I’m here.” I gently press her hand against my chest so she can physically feel my heartbeat beneath my shirt. “I’m alive.” Jen’s breathing hitches. “I’m safe,” I continue quietly. “And most importantly—you’re safe too.” Her eyes squeeze shut briefly as another tear slips free. I wipe it awa







