"Trauma." Annie chuckles awkwardly, snuggling into him more. She has no easy way to spell it out for him. "I heard stories about people hiding their partners because the idea of being seen with them was 'too much'or something.... Dylan used to act like it was perfectly reasonable. Because you're 'protecting' them. He hinted that he'd hide 'us' if we were at the same college together... especially if I wasn't doing good enough for myself."

Annie thinks it sounds like a load of bullshit now. "I thought it was bullshit after I learned...everything about him. One day I'll tell you about the stuff after. It's uh.... There's a lot and I don't know how to explain it all. I haven't properly unpacked that trauma either... too bad Hell doesn't have a therapist. It's not fair, you're basically my security blanket against my own poor mental health."