The contracted heart

" Sofia said to the man sh

e hundred dollars for the week "That'

sitor's form, he gave her the room key and the number to the room she wouldbe staying in. His warm farewell linge

e darting across the tidy room adorned with pristine white linens on the compact bed and a small TV suspended on the wall across from it. Exhaling, she moved away from the entrance, making

moving out of the bathroom to the bed where she fell

rspending the money David transferred to her account that morning without knowing what the future hol

deniable wake-up call. In the unfolding moments, the undeniable hits her as David, with determination etched on his face, directs her to swiftl

hough his abrupt decision had accelerated a future separation schedule for seven months later. As she repeatedly checked her account balance, a mix of

iercely brushed away a few stray tears, determined to convince herself that the man wasn't worth the emotional

ad resolved to pick up the broken pieces and move on but how exactly was she meant to do that? She was in a new town

campus because of the quirky vintage clothes she styled in her offbeat way. Outfits that shouldn't have worked but somehow did on her lanky frame. Amy had always mentioned being a native of Oregon specifically in Portland, where Sofia now resided. Although they weren't particularly close, but hey, a

again in a year or less because once she startedpaying rent the rest would feed her for a while, but it was nowhere near forever. This was her ne

't expect Sofia to check up on her for no apparent reason. Despite the unexpected call, Amy was amiable and provided detailed answer

rroundings. Fortuitously, Amy shared that she had also returned home due to family/personal reasons. After a meaningful conversation, they decided to

she had rescued her from a dire situation, which, in Sofia's eyes,

ng her new location, she began to explore potential job opportunities. Earlier, she had ordered a bottle of grape-flavored wine, and on her hotel bed, with her