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Robby had been having a very bad day. He didn’t know what exactly had made the day bad, just that it was and that he felt terrible. It was one of those days when he doubted that anyone could possibly love him. He just needed to hear the words so much from someone. And Miguel, the boy who was basically his brother, was just across the lot.
Robby knocked at the door of Miguel’s apartment, tears in his eyes. Fucking tears. And Robby hates himself even more for giving in to the emotion.
Miguel notices the tears and wraps Robby in a hug, pulling him into the building. Miguel sat Robby on the couch, then sat next to him. Miguel kept his arm around Robby’s shoulders to comfort the crying boy.
When Robby’s crying slows down, Miguel says, “Have I ever told you how much I love you?”
Robby was desperately trying to put his tough-guy exterior back on, while still telling Miguel what he needed. Robby responded, “Yeah, but you can tell me again.”
“Nah,” Miguel said playfully. With this one word, tears began to stream down Robby’s face again.
“But what if I told you that it was all that I needed to hear? I need someone to tell me that I am loved. Right now, I just feel so unlovable. I just need someone to say it and mean it, Miguel. That’s all I need,” Robby says, tears streaming from his eyes and rolling down his cheeks.
Miguel wrapped Robby in a tight hug and said, “I love you so much, Robby. I’d do anything for you. I love you.”
Miguel repeated the phrase over and over for Robby until it seemed to sink into Robby’s mind. Robby relaxed into Miguel’s hug and stopped crying. He whispered back, “I love you too, Miguel.”