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.445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNhHbK1q06
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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.445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81hylTs06O
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“You’re leaving?” he asked, frowning.445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBquEzS2iY8
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“It’s morning,” I said. “Plus it’s my house and my mom should be getting up soon.”445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXowXbgmrnP
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“Kendall.” Christian’s voice was calm. “What’s wrong with your mom?”445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLUNNmYWVO8
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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.445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nlAHR5Pxa
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“Nothing’s wrong with her,” I said. “Why would you think that?”445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZG6pmdZPxP
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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.”445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9f39WwFiI
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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.”445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4I4vyXui3V
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He nodded. “I would.”445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVI0XKOMCMk
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What he was going to say was, I would if I had one445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLj7PHiG74
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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.445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AvwDQ068W
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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.445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4HOdJnB8Mn
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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.”445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsqtY0nIQ4r
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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.”445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqPE7n1dRZ
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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.”445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdHqcC0p7R
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“I don’t care,” he said, shaking his head. “I want to help.”445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPIfhH988sb
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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.445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtC2pqv4PGh
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“It will be okay,” he said. “I promise.”445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqz3NH6mA2R
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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. 445Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNASjLq6Cg
Penana
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