Sunrise and New Beginnings

The first hint of pink was just starting to smudge the edges of the sky when I stirred. Sunlight, soft and shy, peeked through the gap in Katie’s curtains, painting stripes across the floor. I wiggled a toe, feeling the comfy warmth of my sleeping bag, and a wave of relief washed over me. Last night… it had been a rollercoaster, hadn’t it? From the giggles and pizza to the big, scary argument, and then… then the quiet understanding.

I heard a rustle from the sleeping bag next to mine. Katie. She yawned, a small, sleepy sound, and then a sleepy voice mumbled, “Sophia?”

“I’m awake,” I whispered back, my voice still thick with sleep.