Aurelia
I sit at the dining table, my mind spinning, detached from the clatter of cutlery and muted conversation around me. I can't shake the thought of Michael. His face looms large in my head, a constant reminder of the disappointment I've brought upon myself. Why did I tell him and the others to leave? Why did I push them away when I needed them here, with me?
I know the reason. I've known it all along, even though I've tried to ignore it. It's because I started imagining what would happen if Michael found out. If he knew what's been happening between Leonard and me. I picture him standing there, arms crossed, his expression hard, filled with disappointment. Not anger, not frustration—just that look, like I've let him down in a way that can't be undone.
