Page 77 of A Pretty Fixation

I turn on the bench.

The blonde-haired boy is standing in the doorway.Caleb. There’s kindness in his gray eyes.

“Mrs. Anders said to leave you alone, but I wantedto check on you.”

I’m a bit surprised.

No one has spoken to me since I came to the fosterhome a few days ago. My screams at night and random freakouts scare them. Sothey keep their distance from the psycho girl.

Why is he talking to me?

Caleb comes over and sits beside me. “I get it. Amonster hurt me too. But they can’t hurt us anymore.” He gives my shoulder agentle squeeze before holding my hand on the bench. I don’t pull away. “You’llbe okay. You’re safe now.”

More tears fall. No one’s ever said that to me.Those words fill my heart with more joy than I’ve ever felt.

“Thank you,” I say in a low and hoarse voice.

Caleb smiles and shrugs.

He bumps my arm playfully before leaving the room.I remain in place, thinking of his kindness and how I want to be his friend.

Everything starts to fade. I ball my hands intofists, ready for darkness to seep in again.

“Jordyn,” Dr. Sharma’s voice pulls me out.

The ticking sounds fill my ears.

My eyes flutter open, and I gradually unclench myfingers, leaving marks on my palms.

She sighs deeply. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” I answer after a hard swallow. “I sawCaleb, and the moment I think it started.”

Dr. Sharma squeezes her brows together. “Whatstarted?”

“My fixation with him.”

Settling back in her chair, she stops the pendulumobject and places it in the drawer. “You believe you were fixated?”

I wipe my cheeks and free the tightness in mythroat. “It explains why there’s this sense of longing and relief. I didn’tunderstand it before but seeing the memory… I get it now, the reason why I’m sothrilled to have his attention. I don’t think Caleb bothered with me after thatday. I became a shadow to him and Dove.”

Sympathy veils her appearance. “Will you tellCaleb the truth?”

More tears fall out of fear. “I can’t. I don’twant to lose him. I love him.”

I’ll love the blonde-haired boy with kind grayeyes forever.

Some guy loops his arm around me just as I exitthe building. “What the fuck!”

The familiar scent calms me before Caleb whispersinto my ear. “Hey, baby.”

“Geez.” I click my tongue. “Don’t you ever go toclass? I feel like you’re always hanging around mine.”

He smirks. “I try to catch you in between.”

We start walking together.

“My parents are doing a quick getaway thisweekend,” he says. “Let’s watch movies and hang out with friends at my house.”

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