open, a gasp cau

was white,

flooded back, a t

a cheating ring, the micro

ker" pointing a sh

ails, all leadin

he shame bur

a pain I caused, their teaching lic

s, the online h

was it? Their car, crum

oken, just stopped.

di

was

nding, a wild, frantic

lock on the bedside tab

before t

otel room, n

tta

the other bed, my ch

You shot up like

sweet, now sent a c

test center. "For con

ired test-taker was suppos

d, meant nothing then. It wouldn't mea

, my voice raspy,

onde hair from her eyes. "W

ovised, "I won't sleep well in a strange

a second, then the concerned

sure? It' s so muc

pushing,

voice steady, "I'll just go home, ge

ally. "Okay, if you insist, but i

nding, but I saw the

en bothering to unpack w

e," I said, a lie. I wouldn'

n't g

and I couldn't face them yet, no

Night Owl Cafe," a 24-hour coffee shop

here, visible, for th

hotel room

hings would