LUKE
She squints up at me. Her fingers are shaking. “Are you using your teacher voice on me?”
“If that’s what it takes, then yes. This isn’t healthy. Come on.”
She looks down at the pages strewn around her and covers her face. “God,” she mutters. “I’m an absolute mess, aren’t I?”
Without even thinking, I drop to my knees and reach for her, pulling her into my arms. She’s stiff for a moment, tense and quivering in my grip.
Then she tips closer to me, burying her face in my chest. I rub my hand over her back, trying to make soothing sounds as she shudders against me.
I wish she’d just cry, for God’s sake. This is almost worse. She’s just… tense and shaking in my arms.
“This isn’t just about clothes for you, is it?” I say quietly. “You’re trying to prove something.”
“No one ever thoug
