Page 39 of Unbreak Me

I had no idea what might have caused his reaction—I didn’t recognize the people whose faces were on those posters. But it didn’t seem like the right moment to ask about politicians, so I left it without comment.

When we got back home, he muttered something about taking a nap and went straight to his room. I headed downstairs to the gym and worked out for about an hour and a half. But after I finished my shower, I heard something strange—a muffled groan.

Curious, I tiptoed to his room and heard more distorted sounds. It sounded like he was saying, "No… No!"

Perplexed, I opened the door and saw Day sleeping in the center of his small nest. He was curled up with a pillow pressed to his chest, lying on his side, clearly talking in his sleep.

I walked closer and noticed his pendant lying on the nightstand. That’s when I realized it wasn’t just a gem—it was a tiny locket, the kind that could open and probably had something inside. Of course, I didn’t touch it.

Day was sleeping restlessly. His body trembled slightly, his face tense. Suddenly, he moaned again, strained and desperate. "Don’t take him… no!"

"Day."

The moment I said his name, his eyes shot open—bleary and unfocused at first, but they quickly regained clarity and locked onto my face.

"What… what are you doing here?" he mumbled.

"You were talking in your sleep. You looked like you were suffering," I explained quietly.

Day’s hand immediately went to his neck, searching for the pendant. When he didn’t find it, panic flashed across his face.

"It’s here, Day, on the nightstand."

He lunged toward the bedside table, practically destroying his nest in the process, and snatched up the pendant.

There was a moment of silence as he put it back around his neck, his hands trembling.

"What’s in the locket, Day?" I asked, feeling uneasy.

His eyes burned with anger as he snapped, "Nothing!"

I swallowed hard, unsure if I should drop it or press further. He made the decision for me.

"Can you leave?" he asked coldly.

"Sure," I muttered, since it was an extremely uncomfortable situation anyway.

I left the room in silence and went downstairs.

It wasn’t the best day, that’s for sure. It felt like we had regressed to where we were at the very beginning. All perhaps due to my premature attempts to bond with him. I had no idea what to do next to avoid making things worse.

Day didn’t come down for the next hour. Feeling restless and unsure of what to do (we usually watched TV together in the evenings), I decided to play a video game instead.

By the time I had enough of it, it was evening, and Day still hadn’t left his room. Was he still mad about the bracelet? Or about me going into his room? I didn’t know. I also didn’t want to ask, afraid it might escalate things. Better to let it blow over. Still, a lingering sadness gnawed at me.

Eventually, I grabbed a bottle of homemade Cornelian cherry liquor from the fridge and went out to the terrace. I poured myself a glass and sank into a rattan chair.

I didn’t usually drink when I was alone, but sometimes it helped, especially on long, lonely summer nights. I didn’t make a habit of it, but I kept a few bottles around for bad days. And this was definitely one of them.

As I stared at the hills, wondering why Day always seemed so drawn to them, my thoughts grew darker. What was going through his mind as he stared? What kept him so numb for hours?

Then, I felt someone’s gaze on me. I turned around and saw Day standing behind the doorway to the terrace, watching me intently. It was weird—kinda unsettling.

Clearing my throat, I said, "Oh, Day. Would you like to join me?" I gestured toward the bottle. "It’s my homemade Cornelian cherry liquor. I make it every year—tasty and aromatic."

He hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly and walked over to the table. He took the other rattan chair, and I poured him a glass. Milky and Fuzz took the opportunity to hop onto the rattan sofa beside us.

"I'm not used to alcohol. As you know, I spent almost the whole last decade being pregnant. It'll probably hit me quickly," he muttered, avoiding my gaze.

---