But as their relationship deepened, Emily began to feel a familiar sense of anxiety creeping in. She had been hurt before, and she was scared of getting hurt again. She started to pull back, to create distance between herself and Max.
As she turned a corner, she saw him - a man sitting on a bench, staring intently at his phone. There was something about the way he was sitting, the way his hair curled slightly at the nape of his neck, that caught her attention. She felt a flutter in her chest, and suddenly she was walking towards him, her heart pounding in her feet.
Emily took a deep breath, and let it all out. She told him about her past relationship, about the pain and the heartache. She told him about her fears, and her doubts.