ing~Layla

the past few days came rushing back. "I'm sorry, I must have been talking in my sleep." There was a pause from the other side of the door, and then a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness, I thought there might be something wrong." The manager's voice was lighter now, less tense. "Just be sure to keep it down, Ms. Hazel. We have other guests to think about." "I will," Hazel promised, but even as she spoke, her mind was elsewhere. The door closed, and Hazel sank back against the thin hotel pillow. Alone again, she closed her eyes, letting the events of the past few days play out like a movie in her head. The rejection, the betrayal, the pain. She didn't know how she was going to get through this, but she had to. A deep ache settled in her chest, a place where love and hurt mingled together like a twisted knot. But there was something else there too, a small spark of defiance, of determination. She wasn't going to let Ethan, Layla, or anyone else break her. "I need to get some clothes," She said to herself and stood up The act of standing felt like defiance itself, a small rebellion against the forces that sought to keep her down. Hazel slipped into her shoes and grabbed her keys, heading out the door with a newfound purpose. The world outside was still unfamiliar, the streets of this town a maze of unknowns. But she didn't falter, letting her feet carry her through the streets with a newfound sense of freedom. She wasn't the Luna anymore, but she was still Hazel, and that meant something. She walked out of the hotel and headed down the street to the boutique, a strange guy was following her And it took a while before Hazel knew he was following her Hazel's footsteps slowed, her eyes narrowing as she became aware of the stranger. The air around her seemed to thicken, charged with a sudden sense of danger. She turned a corner, her heart hammering in her chest. The man followed, his pace relentless, his presence menacing. Hazel's hand tightened around the key in her pocket, her mind racing for a way out. Suddenly, she ducked into an alleyway, pressing her body against the brick wall. She waited, her breath shallow, her senses heightened. The man's footsteps echoed in the alley, his shadow growing larger as he approached. Hazel's grip on the key tigh