The pain hits me before I can even open my eyes. Talk about a rude awakening. Groaning, I c***k open one eyelid and instantly close it again. Why must daylight be so bright? I feel a hand begin rubbing small circles on my back, making me feel a little better almost instantly.
“Why does it hurt so bad?” I ask groggily, my voice muffled by the pillow I’m pushing my face into.
“How do you feel?” I hear Gabriel’s voice speaking softly into my ear.
“Bad,” I answer, not bothering to move from my position. As long as my head stays in this pillow and Gabriel’s hand keeps rubbing my back, I’ll be good to go.
“How’s your head?” he asks, moving his hand from the bottom of my back up to the back of my head. Whatever he touches makes my head hurt way worse.
“Ow!” I snap unintentionally. “Wh
