It doesn't take Jess long to find himself in the heart of the city, surrounded by towering buildings and the endless motion of strangers.
But even amid the chaos, it's the tiredness weighing down his body that anchors him in place.
The dizziness pulses through his head like a second heartbeat, and every step feels heavier than the last.
His limbs ache. His abdomen throbs with a dull, cramping pain. Yet the one thing keeping him upright, moving forward, is the flickering hope, the agonizing curiosity about what Tanner and Kyle's reactions might be when they see him.
His stomach flips at the thought, twisting itself in knots. He swallows hard, willing the nausea down.
It isn't just the need of seeing them that pushes him, it's the need for peace. Something inside Jess is screaming for it, clawing for air. He can't keep living like this, drowning in regret and silence.
