“Do you want to talk about it.. with me?” He offered with a small smile. 

“Do you really want to see my sobbing fave every five seconds?” She chuckled lightly.

“I guess it wouldn’t.” He said unsure. “Talking about it is good.” 

“You said it.” She laughed, before pulling away to place the plate in the sink. “Did you want to do anything while I have you here?” She looked at the clock. There was ten minutes before company came over and left but then the rest of the time was for them. 

“Isn’t there another way to get better?” He knew there had to be. “Do you really want to go to therapy?” He questioned with caution. Of course Justin wanted the girl to get better, but not in a way that would force the girl to do something she wasn’t up for. 

“A part of me wants to say yes and the other no. I mean, I’ve got a lot of stuff inside that I don’t talk about..” Like her father, her mother abandoning her, baby Chris, Lakyn, Bobby, the list could go on. “..And if it’s messing with my relationships then I suppose it won’t hurt to go at least once, right?” Justin’s opinion mattered a lot to the girl and she was looking up to him.

Justin wondered what she was going to say. Wondered if she was going to say it. He knew she could say the word, because she had said it before. Maybe she hadn’t even noticed those times, but she had never said the phrase ‘I love you’. He didn’t need to hear it because she had shown him with actions that she loved him. “Yeah. They say mean things to you. Mason doesn’t trust them either.” 

“I hope I don’t get a mean one.” She commented, feeling safe in his arms. It was a place she didn’t want to leave, a place where she felt like home. She had many homes but this one was the best. Before she even thought of it she inaudibly mouthed the words ‘I love you’ -- the warmness inside her chest when she had made her almost chuckle. That wasn’t so bad. 

After tossing the pineapple, he hugged her. “I love you.” He mentioned, his arms still wrapped tightly around her. “And I know you love me, too. You don’t have to say it.” He paused for a moment. “But therapists are really mean…” 

“Justin, I..--” She fought back tears as he hugged her and only hugged him tighter as he had. That would be the first hug she has had in quite a long time. “They are.” She agreed. “Have you seen one before?”