Roommates & Soulmates

Izzy's Doubt

"As your exclusive boyfriend, I have a request."

Izzy's eyes went wide in shock. Her mind frozen, stunned by his choice of words, she raised her head to look at him.

"What's that?" Izzy whispered, unable to keep her voice calm.

"Kiss me," Simon whispered. Without waiting for an answer, he moved forward, right hand outstretched. Izzy closed her eyes, unable to truly process what had just happened as she allowed Simon to kiss her. It was a gentle kiss, soft and short. Then he laid his head down on the pillows again. Izzy kept her eyes closed, reveling in the moment. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed him.

When she did open her eyes, Simon was staring at her. It was strange. The way he was looking at her now, both scared and excited her. Deciding to give in to what she wanted, Izzy leaned forward to kiss him again, deeper this time. She felt his right bandaged hand touch her face, sending a shiver down her back.

"Ow," Simon mumbled, and Izzy lept back.

"What?" she began. "What hurts?

"Nothing," he smiled, the pain gone from his face. "I tried to use the arm I'm not suppose to."

Slowly, Izzy relaxed. She moved closer, watching his face carefully.

"Don't be so cautious," Simon whined. "Come here."

"I don't want to hurt you," Izzy replied softly.

"Then come here," Simon said firmly as he gestured for her to move around the bed to his right side. Slowly, Izzy walked to the other side of the hospital bed as Simon was moving over making space. He patted the space on his right, inviting her to lay beside him. Slowly, carefully, Izzy did as he asked, laying down. Simon rested his head on her shoulder and was asleep in seconds.

It was like nothing she'd experienced before. Just laying here, Simon asleep next to her. Everything was so calm, the only sound was Simon's even breathing and the continue beating of the machines hooked up to him.

Despite the calmly environment, Izzy's mind was anything but peaceful. She kept running through the last few minutes over and over trying to make sense of them. Wasn't this really sudden? After all, he'd once dumped her in a text, and now he wanted to pick up where they'd left off just like that? Though she supposed it was different if he really meant what he'd said about being her boyfriend. But then again, why hadn't he told her before now!

How long had it been since she'd met this boy in that elevator? It had been during her spring break, so March, a year ago? No, that wasn't right. It was October now, so more like a year and a half. All that time, and it was only now that Simon wanted her. It didn't make sense... unless it did.

"Izzy," Simon mumbled.

"I'm here," she said. "Go back to sleep." She stroked his face, unable to keep a hold on her emotions despite her doubts. Simon turned to face her, his eyes pensive, studying her.

"You're different," he said.

"No, I'm not," Izzy denied quickly.

"It's that mask of yours," Simon said, before yawning. "Despite our history, you were always at arm's length, walls up."

"You my friend, are on very powerful painkillers," Izzy reminded him.

"Boyfriend," Simon corrected her.

"As I said, drugs," Izzy replied, smiling. She could keep up appearances until he was feeling better, right? It would only hurt her after all, and that was okay. She could deal with that afterwards.

Simon studied her for a long moment before speaking. "And there it is again," he said. "Shields up." He was smiling for a moment, but then stopped his eyes focused. "Urg," he groaned. "I don't have the energy for this right now. Can't you just believe me?"