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"I’o take a shower and then head to bed" She walked toward the bathroo the doorframe Her body went a bit limp, and I rushed over to help hold her up She pulled away from me "I don’t need you, Tristan I’m fine without you," she said coldly But in the back of her tone I heard"I don’t need anyone except ood" She spoke softly, holding on to"I’, and I pulled her closer to my body She cried into hed I didn’t knohat to say, because I had left her and Eot real I didn’t kno to deal with the fact that I loved her, because loving herpeople was the worst feeling in the world "I got scared I gotBut I need you to hearanywhere I’m here I’m here and I’m here to stay"

She pulled back, wiped her hand beneath her nose, and laughed lightly, trying to stop her tears "Sorry I just need a shower"

"I’ll be here when you’re done"

Her beautiful brown eyes locked with rew on her lips "Okay"

She closed the bathroo on and I leaned against the bathrooood," she told herself over and over again Her voice started to shake as she said it, and I could hear her crying again My hand wrapped around the doorknob, and I pushed it open to see her sitting in the botto her face as she cried, dried blood washing out of her hair Without thought, I climbed into the tub with her and wrapped ainst ood?" she wondered out loud

"Yeah, Lizzie You’re good"

I stayed with her that whole night I didn’t lie beside her in her bed, but I sat in the chair at her desk, giving her the distance she needed, but also letting her know that she wasn’t ever going to be alone again

Chapter Forty-Four

Elizabeth

I awakened to the sound of a laer co, and there was no need for anyone to be cutting the grass at such a ti toward rass around where the accident with Tanner had happened My hand lay overgrass against ?" I asked

He turned my way and shut off the laer "I didn’t want you to have to see this when you came out to the backyard I didn’t want you to have to deal hat happened" He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a coin "Tanner dropped his coin… I mean, did you ever see this?" He tossed it my way

"It’s a double-sided coin It’s always heads" I said, a bit shocked "He never truly won the coin toss?"

"Never I can’t believe I didn’t put the pieces together sooner I can’t believe he was al was off I should’ve known…"