But then softly, he smiled at her, and then softly, she smiled back, and her whole body melted, and her heart banged alive in her chest -- like someone waking up in a coffin and demanding to break out and be free again. She was startled by the feeling in her chest, she had forgotten it was possible.

Amy liked how he just assumed she was so healthy. Healthy was new to her since Leanne’s guidance, but she realized she liked Louis assuming she treated herself well. She used to find debauchery, and downing pills with red wine, sexy; now she felt sexy taking care of herself with green juice and kale.

The hammering vibrated through her body and she looked up, and saw a young man, younger than her by a few years at least, on a roof of a cabin to the right of the main building. He looked down at her and he stopped work for a moment. He had a guarded look, almost mean. Either mean, or cool.  ...

Amy smiled weakly, but she was still thinking about what Leanne had said; she’d spent a sleepless night in the dark with those words, looking at the emptiness, taking responsibility for it. And thinking about changing, about how badly she wanted to.

And she was suddenly so embarrassed. Even as he undressed the rest of her body, it seemed he didn’t really want to know her soul, and for a moment she felt she should stop him, before she gave absolutely everything to him. Even though her body wanted it, something was saying No.