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.267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xCvHTSeId
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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.267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xkfu2oE46
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“You’re leaving?” he asked, frowning.267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa31xjAytYS
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“It’s morning,” I said. “Plus it’s my house and my mom should be getting up soon.”267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8R3uPdxhdt
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“Kendall.” Christian’s voice was calm. “What’s wrong with your mom?”267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc2V9GtGgvI
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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.267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLxDOErwQ5
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“Nothing’s wrong with her,” I said. “Why would you think that?”267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWpVPFymiNs
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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.”267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqa1tiQI7L9
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“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.”267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUKoqPMxdv
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He nodded. “I would.”267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lUGv9TRcz
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What he was going to say was, I would if I had one267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCp1tbtZa5i
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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.267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh79bV7q3Rn
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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.267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8WzW44C1g
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“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.”267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX62VdkDZc9
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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.”267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6cHLiJrsJ
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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.”267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzNX4qdSDY
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“I don’t care,” he said, shaking his head. “I want to help.”267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyy4lvLtZV
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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.267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡREQvsWS4BW
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“It will be okay,” he said. “I promise.”267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYmGTbuSjoL
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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. 267Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh10UNE8Kmd
Penana
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