I am so sad. I want a world for Caleb where nothing bad happens to him.
I want him to be born to loving parents who are best friends with MC’s parents.
When MC is born he’s in awe and auntie and uncle tell him, “She’s like your sister. You have to protect her like an older brother would.”
They grow up together. Caleb sees her every weekend because their parents are always getting together.
When Caleb’s in the second grade, MC is starting kindergarten and he makes sure to protect her from the older kids who like to tease and tug at her pigtails.
In high school, Caleb gets to check in on her. He walks her to classes, tutors her in the subjects she’s struggling with, and they join the same clubs because they’re so alike it’s almost ridiculous.
And in college they fall in love. Except maybe that’s silly because Caleb’s always loved MC. There’s never been a question of if maybe just how much.
He loves her like she’s his soul. He loves her like she’s the sun. He loves her like he’s the earth, pulled in by her gravity, given life by her light.
He loves her on soft days, when the summer sun beats down on them and yet she’s still pressed into his side reading some book.
He loves her on hard days, when rain beats down against the roof, thunder roaring over the sounds of her sobs. Her tears fall faster than the water drops outside and he presses her face into his neck, whispers, “You’re good enough. I promise you are. You’re perfect.”
He loves her because all he’s ever known is love and all he’s ever seen her as is love.
