Chapter 103 (1/2)

She takes in my words, her eyes pouring into mine. “I don’t want to be taken care of.”

Her honesty stings, but I have to remember that she’s a few years older than me and has been doing this life thing by herself for a while.

“I don’t want my parents’ help. I don’t want your help. I don’t want anyone’s help. I just want to figure my shit out and cause the least amount of problems possible along the way. I will only bring you trouble . . . it’s what I do. It’s who I am. I’m not saying this to be dramatic—I’m serious, Landon.”

She looks at me, her eyes begging me to listen. To really listen. “I carry too much baggage, and I’m not looking for a knight in shining armor to rescue me.”

I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to fix this, or if she even needs to be fixed.

I’m not used to not being needed. I’ve always been the fixer. Who I am without that role?

I don’t know.

“I know, princess,” I say, trying to add a little humor, break some of this tension I don’t know what to do with.

“Eew.” She makes a face of pure disgust. “I’m no princess.”

“What are you, then?” I ask her, genuinely wondering how she views herself.

“A human.”

There’s more to her words than sarcasm.

“I’m no damsel in distress, no princess. I’m a woman who is human in every sense of the word.”

My eyes meet hers and she hugs me again.

“Can we just stand like this for a few seconds? Can you just hold me for a few seconds so I can memorize how it feels?”