Chapter 5

Sunshine poured in through the window.  The curtains had been drawn back, allowing the light to awaken me.  My eyes opened drowsily and underneath me was a boy.  The room was unfamiliar, and I felt disoriented.

Memories came rushing back with a painful force.  Sophie was gone, and she wasn’t coming back.  I no longer cared who the boy was, or where I was.  I just wanted Sophie.  Tears stung my eyes and I sobbed silently, hoping I wouldn’t wake the boy.  I lost control of my tears and started screaming as I curled up into a ball.  I didn’t care if the boy woke up.  Sophie never would.

“Kairi, Kairi.  Shh.  It’s okay.”  Lucas tried to calm me down even though he had just woken up.  “Don’t cry, everything’s okay.  I promise.”  He broke that promise before he even said it.  Nothing was okay.  Sophie was gone, and there was nothing I could do about it.  “Kairi, listen.  It really is okay.”  He tried to speak over my screams without yelling.

“No, she’s gone forever!”  I cried out with despair flowing through my veins and lungs.  It felt like a snake was squeezing what little life I had left out of my melancholy, empty heart.  My shouting and sobbing began to decrease in volume as a headache filled my head and my eyes stung from the tears.  I didn’t want to stop crying.  I never wanted to let the pain take over.

“Shh.  Kairi, it’s okay.  Shhh,” Lucas soothed gently.  “You must be tired, you only slept three hours since… Um… Well, you must be really tired, and hungry.  Do you want to try to get some more rest, or grab something to eat?”  His offer was sweet, but I just wanted to sit here and mourn for my dear Sophie.

Lucas thought that since I was crying, I couldn’t sleep.  I wondered how he couldn’t tell that I couldn’t eat either.  “Okay, let’s go down to the lobby and see if they have breakfast set up.”  With that, he took my hand and led me out the door.