I felt so much pain in my head, in my stomach, and in my throat. It felt like something was squeezing me from the inside out. I could barely think about anything other than the pain. But I was resting close to Emily. Her body was warm, and the scent of her perfume hit my senses softly. That alone managed to dull the pain in my head and in my entire body.

“There’s a little problem downstairs,” Ethan said. “It’s Vivian’s mom. She’s here, and she’s causing a scene.”

I froze, ...