Chapter 41

• Simone woke up to the feeling of something holding her down, and when she opened her eyes, she was still in Darius' arms. He did not leave during the night like she thought he would. She gently lifted his arm from around her waist and quietly got out of bed. He didn't wake or stir, thankfully. She needed some air and space away from him. She tipped-toed to the door, grabbing a sweater to cover the dress she was still wearing from the party, and silently walked out without him noticing. Furthermore, she didn't have time to change.
• Walking barefoot through the halls, Simone finally felt like she could relax. The events from the night before were fresh in her mind; they haunted her. She found herself in front of the fountain in the gardens. The orange sun was barely rising.
• She sat on the bench, swinging and hugging her knees to her chest. She didn't know how long she was out there for, but soon the sun was high in the sky and the gardeners were out and about.