MIXED FEELINGS

ANNA

I wake up feeling the weight of last night pressing down on my chest. The soft light filtering in through the curtains does nothing to soothe the chaos swirling inside me. Damien is still asleep next to me, his breathing steady and calm, but all I can think about is how I let things get so far.

How did we end up here?

I carefully slip out of bed, making sure not to wake him. My body feels tense, every muscle coiled with anxiety. I need air, space, anything to get my mind off the feeling that I’m spiralling out of control. I grab my phone from the nightstand and tiptoe out onto the balcony, the cool morning breeze hitting my skin like a splash of reality.

Once outside, I dial Lola’s number without thinking twice. She picks up on the third ring, her voice groggy but curious.

“Anna? What’s up? It’s early. Are you okay?”

I don’t know where to start. The words are stuck in my throat, tangled with all the confusion and panic that have been building up inside me. “Lola, I don’t even kn