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.421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19F0XoOByx
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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.421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJobjowgj1
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“You’re leaving?” he asked, frowning.421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczonUYqjyu
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“It’s morning,” I said. “Plus it’s my house and my mom should be getting up soon.”421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZiJw3puoZ7
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“Kendall.” Christian’s voice was calm. “What’s wrong with your mom?”421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXdbrR47nA
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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.421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXJzM0VsEv
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“Nothing’s wrong with her,” I said. “Why would you think that?”421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuC3UUNEMIb
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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.”421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9T7t275q8
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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.”421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ006F8N24Ly
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He nodded. “I would.”421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgZnOJwQVpN
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What he was going to say was, I would if I had one421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQ6F73JY26
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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.421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68o3hjcBo8
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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.421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFJ7TiGQkT
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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.”421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4s6VpSZMl
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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.”421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtPKsn0o7j
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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.”421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfumfEipdiV
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“I don’t care,” he said, shaking his head. “I want to help.”421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyuCh2gjS4E
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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.421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMzW66g41h
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“It will be okay,” he said. “I promise.”421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmH7COEVjG
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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. 421Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVPYhttULL
Penana
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