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He turns away

I can’t stop hoping he’ll be okay; he only has twelve hours to pull hio over the plan, one last tiins

FIFTY-EIGHT

"Aaron?" I whisper

The lights are out We’re lying in bed I’m stretched out across his body,

He’s running his hand over h the strands "Your hair is like water," he whispers "It’s so fluid Like silk"

"Aaron"

He leaves a light kiss on top of my head Rubs his hands down my arms "Are you cold?" he asks

"You can’t avoid this forever"

"We don’t have to avoid it at all," he says "There’s nothing to avoid"

"I just want to know you’re okay," I say "I’ to me about his mother He never said a word the entire time ere in her room, and he hasn’t spoken about it since Hasn’t even alluded to it Not once

Even now, he says nothing

"Aaron?"

"Yes, love"

"You’re not going to talk about it?"

He’s silent again for so long I’er in pain," he says softly "This is a great consolation to me"

I don’t push him to speak after that

"Juliette," he says

"Yes?"

I can hear hi my friend"

I turn around then Press close to hi his neck "I will always be here if you needmy voice "Please remember that Always remember that"

More seconds drown in the darkness I feel ?" I hear him whisper

"What?" I blink, try to stay awake

"You feel so real," he says "You sound so real I want so badly for this to be real"

"This is real," I say "And things are going to get better Things are going to get so ht breath "The scariest part," he says, so quietly, "is that for the first time in my life, I actually believe that"

"Good," I say softly, turning my face into his chest I closeso many clothes?" he whispers