Chapter 70 Stay By Me

• Sage
• The cold morning air burned my lungs in the best way—sharp, clean, punishing. My feet pounded the packed snow along the forest trail behind the house, rhythm steady, relentless. Music blasted through my AirPods: heavy bass, fast tempo, and something aggressive with guttural vocals that matched the storm still churning in my chest.
• I pushed harder, thighs burning, breath coming in visible puffs. The trees blurred past, bare branches clawing at the gray sky, snow crunching under my sneakers. I’d left before dawn, before the house woke up, before I had to see her face over breakfast and pretend everything was fine.