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I turned the burners on again and finisheddinner A few times, I walked over to the stairs to listen for sounds of Ro I ate dinner by myself at the kitchen table, then packed the leftovers in several containers I left a note on the counter in case Roht

The house was quiet as Iglass door at the back of the house and watched the snow still falling A few inches had already accumulated Maybe tomorrow school would be cancelled

Roman

Sunlight Slow breaths A warainstsoft tickled my bare chest

No screah the air

I blinked my eyes open Dark outlines of tall, bulky furniture I stretched rateful they didn’t fall off the mattress Pins and needles prickledmy arm for her pillow Her hair spread out and as the source of the sweet scent and ticklish brushes against my skin

Ignoring the tingling in my arm, I pulled her closer

“Mmm,” she hummed in her sleep

This wasn’t a dream I’d made it back to her

At the edge of my mind, vicious memories waited, anxious to replay themselves on a loop

I brushed Juliet’s hair aside and kissed her shoulder Slowly breathing her in, I pushed back against the darkness and tumbled into sleep

The next time I woke, I was alone

Sunlight flooded the bedroom

I sat up slowly, sharp pains and dull aches re me of how close I’d come to death

Juliet appeared in the open doorway “Morning”

I reached for her “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“I wanted you to sleep” Her smile faltered as she came closer

“I don’t like waking up without you” I realized how needy that sounded and lanced at the clock “Aren’t you going to be late for school?”

Her lips curled “Which is it, Roet to school?”

I ducked hed God, I’d missed her

“It kept snowing There’s a two-hour delay” She held her crossed fingers in front ofit switches to a full snow day”

“Shit” I flipped the covers back “I better shovel the driveway so you can get the car out”