Unsteady

by Peyton Corinne

And I try desperately to smash out the growing warmth when he says, “You look so adorable.” But that warmth is taking up permanent space in my chest. And so is he.

“I love you. I love everything about you. I love your anger and your snark. I love the way you skate—like you’re full of fire. It makes me remember when I fell in love with hockey. I love how you take care of your brothers, how you protect and love Ro. I love the way you get that frustrated-confused look on your face—the same one you have right now—with the little divot between your brows.”

“And nothing—no dark part of you, or your life—will ever change that. So, like I told Oliver, if you don’t want me anymore, that’s something I’ll have to deal with. But there will never be a day that I do not want you.”

Rhys Koteskiy is pure gold. I know it. And soon the entire world will too.

“She said yes!” at the top of his lungs before hoisting me into the air with a yelp. And while Oliver smiles and claps, and Liam howls like a little wolf, I stare right down into the eyes of my golden boy, whose sad eyes aren’t sad anymore. And if I have anything to do with it, they never will be again.