I Stayed in the Bathroom Longer Than I Needed To

Dear Delyara, I wasn’t using the bathroom. I was hiding in it. The door was locked, the extractor fan was on, and for three or four minutes I just stood there looking at the floor tiles like they had offered me something the rest of the house could not. No one was asking me anything. No one was calling my name. No one needed a decision, a reminder, or a softer tone. That little room felt more peaceful than my own bedroom. When I came out, I acted normal. But the truth is, I had not needed the bathroom. I had needed a border.