Jason didn’t respond. I didn’t blame him; how would you respond if someone said what I did?556Please respect copyright.PENANAU0Od9x3UIf
556Please respect copyright.PENANAyLk6QuxJgU
“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.556Please respect copyright.PENANAXHQ3pIBbQc
556Please respect copyright.PENANAJjYe869YHk
“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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANA3sJ6eMpWrg
556Please respect copyright.PENANALM32wXlirD
“What’s the dress like?”556Please respect copyright.PENANAln1QlL9hSD
556Please respect copyright.PENANAKRaAXVDMb3
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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAmyAyvJAmef
556Please respect copyright.PENANABLGEjE9Ofz
“That’s fair.”556Please respect copyright.PENANA3NyrEcQOSJ
556Please respect copyright.PENANAGkgXHYkOvW
We fall into an awkward silence, neither of us sure what we should say.556Please respect copyright.PENANATvF0XKsaJ6
556Please respect copyright.PENANACLpiGJYHcC
“Astrapophobia,” Jason says suddenly. I nod, looking at the weighted blanket. “It’s the fear of thunder and lightning.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAkEZ2WM9r7y
556Please respect copyright.PENANABRPDO92TXb
“If you don’t mind me asking, how long?”556Please respect copyright.PENANASAqAxOGG9t
556Please respect copyright.PENANA30Wq56V76u
Jason shrugs, looking around the room. “About eight years, I guess. I can’t quite remember why I have it, but I have it.” 556Please respect copyright.PENANABq8pZ2JyNK
556Please respect copyright.PENANAfQnUYne3PO
“You don’t remember?” I sit up a little straighter. “At all?”556Please respect copyright.PENANAqvf4VItB1W
556Please respect copyright.PENANASkcA3ciS5x
“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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAz2IKurrtIh
556Please respect copyright.PENANASPjN3RHUgm
“Have you tried to remember?”556Please respect copyright.PENANA8E0XTPz9BD
556Please respect copyright.PENANAaqLAISBlxp
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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAQXUhz4gfQI
556Please respect copyright.PENANAdPnGebALm5
“What if you asked your mom to take you to a therapist without telling your dad?”556Please respect copyright.PENANA9QlyuTo4mz
556Please respect copyright.PENANASUAmXVbNyq
Jason opens his mouth to say something, then closes it and blinks a few times.556Please respect copyright.PENANAViHVdDwymJ
556Please respect copyright.PENANAvTs1AszVXl
“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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANA2L1nhkdsNL
556Please respect copyright.PENANA2eIr9tjhZ1
“That- that doesn't sound like a healthy relationship."556Please respect copyright.PENANA5C50u1bpfC
556Please respect copyright.PENANAotXve16YrO
"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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAREnmlQqa8k
556Please respect copyright.PENANAO6jSQ3spl8
“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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAj1Q1SdhTlI
556Please respect copyright.PENANAYcpTs8CRvp
“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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANA0pWaBuYcMQ
556Please respect copyright.PENANA2yV2gXaH2Y
What’s with the sudden attitude flip?556Please respect copyright.PENANA7EuT1oj57f
556Please respect copyright.PENANAut9bwxghJA
“Jason, I’m not trying to control your life, I’m just suggesting-”556Please respect copyright.PENANAhEOWzZTxIl
556Please respect copyright.PENANA5cLjogKJlQ
“Fuck off.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAuFNHDCC34p
556Please respect copyright.PENANAPKhdOD3JEd
I stand up and brush my hair behind my ear, turning as I do.556Please respect copyright.PENANA4YllDbiMgK
556Please respect copyright.PENANA6s2P5Z4eId
“See you around, Jason,” I say, walking out of the room. I manage to take three steps before breaking into a sprint.556Please respect copyright.PENANAaB8fMH6CFx
556Please respect copyright.PENANA2YIExxykOa
This is what happens when you trust people. They only let you down.556Please respect copyright.PENANAC2w2HVMrwY
556Please respect copyright.PENANAlXHbj3YUR7
“Woah, Xael!” Two hands grab my shoulders, preventing me from running into the person. “Where’s the fire, girl?”556Please respect copyright.PENANAbWnOxBGKOQ
556Please respect copyright.PENANA0JZZxPUQHZ
“Sorry,” I whisper, looking down at the ground, knowing that Jonny’ll be able to see right through any lie I try to tell.556Please respect copyright.PENANAVINKtV1kGV
556Please respect copyright.PENANAbOxocSoGYq
“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?”556Please respect copyright.PENANA7ezn5IpsQJ
556Please respect copyright.PENANAa9k1UmfmAg
“Actually, where’s Lukas?” My voice cracks when I say Lukas’ name, and I mentally curse myself.556Please respect copyright.PENANAHqsvsNqJxN
556Please respect copyright.PENANAdLczkrQ8NU
“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?”556Please respect copyright.PENANATsysVotOT2
556Please respect copyright.PENANAPOpqsvpxFR
“Thanks, Jonny, but I want to go speak with Lukas about something.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAHzUb96ffjK
556Please respect copyright.PENANA7DMyuRGRMp
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.556Please respect copyright.PENANAMT6jueOeaA
556Please respect copyright.PENANAKo3RfkBy0N
“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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAswl57go5qr
556Please respect copyright.PENANAxbY62ALTWE
“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?”556Please respect copyright.PENANAyj3wrbG9uu
556Please respect copyright.PENANA03WpBCxeNL
Tears threaten to spill from my eyes as Lukas’ arms slide around my shoulders, holding me against his chest.556Please respect copyright.PENANATXi71Bm0nP
556Please respect copyright.PENANA7UolvWm8AL
“I don’t know,” I murmur, my hands in fists at my sides. “I don’t know.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAD8LGd1MaqK
556Please respect copyright.PENANA6phFDfyN61
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. 556Please respect copyright.PENANA9dJpev47ey
556Please respect copyright.PENANAUVCNpdthKh
“You were with Jason, right?” Lukas asks. I nod, looking down at the floor.556Please respect copyright.PENANA9uY1JjDnnY
556Please respect copyright.PENANA4i7pq2jFoM
“I’m sorry about this,” I whisper, rubbing my eyes. “If you don’t mind, I’ll be on my way now.”556Please respect copyright.PENANANdeZWM2R2U
556Please respect copyright.PENANAlvbGRIYsfZ
“You aren’t leaving this room until you’re not about to cry,” Lukas orders. “Take a seat, hon.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAS0GaGJPuze
556Please respect copyright.PENANATDatz5vLQO
“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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAmltVGirSyf
556Please respect copyright.PENANA1uZzfjFPuh
“Xael-”556Please respect copyright.PENANAjtHIvkTXW1
556Please respect copyright.PENANAAiCsR94wxl
“I promise I’ll be fine.” I look up into Lukas’ eyes, blinking away my tears.556Please respect copyright.PENANAspIPThXMHA
556Please respect copyright.PENANA2O1hhSF1gS
“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?”556Please respect copyright.PENANA7WXABkzbzO
556Please respect copyright.PENANAGag3G7W2N6
I nod, even though I have no intention on going to Sophie.556Please respect copyright.PENANA3kVNNJ6BlU
556Please respect copyright.PENANA2XSqkmSqoU
“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.556Please respect copyright.PENANA8BQCHxyO6N
556Please respect copyright.PENANAs5yTZ1D0XX
I won’t do it. I’m not going to stoop that low.556Please respect copyright.PENANAoJDi29RTwa
556Please respect copyright.PENANAfobsY6iKRX
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.556Please respect copyright.PENANAGkhsev6bwL
556Please respect copyright.PENANA6gRtx4iiR6
“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?”556Please respect copyright.PENANAS48GaDwEKm
556Please respect copyright.PENANAQdeNjhjXzb
Jason shrugs, pressing his lips together into a thin white line.556Please respect copyright.PENANAnswrQ3Qopb
556Please respect copyright.PENANAOAiXLG8xiy
“Not in the mood for talking. Got it. Hold this against your shoulder.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAbHKF3nBsSX
556Please respect copyright.PENANAwzZ3Z2nBds
Jason reaches a hand up and presses it against the cloth as I retract my hand, already scanning the room for hiding places.556Please respect copyright.PENANA3RTp5P43UJ
556Please respect copyright.PENANAJBhesB4Phg
“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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAeDsXfOOFoe
556Please respect copyright.PENANAXTfnI9v53G
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.556Please respect copyright.PENANAODgJaPDvmj
556Please respect copyright.PENANAkP2CPuAGE0
“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.556Please respect copyright.PENANAFILFN4kyYo
556Please respect copyright.PENANAPLvV5mWf5d
“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. 556Please respect copyright.PENANAVFs0AXEc8D
556Please respect copyright.PENANAX4nDZGdsL5
“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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANA0WWpG1wKsD
556Please respect copyright.PENANAR2hiYHElfU
“They’re not in the cloth or the boxes.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAsC1EzAQXPW
556Please respect copyright.PENANAGngqHugFoa
I grab the cloth and unwrap it, satisfied when four razor blades drop onto the shelf.556Please respect copyright.PENANAFCcQlomdHj
556Please respect copyright.PENANA5KzIx8gaba
“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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAhlBc4SI3N9
556Please respect copyright.PENANAUC0Vq0yNiD
“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.556Please respect copyright.PENANAWfKWhO2P7B
556Please respect copyright.PENANAKk8QH6HXcO
“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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAXnoQJHt5wS
556Please respect copyright.PENANAYhc4bQaAa8
“You wouldn’t dare-”556Please respect copyright.PENANAD6KUPXEXzB
556Please respect copyright.PENANAWSPEaeGLl3
“Try me!”556Please respect copyright.PENANAtDUSTE2U7N
556Please respect copyright.PENANAstpWqeLW3f
We glare into each other’s eyes in silence. Jason seems to ponder my words before stepping back and nodding.556Please respect copyright.PENANAH2DmXTmJPr
556Please respect copyright.PENANAlAUcepxZ3W
“We’re going to Sarah’s office though,” I state, marching past Jason and opening the door.556Please respect copyright.PENANAZnIUaXPTci
556Please respect copyright.PENANAtKSlsQrUE3
“You said that you wouldn’t tell-”556Please respect copyright.PENANA7ODdimldkZ
556Please respect copyright.PENANAoNYMfbtaMT
“I’m not going to tell her, we’re going to dress your wounds.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAJbTV0G1Pya
556Please respect copyright.PENANAeNxlVKcAPL
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.556Please respect copyright.PENANAV8QHVI5OhD
556Please respect copyright.PENANAgXJugGtVaJ
“How long?” I ask, walking faster than I’m used to in order to keep up with Jason. 556Please respect copyright.PENANASr2G123ILE
556Please respect copyright.PENANAdfPF6TdP4h
“A while,” Jason answers. I roll my eyes and cross my arms.556Please respect copyright.PENANAFjqzvRLIOA
556Please respect copyright.PENANA7ycntA1ZWM
“Very specific,” I grumble. “Where else?”556Please respect copyright.PENANAZT9ZNWbWxj
556Please respect copyright.PENANAvvAMuo85ww
“Nowhere. Just my shoulder.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAjgRFkCeNu3
556Please respect copyright.PENANAhjB50myF04
“Now that’s a lie and we both know it.” Jason picks up his pace, forcing me to do the same. “Thighs? Ankles? Stomach?”556Please respect copyright.PENANAh0JSO6sGg1
556Please respect copyright.PENANAzMxbl415F5
“Just drop it, Xael,” Jason snaps, turning to me and grabbing my shoulder. “Stop. Talking.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAhcHJsed1yE
556Please respect copyright.PENANA3Zb4XgTaKm
I close my mouth and glare at him. He turns and walks away, satisfied.556Please respect copyright.PENANAtmbj1tcgkB
556Please respect copyright.PENANAEN852KYSWY
“So there are cuts on your stomach.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAslZNS51UsB
556Please respect copyright.PENANAopHh6HDmf4
“No, there aren’t,” Jason growls. “Didn’t I tell you to shut up?”556Please respect copyright.PENANAGReSiuFWIa
556Please respect copyright.PENANAkyR8VzCT23
“You did.” I catch up to him quickly, lacing my hands together behind my head. “Doesn’t mean I’m gonna listen.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAdolzzvHZHI
556Please respect copyright.PENANAlRkbJtoduW
“I don’t like you.”556Please respect copyright.PENANA8M5W0YhyfT
556Please respect copyright.PENANAImIFxWoUTR
“People usually don’t.”556Please respect copyright.PENANA9L4uyH1FUw
556Please respect copyright.PENANAF932x7eabX
“You’re such a lovely person to be around, you know that?”556Please respect copyright.PENANAxxQKSHtI2O
556Please respect copyright.PENANAfEGdQCPPrB
“Thank you for the compliment!”556Please respect copyright.PENANA3vIy91Nlvm
556Please respect copyright.PENANA8vckF7AyO7
“Wasn’t a compliment.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAtI6e6t7Tdl
556Please respect copyright.PENANAWrGxp7u6xz
“And I still took it as one so suck it.”556Please respect copyright.PENANA1KToYgnW7q
556Please respect copyright.PENANATpeYfjEThO
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.556Please respect copyright.PENANAJnHbOR5Zgg
556Please respect copyright.PENANAF9orh60JKW
Maybe I am funny after all.556Please respect copyright.PENANAShcw7GwkV3
556Please respect copyright.PENANAyyuyWYCGR5
“Why did you come upstairs?” Jason asks, startling me.556Please respect copyright.PENANAnqtpViOsFM
556Please respect copyright.PENANAVt9j9pSfJA
“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. 556Please respect copyright.PENANAozAXTWsAuk
556Please respect copyright.PENANAu8EHATceA4
“Draw?”556Please respect copyright.PENANAp4dHAmGn0w
556Please respect copyright.PENANAHlbhzuCgEY
“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-”556Please respect copyright.PENANAjswy2ZPGUs
556Please respect copyright.PENANA2BvbN1nVxh
“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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAy1h3znDHxx
556Please respect copyright.PENANAVeQcmySz4P
“Exactly!” I snap my fingers and point a finger gun at Jason, happy he understands my thought process. 556Please respect copyright.PENANAkuJxrNeBNp
556Please respect copyright.PENANAApCHEYWq9G
“Do you have a spare pen?” Jason looks away from me and rubs the back of his neck, and I smile softly.556Please respect copyright.PENANACot4MOP0zu
556Please respect copyright.PENANA7en2tboPyA
“Take this one.” I offer my pen towards Jason, who looks at me instead of grabbing it.556Please respect copyright.PENANAyWtMGe5RBT
556Please respect copyright.PENANAfCCDIYtC8h
“Are you sure?”556Please respect copyright.PENANAAdCIhoF7k5
556Please respect copyright.PENANAbjFHm5g7I0
I nod, then slip the pen into his pocket. He immediately takes it back out and slips it into the other pocket.556Please respect copyright.PENANAPEmuLeL3bd
556Please respect copyright.PENANAwYJVJRidk8
“There’s a hole in this one,” he explains, turning the pocket inside out and showing me. “Didn’t want it to fall out.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAAhF8fIECio
556Please respect copyright.PENANAm5JF1OUmcJ
“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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAwQdYWGFoWr
556Please respect copyright.PENANAO7DbAXPlOm
“If you can find it,” Jason states, watching me open a cabinet and immediately close it.556Please respect copyright.PENANA7t7XVLn4A0
556Please respect copyright.PENANApbNYMryXCZ
“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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAPYIRrRiCQ1
556Please respect copyright.PENANAE02aldn0T4
“I think she has a system?”556Please respect copyright.PENANAyGpPY9Npvx
556Please respect copyright.PENANALcew0gKNkz
“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!”556Please respect copyright.PENANAhk4oykBWzm
556Please respect copyright.PENANAGVn8vRA6g6
“Xael.” Jason puts a hand on my shoulder, and I sigh. “Chill. It isn’t nearly as bad as it seems.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAgepzO69tZk
556Please respect copyright.PENANAR1iv8yqt9t
“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!”556Please respect copyright.PENANAzha8kWRFDH
556Please respect copyright.PENANAVaShLsskTt
“Well, at least her countertop is organized,” Jason remarks. I nod in agreement, looking at the perfectly organized counter.556Please respect copyright.PENANAPEgKUNwrvr
556Please respect copyright.PENANADDS7wE9XIU
“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-”556Please respect copyright.PENANAw1QDk8vTt7
556Please respect copyright.PENANAVPNiqsK24C
“Steri-strips?”556Please respect copyright.PENANAgh4o1nItK6
556Please respect copyright.PENANA1g85JF8UYA
“Yeah them.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAmkFd7RUQpl
556Please respect copyright.PENANAHHHNu4evX1
“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.556Please respect copyright.PENANAMwpKiggvSc
556Please respect copyright.PENANA8P6JjEaFbu
Jason and I look at how messy the cabinet is and sigh in unison, then giggle. 556Please respect copyright.PENANAlxCAO4OxLp
556Please respect copyright.PENANADyX4DNoxCm
“Are they in this one- they are!” Jason exclaims, handing me some sterile bandages. 556Please respect copyright.PENANAZkOPR3KUSO
556Please respect copyright.PENANAs0b5O58t0v
“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.556Please respect copyright.PENANAZjXUZ8a1GX
556Please respect copyright.PENANAN6strQ7dH6
“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.556Please respect copyright.PENANAvWDAFWBGlj
556Please respect copyright.PENANAik2iH43m1L
“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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAHlR1TLH0ds
556Please respect copyright.PENANAPRDJIBJFwc
“What story has a scene with self-harm wounds?” Jason helps me with the Steri-strips. “I’ve read all of your works.”556Please respect copyright.PENANApLjKQViymc
556Please respect copyright.PENANAR1PWifMEUl
“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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAqDiQAUO3oa
556Please respect copyright.PENANAwqJ0Umcf6G
“You’re good,” Jason assures me. I stick the last Steri-strip onto his shoulder, then roll his sleeve back down. “Organizing time?”556Please respect copyright.PENANABe8TpSwr7h
556Please respect copyright.PENANAWcSrLXJsQH
“Absolutely yes please.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAiwCMbTUNZe
556Please respect copyright.PENANAfrClQN5ygq
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.556Please respect copyright.PENANAdUo1NsFMQO
556Please respect copyright.PENANACcDKnXogYk
“This cabinet is just empty!” Jason shouts, gesturing wildly. I peek over and laugh quietly at the very empty cupboard.556Please respect copyright.PENANA5DLgSzlaa6
556Please respect copyright.PENANA32iLoDUs1C
“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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAyATbPRzgYW
556Please respect copyright.PENANAePdT85DkfK
Jason and I fall into a comfortable silence as we empty out Sarah’s cupboards and drawers.556Please respect copyright.PENANAaqetnfw1Qr
556Please respect copyright.PENANACZAfl8GXQh
“What goes where-”556Please respect copyright.PENANApwpkIEIuti
556Please respect copyright.PENANAQaN9FUk1GH
“Bandages go here.” I tap the cabinet most easily accessible to everyone. “Disinfectants too.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAJSFkRbnyWv
556Please respect copyright.PENANABrcC9KHIFt
“Rolled up bandages, or band-aids?”556Please respect copyright.PENANAOqwBdZCdNe
556Please respect copyright.PENANAwwhm7WpgiJ
“Yes.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAcekUguAVnj
556Please respect copyright.PENANAwKpeFDqd7c
“That wasn’t a yes or no question!” Jason swats my shoulder, and I chuckle. 556Please respect copyright.PENANAAnwIY4skFq
556Please respect copyright.PENANAgeRHMaiZFy
“Sorry,” I say, definitely not sorry. 556Please respect copyright.PENANAmzt8CHhcZ3
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“No you aren’t!”556Please respect copyright.PENANAju0691o09u
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“I’m not you’re right.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAirguDtEsQi
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“I could just let you do this on your own-”556Please respect copyright.PENANARWH8UWULSW
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“Please don’t?”556Please respect copyright.PENANA0wD4J9shoM
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Jason rolls his eyes and raises his arms above his head, one of his elbows cracking in the process.556Please respect copyright.PENANAxz6MoI0xFP
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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. 556Please respect copyright.PENANA1kwAhM7Bwm
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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.556Please respect copyright.PENANAXSZQlVREbI
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“I can do a magic trick,” I whisper. “Look into my eyes.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAVh66UwbNHW
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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.556Please respect copyright.PENANAtiKDlUecZu
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“I can do a magic trick too,” he murmurs. His eyes shake violently and I laugh.556Please respect copyright.PENANAm78lTPgHS9
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“I have never seen someone else do that. It looks so cool!”556Please respect copyright.PENANAmELuoYnCiB
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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.556Please respect copyright.PENANAJBDP6aTD0p
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“I guess we should get back to organizing.” I point towards the cabinets.556Please respect copyright.PENANATItEeuWoDy
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“Did my breath smell?”556Please respect copyright.PENANAtpRjo2VRkH
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I groan and face-palm. Guess that subtle step wasn’t as subtle as I wanted it to be.556Please respect copyright.PENANA9MQ8I5g4jm
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“No, I’m sorry,” I begin. “I’m just not that comfortable being that close to someone for that long.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAsiKmGtqzWb
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Jason nods in understandable.556Please respect copyright.PENANAXnEmPMY2j6
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“I get that. So, you’re not a physical touch person.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAH5PwNLLc61
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“What do you mean?” I ask, confused.556Please respect copyright.PENANAEi3ivbZ8Wq
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“The five love languages,” Jason explains. “It’s physical touch, quality time, and some others.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAGaQ3QA1rsW
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“How do you know what those are and why?”556Please respect copyright.PENANA8P84HHB23s
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The smile on Jason’s face fades. 556Please respect copyright.PENANAn9S0CCIxIn
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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.”556Please respect copyright.PENANAMd7QaDEIjn
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“Did you ever figure out what it was?”556Please respect copyright.PENANAPu7TQmq7il
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Jason chuckles and looks up at the ceiling.556Please respect copyright.PENANASvUZMPcAvA
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“I did,” Jason states. “His language is one of the last ones I would’ve thought it was.”556Please respect copyright.PENANA1LRjyNrwv5
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“What is it?” I make a mental note to look up the love languages later. 556Please respect copyright.PENANAHqV8WVgNc2
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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?