ReCAP: A NORMAL Novella Read Online Free Page B

happen
again , I silently swear.
    She stares at me for a long moment, and I
hope to God that I'm getting through to her. She deserves no guilt,
no shame. None.
    "I don't know why you're so nice to me," she
breathes, and I feel my entire body relax. I hadn't even realized
quite how tense I was.
    I smile at her and let go of her wrists. I
brush away the last of her tears. They don't belong on her perfect
face. Only that smile I've seen just a few times does, and God
would I do anything to see it in this moment.
    "We're friends, Ror," I remind her. "That's
what friends are for, right?" And I mean it. I tell myself to
ignore the fact that there isn't another friend in the world who
makes me feel the things this girl does.
    She nods in agreement, and my gaze drops to
her lips.
    I feel a pull in my groin, and it's
completely inappropriate considering the circumstances. I stand and
go to pack up my books, trying to get my head straight. It doesn't
help that she's so fucking beautiful. I pack up her books next and
then place them in her bag.
    I hold out my hand to her, and it's kind of
a test. I don't want to push her, but I need to know if she still
trusts me. "I got you, Pine," I promise her, and I tell myself I
will always have this girl's back. She needs that. Someone to look
out for her. Despite her tough persona, we all need support
sometimes. "Come on, let's get you home. You must be tired." She
looks exhausted. Still gorgeous as all hell, but tired and
drained.
    She takes my hand, and I
walk her through the building. Vaguely I try to remember a time
when I've held a girl's hand like this, and I can't. Other than
Bits when she was little. It feels good. Strangely right . Rory's hand is
small and delicate, so unlike her spirit, and it reminds me that
despite her ferocity, she just a girl. A beautiful, incredibly
strong girl, but a girl nonetheless. One who needs help sometimes,
who needs support. I want to be that person for her, and I silently
resolve to be the best fucking friend she's ever had.
    We arrive at the point where I usually leave
her to go bring her car around, but I don't let her hand go. I
don't want to. But she doesn't try to pull hers away either, and I
don't know what she needs right now.
    "Ror?"
    "I can't walk by the locker rooms," she
whispers meaningfully. Vaguely I think I'd probably burn the
fucking gymnasium wing to the ground if it would make things easier
for her.
    "Can I walk around the
building with you?" I ask. There's no way I can let her go alone.
Not this late, and especially not after she was so upset just
minutes ago.
    She nods, and I exhale my
relief, and lead her out the door. I can feel her returning to
herself with every step, and when we get to the student lot, she
takes a deep breath and lets go of my hand. I let her. I look her
over, watching for any signs that she's still in danger of
panicking, any signs that maybe she shouldn't drive right now, but
she just seems embarrassed.
    "I really am sorry, Sam," she says to her
feet. I can't listen to her apologize. I'm the one who's sorry.
    "Enough, Rory," I tell
her. "You have nothing to be sorry for, okay? I'm sorry for putting
you in that position, but you know what? You're stronger than you
think you are."
    She snorts, and it irritates me - how blind
she is to her own strength.
    "You are, Ror. I obviously
did something to trigger you to panic, but you got through it all
on your own. You didn't need a pill. You did it yourself." How
doesn't she see that? She's a fucking force , and she doesn't even realize
it.
    She stares at me a moment,
considering my words, and it's like she's looking right into me.
Like she can see things that no one else can, that no one
else should be
able to see. It's unnerving.
    "I didn't need a pill," she says
contemplatively, "but I didn't do it on my own, either." There's
gratitude in her eyes, awe even, and it's a heady feeling. It makes
me feel strangely powerful, and vaguely I think that in this
moment, if I had