Read Online The Fragile Fall by Kristy Love - Free Book Online

she touched me. That happened every time we touched, whether it was an intentional touch or accidental, and it confused me.
    “I care because you’re a good person who has had really shitty luck. I don’t know everything that has happened to you, but I know enough to understand why you’re sad. Sometimes, the sadness seems to take over you and it seems like you can’t see through it. I want to be able to help you out. I know guys don’t do all the touchy-feely talk that girls do, and so I know Jax won’t ask you why you’re so sad, but I will. I think you need to know someone cares.”
    I nodded slowly. She made sense. I felt incredibly alone and I didn’t know what to do about it. Even though I considered Jax, Ry and Courtney my friends, I still felt alone. No one knew the real me and I craved that. I wanted someone to know the inner turmoil that ripped me apart every day. Maybe Ryanne could be that person.
    She leaned down until she caught my downcast eyes. “You aren’t alone, Will, and I have faith in you. I know things seem hard right now, but you’ve shown incredible strength so far. You’ve lost your family and relocated to live with an aunt you didn’t really know. You started public school and you’ve been making friends.” She squeezed my hands. “I think you need to hear how well you’ve done, and how much of a survivor you really are. It’s easy to forget how many great things you’ve accomplished when you’re grieving so hard. ”
    She let go of my hand and I immediately missed her. My traitorous eyes stung with tears. I was tired of being an emotional wreck. I was a guy; I wasn’t supposed to cry. “Thanks,” I said, my voice thick with tears.
    “I’m not trying to upset you. I’m just trying to help you.” She sighed. “Will, I care about you. I see how sad you are and how you are torturing yourself with something. I don’t think you need to torture yourself. Why don’t we hang out sometime? Just you and me. We don’t have to tell Jax. It can be our secret.” She winked at me.
    My heart stalled in my chest. Time alone with Ry, without worrying about Jax, was something I’d wanted for a long time. Not only did she want to spend time with me, but she cared about me. “I’d like that.”
    “Good.” She got her phone out of her pocket. “Give me your number and I’ll text you.”
    “I don’t actually have a cell phone.”
    She raised an eyebrow. “Are you kidding me?”
    “No.” I looked around the room, uncomfortable and embarrassed. “My parents never let me have one, and Aunt Liv offered to get me one when I moved in with her, but I refused.”
    She shook her head. “Damn. We need to get you a phone. That’s on the agenda for Saturday. In the meantime, I’ll call the house phone.” She smiled and squeezed my shoulder before walking into the living room.
    I went upstairs, excited about hanging out with Ry … alone. Other than that brief amount of time in the pool, we always had people around, and I wondered what it would be like to be with her and not have to worry about Jax watching our every move.

    “We’re going to do it up big time! Like a couple of kids.”
    Ryanne giggled as we found an empty table in the busy food court. I chuckled with her. When she heard my laughter, her eyes sparkled and she laughed harder. My heart squeezed, my lungs seized and I found it impossible to look at anything but her. She looked like an angel with her eyes shimmering, her hair framing her face and her laughter ringing through the air. It felt like a complete cliché and a total movie moment, but it was my moment, so I grabbed it and held onto it tightly. I didn’t think the moment could get any better.
    Then…
    She snorted.
    She immediately stopped laughing and held a hand up to her nose, her eyes wide with shock. “Oh, my God. That is so embarrassing! I’m so sorry.”
    “That is probably the cutest thing I have ever seen or heard in my entire life.” Her eyes