Kat sat on the edge of the rink, skates unlaced, staring at the ice as if it held all the answers she couldn’t find. Her fingers trembled slightly, and you could see the storm behind her eyes—the fear of what people would think, the fear of losing control, the fear of letting anyone in.

“Kat,” you said gently, kneeling beside her. “Hey… talk to me.”

She shook her head, pulling her knees closer. “You wouldn’t understand. Nobody does.”

“I want to try,” you said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You don’t have to explain everything right now. Just… let me be here with you.”

Her lips quivered, and she looked at you with vulnerability she rarely allowed anyone to see. “Sometimes… I just get so high, or so low… and I don’t know who I am anymore. I’m scared you’ll see me and… not want me anymore.”

You squeezed her shoulder gently. “Kat, I don’t care about perfect days or bad ones. I care about you. All of you. The good, the scary, the messy—I want to be here through all of it.”

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she let them fall. She leaned into you, resting her head against your chest. “I… I don’t know how to do this. How to let someone in without falling apart.”

“You don’t have to do it alone,” you whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “I’ll help you. Step by step. You tell me when it’s too much, and I’ll be patient. I’ll be here, no matter what.”

Kat inhaled shakily, a small, grateful smile forming despite the fear still lingering. “You… really mean that?”