Page 56 of Monsters Within (The Creatures We Crave 1)
I took a quick look upstairs at the three bedrooms the guys occupied. They had a similar vibe to my room downstairs, with neutral schemes and minimalistic furniture. I loved how the house was full of gold accent pieces to keep the space warm and chic, though.
Once satisfied with my small self-guided tour, I retreated to my room, shutting the door behind me and getting the bath started before stripping out of my clothes. By the time I changed my ponytail into a bun and walked back, the free-standing porcelain tub was steaming and beckoning for me to step in.
Spying some vanilla and lavender bath salts and foaming soap, I added the proper amounts before finally sinking in. Turning off the water, I retreated with my arms settling over the edge and my back and neck falling against the perfectly placed bath pillow.
It was complete bliss.
My mind drifted over a variety of topics as the time passed, and I felt my mental load lightening as I did, letting the worries over each situation go.
I wondered what had happened back at my university with the bounty hunters. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt and was hoping they’d just gone on their way after we disappeared.
Of course, I was also curious what fate befell the dean. With a live confession recorded, I couldn’t see any route in which he could get himself out of trouble, but in today's age? Who knew.
Then there was my old dorm room. This one hurt the most as I thought of how long it would take them to realize I’d disappeared and replace me with a new student. They’d likely toss everything in there out, including my notebooks.
I allowed myself to shed a few tears at the thought of my only precious belongings being thrown out, never in my grasp again. They’d gotten me through so much that it felt like a piece of my heart was being discarded.
But I’d quickly reminded myself that just because the notebooks were gone didn’t mean the memories or what they meant to me were. They’d live on in my heart and in my mind, as well as in my monsters. Those books held their memories as well, and they were living proof of that piece of my life.
I had everything I needed with me.
Material items didn’t matter when you had the ones around you that provided you with the important things in life: Happiness, love, and passion.
