"I'll come get you and take you home."

These words made my eyes unexpectedly well up with tears.

For so many years, I'd been deprived of this kind of love. It seemed like no one had ever said this to me before.

He was the first one.

I tried hard to keep my eyes wide open, holding back tears as I looked up at him. "Derek, if I'm not Julia, can we... can we still be friends?"

I actually had this ridiculous thought of wanting to hold onto this bit of ...