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“What you found out When you ith me at my dad’s house Does it bother you?”

“Of course, it bothershiaze “I hate what you’ve endured I hate what she did to you and how it , I hurt for you Your pain is still so fresh and I wish I could somehow take it away”

“You do take it away You make me feel like a real person That it’s okay to be so free like this Together Sexually” He closes his eyes, breathing deep “Youhe would just tell h all of these turbulent e that I’ll think less of him because he’s been abused Yes, abused He can call it an affair or whatever the hell else he says about Adele but she molested him

I wish he could really see that

“Drew” I brushhair “Noto run Whatever we discover, whatever happens, I’ to stand by your side and support you”

He opens his eyes “I have no more secrets with you At least none that I know of I’ve baredto hide”

“Neither do I,” I confess softly “Yet here we still are Together”

“Together” He s et it off my chest”

Wariness creeps over me and I try to shove it away “What is it?”

“I know…” He huffs out a breath “The day Vanessa died, I know you think I was inside with Adele…but it wasn’t like that We were having an argurows insideto boil over at anyher she had to leave me alone She tried her best to convince ain, pain etched all over his handso less ofaround with my stepmom while Vanessa drowned It wasn’t like that Not at all”

My heart hurts soand I wish I could take it all away Curlingup on the mattress so his head can rest on my chest I pressfreely down my cheeks “I’s to ainst my bare brsts, and I swear I feel da Which only ainst me “I love you so much, Fable”

My heart cracks in two, both at his pain and at his beautiful, much-needed declaration “I love you too”

I’ve never felt more complete

Drew

“I told her I loved her” I blurt out of nowhere

Dr Harris nods, no emotion on her face whatsoever As usual “What did Fable say?”