Tyler woke up very late the next day.
His body had demanded rest, and for once, he didn't fight it. After spending nearly half an hour on the phone with his mom and Devin the previous night, he'd finally gone to bed, mentally and physically drained.
His mother, as expected, had been worried about how late he was staying up. Tyler had done his best to reassure her.
Devin, on the other hand, had been a bundle of excitement—his voice bouncing through the line, flooding Tyler's chest with warmth.
They were happy to hear from him, but Tyler could sense it: they already missed him. Deeply.
The realization left a bitter smile on his face. He wouldn't be going home anytime soon. There was still so much to do, and in truth, he hadn't even scratched the surface.
