DENVER.

My heart was throbbing in my chest as I stood behind her door. Contemplating whether or not to knock, I paced around for a while. But I didn't follow her all the way here to turn back around.

And so, in an impulsive moment, I did knock before slipping my hands into my pocket. I could sense her creep toward the door and hear her hitched breaths escape her lips. The lock clicked and the handle bent before it opened. My eyes met hers immediately.

The brief silence that ...