Brandon's POV
Morning came, but it didn't feel like morning.
It felt like surviving.
I woke up with a pounding headache and eyes that burned like sand had been rubbed beneath my eyelids. I didn't remember when I finally slept. I only remembered staring at the ceiling for hours after getting back from the police station, replaying every second of the previous night over and over until my thoughts became noise.
My mother in handcuffs.
The flashing lights.
Mr. Donovan's face.
The police questions.
Seth standing there looking at me for answers I didn't have.
I dragged myself upright and sat at the edge of the bed for a moment. My body felt heavy. Everything felt heavy.
Outside my room the house was strangely quiet.
Too quiet.
Usually Seth would've had music playing somewhere downstairs. Ashley would've been yelling at someone over a call. Mum would've been rushing around trying to coordinate ten things at once.
Now nothing.
Just silence.
