Chapter 23: Growing Together

I remember the first time I let myself admit it out loud—how much I cared about Isaiah. It wasn't easy, and it still wasn't something I was used to doing. But there was something about him that made me want to be better. Made me want to open up, even when it scared the hell out of me.

Life wasn't perfect. We had our arguments, our disagreements. I wasn't always the easiest person to be around. I had my demons, my fears. But Isaiah didn't give up on me. Not when I pulled away, not when I shut down. He was there. Every time. And I think that's when I knew for sure that this was more than just a fling or some short-term thing.

It was real.

One night, a few months after that lunch, we were sitting on the roof of his apartment building, just like we used to. The stars were out, and the city below us was still alive, the lights flickering and humming. We weren't doing anything special. We were just together.

"I think we've made it through the hard part," I said, my voice barely above a whisper as I leaned back against the cool concrete.

Isaiah laughed softly. "Yeah, but what's the fun in that? Who wants everything to be easy?"

I smiled, turning my head to look at him. His eyes were glinting in the dark, his smile so familiar now. I loved the way he looked at me—like I was the most important thing in the world.

"I'm okay with easy, as long as it's with you," I said, my voice steady, for once not second-guessing myself.

His smile softened, and he reached over to tug me closer, pulling me into his arms. I didn't flinch this time. I didn't pull away. I just let myself be. And for the first time in my life, it felt like I was exactly where I was meant to be.

"We've still got a long way to go," Isaiah murmured, his fingers threading through my hair.

I nodded, resting my head on his chest. "Yeah, but we'll do it together."

And that's when I knew I wasn't going anywhere. We both had our scars, but we were starting to heal them, piece by piece, together.