Glass Hearts [BL]
Chapter 56: Safety Is a Person

Chapter 56: Safety Is a Person

"I used to think safety was a place. Turns out, it’s a person who makes me feel like I can breathe."

I jolted awake like my brain had just remembered a million things at once.

For a second, I couldn’t figure out where I was.

Soft sheets. Warm sunlight slanting through blinds

Dominic was still asleep beside me, one arm draped across my waist.

He looked...different when he slept. Softer. His dark lashes rested against his cheeks, his mouth slightly parted. He was even snoring a little.

The kind of sleep that only comes after a long night of emotional unraveling....and possibly ice cream overdose.

My chest tightened.

God. I felt safe.

I didn’t want to move.

But the world was already calling.

I twisted slowly, careful not to wake him, and slid my hand toward my phone on the nightstand. The screen lit up.

Friday, 7:02 AM.

Shit.

My heart skipped.

I had to be in school by 9. The hearing was at 10. And Alia...damn, she missed school yesterday.

No way could I show up in this wrinkled T-shirt smelling like garlic bread and probably bad decisions.

I slipped out of bed quietly and tiptoed into the bathroom. The tiles were cold under my feet. The mirror was foggy, and the air still smelled like Dominic’s expensive body wash.

I flicked on the shower, letting the hot water pound over my shoulders until my thoughts stopped racing.

When I came back into the room, I was still wearing Dominic’s black T-shirt....because, well, I had no other option.

He was still lying there, shirtless, a mess of tousled dark hair and flushed skin tangled in the sheets.

I padded over and tapped his shoulder lightly. "Dom..."

He blinked awake slowly, squinting at me like he was trying to remember where he was.

No words. Just stared for a second like he couldn’t believe I was real.

Then his eyes focused, and he gave me a lazy smile. "Morning, beautiful."

I smiled awkwardly. "Good morning. And... thanks for yesterday. For everything."

He blinked. "What time is it?"

"Just past seven. I need to go home and change. I’ve got school at nine. My hearing’s at ten, and I still have to drop Alia off."

Dominic pushed up on his elbows, hair messy, eyes still heavy with sleep.

"Yeah...okay..." He rubbed his face, then sat up fully, and I swear I nearly swallowed my tongue.... holy hell.

I was not prepared for the full view that smacked me in the face.

His joggers were doing absolutely nothing to hide what he was working with.

A very large, extremely obvious problem.

My eyes went wide.

My eyes immediately darted away. "Um—okay. You’re awake. Definitely."

He smirked, voice still raspy. "Eyes up here, Rivera."

"I wasn’t—I didn’t mean—"

He chuckled in his husky voice. "It’s morning. He’s just saying hi."

"Oh my god."

Dominic stood, stretching his arms over his head, which only made everything more visible

Still smirking, he walked into the bathroom and splashed water on his face.

He came back out a few seconds later, towel slung over his neck, rubbing his jaw.

"Alright. I’ll drop you off," he said, casually like he wasn’t currently a walking thirst trap. "How ’bout this—I’ll take Alia to school while you run home and change. That way, you get to school earlier."

I stared at him, stunned. "Wait. You’d do that?"

"Yeah, I like her. She’s a sweet child."

I laughed, relieved. "Oh my god, thank you."

He smiled lazily. "Give me a minute to clean up," he said, heading back toward the shower.

I flopped back on the bed, clutching a pillow to my chest, feeling like my heart was gonna burst.

God. How did I get so lucky?

Ten minutes later, we were in Dominic’s car, the soft hum of the engine blending with the playlist he always had on. The closer we got to my building, the smaller my breath felt.

He kept one hand on the wheel, the other loosely resting on my thigh.

My fingers clutched the folder I’d stuffed in my backpack last week....half-crumpled printouts, notes I scribbled in the margins, and a rough draft of the speech I was supposed to give at the hearing.

My stomach twisted as we turned onto my street.

I could feel his eyes on me every few seconds, flicking over from the driver’s seat.

"You okay?" he asked finally.

I nodded, not very convincingly.

Dominic reached over and squeezed my knee gently. "Hey. Listen to me."

I looked up.

"You’re gonna be fine, Rivera."

I didn’t say anything.

He gave me a small, serious smile. "The hearing’s just a formality. They want to rattle you. Test you. To see who you are. But you’ve got nothing to prove to anyone. Just be yourself."

My throat tightened. "What if myself isn’t good enough?"

"It is." He smiled. "You’ve survived stuff most people couldn’t even imagine. You protect your sister. You’re kind. Smart. Gorgeous. Stubborn as hell. That’s enough."

I pulled out the paper from my bag, my hands trembling just a little. The edges were bent and creased, and my handwriting was messy, like I’d written it between panic attacks and late-night breakdowns. But the words were mine. Raw and honest.

I started reading it aloud slowly, trying not to stutter.

"Good morning. My name is Ash Rivera. And before I say anything else, I want to thank the board for letting me speak today.

I know I messed up. I know what it looked like. And I understand why people are scared.

But I’m not a threat. I’m just a kid trying to keep his family together."

I looked up.

Dominic was smiling. Softly.

"You’re gonna do great," he said.

My throat tightened. I looked down at the words again, then folded the paper carefully.

We pulled up to my building.

Before I could open the door, he leaned in and kissed me.

"Thank you," I whispered when we broke apart.

I paused at the door. "I already texted the nurse to get Alia ready. She should be downstairs any minute."

"Perfect," he said. "I’ll circle back for her and drop her off."

"You’re seriously the best."

"Don’t forget it." He winked.

I smiled, ran upstairs.

Behind me, the car rolled off down the street...Dominic heading to pick up my little sister.

And me?

I was about to face the biggest morning of my life. And for once...I wasn’t facing it alone.