ADINNA
Dean’s words hung in the air, the tension thickening with each passing second. He pressed his lips tighter into a thin line, drawing in a sharp breath as if he wished he had never said anything in the first place.
I remained quiet, nipping at my bottom lip as what he had just said echoed in my head.
“They talked down on me my whole life.”
I wanted to delude myself into thinking I had heard wrong, but the way Dean was fiddling with his fingers was enough for me.
I moved closer to him slowly, trying my best not to scare him away as I reached a hand out. I let my palm rest on his knee, rubbing small, circular motions in what I hoped came off as a comforting gesture.
It didn’t have the intent I expected, and instead, Dean began bouncing his leg up and down, the sole of his shoes t
