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"I know," I sympathized "But I had no idea--"

He held a hand up to silence me "Just stop, okay? I don’t want to talk about this"

"But we have to, because--"

"No," he said forcefully "We really don’t That’s ridiculous"

"No it isn’t," I said, dropping ain

"Fine!" I yelped "But I feel like an ass You’ve been really good to ood to me Since that first day you carried a box up to my room, okay? I just wanted to say thank you I haven’t been… my best self this year"

Those brown eyes softened "You had reasons"

I let out a breath "I had a few here and there But you’re just about the only good thing that’s happened to me this year And I want you to know I appreciate it"

That hly "Thank you"

"That night in Septeo there"

"Hey! I’ to embarrass you I prouessed"

He rolled his eyes at me "Uh… thanks?"

"You’ve been really patient with me when I had a shitty time, and I wasn’t so patient with you I wish I had been"

"It’s okay, Bella I’h Well, I tried "Okay then What was your thing?"

"My thing," he repeated

"Yeah I cede the floor to the gentlehts" I sat beside him

Rafe put a hand on the shsmall circles on my back "When I said today that I don’t do casual, I wasn’t kidding"