Chapter 20: On the Prowl
-ALEC-
“I never thought I’d need to return to this place.”
“Hm?” Leena looks at me from across the dingy table, eyes scanning the room like she’s on high alert, it’s sweet, but it’s not her battle to be fighting. Guilt rises like bile in my throat at her determined expression.
“When I stopped here years ago,” I catch her eyes with my own and hold one of her hands on the table, finding the courage to continue, “It wasn’t a good time for me. Everything was raw and new, the feelings of anger and guilt were too much to handle. So I came here, drank booze that couldn’t get me drunk and slept with way too many people. It was the start of my traveling journey. Kinda funny how life comes full circle like this.”
Leena’s looking at me with a soft, knowing expression, one she uses often with me, now, and the guilt twists anew.