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He seemed very happy to see me, and then when he hugged me, it felt like a part of me that had been dormant suddenly sprang to life.
My choice helped me realize that sometimes the hardest decisions a person can make will most likely lead to the best outcomes.
Do I sacrifice what I know will make me happy for the sake of avoiding the inevitable disruption Atlas’s presence would cause? Or will I always have an Atlas-shaped hole in my heart unless I allow him to fill it?
“It’s called why are you avoiding me pasta.”
“Exactly. He’s her father. He’s not your husband, so you shouldn’t allow your concern for his feelings to persuade you to give up what could be the second-best thing to ever happen to you.”
“And what if they don’t have a Lily to save them?” It takes a few seconds for what he says to register. When it does, I don’t smile. I swallow the lump in my throat, hoping he can’t see my internal reaction to that. It’s not the first time he’s mentioned I saved him back then, but every time he says it, I want to argue with him. I didn’t save him. All I did was fall in love with him.
I squeal like I’m sixteen again.
The only other time I’ve spent with her as adults was when she was technically still with Ryle, so it felt wrong thinking of her the way I am now. Like I want her.
I had fallen in love with her long before our first kiss, though. I loved her more than I had ever loved anyone before that moment. I think I loved her more than I’ve ever loved anyone after that moment. I think I still might.
He didn’t like being confronted. He preferred the preteen version of me he met to the near adult I grew into. He liked the version of me he could push around without being pushed back. The version of me he could manipulate without me calling him out.
Nothing you have done and nothing you could do would excuse any man’s hands on you out of anger. Remember that, Lily. You made the right choice by leaving that situation. You should never feel guilty for that. Pride is the only thing you should feel.”
“You’re going to drive five miles just to give me a hug?” “I’d run five miles just to give you a hug.”
I feel like we have the kind of connection that even the fires of hell couldn’t sever.
I am so happy Atlas and I have each other again, I could cry.
Sometimes people think if they love a broken person enough, they can be what finally repairs them, but the problem with that is the other person just ends up broken, too.
My loyalty is to the people who bring positivity into my life. My loyalty is to the people who want to build me up and see me happy. Those are the people I’m going to make decisions about my life for.
There’s this toxic belief that family should stick together simply because they’re family. But the best thing I ever did for myself was walk away from them.
