The soft glow of the early morning sun filtered through the heavy curtains, casting long shadows across the room. I sat up slowly, my head heavy with the remnants of an uneasy sleep. The events of the previous days had left a lingering tension in my chest, like a tightly wound coil that refused to unwind. Beside me, the bed was already empty, the sheets cool to the touch where Alexander had lain.
I sighed, running a hand through my tousled hair. It was always like this. No matter how close we seemed to get, there was always a barrier, an invisible wall that kept us from truly connecting. I couldn't decide if it was his doing, or if I was just too afraid to let him in completely. Perhaps it was both.
