I open my mouth and disappoint myself.
“Sounds good, sir.”
The front door to our dorm feels heavier than usual. My backpack feels heavier too. That’s the excuse I tell myself whenI drop it carelessly onto the floor, kicking my loafers off and tugging my tie loose.
It might be the strain of having typed so many reports, or the heavy realization that I’m a coward, but either way, I’m exhausted.
Like she knows I needed her, a bright ball of energy in the form of my dream girl appears from the hallway. Ghost follows behind her loyally.
“You’re home!” Her wide smile washes away the tiredness of the day. It’s two large steps before she’s wrapped in my arms and I’m sighing into her hair. “And you’re wearing a suit?”
“My father called me into the office today.”
“Oh.” She mumbles against my dress shirt. I feel the tight grip of her hands holding the fabric at my back, pulling me closer to her. “Bad day?”
“Disappointing day.”
Rosalie rests her chin against my chest, tilting her head up and melting away every crumb of stress that’s gathered. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t say you’re sorry. You didn’t do anything.”
“I know. But I’m sorry you had a disappointing day.”
My lips meet her forehead before I can think about it. It feels right to shower her with kisses as soon as I get home. It makes me feel better, too. More relaxed and less annoyed with how poorly I handle every conversation with my father.
The only thing that worries me when Rosie is in my arms, is what might be troubling her.
“How are things going with you? In your program?”
Her head tilts. Expression twisting at the question. “Boys are boys.”
I sigh. I want to fix everything for her so badly.
Her throat bobs before saying, “I’m okay. I have a feeling they’ll have some choice words once they find out we’re together, but it’s fine. I’ll face it head-on for us.”
I grunt. I don’t like the sound of that.
“You shouldn’t have to face something like that at all. What you do is none of their business.”
“It isn’t. They’ll just think they get a say in it, and I have to live with that.”
Her brown eyes are piercing through me. Usually coated in passion or drive, they’re glossed with uncertainty, and there’s a stabbing pain in my chest.
“I hate that.”
“It’s fine. I want you more than I care about what they say. That’s a good thing.” The muscles in my face scrunch and she laughs. “It is! It’s shown me if I want something bad enough, I can tune out anything they throw at me. It’s not easy, but I can do it. For you, I can.”
Her cheeks are brushed pink. There’s still a glint in her eye that leans closer to unsure than anything else, but confidence radiates off her. Rosalie believes in what she says, and I believe in Rosalie.
I want to solve every problem for her. She deserves to be doted on in that way, never lifting a finger or concerning herself with anything. Unfortunately, I don’t think a life like that is totally possible, no matter how hard I wish for it to be.
At least I can do this for her. Trust in her, support her, and stand by her side, where I belong.
“Enough about me. You had a bad day. I want to help you and take care ofyou.” She’s already helped more than she’ll ever know.
Rosie quietly leads us to the couch, and instead of taking a seat on the left end, she finds a comfortable spot in my lap. My left arm supports her back, and her feet hang off the arm reston my right. Before I can ask what she’s doing, her arms wrap around me, and she tucks her head into my neck.
“Okay. Talk.”
