She found it strange. To want to

sleep

by the ocean. She'd be unconscious for most of it. So why did it matter where she slept. Maybe there was an argument for how nice it felt leading up to finally drifting off.

Getting into her pajamas. Slipping into bed. Turning the lights off. And listening to the waves from the open window.

That experience leading up to the void was nice, but what made her really want to sleep by the ocean was that she woke up a lot in the middle of the night. Every time she did, she felt comforted by the sound of the waves. Even the sound of a car passing by comforted her out here. She could live here, she thought. Then she would trail off just as soon again.

When she awoke for the day the first thing she did was go to the napkin.

"Too Aware". The font looked aggressive. She hadn't noticed that before. She drank two glasses of water. Used the bathroom. Got out of her PJs and got dressed. Brushed her teeth. And then she headed out. Instead of going to the 

McDonalds

right by the motel she drove an extra six miles on the winding coastal roads over to the McDonalds where she had gotten the McFlurry.

In her head she pictured Ashley asking her. "Why drive the extra miles? Do you really want to run into him that badly?"

Imogen Howe

didn't reply in this imagination. Instead Ashley awaited the reply as Imogen stared straight ahead through the windshield. You could do ignore a person like this when you were driving. Eventually Ashley shook her head. "Look at you. You're hot for him!"

Imogen didn't know the answer to this. Maybe she thought. But she was sitting alone in the car. She didn't need to have an answer.