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.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejSRzC7bVO
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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.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkuxtatNRg
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“You’re leaving?” he asked, frowning.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0EanEhuQIA
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“It’s morning,” I said. “Plus it’s my house and my mom should be getting up soon.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSGxk20KSH
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“Kendall.” Christian’s voice was calm. “What’s wrong with your mom?”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zpB7jd8cB
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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.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJe2zm4x0e
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“Nothing’s wrong with her,” I said. “Why would you think that?”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzuBS4iNHD
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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.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCuVOTDFU6
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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.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvQe3oCZUu
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He nodded. “I would.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpW7tiK7to
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What he was going to say was, I would if I had one456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDjNWTC8ic
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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.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKR8WTcWppu
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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.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRzu1v52La
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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.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIc1rtoec0Q
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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.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkEHvZDnyA
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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.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1RxEGVI97
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“I don’t care,” he said, shaking his head. “I want to help.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG3oD0u2ZEk
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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.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuThKyHLfXo
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“It will be okay,” he said. “I promise.”456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlP0hVlNE4W
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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. 456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUzVA9wmNv
Penana
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