Page 68 of Xactly What She Needs

“You’ll be fine. It’s hard for everyone, right? Moving out here was the same for me. I was leaving my family for the first time ever.”

“That was different,” Jenny tells me stiffening.

“Not really. I still had to move away. Things still changed. But I found a great group of people that took me in and watched over me. You’ll find the same. You just need to look. Now, what do you say we head back inside?”

“Sure.”

Inside, the party is in full swing. Dee had spent the day before decorating, a mix of ‘happy birthday’ and ‘goodbye’ banners haphazardly strung up across the walls and machines. It looks like a party shop exploded inside.

“Briella, darling, come here.”

My mother wraps me in her arms, still overly gentle despite how many times I’ve told her that I’m much better now. The skin sensitivity is completely gone. There wasn’t a single scar left behind from the ordeal, and I’ve even replenished my wardrobe.

I may never come back from who I was before the fire. I still wake up sometimes, sweat pouring down my back and phantom flames licking at my arms. But I’m also better because of it. I’m uncomfortably certain that if there had been a fire when I was with Zeke, he’d have saved himself first. But Xander didn’t. He didn’t waste a minute. He took control of the situation, even though I’ve no doubt that he was just as scared as I was. He guided me out of the building to safety.

At the time, I couldn’t think. All I knew wasdanger, fire, painand then we were outside, and Xander was on his knees. The paramedics descended upon us faster than I had time to think, but still, the fear for my life became a fear for Xanders.

I don’t think I’ll ever forget how scared I was in those moments. And I’ll never forget how angry I felt when I learned that it was Zeke. They were such violent emotions, stronger than anything I’ve ever felt before. It left an imprint on my mind that will never go away. That’s what trauma is, according to the doctor. All we can do is learn to work past it.

I look over to Xander, who’s watching me from across the room. He smiles, warm and loving, and I offer up my own.

I think together, we can learn to work past it.

“Smile,” daddy orders when Cadie brandishes a camera in front of us.

Dani stands on my left, Kenzie on my right, and my parents stand behind us. It turns out to be a perfect picture.

21

“Don’t open your eyes.”

“Would it matter? You’ve blindfolded me.”

“Don’t get smart. I want this to be special.”

“Is it ice cream?”

“Why would I blindfold you for ice cream?”

“Because I love it. But if it’s not ice cream, then what?”

She’s crazy. I love her. But she’s certifiably insane. But then, I suppose I’ve already made up my mind about how much that matters to me. She could be bat-shit insane, and I’d still want to spend the rest of my life with her.

“Did you get me a cat?” she asks, suddenly.

“No. It’s not a cat. Just one more minute, okay? Be patient.”

I pull the car into the driveway, and put my hand on her shoulder. I would’ve taken my bike but I figured it would be a bad idea to have a blindfolded woman on the back.

“Don’t take it off.”

“I won’t, I won’t. But if it’s not a cat, is it a hamster?”

“A hamster?” I ask, exasperated.

“Yeah. They’re so cute.”

I can’t help it. I burst out laughing.

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