TWENTY-ONE.

I jolt wide awake, sitting upright in the bed, clutching the base of my throat as I try to catch my escaping breath.

My chest rises and falls with every shallow breath I take.

Tears burn my eyes as they dart around the room that is still dark with a hint of moonlight peeking through the curtains, illuminating part of the room.

Dipping my head, I let the tears of despondency fall from my eyes, leaving a trail of emptiness behind in its wake.

My heart feels like it’s turned to lead, and my chest is struggling to hold it in place – threatening to plummet into the pit of my stomach.

A touch of hollowness invades every logical sense in my body when I think back to what Blake said about my father.

I guess his words struck a nerve in my heart without me realising it at the time, and a large part of me can’t help but feel like his accusation was genuine.

It makes sense as to why I’ve never felt like I belonged anywhere, even when I was surrounded by my classmates in high school.

Usi