Chapter 45 : Bad Mood

Simone

I kissed Michael goodbye and left his house late at night. The very last thing I wanted was to be seen in public wearing nothing but his jacket. I could already imagine Crystal printing out those pictures and plastering them all over the office.

Thankfully, both Michael's house and mine were free of paparazzi at that late hour. I drove home in silence, my heart feeling heavy.

When I woke up in the morning, the same feeling overwhelmed me. It took a long time to place it, but I finally realized it was grief. I was grieving the fact that Michael was leaving for three days.

How ridiculous! I'd known him for a matter of months, and we'd spent more than three days apart since then. I couldn't believe I was so sad to not see him for a few days.

I slouched into work, feeling weighed down by the sadness. I knew he was likely already on his plane, headed toward some city I hated. It didn't matter where he was going; anywhere away from me was a horrible place.

I made myself c