et's
taring at nothing, while my he
e heavy, painful kind, like my body already knew
I slowly placed
felt d
looked d
erythi
d. Voices floated up from the street. Life went on, loud and car
zed on the b
You
t stop think
he screen for
de my chest tighten in that familiar, dangerou
't stop thinking
s exactly t
n't r
ything would spill out. The fear. The truth. The thing g
the sink as if it could hold me upright. My reflection stared back at me, pale,
e happening,"
d it, my body tol
. The strange nausea in the mornings. The way my emotions felt t
h it all..
and flat again
Russo's
n who destroyed my father, would b
f it almost m
mo
myself together the
offee. A
mo
ld handle it. That I could act normal. That I coul
I saw
in hand, sleeves rolled up. He looked steady,
ine, something soften
. "You didn't ans
as b
ng w
"Trying to
his mouth, but his eye
n't su
studying my face. "
dn't
use o
m yes. I wanted t
id, "Because
there. The city moved below
gainst my wrist. The touch was light, but
ith," he said softly, "you
ruth, he wouldn'
ickly. "We should stay p
ed. "You're rea
aid, walking past him. "This, us,
but I felt his eyes
dn't
ing out of tim
myself inside the bathroo
test box sho
yself no
see it, maybe it
I lo
ink l
orld
y breath broke apart, h
li
fami
enough to des
king, breathing, existing, completely un
ter that fe
p. I smile
was fall
ery meeting dragged. Every time Ryan looke
not
lways
y my hands fidgeted. The way I avoided his touch li
in the design studio after
ng?" he ask
thi
lie t
most told him everything. His gaze was
aid, even thoug
d when I try to get close, yo
did
me what's
g, I want
epped back. "
we keep secre
stopped be
ace. "Just tell me
I whispered. "
space, fo
someone who knew
was back beside my desk w
oiding me,
m b
red," he sa
se... stop try
tened. "I don
ound out, it w
When I stepped outsid
n," he
n't a
nt. Rain filled th
tside my building
you going to ke
d turne
nued. "The appointme
ldn't
he said quiet
ars spilling
aled like the weight of th
ngry," he said
estroy us,"
ead against mine. "
s wasn'
red. Despe
first time,
just cross
nged eve
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