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I swungpile Kyle had done everything he could toI could still smell the fresh paint on the walls He had chosen yellohich made me smile It was practically the same color as my room at home

“I hope you like it,” he said, sounding almost shy as he opened the door to my new room

I had seen it earlier when I dropped my stuff off, and my mother and I had been shocked in the best way possible at the attention to detail Kyle had gone through in such a short time

“It’s perfect, Kyle I love it”

He stood staunchly in the open doorway, not venturing inside “I remembered you liked yellow Or at least you used to …”

“I still love yellow It’s a great choice”

Kyle looked around me to the stuffed toy on my bed, and he went still A et a read on any of them

“You kept it” His voice was hoarse

I glanced overthat resehten “It’s the ivenwhen I finally caht with the man I had abandoned Kyle for, I cried I had sobbed est asshole that had ever lived Kyle had left, o back home, and he left behind this reminder that he knew me That he loved me That he saw me Better than most people

I had pushed those feelings down as deep as I could shove theet they existed But I kept the stuffed Bongo I toldI had loved so much However, subconsciously I knew that it was just as iven it to me

Kyle rubbed his eyes “I thought you’d throw it away” His words were strained

I had looked up at hi him to see—to know …