I woke the next morning on the living room couch, my head nestled into the crook of Christian’s neck. He smelled of sweat and boy, and as I exhaled, I shook my head. I couldn’t do this now, think about him this way. It wasn’t right.370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabuMbNq5B1
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Slowly, he shifted and drew his arms around my body, pulling me closer so that my nose touched the pulse of his neck. I tried to untangle his arms when he cracked one, groggy, hazel eye open. He smiled lazily and blinked.370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcl7hkjUzz
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“You’re leaving?” he asked, frowning.370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXfrIO6EwD
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“It’s morning,” I said. “Plus it’s my house and my mom should be getting up soon.”370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqAWaz7WiMK
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“Kendall.” Christian’s voice was calm. “What’s wrong with your mom?”370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeUntkMolz
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I glanced behind my shoulder at him; he was sitting up and looking at me with his hair hanging in his eyes. I shook my head and wrapped my fingers in my hair, determined not to pull it out under the circumstances.370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkdwpgL4bw
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“Nothing’s wrong with her,” I said. “Why would you think that?”370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbet3JGVJa
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He stared at me, his lip twitching slightly. “Please. I’m not stupid. You could have called if you needed a place to stay.”370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDM7QY22VIb
370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkSL0cYKbD
“This is my home,” I replied, my fingers itching to touch him. “I have to stay here, to help my mom. You’d do the same for yours.”370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlE3Pdc9K5
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He nodded. “I would.”370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFyOrieijs
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What he was going to say was, I would if I had one370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTU1VPiZFFw
370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRx3WTNBJE4
Christian’s mom died in a car accident a few years ago, leaving him and his father to fend for themselves. All of this had been revealed the first night I met Christian, at a party over the summer. I had been sitting by myself and he had taken it upon himself to come over and talk to me.370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVuTeyNLozo
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We had been inseparable since that night, when he asked for my number, and we’d constantly texted after that. I never told him about my dad, or my mom and her drinking problem, and it was supposed to stay that way, at least for awhile.370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhJv9lREwa
370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDqH6DO5yRO
“I have to go to a new doctor,” I said into the silence. I wondered if he even cared about that, or if he thought I was crazy for even going. “My mom said she made an appointment today.”370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkPTLHGYZU
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“I didn’t know you were seeing a therapist,” he said softly. The couch shifted as he moved off of it and crouched in front of me, reaching to take my hands. “I’ll go with you, if you want. I know it’s scary when you’re doing something new.”370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡon9wCJzerR
370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4ht656FNX
I smiled slightly and leaned my head against his shoulder. “Thank you,” I whispered. I lifted my head to look into his face, my voice tightening from what I was about to say. “There are things about me that you don’t know, that no one knows, and if you come with me, you’re going to hear all of it.”370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lHg2UFL03
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“I don’t care,” he said, shaking his head. “I want to help.”370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwniowcazv
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I sighed, wondering how he would see me after this day, if he would even want to see me again. I tried not to think about that as we walked out onto the porch, his hand on the small of my back.370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yb8TyMmQk
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“It will be okay,” he said. “I promise.”370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgXk9MEfLP
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When I turned to tell him I knew it would, that I’d be okay because I had a good friend with me, he bent his head and kissed me. 370Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAgxt9UiLq
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