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I do as she says, conte the best way to break the ice with her So far, her stilted, short answers to any questions I've posed haveto do withto work

I' not to focus too ainst ht before it was flowery, but I think itdelicious

"Any pain when I do this?" she asks with one hand on h as she rotates my knee

"Not really," I say, because I don't want to call any attention to o in my chart, and that will be considered when decisions are made at the end of camp

"How about this?" she asks, rotating the opposite way

"Nope"

The hand onthe botto on to h, she pushes hard into my foot "This cause any pain?"

"Nope," I say quickly, and then add, "I think it's nothing ured soht?"

Vale slowly lowers ives 's loose or torn, but if it's worrying you, we can make an appointment with Dr Godson"

He was the tea that Talk about an unnecessary red flag

"I think it's just lack of conditioning Got lazy this suet me some ice and I'm sure it will be fine"

"Well, let's go sit you in an ice bath," she says as she turns back to wash her hands again at the sink

"No fucking way," I growl "Those things are torture and o into hibernation until next summer Ju

st an ice pack will do"

Vale chuckles without turning around to look at ht back"

She turns and heads through the door to the treatracefulness It's so she always had all of her motions to seem effortless I remeirls were dancing on the tops of the tables Of course, Vale had to do the sa entranced with the way her body undulated as I stared up at her All the other girls looked aard and forced, but Vale was fluid and so da after her

Back then, it irl, but if she did so like that today, it would drive uess when you grow up and s become more important

"Here you go," she says as she co out Keep this on for twenty o"

She places a towel overof ice on top

"Thanks," I say quietly

"It's my job," she quips, and then walks back over to the box of supplies she had been unloading

"Well, you're very good at it," I say quietly I watch as her head drops a little, but she remains quiet

"Vale?" I murmur

Her neck twists so she can look athard at the small box in her hand

"I'h this shit And you tooI'm sorry you have this stress on you"

Right there, in her eyes, the tension just drains, and for the first time since we've reconnected, she looks at s

I see gratitude clear as day

"Thank you," she says with a smile "That means a lot"

"If there's anything I can do, for either of you, I hope you'll ask me"

I know thatit, and fuck, I'm not sure why I offered, but it's out there now I expect she oes a little wider

"I appreciate the offer, Hawke I think we're okay, but I don't knowmaybe visit Dad every once in a while He doesn't know anyone here and I'm so busy all the time"