When he first put his arms around me, it was tentative, like maybe he expected
I'd pull away. When I
didn't, he moved in closer, his hands smoothing over my shoulders, and in my
mind I saw myself
retreating a million times when people tried to do this same thing: my sister or
my mother, pulling back
and into myself, tucking everything out of sight, where only I knew where to
find it. This time, though, I
gave in. I let Wes pull me against him, pressing my head against his chest,
where I could feel his heart
beating, steady and true.

Autore: Sarah Dessen