Our Way Home

Chapter 19

As time went on Jared had slowly recovered but unable to leave the hospital indefinitely. Zoey left to check up on him a few hours ago.

•••

Jared's pov

There's isn't much to do in this stupid hospital except for reading books and staring out the window. The least I could do is try to finish up my senior year. Online school sucks.
There's a knock at the door.

"Come in!" Zoey walks in with a bag of snacks.

"You busy?"

"Haven't seen you in a while. What's been going on in the dramatic life of Zoey?" She sits down next to the bed.

"Oh, you know the campus life. Casually drowning in essays and crap." She laughs.

"And I'm the one who's older than you yet I'm still here." She puts a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry if I were you I'd savor every moment before graduation. I wish I did. Life's too dang short I'll say. You know that better than anyone."

"Yeah, you're right." I pause. "Can I ask you something?"

"Hmm? Yeah, go ahead." I inhale and let it out.

"What..what would you think if I asked her to marry me?" Her eyes go wide.

"Boy, you are asking the wrong person. Second of all are you sure you want to do this so early? You haven't even graduated yet!"

"Of course I'm sure! She's the only thing I'm sure about! And I know who I should be asking but I just wanted you to be the first I tell. Like you said life is short and I would give anything to spend it with the one person I love." She sighs.

"Alright you have my approval but I swear if you ever hurt her like last time I will bury you alive in the middle of nowhere and no one will hear from you again."

I know she's not that intimidating but seeing her glare like that gives me chills.
"Ok, I promise." She gently wraps me in a hug.

"Hm it's funny I wouldn't have anyone else for a brother-in-law."

"Thanks, Zoey. That sincerely means a lot to me."

"You know she got that excuse of a foster dad arrested for you. Good riddance." I pull away.

"Wait what?"

"You didn't know? Did she ever tell you?"

Is that why I haven't heard anything from him?
Am I finally free from his grasp? For so long I've acted like everything was fine around her. The wall that I've built between me and her has finally come down. My heart is beating so fast I might pass out. I didn't notice the tears falling from my face.

"Jared?"

"Zoey where is she?! Is she coming today?"

"Yeah she said she'd be..wait what are you doing?"

My body feels so weak. I haven't tried getting out of bed in weeks. "I have to see her."

"Woah slow down! That doesn't sound like a good idea you should be resting."

"I've rested long enough! If I stay here any longer I think I'll lose my mind!" She looks at me concerned.

"Alright, I'll help you." She grabs my arm and drags it around her shoulder. "Just don't push yourself."

After slowly walking the empty hallways my head starts to hurt. My whole body aches.
"I think that's far enough. You need a wheelchair."

"No, I don't! I can do it!" I scream in her ear.

"Gosh so stubborn. At least you have that in common." I trip over my feet.

"Shut up," I mumble annoyed.

"Hey look who's here!"
The brown-haired and hazel eyes' love of my life is looking down with a sad expression. Still as breathtaking as ever.

"Miley!" She looks up and I'm already sobbing into her shoulder.

Miley's pov

"Jared why are you.."

"Thank you thank you thank you. I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry." I pat his back.

"What're you sorry for?" He's hugging me so tightly.

"I'm sorry you had to fall for someone like me. I'm so worthless and pathetic. No matter what I was going through you were always there to give me a shoulder to cry on. You deserve so much more than this."

I quickly grab his face. "Jared stop! Don't you ever say that! You are the best thing that's ever happened to me. You saved me. You saved me alright? If I could go back and do it all over again I would in a millisecond. So stop saying that you're worth nothing! You mean everything to me! I deserve you and you deserve me." I wipe his tears with my thumb.
He clenches his jaw and tilts my head toward him.

Each time we kissed I felt the fire that sparked my heart. But this time I can feel the passion in the kiss. I feel the warmth of his lips. The way his hands fit so perfectly on my face. I feel his love for me. The silly cliche that I imagined as a lovesick teenager is nothing compared to what we've been through together.

Right then and there I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with this man.