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"Wait," he said, desperation creeping into his voice. "Can we talk a little more? I mean, about… everything?"
Lanty hesitated for a moment, her brow furrowing slightly as she considered his request. "I don't want to intrude. I know you're dealing with a lot right now."
"It's not intruding. I… I want to talk," he insisted. "You're the only person I feel like I can share this with."
She looked at him, her expression softening, and finally nodded. "Okay, let's sit for a bit."
They moved away from the water's edge to a nearby bench that overlooked the lake. The wood felt cool against Jake's skin as he sat down, trying to gather his thoughts. Lanty settled beside him, her posture relaxed but with an underlying tension that Jake could sense.
He took a deep breath, the air fresh and crisp, mingled with the faint scent of wet earth. "I didn't mean to unload all that on you last night. I guess I just felt like I was spiraling, and you were there. It was nice to have someone to share the moment with."
"It's okay," she replied, looking out at the shimmering water. "Sometimes, just being there for someone is all you need to do."
Jake studied her face, taking in the way the early morning light accentuated her features. He felt a surge of warmth toward her, a feeling that had been building since the first time they met. But he was also aware of the bruises he had seen earlier. They cast a shadow over her beauty, and a knot of concern formed in his stomach. "Are you okay? I mean, really?"
She turned to him, surprise flickering in her eyes. "What do you mean?"
"I noticed the bruises on your hands and face last night. Is everything alright? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I'm here if you need to talk."
For a moment, Lanty looked like she might retreat, but then she let out a slow breath, her guard dropping just a bit. "It's… it's complicated. I got into a fight a few nights ago. Things got out of hand, and I wasn't thinking straight. But it's nothing I can't handle."
Jake felt a mixture of anger and worry. "A fight? With who? Did they hurt you?"
"It's nothing like that," she assured him, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of pain. "Just some stuff I got myself into. You don't need to worry about it."
Jake clenched his fists, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "Lanty, you can't just brush this off. I care about you. I don't want you to get hurt."
Her gaze softened again, and she leaned closer, her expression shifting. "I appreciate that, really. It's just… it's hard to explain. You're going through your own grief, and I don't want to add to that burden."
The shift in conversation left a heavy silence hanging between them, filled with unspoken words. Jake took a moment to gather his thoughts, the weight of his feelings for her pressing down. "You know, I never expected to feel this way. It started as admiration, then it turned into something more. Something deeper, like a crush." He paused, gauging her reaction. "Being around you makes me feel things I didn't think I could feel again after… everything."
Lanty's eyes widened slightly, and she turned away to stare at the lake again, her expression unreadable. "Jake… I—"
"Lanty," he interrupted, feeling an urgency in his chest. "I need you to know that I want to be there for you, just like you've been for me. You mean more to me than I can say."
For a moment, the air between them felt charged with tension, the kind that teetered on the edge of something profound. Jake leaned a little closer, heart racing as he searched her eyes for a hint of what she felt.
But then, as if realizing the gravity of the moment, Lanty pulled back slightly. "I'm not in a place for that right now, Jake," she said softly, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "My life is… chaotic. I don't want to hurt you."
Jake's heart sank, the words hitting him like a physical blow. "Hurt me? You wouldn't hurt me. I just want to support you."
"I know," she whispered, her gaze flickering to the ground. "But I don't want to drag you into my mess. I'm a lot to deal with right now."
He could see the conflict in her eyes, the fear that seemed to hold her back. But Jake couldn't shake the feeling that there was something deeper beneath her hesitation. "What if I want to be part of your life? What if I want to help you, even when things are messy?"
Lanty looked at him then, her expression a mixture of vulnerability and hesitation. "I just don't know if I'm ready for that. Not with everything going on… and not with how I feel about my boyfriend."
The words stung like a slap to the face. "Your boyfriend? You still care about him?"
Her eyes widened, and she looked away again. "It's complicated, Jake. He's not good for me, and I know it, but… I've been with him for a while. It's hard to just let go."
Jake felt a wave of frustration wash over him. "But I know he's hurting you! That's why you said you were going through a rough patch right and with the bruising !! You deserve better than that!"
She shrugged, a weary look settling on her face. "Sometimes it feels easier to stay in a bad situation than to risk the unknown, you know?"
His heart ached for her, the longing to protect her battling with the realization that he couldn't force her to see the truth. "But you can't let fear dictate your happiness. You're worth so much more, Lanty."
"Maybe," she replied, her voice softening again. "But it's not that simple. We all have our battles to fight. I guess I'm just trying to keep my head above water."
Jake leaned back on the bench, feeling a mix of admiration and frustration. "I just wish you could see how incredible you are. You deserve someone who treats you right, who values you."
For a long moment, they sat in silence, the tension of their conversation hanging in the air. Finally, Lanty sighed, brushing her hair back from her face. "Maybe one day I'll figure it out. But for now, I just need to take it one step at a time."
He nodded, the weight of her words settling over him. They might not be at the same point in their lives, but something in Jake told him that he couldn't walk away. Not yet. Not when he felt so drawn to her, despite the chaos surrounding them both.
"Let's just take a walk," Jake suggested, trying to lighten the mood. "The morning's beautiful, and it might help clear our heads."
Lanty smiled, a small, genuine smile that made his heart race. "Okay, that sounds good."
They stood up together and began to walk along the lake's edge, side by side, each step in sync with the soft lapping of the water against the shore. As they walked, Jake felt the warmth of Lanty's presence beside him, a flicker of hope igniting within him.
Despite the complexity of their feelings and the struggles they faced, he knew that their bond was something worth exploring. And as the sun continued to rise, illuminating the world around them, he held onto the hope that maybe, just maybe, they could find their way through the darkness together.
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Love is damage, it's hurt, it's pain, some times it's everything that it needs to be and sometimes it s everything it's not supposed to be, the eternal question one should ask themselves is what is love to them. To you dear reader