Jason didn’t respond. I didn’t blame him; how would you respond if someone said what I did?509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NIb3Ef1ox
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcsukYNdKg
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6YqcrLZ174
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“What’s the dress like?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQzeoaVrTz
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg53bNNOtB3
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“That’s fair.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHZBkwJKCz
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We fall into an awkward silence, neither of us sure what we should say.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTF9IOK1ZNw
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“Astrapophobia,” Jason says suddenly. I nod, looking at the weighted blanket. “It’s the fear of thunder and lightning.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3oKBOp3Le
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“If you don’t mind me asking, how long?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93EZV02zhC
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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.” 509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXq6bV0HqK
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“You don’t remember?” I sit up a little straighter. “At all?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpGjN72gyg
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonyFmY3z4B
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“Have you tried to remember?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlAexjAdrg
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMr1WndkR0
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“What if you asked your mom to take you to a therapist without telling your dad?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrl1nUAOWN4
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Jason opens his mouth to say something, then closes it and blinks a few times.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJa84JElbx
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxljWzTSDE
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“That- that doesn't sound like a healthy relationship."509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IPh1ZTjfO
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPvDm2hoqE
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomiWGEutFi
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“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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDR7eOzENi
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What’s with the sudden attitude flip?509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2KOIV3VT6a
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“Jason, I’m not trying to control your life, I’m just suggesting-”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPZYCv6aEh
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“Fuck off.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxFLFxRR43
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I stand up and brush my hair behind my ear, turning as I do.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGcI6OXMEa
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8IWcbQLqT
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This is what happens when you trust people. They only let you down.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgRzUePf83K
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“Woah, Xael!” Two hands grab my shoulders, preventing me from running into the person. “Where’s the fire, girl?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkL3bz8dPwi
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdsDgPlG7z
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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?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQ4UKj3Y4H
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“Actually, where’s Lukas?” My voice cracks when I say Lukas’ name, and I mentally curse myself.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9hG2g6xFe
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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?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVCH9kd9N7
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“Thanks, Jonny, but I want to go speak with Lukas about something.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEteKN8YpRc
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVc8KMPydO
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“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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6eL3UfLT0
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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?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jv3lALjQ1
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Tears threaten to spill from my eyes as Lukas’ arms slide around my shoulders, holding me against his chest.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl78HjwqZWw
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“I don’t know,” I murmur, my hands in fists at my sides. “I don’t know.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAD0OcaorYb
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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. 509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCau9QMwStn
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“You were with Jason, right?” Lukas asks. I nod, looking down at the floor.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJEcw5CfJv
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHduIeHRBat
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“You aren’t leaving this room until you’re not about to cry,” Lukas orders. “Take a seat, hon.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT11Eq2HWmR
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkewD85ClZN
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“Xael-”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbL4old96kb
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“I promise I’ll be fine.” I look up into Lukas’ eyes, blinking away my tears.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYKUTncyPg
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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?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMne6pInG74
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I nod, even though I have no intention on going to Sophie.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4AwhTDnJU
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyAkDwdjKa
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I won’t do it. I’m not going to stoop that low.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgeBvca5dqV
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vbZ617OXF
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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?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZPjDnjDA8
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Jason shrugs, pressing his lips together into a thin white line.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmr28rDAOqy
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“Not in the mood for talking. Got it. Hold this against your shoulder.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJvgTc2qr0
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Jason reaches a hand up and presses it against the cloth as I retract my hand, already scanning the room for hiding places.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZvTNps3dH
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxERDjfk3bR
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdt7GCV7Bk7
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSS8USwwSO
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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. 509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6xg5mwpf2
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNnJuo4wcI
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“They’re not in the cloth or the boxes.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfbHpKZeny
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I grab the cloth and unwrap it, satisfied when four razor blades drop onto the shelf.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6v0VdrR3UK
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoF33pld79b
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtoAOHbH8A
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzbU0NDqNK
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“You wouldn’t dare-”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EFMs3L4tu
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“Try me!”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwo9iGlCz48
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We glare into each other’s eyes in silence. Jason seems to ponder my words before stepping back and nodding.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSD5Xlywrv
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“We’re going to Sarah’s office though,” I state, marching past Jason and opening the door.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXpg4SY9UY
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“You said that you wouldn’t tell-”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEi9KHdYMQ5
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“I’m not going to tell her, we’re going to dress your wounds.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEIY3zTGYv2
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVxCONozjb
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“How long?” I ask, walking faster than I’m used to in order to keep up with Jason. 509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ijo56sXU8
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“A while,” Jason answers. I roll my eyes and cross my arms.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb4epC3Mi5r
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“Very specific,” I grumble. “Where else?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuP692gk3q5
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“Nowhere. Just my shoulder.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpTor0D9mh
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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?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg5Yv6me0GF
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“Just drop it, Xael,” Jason snaps, turning to me and grabbing my shoulder. “Stop. Talking.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGgBRUBXQc
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I close my mouth and glare at him. He turns and walks away, satisfied.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotsZjJ7jPz
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“So there are cuts on your stomach.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsaU9kdhpC
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“No, there aren’t,” Jason growls. “Didn’t I tell you to shut up?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNvSpfkEKte
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCM6QrIG6B6
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“I don’t like you.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcy3xmzOaf
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“People usually don’t.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBO5mNjlLlb
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“You’re such a lovely person to be around, you know that?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTvqxuw2DK
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“Thank you for the compliment!”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1STw1OJ7v
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“Wasn’t a compliment.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBodHiWRoL
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“And I still took it as one so suck it.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ016cRbKMKk
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TFQP3i1QN
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Maybe I am funny after all.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiMzEWOPzR
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“Why did you come upstairs?” Jason asks, startling me.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBfdpU0Y4H
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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. 509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxpE7t2Qce
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“Draw?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvYgOVOccI
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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-”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNroDAl5bG
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4sVW8m7jw
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“Exactly!” I snap my fingers and point a finger gun at Jason, happy he understands my thought process. 509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtaA8yEZpNC
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“Do you have a spare pen?” Jason looks away from me and rubs the back of his neck, and I smile softly.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwH1FvO6q97
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“Take this one.” I offer my pen towards Jason, who looks at me instead of grabbing it.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZu7DcY7IIV
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“Are you sure?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcl1PKLA46S
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmspxf1Y6BY
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvPxqJI4Gy
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mea7D1VBj
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“If you can find it,” Jason states, watching me open a cabinet and immediately close it.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5eh4uC2AM
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47NbkSKEdt
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“I think she has a system?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsyHY7M1jjk
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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!”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvkIWWTlOi
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTx7QKu6eg
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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!”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaE4wmmBnp8
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“Well, at least her countertop is organized,” Jason remarks. I nod in agreement, looking at the perfectly organized counter.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28uY2e28Z0
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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-”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYIcdKFzFv
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“Steri-strips?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFqWMxEip5
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“Yeah them.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOzhFK7shl
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyHxAjLLoT
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Jason and I look at how messy the cabinet is and sigh in unison, then giggle. 509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRmRJuK1Bm
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“Are they in this one- they are!” Jason exclaims, handing me some sterile bandages. 509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7G1vRfGF1
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYXgRGNGkv
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOx5ymKm2O0
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTrWPVnOn8
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0wiDWZQ9i
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bANpJDrVh
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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?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71n4OIUJRP
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“Absolutely yes please.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF324E36J5o
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9f6tV0d21h
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“This cabinet is just empty!” Jason shouts, gesturing wildly. I peek over and laugh quietly at the very empty cupboard.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rGLvOevgl
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2t2DF6RyDj
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Jason and I fall into a comfortable silence as we empty out Sarah’s cupboards and drawers.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJZg4QinvP
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“What goes where-”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCGXRyOPwA
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“Bandages go here.” I tap the cabinet most easily accessible to everyone. “Disinfectants too.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYocr3rVu8
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“Rolled up bandages, or band-aids?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbifOjlIh2y
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“Yes.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkllAAhqUW
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“That wasn’t a yes or no question!” Jason swats my shoulder, and I chuckle. 509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXejSaEkYpN
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“Sorry,” I say, definitely not sorry. 509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2DNPuTsZZD
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“No you aren’t!”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQoAP3blxjU
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“I’m not you’re right.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0gi1J0iyH
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“I could just let you do this on your own-”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ337S1sH3yN
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“Please don’t?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69SVI92QFA
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Jason rolls his eyes and raises his arms above his head, one of his elbows cracking in the process.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6EswrpkRp
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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. 509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnW4iNGjIi
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CHmMStq2U
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“I can do a magic trick,” I whisper. “Look into my eyes.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnU5XjyxDx
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4WYoN7TN1
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“I can do a magic trick too,” he murmurs. His eyes shake violently and I laugh.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjjItyiuoz
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“I have never seen someone else do that. It looks so cool!”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtEozYZz11
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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.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5wJzuJCmJ
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“I guess we should get back to organizing.” I point towards the cabinets.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0eSLfqb1R
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“Did my breath smell?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewhkDvbk8G
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I groan and face-palm. Guess that subtle step wasn’t as subtle as I wanted it to be.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpqpzNLYD8
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“No, I’m sorry,” I begin. “I’m just not that comfortable being that close to someone for that long.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLuK9UAWN6
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Jason nods in understandable.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5iWjC2sVV
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“I get that. So, you’re not a physical touch person.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMweA8xfY0
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“What do you mean?” I ask, confused.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0QpgjbxdZ
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“The five love languages,” Jason explains. “It’s physical touch, quality time, and some others.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBv2guI82mq
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“How do you know what those are and why?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UpRRRaESC
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The smile on Jason’s face fades. 509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnaWEVzcioT
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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.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Wismmy8ma
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“Did you ever figure out what it was?”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKduVPfu5u
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Jason chuckles and looks up at the ceiling.509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkf8Sx3T6a
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“I did,” Jason states. “His language is one of the last ones I would’ve thought it was.”509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoOk0zT1HjN
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“What is it?” I make a mental note to look up the love languages later. 509Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeknGdTVaEp
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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?
