Forever & Always?

Chapter Fifteen

It was Friday night. I got a text from daniel.

D: Hey, can we talk?

M: ig

D: Ok good cuz im on ur balcony

I rolled my eyes and walked to my balcony.

"Hey," he said, stifling a grin.

"What?" I asked, my arms crossed.

"Look, I'm gonna try to quit. I don't like it either."

"Go on, spill your words. Try to get me to believe them. But Daniel, what you don't understand is that I don't believe in your simple words. I believe in actions." I stared into his dark eyes. He stared back. His phone beeped. He grabbed it from his pocket, but it slipped from his grip. We both paused. I looked down. His lock screen read Sam's name and the message Sam had sent.

S: Alright. I won't.

I could read the message from where I was, but now I was curious. I snatched the phone up and turned away.

"Marie, no!" I unlocked his phone.

D: Don't tell Marie about the cigars or cigarettes

S: alright. I won't.

I looked up at Daniel.

"Are you freaking serious?" His face grew sad. He kept looking at me. I slapped him across the face. He paused and then turned around, leaning against the end of the balcony. He stared at the ground. I set his phone on the ledge and walked over to him. I moved his head toward me. Multiple tears continuously streamed down his face.

"I hate it, alright? but I'm freaking addicted. And you know, I smoke cigarettes and weed and guess what? It tastes like shit." He continued to let tears roll down his cheek. I noticed the frown on my face and walked behind him. I wrapped my arms around his waist. A weight immediatly lifted off my shoulders. My chest hadn't felt so light for a few days. I had been so stressed and angry and irritated, but the second I embraced that boy, it all left. None of it mattered.

***

I went back to the hospital that Monday. I was working with the same nurse I had when I encountered that wife.

"Uhm, excuse me, I'm not sure if you remember, but do you know what happened to the husband and wife that we saw the other day?" I was curious and I wanted to make sure the wife was holding up well.

"We came in to take the husbands body about an hour after he died. When we came in the lady was sitting with her head rested on her husband's lap. She had a heart attack and passed away." I had to stop. I sat down for a moment. Wow. As sad as I was, it was such a miracle that two people that were hopelessly in love could be so insuperable that God put them in Heaven at the same time. It was incredible. Unfathomable.

"Wow," I sighed.

"Yeah," the nurse said, smiling down at me. I brought my train of thought back into the station and got up.

Love was a truly unfathomable feeling. People say magic does not exist and I have to believe that those who say that, have not yet fallen in love. Because I was in love with Daniel and considering my love for him magic, was simply an understatement.

***

M: hey I just got home from the hospital. we should talk.

D: ok

M: call me

I knew I couldn't do it in person. I waited a moment.

Ring

I jumped. My hands began to shake.

"Hi," I said.

"What's up?"

"Daniel, forever and always?" I could bear his breaths begin to calm on the other end. He waited about five seconds before saying,

"Always and forever." I could tell he was smiling with the way he said those words. I smiled too. We were back. The world was not okay. There was death and starvation and homeless people everywhere. The world was not okay. But Daniel and I were and in that moment, that's all that really mattered.

-----------------------------------------------------------I honestly don't know how they can be so bipolar. It's actually starting to make me mad hahaha. I'm sorry about this, loves. Work with them. They'll find their way. Hopefully, they stay together this time. Unless some complete outside force shoves them from each other's grip... #wattys2015 . Stay lovely.