Page 42 of Red Flags Only

He sighs, nose nuzzling my hair. “My brave, sweet,sillyLyra. Thinking you aren’t helping me when simply breathing the same air as you is all I need for inspiration to strike.”

No, those are not tears running down my cheeks. What a ridiculous thing to ask.

“I don’t know what to say,” I sniffle.

“You don’t have to say anything,” he returns. “That’s the thing. You don’t have to do anything. You don’t have to say anything. You don’t have to strain yourself trying to fit into some mold you think I want you in. You can justbe.”

I can just be.

As if it’s ever been that easy.

“I don’t know how to do that,” I tell him honestly. “I don’t think I’m capable of that.”

“With me, Ly,” he says. “You can do it with me.”

Right. With him.

Easy peasy, that.

“Okay, Jupiter,” I say, taking a shaky breath in. “I’ll try. With you.”

He hums his approval, the vibration of it reverberating through my chest against his.

“With me,” he echoes. Then he takes me home, where I discover a letter from him waiting for me in my mailbox.

I hold it in my hands, running a finger over my name written in Jove’s sharp handwriting, hearing his words in my head.You can just be.

Something settles within me, filtering through my bodyuntil I can, just a little bit, believe him. Until I can, just a little bit,just be.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Congratulations to the happy couple.

Jove

Dear Jupiter,

You know I value our friendship above all else. I do not, however, value your wood carvings quite so much.

You’re ruining my furniture, Jove. I spilled milk on my table this morning, and it took me ages to get it out of all the cracks. I had to use cotton swabs and go through every line individually. I felt like one of those art restoration people I see online sometimes, except I wasn’t getting paid the kajillion dollars an hour I assume they get paid.

What I’m saying is, table takes priority over bed frame when you go shopping. I like oak.

I know I told you I was going to bed when you dropped me off after our date, but I have to admit, I’m doing this instead. Your letter was just too tempting to resist. You put glitter on it again!

It’s like you don’t even want me to get any sleep, actually. This is, surely, your fault.

I can’t say I regret it, though. Your letter was gorgeous, per usual. Not as good as my butterfly, but then what ever will be? She’s framed on my wall now. I ordered a shadowbox online that has a hinged window so I can get in and out of it easy peasy, the better to enjoy my butterfly whenever I please.

In case I haven’t told you, I really,reallylove her. She’s so thoughtful. So proof that when you say I can just be, you mean it sincerely. You see me, all of me, and you welcome it.

Truly, I have never once deserved a friend so caring.

Truly, I am forever grateful to have you in my life, even if you aren’t exactly what I thought you would be.

I hope that I’m giving back like you say I am. I hope you’re at home right now writing five hundred million words. I hope hope hope I’m not failing you.

I hope I learn how to communicate my thoughts and feelings better in person.

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