Jason didn’t respond. I didn’t blame him; how would you respond if someone said what I did?555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgZ73au0VOs
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“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.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVZn6eYcno
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“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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6pd47TnZK
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“What’s the dress like?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGp8yqzmys
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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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1NKI5oUaK
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“That’s fair.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2B9hhbOcfQ
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We fall into an awkward silence, neither of us sure what we should say.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Rnp0LscKs
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“Astrapophobia,” Jason says suddenly. I nod, looking at the weighted blanket. “It’s the fear of thunder and lightning.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVxI1eLj0S
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“If you don’t mind me asking, how long?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBTgogfmPZ
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Jason shrugs, looking around the room. “About eight years, I guess. I can’t quite remember why I have it, but I have it.” 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEV7eZpZqP
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“You don’t remember?” I sit up a little straighter. “At all?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsczKGBrMIw
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“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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdewHcTHtYn
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“Have you tried to remember?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrLjYE826Y
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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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEX9x0V3sX
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“What if you asked your mom to take you to a therapist without telling your dad?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg48crICsXO
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Jason opens his mouth to say something, then closes it and blinks a few times.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqA0rR2AJC
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“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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTgNsorm7cZ
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“That- that doesn't sound like a healthy relationship."555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5nWNXGYPV
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"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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXqpeq6C4x
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“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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡog6jl6ixF4
555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CFLtJpMX7
“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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnyhN6SLYX
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What’s with the sudden attitude flip?555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nOMJrcBEz
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“Jason, I’m not trying to control your life, I’m just suggesting-”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXClp4F4hKA
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“Fuck off.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5OKu3RhOGh
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I stand up and brush my hair behind my ear, turning as I do.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd12cpTLiBY
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“See you around, Jason,” I say, walking out of the room. I manage to take three steps before breaking into a sprint.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRmpezV58q
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This is what happens when you trust people. They only let you down.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RrswPYKNN
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“Woah, Xael!” Two hands grab my shoulders, preventing me from running into the person. “Where’s the fire, girl?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡck9odb7hSv
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“Sorry,” I whisper, looking down at the ground, knowing that Jonny’ll be able to see right through any lie I try to tell.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRjVTF4sXI
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“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?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBhBUMEAin
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“Actually, where’s Lukas?” My voice cracks when I say Lukas’ name, and I mentally curse myself.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHOeiY9Q6b
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“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?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05kfNKWBIg
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“Thanks, Jonny, but I want to go speak with Lukas about something.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwaS7CMBC7K
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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.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqknQ04grF
555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tbZyDbDWs
“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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Qt5WVQBol
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“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?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzCbf4YGLK
555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpx4WFuLM7
Tears threaten to spill from my eyes as Lukas’ arms slide around my shoulders, holding me against his chest.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYFCGVVLNn
555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvNXUT4thf
“I don’t know,” I murmur, my hands in fists at my sides. “I don’t know.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUFNRM7e1uO
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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. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BcRbwG4m6
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“You were with Jason, right?” Lukas asks. I nod, looking down at the floor.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHeWvLaMS6O
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“I’m sorry about this,” I whisper, rubbing my eyes. “If you don’t mind, I’ll be on my way now.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ux2kvBCTd
555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cLiX8NCeI
“You aren’t leaving this room until you’re not about to cry,” Lukas orders. “Take a seat, hon.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57aayQGMNl
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“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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73RvXQGZrA
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“Xael-”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc36VstcZbG
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“I promise I’ll be fine.” I look up into Lukas’ eyes, blinking away my tears.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1H7U5H3Dy
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“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?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LWoHRj4lh
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I nod, even though I have no intention on going to Sophie.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrk3560ca6
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“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.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpH4PjYBLcr
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I won’t do it. I’m not going to stoop that low.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3n4A8WyvY
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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.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqV9xaSdcx2
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“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?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBC9WNIKufd
555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcXAyWT984
Jason shrugs, pressing his lips together into a thin white line.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtIXIW0kOJ
555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKC56SF9yVN
“Not in the mood for talking. Got it. Hold this against your shoulder.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLLYK8BTpD
555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡti7RTaxDq6
Jason reaches a hand up and presses it against the cloth as I retract my hand, already scanning the room for hiding places.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCEi3uujuH
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“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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhqqCNQ7QZ
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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.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMuduNJ4stb
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“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.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXMHmMq3a0
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“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. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3ppx7decV
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“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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBs4PpnZNv
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“They’re not in the cloth or the boxes.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmZjHQuLIM
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I grab the cloth and unwrap it, satisfied when four razor blades drop onto the shelf.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQ1WMx8Ggi
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“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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxi3QglK5a
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“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.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsuPeoFVLe
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“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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnHZ0no0q9
555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OaNp0xIVi
“You wouldn’t dare-”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcA0rsnNvEq
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“Try me!”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUIvOtvWLu
555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulXhQ5e5mf
We glare into each other’s eyes in silence. Jason seems to ponder my words before stepping back and nodding.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0N4JF6Rjf
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“We’re going to Sarah’s office though,” I state, marching past Jason and opening the door.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFu6TjI81p7
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“You said that you wouldn’t tell-”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsnux58hnh
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“I’m not going to tell her, we’re going to dress your wounds.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbM0UsjmTAY
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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.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXTln4fSqA
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“How long?” I ask, walking faster than I’m used to in order to keep up with Jason. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKqc0AnXj1
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“A while,” Jason answers. I roll my eyes and cross my arms.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLMmleKp20
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“Very specific,” I grumble. “Where else?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxYlwNhKb81
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“Nowhere. Just my shoulder.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQxIdePhem
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“Now that’s a lie and we both know it.” Jason picks up his pace, forcing me to do the same. “Thighs? Ankles? Stomach?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ikbX5zDg9
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“Just drop it, Xael,” Jason snaps, turning to me and grabbing my shoulder. “Stop. Talking.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dnLCiHaas
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I close my mouth and glare at him. He turns and walks away, satisfied.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWUEQk0b1m
555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qMXlI1M2q
“So there are cuts on your stomach.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4H2ynP6e6J
555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvupLTMzQYr
“No, there aren’t,” Jason growls. “Didn’t I tell you to shut up?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvp0fpY0puz
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“You did.” I catch up to him quickly, lacing my hands together behind my head. “Doesn’t mean I’m gonna listen.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8BKDQ0Ikf
555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84C4AzsiAv
“I don’t like you.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlmr3k505LI
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“People usually don’t.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsaLyiBTb6J
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“You’re such a lovely person to be around, you know that?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinnn1fgtfe
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“Thank you for the compliment!”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXO00qykxB
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“Wasn’t a compliment.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtepo4M7axK
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“And I still took it as one so suck it.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2G0PKJ5zky
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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.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxIhulNtLN
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Maybe I am funny after all.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoSAtCJLEm
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“Why did you come upstairs?” Jason asks, startling me.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSZHxPEsY6
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“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. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElLloYPYjO
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“Draw?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1i6XDX5TbV
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“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-”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡux64KuMHla
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“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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNTijhIzrC
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“Exactly!” I snap my fingers and point a finger gun at Jason, happy he understands my thought process. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlazS56BlH
555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76jYXJvmuO
“Do you have a spare pen?” Jason looks away from me and rubs the back of his neck, and I smile softly.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOH1ZzfLpCn
555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6MASszQP8
“Take this one.” I offer my pen towards Jason, who looks at me instead of grabbing it.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQq0PAPuDX
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“Are you sure?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHMlXTNJ3W
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I nod, then slip the pen into his pocket. He immediately takes it back out and slips it into the other pocket.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoy1c0EHN3s
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“There’s a hole in this one,” he explains, turning the pocket inside out and showing me. “Didn’t want it to fall out.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zFlcXYtbl
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“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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3r3ZZmGL8
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“If you can find it,” Jason states, watching me open a cabinet and immediately close it.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxxnabcUAy
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“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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJJMRmArfT
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“I think she has a system?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIgdUhGoNM
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“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!”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42RXKuxYTu
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“Xael.” Jason puts a hand on my shoulder, and I sigh. “Chill. It isn’t nearly as bad as it seems.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbJe9HPUi5I
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“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!”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuCAgLEQvF
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“Well, at least her countertop is organized,” Jason remarks. I nod in agreement, looking at the perfectly organized counter.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8AacyxgIZ
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“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-”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zTEtaFbaJ
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“Steri-strips?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IIWFa7Otv
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“Yeah them.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9hPqpgH49
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“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.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyG3IcMjx9L
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Jason and I look at how messy the cabinet is and sigh in unison, then giggle. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FaGis5lU7
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“Are they in this one- they are!” Jason exclaims, handing me some sterile bandages. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwj7ACybkF
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“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.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡytulSWktg8
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“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.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBDovNMmzU
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“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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLLZFzHgSo
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“What story has a scene with self-harm wounds?” Jason helps me with the Steri-strips. “I’ve read all of your works.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaiprvOnqyT
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“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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fdbbNsYOb
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“You’re good,” Jason assures me. I stick the last Steri-strip onto his shoulder, then roll his sleeve back down. “Organizing time?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelfwDuYoNx
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“Absolutely yes please.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNbN5PxJEu
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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.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4q6TF27O4R
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“This cabinet is just empty!” Jason shouts, gesturing wildly. I peek over and laugh quietly at the very empty cupboard.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbezsCwn7u
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“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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6oZR9B8wu
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Jason and I fall into a comfortable silence as we empty out Sarah’s cupboards and drawers.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxyMvaqds5
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“What goes where-”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL23kHJaPDD
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“Bandages go here.” I tap the cabinet most easily accessible to everyone. “Disinfectants too.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkNogAh2Ir
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“Rolled up bandages, or band-aids?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxoP9bSrBy
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“Yes.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndMZpkgRKZ
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“That wasn’t a yes or no question!” Jason swats my shoulder, and I chuckle. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFUG9yiWZm
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“Sorry,” I say, definitely not sorry. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvDD4gEHtp
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“No you aren’t!”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTLuydSTH0
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“I’m not you’re right.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBLUG4ej51
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“I could just let you do this on your own-”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGESdx7uYmL
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“Please don’t?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6pCCwvq8V
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Jason rolls his eyes and raises his arms above his head, one of his elbows cracking in the process.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGcqpLIogX
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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. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgcARvf0M2
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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.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfR4LSerfp
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“I can do a magic trick,” I whisper. “Look into my eyes.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHYFjhDoW5
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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.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU71qwc7I8a
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“I can do a magic trick too,” he murmurs. His eyes shake violently and I laugh.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFE1LoOj8y
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“I have never seen someone else do that. It looks so cool!”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOiCO7QeJE
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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.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnumx3vOPN
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“I guess we should get back to organizing.” I point towards the cabinets.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPooMztCAz
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“Did my breath smell?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQ42VsF42R
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I groan and face-palm. Guess that subtle step wasn’t as subtle as I wanted it to be.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFU0eFjwPF
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“No, I’m sorry,” I begin. “I’m just not that comfortable being that close to someone for that long.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecqQdNbiB8
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Jason nods in understandable.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukxqfeDuqe
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“I get that. So, you’re not a physical touch person.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9L0ULAkWdI
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“What do you mean?” I ask, confused.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKzFrwAqvK
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“The five love languages,” Jason explains. “It’s physical touch, quality time, and some others.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KINgRe9j2
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“How do you know what those are and why?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOL1C8DAC07
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The smile on Jason’s face fades. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBHP8p8ii8
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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.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFkgWX73VW
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“Did you ever figure out what it was?”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0O4AhgGo2O
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Jason chuckles and looks up at the ceiling.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqzIGoNr3i
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“I did,” Jason states. “His language is one of the last ones I would’ve thought it was.”555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSv5MJ50D0v
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“What is it?” I make a mental note to look up the love languages later. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1DcxsqKbd
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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?
