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.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcB94M8OANg
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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.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhb6Giym7IN
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“You’re leaving?” he asked, frowning.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGHeNuVTho
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“It’s morning,” I said. “Plus it’s my house and my mom should be getting up soon.”221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0uGwr3aH5
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“Kendall.” Christian’s voice was calm. “What’s wrong with your mom?”221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbywzDKu5w
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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.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgm5c8MrEc
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“Nothing’s wrong with her,” I said. “Why would you think that?”221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdLMcolKFYp
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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.”221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7w3OzMTUO
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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.”221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsqOY5uEHnC
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He nodded. “I would.”221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FPN7inzap
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What he was going to say was, I would if I had one221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97VSgIUmuM
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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.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyjHxxV7Xr
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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.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXj6VQVgOBE
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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.”221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kEVTz7TJn
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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.”221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzO3oYq24QD
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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.”221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eEu7Ajfxl
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“I don’t care,” he said, shaking his head. “I want to help.”221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7g3d1glokn
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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.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2IK4yPtcrP
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“It will be okay,” he said. “I promise.”221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiv8Hx1QMSQ
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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. 221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0orAMd0nhv
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