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Aaron
A tear slides down Rae’s cheek and then another. She turns to Sarah, who leans in and whispers something, then kisses Rae’s cheek and walks toward her room.
With small steps, Rae walks in, closing the door behind her. She stares at me and sniffs, then steps into my waiting arms, crying harder than she has since all of this happened.
I hold her tightly, occasionally whispering she’s safe, I’ve got her, I love her.
She fists the back of my shirt, resting her head against my shoulder as she soaks my shirt with snot and tears. I don’t flinch. My arms are as tight around her as they can be without crushing her.
I hate seeing her like this, but I can feel the weight melting off her. She’s held this inside for so long. I’m proud of her for finally letting it out. Slowly, her sobs subside and she pulls back, looking up into my eyes.
Palming her cheek, I dip my head down and tilt it back and forth, looking into her eyes. They’ve turned an almost gold color rather than the hazel they usually are. They’re also clearer than I’ve seen in months.
“Feel better?” I ask, a smirk twitching at my lips.
She lets out a little laugh. “Yeah, I do. Between telling my parents and crying out about thirty pounds of tears, I feel lighter, freer.” She stops and points at my shoulder, chuckling. “Sorry about your shirt.”
I look down and laugh before shrugging. “I have others. Come on.” I grab her hand and drop onto the edge of the bed, pulling her with me. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you told them. I came as soon as I got Sarah’s text, but I didn’t want to interrupt.”
She lets out a long exhale, still trying to steady her breathing after crying so hard. “It’s okay. It’s better that it was just Sarah and me. I’m sorry you’re gonna have to tell your parents now.”
I wave a hand in dismissal. “No way, that’s the least of my worries.” I look her over. “You look so much better now.”
She laughs at that, then leans over to peek at her reflection in the mirror on her closet door. “I definitely do not.”
I shake my head. She looks so goddamn beautiful right now. “Yes, you look like you’ve been crying, but your eyes look clearer. There’s joy in them again. Peace. I know this doesn’t make it magically better, but you’ve been holding onto all of this for so long. You needed to let it out. I see that happy glow you used to have coming through again. It’s one of my favorite things about you. I’ve missed seeing it.”
She squeezes my hand tightly. “Thank you for coming over, for being here for me. Seriously, Aaron, it means so much to me.”
“There’s nowhere else I’d be.”
“You say that, but it’s a lot to… commit to. I know you felt bad the other night, and I’m sorry for that. I pushed you away because I didn’t want you to feel… responsible for me, I guess. I don’t ever want you to feel like it’s your job to be here for me, like youhaveto. It means more to me that you choose to. I’m sorry I didn’t let you the other night.”
My heart swells with pride. I willalwaysbe here for her. I’ll always choose her. Gently, I kiss her cheek. “I’ve got you. Always. You’re my person and that—no matter what’s happening in our lives—that will never, ever change.”
“Thanks, Ace,” she says quietly, resting her head on my shoulder. “I love you.” She says it so quietly I’m not sure if I’m supposed to hear it. I’m not sure which version of love she’s talking about, but I feel it all.
My fingers gently roll over her back and shoulders. “I love you too, Rae.”
Her breath catches, letting me know she caught the tonality of my voice. I wasn’t saying it as friends. But it doesn’t matter tonight. All that matters is that I’m here, supporting her.
I wrap an arm around her back and squeeze her tightly. We stay like that for so long that her head grows heavy on my shoulder. I was working on throwing after school—without much improvement, unfortunately—and as much as I hate to leave her, I haven’t gotten any homework done yet.
“Hey, Beautiful,” I say, kissing her head. “As much as I love snuggling with you, I need to get home. Are you going to be okay?”
She sits up and looks at me. “Yeah. I will be. I need to text Miles and Joel, anyway. Thanks, Ace.”
I kiss her forehead again, then stand up. “I’m proud of you. Text me if you need anything.”
“I will. Go home. I’m a big girl. I can handle this, I promise. I really do feel better.”
With a big smile, I slide my coat and shoes on. “Good.” I push the window open and climb out, then shoot her a wink before walking away.
Rae
Oh my goodness.
A lot has happened tonight.
