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I spend lunch outside, sitting on the front steps numb Relieved Alone

Until Michael co around He shuts the door carefully and hesitates before sitting next to ainst ," he says

And then I know that it’s okay

I press ainst his shoulder He exhales slowly It’s quiet Postwar quiet

Later, we’ll try to make sense of this Eventually, the bruises will fade

But for now, he reaches over and puts his hand on top of ers into the spaces between htly, locked together, school behind us, and I realize Anna is right

A whole world exists outside of that hellhole