Page 135 of Rush
"Fuck what my dad said."
"He's not wrong though. I am broken."
“No,” I say. “You’re healing. That’s not the same thing.”
He pulls me close and buries his face in my hair.
We stand like that for a long time, just holding each other.
"I'm not going anywhere," I say quietly.
"You should."
"Well I'm not, so deal with it."
He almost smiles against my hair. "You're stubborn."
"I learned from the best."
We pull apart and I look up at him. His eyes are dark and haunted.
"What did my dad say to you before I got here?" I ask.
"That I'm not good enough for you."
"He's wrong."
"Is he? Because I've been thinking the same thing since the day we met."
"Rush."
"I'm serious, Everly. You deserve someone who's not constantly fighting their own demons."
"I don't want someone else. I want you."
"Why?"
"Because you're honest about your demons instead of pretending they don't exist. Because you're trying every day to be better. Because you love me even though it scares you."
He touches my face. "It terrifies me."
"Good. That means you're paying attention."
"I don't want to hurt you."
"Then don't."
"It's not that simple."
"Yes, it is. You choose me every day, I choose you every day, and we figure out the rest as we go."
He leans down and kisses me. It's soft and desperate at the same time.
When he pulls back we're both shaking.
"I love you," he says.
"I love you too."
