Zain's POV
I had meant to head for the stairwell, but somehow found myself on the rooftop instead.
Something restless churned inside me, refusing to settle.
The wind whipped around me fiercely, but I managed to find enough shelter against the wall to light a cigarette.
The smoke vanished the instant I exhaled, swept away by the gusting air.
One cigarette finished, I immediately sparked another.
Blanche's face wouldn't leave my thoughts, flashing through my mind again and again.
I couldn't name what I was feeling—just this quiet ache, like I already missed her somehow.
She'd only just left, yet the longing hit me like I hadn't seen her in weeks.
I kept telling myself to stop thinking about her, but the more I fought it, the stronger the pull became.
Finally, I gave in and grabbed my phone, firing off a text.
"Are you home yet?"
A few minutes crawled by before her reply came through: "Yeah. Home."
Those clipped words made me think of the Blanche I used to know.
