Set Me Free// L. Staley

26. New Day

The next day, Rowan woke up in her bed, curled up like a baby. When she realized where she was, a fluttering of butterflies swam through her stomach, and she put together what happened the previous night.

She couldn't help but smile, thinking about the way Layne held her. She never felt more protected in her life.

She covered her face in her blanket, letting out a giddy laugh. All she could do was smile. Layne made her feel happiness from the hairs on her head to the very tips of her toes. She never felt such a thing.

His security, though, made her home seem bare as she woke up in her cold bed, her hair still damp from her shower.

She was alone, no one else to wake up with her. Layne, nowhere in sight, made her realize her true loneliness. All she wanted was to see him so he could kiss her good morning. Or maybe, enjoy each other's company as they started their days.

She knew she'd never get that from him.

It was another full day of living in the real world, another day of not seeing Layne.

Rowan wasn't discouraged, though. If anything, she was over the moon. Layne made her feel like she was on cloud nine, and she didn't think that anything could bring her down.

She wrapped her arms around her torso, her smile unwavering as she stared out the window to her bedroom patio. She watched the sky, surprisingly sunny with no cloud in sight, and drank in the beautiful morning.

If only Layne were there to watch it with her.

She sighed, sitting up slowly as she looked around her room, shivering at the chilled air.

The hoodie she wore couldn't suffice the frigidness of the room. She got up, exposing the rest of her body to the cold air as she made her way to her dresser, finding a baggy pair of sweatpants. She slid them on effortlessly, already warmed by the extra layer of clothing.

She strolled out of her room, her head in the clouds, as she walked into the kitchen, starting her daily pot of coffee. She took her sweet time, laying out everything since she was off from work.

As the coffee brewed in the pot, she stared out the windows, drinking in the sunlight that radiated throughout her small apartment.

She planned to take a brisk walk to the window, sitting at it as she absentmindedly played her guitar, but was interrupted before she could do so.

The shrill ring of Rowan's phone shook her from her thoughts, causing her to look in the direction of her room.

Hurriedly, she made her way down the hall and into her room, picking up the phone and answering, not even bothering to look at the contact.

"Hello?" she asked, walking out into the hallway once more, turning into her kitchen.

"This is a robbery; give me all your money."

Rowan removed the ear from her phone, looking at the contact on the screen before rolling her eyes.

"I think you've got the wrong means of communication, dipshit."

"But I got you, didn't I?" Markus asked with a hint of amusement in his tone.

Rowan shook her head as she leaned against the surface of her breakfast bar. "No, no, you didn't really get much out of me-"

"Shush."

"Well, what can I do for you this fine morning?" Rowan asked as she looked outside her window. "Did you have plans?"

"Yes, actually. Otherwise, I wouldn't be calling you this early," Markus stated matter of factly. "I was visiting nonna."

Rowan hummed in realization. "How's she doin'...?"