We spent the rest of the morning in bed, always touching in one way or another, our hands searching, discovering every way in which they could be held. If I knew one thing, it was that I would never feel whole again unless I was being held by him.

"So, what did you have planned for the rest of the day?" I asked, peeking up at him. He gave me a gentle smile, leaning in, kissing my forehead.

"Well, I really just anticipated spending today trying to win you back." He giggled, now intertwining our fingers. I looked down at our hands, noticing how perfectly his fit into mine, so strong and calloused against my soft and delicate palm.

"Oh, win me back, huh?" I asked, smirking at him. He bit down on his lip, his cheeks burning.

"Well, at least have you talk to me again." He shrugged.

"Cause you know, in order to win me back, I would've already had to have been your-"

"I know, I know.." He muttered. He stared back at me with dazed eyes, a subtle smile on his lips. "But.. since you brought it up.. can we.. can we talk about that?" My heart jumped.

"What do you want to talk about?" I asked, now unable to contain my smile.

"I.. I want to talk about.." He started, his voice trailing off. I reached up, bringing his attention back to me.

"Talk about what?"

"I want to talk about.. being your boyfriend."

I couldn't even begin to tell you how many times I've played this conversation over and over in my head as a little girl, constantly dreaming of the day he would ask me with some huge romantic gesture just like they did in the movies.

"We can talk about it." I said simply, sitting up to face him. His smile grew.

"Okay then.. so.." He muttered. I stared back at him, confused.

"So.. what?"

"So.. am I?" My stomach dropped. This was how he was asking me? I bit down on my lip, holding my stare on him for a moment, finally shaking my head.

"No." I said, avoiding his eyes. His face dropped.

"No?" I shook my head agin, looking back up at him.

"No."

"W-why not?" He asked, reaching out for my hand. I shrugged, intertwining our fingers again.

"I've never seen you so pushy to have a girlfriend before." I laughed. He reached up, pulling me into a series of gentle kisses.

"Jaime.." He sighed, leaning his forehead against mine.

No. This wasn't going to be our story.

"Aside from the fact that.. we're still a secret." I said. I heard him giggle, smirking back at me.

"Jaime, I.. I really don't think we're a secret anymore."

"Says who?"

"Says everyone who saw you all over me at the party." I felt my face get hot.

"I was not all over you." I objected. "If anything, you were all over me."

"The point is.. we were all over each other."

"Still.." He held his playful glare, leaning in towards me. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him in closer.

"So then.. what's it gonna take?" He asked, his fingers softly gliding their way up my arm, lightly tracing a cursive "L" into my skin. I knew what that meant.

"If you have to ask, then.. it's not time yet." I laughed, gently caressing his face.

"Jaime.." He smirked. I shook my head, pulling him into another long kiss.

"What happened to not rushing?" I asked. He rolled his eyes.

"Wanting to be your boyfriend isn't rushing. If anything, it's the bare minimum."

"If that's what you think, then you'd know what would make me say yes, but you don't so.." He sighed, pulling me back down next to him, wrapping his arm around me. I cuddled close, gently kissing his neck as I heard him sigh, squeezing me tighter.

"So then.. I guess the rest of the day is ours." He said softly, tracing little "L's" into my arm with his fingertips again.

"Well then, would you.. maybe want to come with me to-"

"Sure." He said simply.

"I didn't say where." I laughed, sitting back up to face him. He shrugged, flashing me a satisfied grin.

"I'll go with you anywhere, Jaime." He always knew the perfect thing to say, making me lose my train of thought. I leaned in, pulling him back into a gentle kiss.

"So.. where are we going?" He laughed.

"I was wondering if.. maybe you'd come with me to visit my mom today?" I asked, now slowly tracing "L's" into his arm too. His smile grew into a giddy grin.

"Of course I will."

"She's been asking about you." I smirked, feeling my cheeks burn. He sat back up to face me.

"Oh has she?" He joked. "Have you been talking about me?" I shrugged, avoiding his eyes.

"Maybe." I could see his eyes light up, scooting closer to me.

"What have you been saying?" He asked eagerly. I playfully rolled my eyes, shaking my head.

"Don't worry about it." I laughed.

"No, no, no.." He said, reaching over, gently caressing my face. "You can't just say that and not tell me." I bit down on my lip, staying quiet as I stared back into those eyes that made it almost impossible not to spill every lovesick secret I've kept about him locked down deep inside.

"I just think.. she's always known about us." I finally said, leaning in closer.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean.. she said.. even when we were little.. she could tell." I muttered.

"So.. it was obvious to everyone but us, huh?" I nodded.

"I guess so."

"Jaime.. you have no idea how badly I wish I could go back." He sighed, his eyes moving back down to my lips.

"It's okay." I said softly, intertwining my fingers in his again. "We have right now."

"Exactly." He smirked, pulling me into a quick kiss. "So why are we wasting any more time?" I felt my face get hot, a smile escaping my lips.

"What do you mean, we're not wasting any time." I laughed, kissing him again. He playfully rolled his eyes, smirking back at me.

"Jaime, let's just call this what it is."

"No, not like this."

"But I told you that I lo-"

"Technically.. no you didn't." I laughed. He scrunched up his face, avoiding my eyes.

"But I kinda did." He mumbled.

"Well, then I'm only kinda your girlfriend." I giggled to myself, getting out of bed.

"Where are you going?" He asked, reaching out for me. I grabbed my robe from the back of my door, peeking back at him.

"I'm gonna go take a shower, and then we're gonna leave." His eyes lit up, his smile growing.

"Can I-"

"No."

I pulled into the parking lot, hesitating to get out.

"Are you okay?" He asked, looking over at me. I nodded, keeping my eyes locked on the hospital that I had visited one too many times, realizing that no one should have the halls of a place like this as memorized as I did.

"Yeah, I just.." I stopped, turning to face him. "Just.. don't be surprised when we go in there. She's.. a lot skinnier than she was the last time you saw her, and.. well, she's hooked up to all of these machines and-"

"Jaime, if you're okay, then I'm okay." He said softly, giving me a gentle smile.

"Okay." I sighed. He reached over, pulling me into a gentle kiss before getting out of the passenger's seat, making his way around to my side of the car. I watched him admiringly as he opened my door, pulling me into another long kiss, his lips eventually curling into a smile.

"You ready?" He asked, reaching his hand out for me. I nodded, looking down at it, unable to bring myself to move, let alone take it. He leaned up against the car, staring back down at me fondly.

"That's okay. Take all the time you need. I'm.. I'm sure it can't be easy. I couldn't imagine.." He stopped, catching himself. "Well, I mean.. I just-"

"I feel guilty that I just.. sort of get used to it." I said quietly, avoiding his eyes. He kneeled down in front of me, tilting my chin up to meet his eyes.

"You don't have to feel guilty about anything, Jaime. You've been going through this for.. how long now? I could only imagine how draining it is." I nodded, having never been able to bring myself to say it before, cause how dare I feel that way? I was okay, I was healthy, she was the one stuck in bed, being pumped with who knows how many drugs, connected to every machine you could imagine, but here I was.. I was having a hard time?

"How about this.." He said, gently running his fingers down my cheek. "After we leave.. I'm gonna take you out somewhere nice, and you can let yourself have fun. Cause you deserve it. And I can be the best "kinda boyfriend" you've ever had." He laughed, biting down on his lip. I tried my hardest, but couldn't contain my excited grin. I nodded, smiling back up at him.

"Okay then." He sighed, leaning in, kissing my forehead before finally helping me out of the car. "Let's go, I'm sure she can't wait to see me."