My
heart did a risky flip in my chest, twisting and taking away my ability to breathe.
The way he looked at me, the way his eyes darkened with the pain, what was I doing?
My voice sounded like it wasn't mine. “I didn’t ask for anything, Luca.”
“Wow!" He breathed. A scoff escaped his lips. “You didn’t have to ask,” he shot back. “I was there because I care. Because I…”
“Because you feel responsible,” I interrupted. “Because you think if you just stay close enough, you can fix this. Fix me.”
“That’s not what this is about!”
“Then what is it about?” I snapped, finally turning to face him. “Because I’m tired, Luca. I’m tired of pretending like I’m not falling apart. Like I’m not losing pieces of myself every time something goes wrong. And maybe I just need space to breathe.”
He ran his
