Chapter 2: Sweating WallsThe bathroom is a steamy box, the air thick with the scent of cheap soap and his own rising body heat. Water drums against the tiled walls, a steady, rhythmic beat, and the mirror is a blurry canvas of condensation. He’s been in here for what feels like an hour, trying to scrub away the lingering unease from the move, from her. The water is almost scalding, but he welcomes the burn, hoping it might cauterize the images that have been flickering behind his eyelids all afternoon. He's just reaching for the faucet, ready to twist the water off, when the door creaks open.His breath hitches. He freezes, mid-reach, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird. The sound is almost imperceptible over the drumming water, a soft groan of wood on wood, but in the small, echoing space, it’s a thunderclap. He clenches his eyes shut for a split second, a primal urge to disappear. But then he opens them, slowly, reluctantly, and there she is.She walks in, a sh
Last Updated : 2025-07-06 Read more