WHAT NEXT?

GINGER: Hu’s muscular arms wrap around me, caressing my back softly as I cry into his chest. There’s been so much weighing on me, and those two weeks without him weren’t easy. I spent most of my days crying, thinking about my dad, everything I’ve been through. Also, I started cutting again. My mother doesn’t know. Half the time she’s asleep when I’m doing it, and hurting myself feels like the only thing I can control. I pull away, and he gently cups my face, wiping the mess of tears and snot with soft strokes. “It wasn’t my intention for you to see me like this. It’s just…” My chest rises sharply as I struggle to form words. “A lot has happened. And now, even the smallest things trigger everything inside me.” My voice is barely audible. “You can be whoever you need to be in front of me, love,” he says. “I don’t care what you look like. Your hair’s messy? I love it. Tears in your eyes? Mucus down your nose? You’re still the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.” He cups my cheeks in both