Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Everything familiar was thick with irony.

Why? Why did he ever say those things?

Looking back, he felt like he was under some spell, acting on whim without realizing her pain and despair.

In just a year, Roseanne had moved on, embracing college life, while he was still stuck in this private room. Trapped and with no desire to leave.

Murray's grip on his glass tightened until his knuckles turned white, and then, unexpectedly, he chuckled. The resolve he had when breaking up was now equal in regret. Seeing this, Cliff sighed, unable to persuade him otherwise, he simply joined in.

"Here, Murray, I'll drink with you."

Soon enough, Murray was plastered.

Cliff drove him back to the mansion. Throughout the ride, Murray's eyes were shut tight, mumbling, "Anne...Anne...don't leave me..."

It was tough for Cliff to watch.

Roseanne's relationship from the start. How

Cliff hesitated to leave. He

family home? Can you

with sleep, showed up half an hour later with dark circles

anxiously waiting, lit up at her arrival. "Ah, Sadie, thank goodness you're

rolled her eyes at the sight of the drunken

a bit overboard. Can you take care of him?" Cliff said before making a hasty retreat. Sadie stopped him.

Cliff turned, puzzled. "Yeah?"

bin in

know, what

leave your cigarette butts everywhere. You think the floor cleans

an apology and promised to be

Sadie covered Murray with a blanket, tucking him in before muttering her way to the kitchen

the floor upon her return, she sighed, resigned to her fate. She dragged him back to bed like hauling a sack of potatoes and then tried to

IMS

until Sadie, losing patience, pinched his cheeks, turning