Jason didn’t respond. I didn’t blame him; how would you respond if someone said what I did?345Please respect copyright.PENANACi8GMM51z0
345Please respect copyright.PENANAiDMWrqw6R1
“What do you think Alleata’s gonna ask me to wear?” I ask, desperate to change the subject. Jason shrugs, pulling his blanket off of his body.345Please respect copyright.PENANAmAEUlyUNZ8
345Please respect copyright.PENANAC6s2QFBzpR
“She just made a new dress,” Jason answers. “If I had to guess, she’ll probably ask you to wear that. She hasn’t seen anyone wear it yet besides a mannequin.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAJ2Yv8gGzTv
345Please respect copyright.PENANABahAo6YnMc
“What’s the dress like?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAIGuW8P3MmR
345Please respect copyright.PENANA1Ulq5tK9qy
Jason shakes his head, quickly checking his phone. “She doesn’t like telling people what her clothes look like ahead of time. Other people would try to use that information and steal it.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAGtNL1GK3lh
345Please respect copyright.PENANAhxFvJWbkmm
“That’s fair.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAoOlyBbeg5o
345Please respect copyright.PENANALwbhyChfuj
We fall into an awkward silence, neither of us sure what we should say.345Please respect copyright.PENANAJtElh2cjWU
345Please respect copyright.PENANA7X2GENw5c4
“Astrapophobia,” Jason says suddenly. I nod, looking at the weighted blanket. “It’s the fear of thunder and lightning.”345Please respect copyright.PENANASNnhv5GTpU
345Please respect copyright.PENANA2bLWRzQLv1
“If you don’t mind me asking, how long?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAOa5AIFyygt
345Please respect copyright.PENANAdgrXCIES9j
Jason shrugs, looking around the room. “About eight years, I guess. I can’t quite remember why I have it, but I have it.” 345Please respect copyright.PENANAR93QkrC3Pu
345Please respect copyright.PENANA7q8EfcqSGO
“You don’t remember?” I sit up a little straighter. “At all?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAciV7zqmO1z
345Please respect copyright.PENANACs1MKDJPDZ
“I don’t remember anything, no,” Jason replies. “But I feel like I do. You know when there’s a word that you can’t remember, but it’s on the tip of your tongue? That’s how it is. It’s right there. I can feel it, but I can’t- I can’t see it. And it frustrates the hell out of me.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAD5BkbFJlUg
345Please respect copyright.PENANAEAtsA7Rx0w
“Have you tried to remember?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAj1JkNCcRTY
345Please respect copyright.PENANAeME2rE0KJT
Jason lets out a bitter laugh. “Have I tried? Of fucking course I have. I just- I can’t remember. No one’s been able to help me remember. I had a therapist for a while, and then Dad decided that he didn’t need his son going to a crackpot and pulled me out of therapy.” Jason scoots back and leans against the wall, looking up at the ceiling. “The funny thing is, I was getting better. I could deal with thunderstorms for a longer duration without getting an attack. Now, it’s the first crack or first strike that gives me an attack. I got worse. It wasn’t this bad when I first got it.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAn7slNRpFiY
345Please respect copyright.PENANAKr5Ai113Qu
“What if you asked your mom to take you to a therapist without telling your dad?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAa2lX5fSCpe
345Please respect copyright.PENANAxcR6PZw8gR
Jason opens his mouth to say something, then closes it and blinks a few times.345Please respect copyright.PENANA5EuVPbVLZb
345Please respect copyright.PENANA6edH89hjvf
“I could probably do that,” he murmurs. “Dad never pays attention to me anyways. He won’t notice if I’m missing once or twice a week.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAuLNMA6ef31
345Please respect copyright.PENANAiMunM1rMyG
“That- that doesn't sound like a healthy relationship."345Please respect copyright.PENANAQ7Awmlw2Ln
345Please respect copyright.PENANAZsEyrQWJsv
"It isn't, but there's nothing I can do about it. That's how our relationship has always been." Jason closes his eyes and a ghost of a smile appears on his face. "It won't change. It'll be like this until the day one of us dies.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAOqbnlS87Um
345Please respect copyright.PENANAPz9PXJBA6C
“I know we just met today, but I think you should talk to your dad about this.” I lean forward and rest my arms on my legs, my fingers laced together. “Not your phobia, but your relationship.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAmq5zKI7Q4O
345Please respect copyright.PENANAnxmZmjrDyc
“Who’re you to tell me what I should do?” Jason spits, leaning forward and glaring into my eyes. “Like you said, we just met today. We’re not friends.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAVzvvpfquUM
345Please respect copyright.PENANAYQVrPwiWXZ
What’s with the sudden attitude flip?345Please respect copyright.PENANAut5et94kvw
345Please respect copyright.PENANANM4JVdyCCE
“Jason, I’m not trying to control your life, I’m just suggesting-”345Please respect copyright.PENANAtsTA5SKyZk
345Please respect copyright.PENANAE99Un9Lbi4
“Fuck off.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAWp87Fl4xE3
345Please respect copyright.PENANAKsWZoVoK02
I stand up and brush my hair behind my ear, turning as I do.345Please respect copyright.PENANAkvdmBDe5Kg
345Please respect copyright.PENANASLYFs9DOkn
“See you around, Jason,” I say, walking out of the room. I manage to take three steps before breaking into a sprint.345Please respect copyright.PENANAgkkGjGOdQn
345Please respect copyright.PENANArm73savQ1v
This is what happens when you trust people. They only let you down.345Please respect copyright.PENANAHkyCODvmps
345Please respect copyright.PENANAIVTQhJxtwx
“Woah, Xael!” Two hands grab my shoulders, preventing me from running into the person. “Where’s the fire, girl?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAA7Fk9Qy5tn
345Please respect copyright.PENANA0UD7zKn85l
“Sorry,” I whisper, looking down at the ground, knowing that Jonny’ll be able to see right through any lie I try to tell.345Please respect copyright.PENANATt1WBDkNJ8
345Please respect copyright.PENANAQey6LATpcs
“Weren’t you with Jason?” Jonny asks. I nod, and he pats my shoulders before letting go of me. “Sophie’s upstairs. Want to go hang out with her?”345Please respect copyright.PENANALWVMDW3u8J
345Please respect copyright.PENANA5aBOD4Nc85
“Actually, where’s Lukas?” My voice cracks when I say Lukas’ name, and I mentally curse myself.345Please respect copyright.PENANAIHAsbdocjk
345Please respect copyright.PENANAwkg136YZ2F
“Lukas is still manning the gate.” Jonny tilts my head up, and I nearly start crying as we make eye contact. “Should I call him? Or should I call Sarah?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAtKJiQWQ9mg
345Please respect copyright.PENANAs5Y1Nz5dQj
“Thanks, Jonny, but I want to go speak with Lukas about something.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAKpbV1F37DK
345Please respect copyright.PENANAmQEC22UDEP
Jonny takes a step back silently. I jog around him then up a set of stairs, biting my lower lip to try and keep myself from crying.345Please respect copyright.PENANA7ScXQz1qXf
345Please respect copyright.PENANA5mqd9B6x9l
“Lukas!” I call, stopping in front of a cherry wood door and knocking once. When he doesn’t answer right away, my mind reels and I think over what I’m doing. “Actually, I’m okay. Sorry to interrupt you at work.”345Please respect copyright.PENANANrO4oGKUDM
345Please respect copyright.PENANAPhNfT1x6Yp
“Stop right there young lady!” Lukas’ booming voice makes me jump. I look up at Lukas and watch his grin fall away from his face as he steps rapidly towards me. “What happened?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAGjsTmvUULK
345Please respect copyright.PENANAonxNkdej4l
Tears threaten to spill from my eyes as Lukas’ arms slide around my shoulders, holding me against his chest.345Please respect copyright.PENANATUhy8VyN0p
345Please respect copyright.PENANAdpm8JmDz1J
“I don’t know,” I murmur, my hands in fists at my sides. “I don’t know.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAu8rLBKtunI
345Please respect copyright.PENANA5AWbzptfzp
Lukas lets go of me and opens the door to where the gate control is, then presses a hand against the small of my back and ushers me inside. 345Please respect copyright.PENANADEwdPI1Uwl
345Please respect copyright.PENANA4o7TdLibPB
“You were with Jason, right?” Lukas asks. I nod, looking down at the floor.345Please respect copyright.PENANAN6jtOHVdlE
345Please respect copyright.PENANAFdsgJAoFy7
“I’m sorry about this,” I whisper, rubbing my eyes. “If you don’t mind, I’ll be on my way now.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAh4Z3aqBewo
345Please respect copyright.PENANA0d4xPdheQN
“You aren’t leaving this room until you’re not about to cry,” Lukas orders. “Take a seat, hon.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAwYRIVWr7Na
345Please respect copyright.PENANAZdCDct1CGu
“You’re at work right now,” I state, letting my stubbornness take over. “You should be doing your job, not cheering me up. I’ll be fine.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAL6eyPyEcbS
345Please respect copyright.PENANAWze1SV5Eot
“Xael-”345Please respect copyright.PENANApGpw1huOWx
345Please respect copyright.PENANAUydDfSXTQr
“I promise I’ll be fine.” I look up into Lukas’ eyes, blinking away my tears.345Please respect copyright.PENANAedRQbYheNu
345Please respect copyright.PENANADH4ld0QbRv
“Sophie’s chilling in the staff break room.” Lukas sits down in his rolling chair and spins around slowly, staring up at the ceiling. “Why don’t you go talk with her?”345Please respect copyright.PENANA5c3XKFWkEC
345Please respect copyright.PENANAYSFHGoVmwi
I nod, even though I have no intention on going to Sophie.345Please respect copyright.PENANALlKly2UX0o
345Please respect copyright.PENANAyw5LDjtkKY
“I’ll see you at dinner,” I say, turning and walking out of the room. Once I hear the door close behind me I’m off like a bullet, up two flights off stairs while pulling a pen out of my pocket.345Please respect copyright.PENANA1gU9VcxoJL
345Please respect copyright.PENANAPzUuUq8Rp0
I won’t do it. I’m not going to stoop that low.345Please respect copyright.PENANAZVU5pX9uaV
345Please respect copyright.PENANAb1pcSYb3Yh
I open the door to a random room and Jason whips his head up to look at me, a razor in between his fingers. Without thinking I’m across the room and the razor blade is on the floor in the opposite corner.345Please respect copyright.PENANAicJsZAtzOi
345Please respect copyright.PENANAJgzB4YPO6n
“This is why you made me leave,” I say, grabbing a random piece of cloth from the shelf behind Jason’s head and pressing it against his shoulder. Jason nods, looking towards the door. “Why do you do this to yourself?”345Please respect copyright.PENANA8IxiE3NC1T
345Please respect copyright.PENANAisGMIrYObL
Jason shrugs, pressing his lips together into a thin white line.345Please respect copyright.PENANAECLUObm73A
345Please respect copyright.PENANA2mZ25V3Lwl
“Not in the mood for talking. Got it. Hold this against your shoulder.”345Please respect copyright.PENANApE8EvJd43i
345Please respect copyright.PENANAqtpWAWUDRN
Jason reaches a hand up and presses it against the cloth as I retract my hand, already scanning the room for hiding places.345Please respect copyright.PENANAyl70koiIdY
345Please respect copyright.PENANAcgMJSLpi84
“Where are your other razor blades?” I demand, looking directly at Jason. He looks at me and shrugs. “I don’t give a shit how untalkative you feel right now, you’re gonna tell me where they are.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAvgW0IKY6bC
345Please respect copyright.PENANAh017ey481a
Jason’s eyes dart from me to a space behind me, then back to me. I grin triumphantly before turning around and walking over to a shelf that contains some boxes and some pieces of rolled up cloth.345Please respect copyright.PENANATGVnLqOpdd
345Please respect copyright.PENANAHlIJx5N6df
“Which shelf are they on?” I muse. He doesn’t want anyone to find them, so they aren’t on a shelf at eye level. That knocks out these three, which leaves the top one and the bottom one. People are more likely to put things they need to use often towards the bottom, which means that they’re somewhere up top.345Please respect copyright.PENANAxBN386l6hr
345Please respect copyright.PENANA0Sw9GEWAB7
“You’re not gonna find them.” Jason’s voice is hoarse. I look over at him only to see that the cloth is discarded on the ground, blood dripping down his arm. 345Please respect copyright.PENANASZhDQicHyB
345Please respect copyright.PENANAfqoUzIXzdI
“I will though.” I turn around and drag a wood box over to the shelf, stepping on it once it’s close enough. “They’re either in these two boxes or in this piece of cloth.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAQNhqr05gML
345Please respect copyright.PENANAVt9xj1ixhw
“They’re not in the cloth or the boxes.”345Please respect copyright.PENANArUHzNAsUiZ
345Please respect copyright.PENANA39W5i2QCqG
I grab the cloth and unwrap it, satisfied when four razor blades drop onto the shelf.345Please respect copyright.PENANAxGaKEXxuwh
345Please respect copyright.PENANA4v3rz7DQxA
“Never gonna find them,” I mutter, wrapping the blades back up and tucking them into my pocket. “Simple psychology tricks. This is what you learn when you have no friends and no social life.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAVmzSMDYTCc
345Please respect copyright.PENANAncjs8ZNxNT
“Give them back.” My back is pressed against the wall and Jason’s body is dangerously close to mine. His eyes bore into mine and my breathing hitches.345Please respect copyright.PENANAEx74yKUq0M
345Please respect copyright.PENANARetFwY6vcf
“You don’t get them back!” I spit, putting a hand on his chest and pushing him away from me, silently catching my breath. “You don’t get them back, Jason. I either keep them, or you take them back and I’m telling Lukas, Cray, Jonny, and Sarah.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAKkXQ5Fn9oP
345Please respect copyright.PENANAaMSlsq4AKC
“You wouldn’t dare-”345Please respect copyright.PENANAb5C69Yzs2P
345Please respect copyright.PENANAQfX1AaSMlO
“Try me!”345Please respect copyright.PENANAsqMrSdVfQi
345Please respect copyright.PENANApufoXoDKUw
We glare into each other’s eyes in silence. Jason seems to ponder my words before stepping back and nodding.345Please respect copyright.PENANAeDzcQnhFJL
345Please respect copyright.PENANAq2Y5b9T1UY
“We’re going to Sarah’s office though,” I state, marching past Jason and opening the door.345Please respect copyright.PENANAn9LOSaJUQ8
345Please respect copyright.PENANAHKIbKVJVLj
“You said that you wouldn’t tell-”345Please respect copyright.PENANAZJB0372Mbg
345Please respect copyright.PENANAmDSEqugajS
“I’m not going to tell her, we’re going to dress your wounds.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAiNgq2PCE37
345Please respect copyright.PENANAX3CBJVKU3b
Jason grumbles something that I don’t catch before rolling down his shirt sleeve and walking out of the room, his uninjured shoulder just barely clipping the edge of mine.345Please respect copyright.PENANADdDwkFc9mt
345Please respect copyright.PENANAlbnd7VdzEg
“How long?” I ask, walking faster than I’m used to in order to keep up with Jason. 345Please respect copyright.PENANAgczZFDGqYo
345Please respect copyright.PENANAFQPdDAOB9n
“A while,” Jason answers. I roll my eyes and cross my arms.345Please respect copyright.PENANAlet943xBaW
345Please respect copyright.PENANAAsZSdbPqd8
“Very specific,” I grumble. “Where else?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAZbSHzxisp8
345Please respect copyright.PENANAQRLsBArP2n
“Nowhere. Just my shoulder.”345Please respect copyright.PENANA51tiBBJ73h
345Please respect copyright.PENANApAIn7QUUhF
“Now that’s a lie and we both know it.” Jason picks up his pace, forcing me to do the same. “Thighs? Ankles? Stomach?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAWexkSsoBim
345Please respect copyright.PENANAIhJ6b0yLLj
“Just drop it, Xael,” Jason snaps, turning to me and grabbing my shoulder. “Stop. Talking.”345Please respect copyright.PENANA75yRjMmTif
345Please respect copyright.PENANA98TC3zTcme
I close my mouth and glare at him. He turns and walks away, satisfied.345Please respect copyright.PENANAje25CqqxYC
345Please respect copyright.PENANAPQg1i1etzk
“So there are cuts on your stomach.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAD7IGceqnWL
345Please respect copyright.PENANAi1FOqJWykf
“No, there aren’t,” Jason growls. “Didn’t I tell you to shut up?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAzAb0jjwffS
345Please respect copyright.PENANAqrLF1Ec30q
“You did.” I catch up to him quickly, lacing my hands together behind my head. “Doesn’t mean I’m gonna listen.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAi09tCM6YSz
345Please respect copyright.PENANApfnMBBymyt
“I don’t like you.”345Please respect copyright.PENANA4OIvjLDts4
345Please respect copyright.PENANAKTCRMY95eC
“People usually don’t.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAOflZbIKiHt
345Please respect copyright.PENANAlcfATmghbU
“You’re such a lovely person to be around, you know that?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAvGIwJta5qx
345Please respect copyright.PENANA8da6WHU0PD
“Thank you for the compliment!”345Please respect copyright.PENANAv7JU3U8rdb
345Please respect copyright.PENANAgOf9lYUUK8
“Wasn’t a compliment.”345Please respect copyright.PENANA0K4WQSSP0y
345Please respect copyright.PENANAhzyWBuB2sr
“And I still took it as one so suck it.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAd2Thk5Rzpq
345Please respect copyright.PENANAn8RxWQvQ27
Jason looks away from me and I worry that I made him super angry, and then I see his shoulders shaking slightly. He’s laughing. Despite what just happened, I made him laugh.345Please respect copyright.PENANAkroil0FfUJ
345Please respect copyright.PENANALGrFKiki43
Maybe I am funny after all.345Please respect copyright.PENANAiHUFAoRt1N
345Please respect copyright.PENANATsLdgHPfeN
“Why did you come upstairs?” Jason asks, startling me.345Please respect copyright.PENANAyKuIf5su7p
345Please respect copyright.PENANAlOCnZDvzau
“I needed to step away for a moment so I could draw,” I admit. Jason looks at me, which seems dangerous as we’re currently going down stairs. 345Please respect copyright.PENANAr4uuteMEGN
345Please respect copyright.PENANAfErOs6jrRd
“Draw?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAzjFh8e049n
345Please respect copyright.PENANAbPsJnywKwN
“Instead of harming myself, I draw something on me,” I explain, pulling my pen out. “I’ll draw something that would be a cool tattoo, or I’ll write a quote and make it all pretty-like. The red pen makes it seem like-”345Please respect copyright.PENANAqkhbE0Yl1Q
345Please respect copyright.PENANAK7myJyX2xX
“You’ve cut yourself, but you don’t leave any permanent scars and you can wash it off if it’s in a less covered spot.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAjEXB2sxCQR
345Please respect copyright.PENANAGffokLajeo
“Exactly!” I snap my fingers and point a finger gun at Jason, happy he understands my thought process. 345Please respect copyright.PENANANJ1gVbQXzc
345Please respect copyright.PENANAV31iNrHXkn
“Do you have a spare pen?” Jason looks away from me and rubs the back of his neck, and I smile softly.345Please respect copyright.PENANA9yZHgZEYQk
345Please respect copyright.PENANA8aJtJYBG4t
“Take this one.” I offer my pen towards Jason, who looks at me instead of grabbing it.345Please respect copyright.PENANAuQati62xlV
345Please respect copyright.PENANA2bFyYlMXjZ
“Are you sure?”345Please respect copyright.PENANA5pwfZN9pRt
345Please respect copyright.PENANAQjZpkPnKsM
I nod, then slip the pen into his pocket. He immediately takes it back out and slips it into the other pocket.345Please respect copyright.PENANAVnoDO1BJ86
345Please respect copyright.PENANAcrvw3wab82
“There’s a hole in this one,” he explains, turning the pocket inside out and showing me. “Didn’t want it to fall out.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAujUuSx8Sr6
345Please respect copyright.PENANAjAIQUOUeHz
“And we’re here!” I exclaim. I open the door to Sarah’s office, knowing that she’s currently chatting with Sophie because the two are basically best friends. “Take a seat in any chair, I’ll address your shoulder once I get all the stuff out.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAKs3hhg25ls
345Please respect copyright.PENANAAKqEyipfgk
“If you can find it,” Jason states, watching me open a cabinet and immediately close it.345Please respect copyright.PENANAJZvb4X6s6o
345Please respect copyright.PENANAolllJ26UVD
“How does this woman work like this?” I mumble, horrified by how unorganized Sarah is. Jason laughs, the melodic sound unlike anything I’ve ever heard before. “Once we’re finished with you I’m fixing this.”345Please respect copyright.PENANALemHsQNrMb
345Please respect copyright.PENANAVyUYnQuxok
“I think she has a system?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAfLzMRcV0Oe
345Please respect copyright.PENANAQLrXFR1a2e
“If her system is grab something out of somewhere and then put it back in a spot eight feet, then yes she has a system!”345Please respect copyright.PENANA1eT8DELPHg
345Please respect copyright.PENANABKdGPfrdZ2
“Xael.” Jason puts a hand on my shoulder, and I sigh. “Chill. It isn’t nearly as bad as it seems.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAaZPoQNDs89
345Please respect copyright.PENANAVqIoUVZeFL
“You’re right,” I agree. I open another cupboard, and then immediately understand that we were both wrong. “It’s worse. Why is it worse? How? Woman, how do you work in these conditions!”345Please respect copyright.PENANAMLaidbkBRF
345Please respect copyright.PENANAEFzkADstHW
“Well, at least her countertop is organized,” Jason remarks. I nod in agreement, looking at the perfectly organized counter.345Please respect copyright.PENANAQxOddvrz6c
345Please respect copyright.PENANAOZYhSw3OTl
“If only her cabinets and drawers could look like this,” I grumble. “Anyways, I need sterile dressing, and some, uh, some sticky tape. What’s it called-”345Please respect copyright.PENANAD0AgC38Km0
345Please respect copyright.PENANANcz1nZkuRY
“Steri-strips?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAuFFptxX23l
345Please respect copyright.PENANAFEaxyf9d7P
“Yeah them.”345Please respect copyright.PENANACwSjxbI8tF
345Please respect copyright.PENANAy2DgKHzMQb
“They’re right up here.” Jason reaches over my head and grabs the box of steri-strips. I open a different cabinet and look for some sterile dressing, only to be disappointed by the fact that they aren’t in this cupboard.345Please respect copyright.PENANAdWXmSZ3uVx
345Please respect copyright.PENANAq1k5b07R6x
Jason and I look at how messy the cabinet is and sigh in unison, then giggle. 345Please respect copyright.PENANAJGbcaGqfGV
345Please respect copyright.PENANAjEzRoljvWh
“Are they in this one- they are!” Jason exclaims, handing me some sterile bandages. 345Please respect copyright.PENANADGHQXiHp1W
345Please respect copyright.PENANAHESNv0SxFE
“Take a seat,” I instruct him, gesturing towards Sarah’s rolling chair. Jason sits down and spins himself around a couple of times before remembering why we’re in here.345Please respect copyright.PENANABK6oxdnWlw
345Please respect copyright.PENANAp1fHCiK4Gp
“How do you know what to do?” Jason questions, watching me as I roll up his shirt sleeve and unroll the bandages, measuring out what size I need the bandage.345Please respect copyright.PENANA0lGv6JLgNv
345Please respect copyright.PENANAM6nbdU3rF6
“The internet,” I explain, grabbing a pair of scissors from the counter and cutting the bandage to size. “I needed to know for a chapter of a story. The information seems to have stuck with me.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAS1X7jsC5oB
345Please respect copyright.PENANAFWbnYS03a9
“What story has a scene with self-harm wounds?” Jason helps me with the Steri-strips. “I’ve read all of your works.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAhMw4M0FFBE
345Please respect copyright.PENANAiF4y9Pmwpu
“It’s actually a story that’s still in the works.” Jason winces, and I immediately rub where my hand was. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to press as hard as I did.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAHWEv8UIO2O
345Please respect copyright.PENANAb9mC1F4gah
“You’re good,” Jason assures me. I stick the last Steri-strip onto his shoulder, then roll his sleeve back down. “Organizing time?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAj5sdWrHly3
345Please respect copyright.PENANANlerSrboP8
“Absolutely yes please.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAPGLHDeSoP8
345Please respect copyright.PENANABnZMhetV5Z
Jason opens a random cupboard and pulls everything out, setting the items down on the counter. I copy his actions, picking a random cupboard and moving everything inside of it to the counter.345Please respect copyright.PENANA8Y4x9I92IE
345Please respect copyright.PENANAt3cUXRD0Ap
“This cabinet is just empty!” Jason shouts, gesturing wildly. I peek over and laugh quietly at the very empty cupboard.345Please respect copyright.PENANATAYdj7IXsJ
345Please respect copyright.PENANAXoIGRhr7av
“And this one is the exact opposite,” I state, catching the few boxes that fell out of the cabinet. “I mean, I knew it was bad but this is ridiculous.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAoL3V4BqRYf
345Please respect copyright.PENANAS5xiiixubx
Jason and I fall into a comfortable silence as we empty out Sarah’s cupboards and drawers.345Please respect copyright.PENANAtjUBYJQwaZ
345Please respect copyright.PENANAvTHcHkoX9a
“What goes where-”345Please respect copyright.PENANAkiGSlISQyo
345Please respect copyright.PENANAXxXGD6jzTJ
“Bandages go here.” I tap the cabinet most easily accessible to everyone. “Disinfectants too.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAjeXQKiwDDX
345Please respect copyright.PENANAo2AYk5E0jY
“Rolled up bandages, or band-aids?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAX99pKzvJuQ
345Please respect copyright.PENANAwZIVo9vCr0
“Yes.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAEvYIvi8PZ0
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“That wasn’t a yes or no question!” Jason swats my shoulder, and I chuckle. 345Please respect copyright.PENANA3ftPU4QmQV
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“Sorry,” I say, definitely not sorry. 345Please respect copyright.PENANAlsjnYBCTBS
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“No you aren’t!”345Please respect copyright.PENANANZ2ZK7WM6b
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“I’m not you’re right.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAR1RXcQp2xl
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“I could just let you do this on your own-”345Please respect copyright.PENANAUBYPAXyoG2
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“Please don’t?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAvIwt441149
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Jason rolls his eyes and raises his arms above his head, one of his elbows cracking in the process.345Please respect copyright.PENANADggtvfV17G
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“Hey you can crack your elbows too!” I exclaim. Jason lowers his arms and nods, his eyes gaining a sparkle that wasn’t there during any of our talks. 345Please respect copyright.PENANAbdIqQGmxn9
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“I can also do this.” Jason thrusts his hand out and wiggles his thumb- no, he doesn’t wiggle his thumb. He moves it in and out of place.345Please respect copyright.PENANA4uhhKxdiUw
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“I can do a magic trick,” I whisper. “Look into my eyes.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAKR8gEhtIRs
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Once I’m sure his Hershey brown eyes are focused on mine I shake my eyes. My vision flickers rapidly, then stops on Jason’s smiling face.345Please respect copyright.PENANAVjUOc2yfAz
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“I can do a magic trick too,” he murmurs. His eyes shake violently and I laugh.345Please respect copyright.PENANAp7NQCShqqE
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“I have never seen someone else do that. It looks so cool!”345Please respect copyright.PENANAB3bm72Aplk
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“I know right?” Jason and I laugh together, then catch our breath. I realize how close we are and take a subtle step backwards.345Please respect copyright.PENANAw47Oblv5Z3
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“I guess we should get back to organizing.” I point towards the cabinets.345Please respect copyright.PENANA1WstUqrHKS
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“Did my breath smell?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAVEJh4UfgYO
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I groan and face-palm. Guess that subtle step wasn’t as subtle as I wanted it to be.345Please respect copyright.PENANA3IeVQbdJpm
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“No, I’m sorry,” I begin. “I’m just not that comfortable being that close to someone for that long.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAK17es2206n
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Jason nods in understandable.345Please respect copyright.PENANArYjtdlUSEd
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“I get that. So, you’re not a physical touch person.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAEknl7SUWTy
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“What do you mean?” I ask, confused.345Please respect copyright.PENANAP2v9dP3RuD
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“The five love languages,” Jason explains. “It’s physical touch, quality time, and some others.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAU4UCp2BSDA
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“How do you know what those are and why?”345Please respect copyright.PENANA8To0dmgdvZ
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The smile on Jason’s face fades. 345Please respect copyright.PENANAcbsyBmxLv2
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“I wanted to learn what Connor’s language was,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper. “I hoped that if I knew what it was, we would get along.”345Please respect copyright.PENANApVsi0in1R9
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“Did you ever figure out what it was?”345Please respect copyright.PENANAqmNptagN5x
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Jason chuckles and looks up at the ceiling.345Please respect copyright.PENANAmTEn9X2mFY
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“I did,” Jason states. “His language is one of the last ones I would’ve thought it was.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAexNXvfnJCd
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“What is it?” I make a mental note to look up the love languages later. 345Please respect copyright.PENANAXccpiBse4n
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“His love language is words of affirmation. He likes being told when people love him or appreciate him.”
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Question of the chapter: what's Xael's love language? Why is Conner's language words of affirmation?