I look at him then, really look. His tight jawline. The shadows under his eyes. The quiet weight he carries in his shoulders. “You get that?”
“More than you know.” He’s quiet a moment. “There was a time I thought being tough meant pretending I was fine. Turns out, all it did was make me lonely.”
Something shifts in my chest. “Are you still lonely?”
He meets my gaze. “Not right now.”
I give him a small smile. The silence between us stretches, warm and charged. The kind that buzzes under the skin.
“You make me feel safe,” I say finally, surprising myself. “And seen. And... I don’t know. It’s scary, but it’s good scary.”
Johnny swims closer and perches his arms on the wall next to me, his voice a whisper now. “Then keep showing up, Lina. With all of it. The messy, the scared, the brave parts too. You don’t have to prove anything to me. To us.”
The words hit somewhere deep, and I feel my throat tighten. I don’t respond, but I reach for his hand on the pool ledge and give it a squeeze.
He squeezes back, warm and steady.
“You gonna be okay?” he asks gently.
“Yeah,” I murmur. “I think I am.”
Johnny smiles then. Genuine, proud, soft around the edges. And for a moment, with the water around us and the golden sunset reflecting off the pool, everything feels ok. Better than ok.
Chapter 16
The next few weeks settle into a routine: wake up, exercise, school, homework, repeat. By the weekends, I’m practically fantasizing about sleeping in.
No such luck.
On Saturday morning, a knock on my door pulls me from my beauty sleep.
“Yeah?” I mumble, groggy, wondering who it is. Axel wouldn’t bother knocking, and Johnny probably wouldn’t either. So, I’m betting it’s Ben.
Color me surprised when it’s Maryanne’s sweet voice through the door.
“Lina? Sorry to wake you, sweetie. I thought maybe we could go shopping for your room today?”
I sit straight up, instantly alert. Sleep-in-Saturday is officially canceled! And I don’t even care.
“Sounds great! Do I have time to shower?”
“Of course! Take your time. I’ll be downstairs whenever you’re ready.”
I practically skip to the bathroom. Back in Arizona, my room was stylish, sure, but it wasn’t mine. My mom designed it without asking for input. I came home from a sleepover one morning to find the walls painted, new furniture installed, and not a single say in any of it.
This? This is different. I finally get to create something that’smine.
I breeze through my shower, throw on a casual t-shirt dress, and toss my hair up in a bun. I’m halfway down the hall when I nearly collide with Axel.
“Whoa, Tiger! Where’s the fire?”
“Sorry!” I grin. “Your mom’s taking me shopping for my room!”
Axel follows me downstairs like a man on a mission.
“Hey, sweetie! Almost ready?” Maryanne smiles from her spot at the kitchen counter.
“Yep! All set!” Axel answers before I can open my mouth.
