Reflection (Artemi Panarin)

Disney Movie Night

Lesson 5: The best way to love someone is not to change them but instead, help them reveal the greatest version of themselves.

-Artemis POV-

We just got home from the hospital and Taylor just told me she loved me. She's on hella good drugs, but she still said it.

"Tay, do you know what you just said" I ask, not sure how much to read into this.

"Well yeah, I said I love you. I act like I hate it when you take care of me, but I love it. I act like I hate when you carry me, but I love it. I act like I don't need anyone, but I need you. I love you Artemi" she says caressing my face. I take her hand and kiss her palm. Her skin soft like a flower pedal and body weak from the drugs.

"I love you too, Taylor" I reply a little sad I know she wouldn't remember this.

But it was true. I did love her. She revealed things about me that I didn't even know. I'm a better person because of her. I know I'm happier around her. Coming to a new land is hard, not knowing how a lot of things around here are supposed to go. She's shown me how to find the best in every situation, even if sometimes I have to look a little harder. She's taught me more about life in these two months than I've learned in my 23 years of life. She loved me for me and I loved her for her. At the end of the day a lot of my success is because of her. She's a great girl with great intentions.

Here she lays in my arms as we lay on the couch, I couldn't imagine the pain she is in. Her leg was stuck in a immobilizer which is a long brace that started at the top of her thigh and ended at her ankle not slowing the leg to move a inch and she has to be on crutches for a month. There was this machine she had to be in for three hours a day that bends her knee for her since she couldn't do it on her own. Her body doesn't accept the drugs so she has to take either ibuprofen or nothing. She's starting to break and I can't sit by and watch this happen. I text Pat to come over with every Disney movie he could find and some popcorn. Around 7 she woke up and the surgical drugs had worn off. She takes ibuprofen and rolls back over not wanting to do much of anything. It broke my heart. There was a knock on the door and she didn't even move.

"I'll get it" I say getting up from the bed.

I let Pat in and he grabs a drink from the fridge. "How is she doing" he asks taking a water.

"Not good. She's not talking or doing much of anything. She just stares out the window and cries" I say fiddling with my thumbs.

"She's fighting herself... and she's loosing" he states.

"I know but I'm not letting her destroy herself. She told me she doesn't know if she'll make it out this time and that scares me" I explain leading him to her door and announce that Patrick was here.

"Hey Pat" she mumbles staring out the window.

"Upon request I have The Lion King, Aladdin, Mulan, Lilo and Stitch, and popcorn" he says sitting on the bed. She turns to reveal that beautiful smile of hers. Right there I knew that there was still some fight in her, she's still willing to fight through this.

Thus begun the Disney movie marathon.

Pat went home at around 2 am and we stayed up to watch one last movie. Halfway through Hercules she got tired. "I love you" she said dozing off. "Shhhhh" I cooed stroking her hair. "You're tired, go to sleep." "No Artemi. I'm not. I love you" she says looking into my eyes. I smile harder than I have ever smiled in my life. "I love you too" I say grabbing her hand. "It's me and you kid"