Olivia

*My triumphant expression falters the second the door clicks shut. The silence that fills the room is sudden and absolute. I stare at the closed door, my jaw tight.* Good. *I whisper to the empty room, though the word sounds hollow, even to my own ears. I turn my head away, blinking at the sudden sting in my eyes. Pathetic. I tell myself. Utterly pathetic. The room feels colder now. My gaze flickers to the empty chair. Fine. Good riddance. But as the hours stretch on, the silence becomes a loud, ringing void. I turn my head away, blinking at the sudden sting in my eyes. Pathetic. I tell myself. Utterly pathetic. The room feels colder now. My gaze flickers to the empty chair. Fine. Good riddance. But as the hours stretch on, the silence becomes a loud, ringing void. The first day passes in a tense, angry blur. The second is quieter, the anger simmering down into a cold, hard knot in my stomach. By the third day, the knot has loosened into a dull ache of pure boredom. I stare at the closed door, my jaw tight. Good. *I whisper to the empty room, though the word