“Aria, I’m so sorry, pretty girl. Look at me. Please look at me.” She shakes her head and cries into my chest. I give her a second before pulling her chin up so her eyes are on mine. “Aria, I love you, pretty girl. I’m so fucking scared you are going to push me away. That you don’t think this is real.” Her lips part, and her eyes dart back and forth between mine. “Holden, you can’t just say stuff like that because you fucked up. You don’t love me.” Backing her against the wall, I cage her in my arms and force her to focus only on me. “Why, Aria? Why can’t I love you? Because society says we’re
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