When You Least Expect It

by Haley Cass

“If you’re not careful, I’ll get too reliant on you saving the day.” It’s warm but also… there’s a vulnerability under her words. And because Hannah is so very much like a sunset – with all of the layers that make her who she is, every single one of them different and absolutely beautiful, but sometimes concealing what else is in the sky – Caroline can’t quite read all of the emotions under that vulnerability. But it’s in this moment that things shift into place, and her heart pounds with a certainty she has to call these feelings love. Like in this moment, she understands why everything in the world – wars and songs and all of the literature – comes back to this. It makes her think that, for once, she understands what she’s been chasing for all of these years. She’s wanted love, and she’s thought she understood what it meant. It’s not until this moment where Hannah looks at her like she’s wearing a cape – where she trusts that Caroline is going to be here during this moment, trusts that she can show her these weak moments – that she’s ever felt it. She didn’t mean to fall in love with Hannah at all. But here she is, curled up with a family that isn’t quite hers, and she’s never wanted anything more. So. Fucked.