“Are you okay?” Draven asks against my mouth. “Yes.” The word comes out as a whisper. But Draven nods anyway. Then he straightens, taking his forehead off mine. I open my eyes at last. And to my embarrassment, tears begin streaming down my cheeks. “I’m sorry,” I stammer while desperately trying to wipe them off. Seriousness descends on his features as he cups my cheeks again and uses his thumbs to wipe away the tears while he levels a commanding stare on me. “Don’t ever apologize for crying. It’s not a weakness. It’s a sign that you’ve had to be strong for too long.”
