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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKICVB2up9
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPgCDtbaYz
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawObT9vUVW
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkj35xjRSrj
“You’re leaving?” he asked, frowning.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSRoTdiRBS
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8IpMgFmag
“It’s morning,” I said. “Plus it’s my house and my mom should be getting up soon.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4KjbCBlB1
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBg30SnNUf
“Kendall.” Christian’s voice was calm. “What’s wrong with your mom?”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡra94wHEOGM
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zGCIKdTQA
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuIlLKmwZe
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41rLUkuAdc
“Nothing’s wrong with her,” I said. “Why would you think that?”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8RX2QK33f
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkcB9WL0YY
He stared at me, his lip twitching slightly. “Please. I’m not stupid. You could have called if you needed a place to stay.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTLTSIGOJX
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjaI8iP8dR
“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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpCpJGKu4QA
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDV6Dyg4By
He nodded. “I would.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfez3HOfAWe
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedj6eBWKcG
What he was going to say was, I would if I had one486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtifpaBzeoL
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwIWkkXROS
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rjTmEVjCj
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszR4bLIbEf
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwoT6iRekt
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfzHMOUQ0B
“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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsk7BSfFYE
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5jXJN8iwZ
“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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJL0OkgKxd
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0MF25u8b0S
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.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnReOSDvkB
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9tkO0S5DU
“I don’t care,” he said, shaking his head. “I want to help.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZYhawLMz3
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Ogcy0Tfmt
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡurUbz9Hkhb
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9bwGyUE0c
“It will be okay,” he said. “I promise.”486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpeMZOnEuL
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsEEQwuacp
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. 486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YgPyz9CSw
Penana
search
Loginarrow_drop_down
Registerarrow_drop_down
