When she had fallen off to sleep, I slipped from the bed and finally went to take my own shower. I let the water beat down on me as I replayed every minute of the last few hours.

She’d surpassed my every dream. Eighteen years old and she held me in the palm of her hand. My heart had never felt this full, I never knew it could.

The responsibility weighed heavy on me now, I had taken her innocence and sworn to protect; not an easy thing that.

I pushed back ...