Landon & Shay: Part One (L&S Duet, #1)

by Brittainy C. Cherry

“I love you as certain dark things are to be loved. In secret, between the shadow and the soul.” -Pablo Neruda

The worst thing a broken person could do was hook up with another broken person. Ten times out of ten, it turned into a disaster.

Calling her hot felt idiotic and cheap because she wasn’t just hot like some girls at our school. She was a vibrant light. She was the spark that lit up the sky. A fucking star.

The geeks at our school talked about Shay the same way the goths did—with love and admiration. She was amazing to everyone. To everyone but me.

“You could be completely nude, and it still wouldn’t give a guy the right to touch you,”

“Plus, clothes don’t make you a slut. That’s just society’s messed-up judgments.”

I’d preferred guys be into me for my creativity, my humor, or my intense knowledge of all things Charmed, not just because they thought I looked hot.

“You’re more than your body, and only the ones who notice that are allowed to have you in that way,”

“Don’t call me sunshine,” she said. Then, stop being so damn bright.

I’m trying. I’m trying so hard to not drown. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but today I was happy. Today I am happy. And that’s worthy of being written down. -L

I’d learned early on that there aren’t any real villains in life, just heroes who have been beaten down for so long they’ve forgotten they have the ability to be good.

When someone saw your pain and didn’t look away, it felt like a gift, like they were allowing you to be exactly who you were without shame or judgments.

I think I was born with a hole in my heart.

Sometimes, sitting in silence with someone who is willing to stay with you helps a heart heal more than talking about one’s hurts.

Funny how you could be a different character in different people’s storybooks.

“Bite me, jerk.” “Of course.” He leaned in closer, his lips gently touching the edge of my ear. “Just tell me where.”

“You’re such a pig.” “Yeah, but I’m sure you like bacon.”

“If he breaks my heart, I hope the cracks tell a good story.”

Some of the best ideas are the bad ones.

I wondered what the storm inside her head looked like. I wondered if her thunder rumbled as loud as mine, if her lightning struck her soul repeatedly, if she drowned in her own thoughts.

Her eyes were my favorite part of her, too. They told full-length stories without any words. That was my favorite part of watching her perform on stage. Her eyes always showed the truest forms of her emotions, and that night, they were saying something so heartbreaking.

“No one has a perfect life. Some people are just better at keeping their secrets hidden. You said I’m all rainbows, but you do know you can’t get the rainbow without the rain, right?

I was fighting to avoid being swallowed alive by my own mind, and it was an exhausting task to face. I wished they taught us about depression in school. I wished we were given tips and tricks to avoid falling too deep into the dark. Instead, we learned algebra equations. I couldn’t wait for that to come in handy in my life.

It turned out everyone in the world had scars. Everyone had cracks and cuts that bled into their soul each night. Some people were simply better at hiding them.

She made my heart turn back on. Her kiss gave me life.

Lead with your heart, but take your brain with you.”

“Kissing you feels like kissing heaven.

“Sé valiente, mi amor,” she whispered. Be brave, my love. “Sé fuerte.” Be strong. “Sé amable.” Be kind.

“The people who show the least emotions are normally the ones who hurt the most,”

“I know, but just because you need something doesn’t mean it comes easily.”

“You can do it all, Chick. You will do it all,” he promised. “You’re too damn stubborn not to.”

Hell, if I had to choose between Shay and anyone lately, I’d probably still go with Shay.

Some of my favorite moments in the world were when her lips were pressed against mine.

Have you ever been so young but felt so old?

“A penny for your thoughts,” I whispered. “A nickel for your time…a quarter for your heart…” I inhaled deeply. “A dollar to make you mine.”

She kissed me, and the last sleeping part of my soul finally woke up as she fell against my lips. I tasted her heaven as I fed her my sins.

“You are more than the story these scars tell, Landon. You are more than your uncle. You are more than your depression. You are kind.” She kissed my chest. “You are strong.” She kissed my neck. “You are intelligent.” She kissed my palms. “You are talented.” She kissed my thumbs. “You are beautiful.” She kissed the corners of my eyes. “And this world needs you.

For every scar, she gave five more compliments, which she called my truths. For every pained memory, she promised me a better one for the future. She kissed my scars and called them beautiful.

Loving Shay came as easy as the wind. It pushed through my system and left me completely breathless.

“I think you need to start choosing yourself.”

When you stopped allowing toxins into your system, it meant getting rid of certain types of people in your life, too. Addictions didn’t only come in the form of alcohol or narcotics. Some of the worst addictions in one’s life could be the people allowed into it. I’d learned to be very selective about who I allowed into my world. It turned out, you didn’t need a big circle of people to be content. You simply needed the right people.

Sometimes the strongest thing a person could ever do was fall apart. It took real strength to become that vulnerable.

I think you tell people you love them because it feels like a rocket in your soul.

I love you in the light and in the dark. I love you like a whisper and like a shout. I love your good days and your bad days, and I…love…you. All of you. Every single piece…”

and swallowed hard, breathing her in. “Why would you love someone like me?” I asked. “Because it’s impossible not to.”

“Mom…you are more than the story that this man wrote for you. You are more than my father. You are smart. You are funny. You are strong.”

She deserved a full type of love, and mine was broken into pieces.

I’m stronger than I look.”

Sé valiente, sé fuerte, sé amable, y quédate. Be brave, be strong, be kind, and stay.

“You’re never too much. I love your happy, and I love your sad. I love your light, and I love your dark. I love you. Every script, every page, every revision, every draft.”