Sebastian's POV
The digital clock beside our bed glowed in the early morning hours. I had memorized that number from staring at it countless times over the restless night, watching the minutes crawl by like molasses. Darkness wrapped around our bedroom, broken only by pale moonbeams filtering through the partially drawn curtains, creating restless shadows that danced across the ceiling.
Maya lay next to me with her back turned, but her irregular breathing gave her away. The rigid tension radiating from her body told me sleep had abandoned her just as completely as it had me.
"I can tell you're wide awake," I whispered into the heavy silence, my voice gravelly from hours of unspoken worry.
She released a shaky breath and rolled toward me, her eyes catching the faint light like liquid silver in the darkness.
"Same goes for you," she replied, exhaustion weighing down her words. "How long have we been lying here pretending?"
