Gift of a Lifetime

VI

I was awoken by Jayden lifting up his head. The living room was brighter, looking like the sun had just come up, seeming like it was around five or six in the morning. He rubbed his eyes with one hand, then stopped and looked at me.

"Is this the time you get up every morning?" My voice was scratchy.

"No, not usually," replied Jayden, "I don't sleep out here. I'm not used to the brightness.

"Sorry I laid on top of you," he stretched his legs out, getting ready to get up, "I was getting kind of cold."

"No, it's fine," I grabbed his arms sluggishly, "Just . . . go back to sleep."

I slid my arms off of him and reached them up, stretching, as he adjusted the blanket back over us. After that I rested my arms over his shoulders and my eyes began to close. In response, Jayden laid his head back down; from the way he lifted himself up a few seconds ago, he was scooted up a bit more and his face was directly next to mine.

I could feel his breath on my jaw as I turned my head to rest it on his. His weight and warmth ceased bad thoughts from erupting in my mind, and very quickly lulled me into a light sleep.

After about 10 minutes, I'd guess, I felt Jayden lift his head up. He didn't look tired at all.

"I can't sleep," he whispered.

"We should get up, anyway. I don't want to sleep in."

In response he got up; I felt extremely light without him on top of me. I followed him into the kitchen, where he got out plastic cups of water for us. After he took a sip, he suggested going outside. I nodded and out we went.

We sat with our feet in the pool, the cups of water beside us. After a few seconds of sitting in silence he leaned back and laid down. I followed him. The sky was a bright blue.

I found myself in deep thought. I only really had two people in my life. My mother and Jayden. I loved them both very much; each of them having their own qualities that you couldn't help but love.

Like Jayden -He was unbelievably caring, I could tell he would be good with kids because of his ability to match your energy, and not to mention his medical skills. And my mother -she was beautiful too, she was smart in math and always helped me when I needed it, and of course because she was my mother.

When I was broken from my trance, I turned my head and looked at him beside me. He was already staring at me, his mouth slightly open and his deep brown eyes gazing into mine, one in the million times that I saw him looking at me like that; mouth gaped, eyes flashing back and forth between both my eyes.

I hoped that we would still be friends when we were older. I wondered what he would grow up to be. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do when I was older, but I was curious to see what he will do.

"I wonder what it'd be like if I hadn't met you that day," He said suddenly.

"Lots of things would be different," I responded, "I probably would've died that day in the street if you hadn't found me."

"And we would have our first kisses with other people," He said in a joking manner.

I almost laughed at the fact that that might've been what he was thinking the whole time. "I'm still not sure if that counts," I added, "I mean, don't you have to be in love for it to be literal?"

He paused in thought and looked back up to the sky. When I looked up as well, I heard him say, "You said you did," We both turned to look at each other again, "Right before."

I glanced away, unusual thoughts popping up in my mind. Suddenly I felt confused. "I didn't mean it like that."

"I know." I could tell he didn't mean that as he looked away from me. What was he getting at? was all I could think of.