Morning light crept through the curtains, pale and unforgiving. Raine blinked awake slowly, his body heavy like it had been filled with wet sand overnight. His eyes felt gritty, his throat raw from all the crying. For a second, he forgot. Then it all rushed back, Daniel’s distant face on the TV, the ring on Betty’s finger, the way his own legs had given out.He turned his head. Cole was still there, sprawled in the armchair he’d dragged next to the bed, one leg dangling over the side. His best friend looked exhausted, dark circles under his eyes, but he was awake, scrolling through his phone with the volume off.Raine didn’t say anything. He just stared at the ceiling, tracing the familiar crack that ran across it like a lightning bolt. Words felt too heavy to push out. What was there to say anyway?“Morning, Rai,” Cole said gently, setting his phone down. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “You hungry? I can make eggs. Or that shitty instant ramen you pretend to like.”Raine did
Last Updated : 2026-07-10 Read more