“Yeah, I think I do.” She nodded, the tears gathered in her eyes reflecting mine. “I don’t know what it’s like to lose someone that way, but all those fears … I get it. I’m so scared so much of the time. I’m scared I’m never going to be a good enough writer to make a living, but more than that I’m scared that my writing is never going to connect with anyone, that my family won’t be proud of me. I worry that I’m going to be too focused on trying to have an extraordinary life that I’ll miss out on all the beautiful, ordinary parts and it’s even harder to focus on those things now because everything I thought I knew about how the world works kinda changed the other month when this magical girl told me that superpowers are real.

“I don’t know who I am either,” she whispered. “But I’m so afraid that there’s really nothing remarkable about me at all and that there’s nothing I can do to change that.”

“You are remarkable,” I said, and she scoffed. “No, I’m serious—I know that I’ve got this ability, but you—you’re the most extraordinary person I’ve ever met. I didn’t know that people like you—people who are kind and passionate and strong-willed and good—actually existed.

“You feel like a dream to me sometimes,” I whispered, and Emily’s eyes softened. “I wish I could show you exactly what I see when I look at you.”

“I think I’d like to let you try,” she said, squeezing my hand. “I’d like to see what you see.”

I smiled, a giggle escaping through the remaining tears, and Emily laughed lightly back. Before I had a chance to think about it, I kissed her, quickly and just on the cheek. But it made her cheeks turn red, which made me feel warm and tingly. She laughed and blushed harder, burying her face in my shoulder.

So we sat there, her face turned into my neck, my arm around her shoulders, just enjoying each other’s warmth. Enjoying the silence, now comfortable between us with so many secrets laid bare. I thought about how to let someone know you when you don’t really know yourself. Maybe that’s the point. Maybe no one knows who they are and we’re all just trying to build the pieces of ourselves with the help of other people.