Page 14 of Teach Me How To Fly

As she tried to finish her sentence, she sobbed loudly and I quickly moved to sit next to her. Her body wouldn’t react like this if the reason behind it was only the nightmares she had. It had to be more than that.

“Don’t say it. I know what you wanted to say, and it’s okay if you can’t get the words out.”

“I don’t know where they come from. I’ve always had them,” she further explained and I noticed how her voice became even more full of sadness. “It feels good to finally talk with somebody about it though. It feels like I’m not alone in my own mind.”

“You can talk with me about whatever bothers you, as I’ve already told you,” I spoke slowly and pinned her with my gaze. “You’re not ever going to be alone as long as I’m alive.”

I wanted to hug her so badly that my hands just instantly trembled. I didn’t know how to manage the entire situation. I didn’t want to be too harsh or make her feel uncomfortable with anything. I guessed I just had to be there and be a good listener.

“How’s your leg?”

Her question sliced the discussion like a sharp knife. She didn’t want to talk about it anymore, so I respected her decision, hoping that what she said was true and it was only the nightmares harming her mind.

“It’s fine. I’ve been shot worse than that,” I said and let out a vague laugh.

“I’m sorry for what he did to you,” she replied quickly and I saw how she let her attention fall on the leg that was injured. “I know it’s my fault. I put my hand on yours and…”

“I regret nothing, and neither should you.”

She raised her head and looked me deeply in the eyes. I could kill people and not feel a thing, but when she looked at me, I felt all sorts of things that were making me wonder how she managed to do that to me.

I knew I had something for her ever since we started growing into real teenagers, but with every year that has passed by, it developed into such a feeling I didn’t know how to describe it.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course. Anything,” I quickly replied.

“We have to leave the cabin soon, so can you please hold me in your arms for a few more moments just like you did when we were little? Because I don’t know when I’ll get to see you again, and I…”

But I didn’t let her finish her sentence. I took her in my arms and put my palm on her head, moving my fingers through her soft hair strands. Her body quivered as she hugged my torso and pressed her right cheek to my chest. I knew she could hear my heart beating fast as hell, but I didn’t mind it.

I just kept her in my arms and enjoyed every second that was passing by us.

And it felt liberating.

But I still had a question for her. I looked down and she raised her head from my chest to look me in the eyes.

“How did you do this?” I asked her briefly, letting my lips curl into a soft smile.

“Do what?”

“Make the douchebag outside let us meet here.”

She laughed before her lips parted to let the words out. “I threatened him that if he wouldn’t listen to me, I would tell my father he touched me in a way he shouldn’t have.”

I was speechless. That sounded nothing like what my little Annalise would’ve done in the past. I couldn’t believe she had done something like that. But the moment she raised her glance up to me, I bursted out in a colorful laughter.

“What? You didn’t think I was able to bribe a man this efficiently?

“Indeed,” I said between laughs, trying to catch my breath back. “You seem like you couldn’t hurt a fly, nor do you seem like the type to blackmail people who are actually protecting you,” I added and my comment made her laugh.

Her beautiful rose-tinted lips curved into a smile that revealed her perfect white teeth.

I let my gaze fall on the little brown birthmark she had above her lip, and I felt the urge to run my finger over it.

“I can’t hurt anyone unless it’s for the people I truly care about,” she mumbled and I saw how her bottom lip started trembling.

Fuck it.

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