styles.

No...

I need to get out of here. Even if it's only for ten minutes. Even if it's just to sit in the hospital courtyard wrapped in three blankets while snow falls around me.

I'd take freezing over feeling trapped.

Mom has been here whenever she can manage it. Every time her phone rings, she steps into the hallway to answer another work call, apologizing before she leaves the room as if I could ever be upset with her.

I hate watching her apologize. She shouldn't have to choose between her job and me.

The truth of the matter is we don't know how much time I have left, and when I'm gone, she's still going to have a life ahead of her.

She'll still have bills to pay, meetings to attend, groceries to buy. Life doesn't stop just because someone's heart breaks.

Ever since Dad left, Mom was all I had.

I still remember standing at the front window as a little girl, waiting for his car to pull into the driveway because he'd promised he'd be home for dinner.

He never came.

At first, it was every other weekend. Then it became birthdays, then holidays, until finally, he stopped showing entirely.

Eventually, I stopped asking where he was. It hurt less that way.

For years, I convinced myself men weren't worth trusting. They left. They lied. They made promises they couldn't keep.

Then along came Harry.

I smiled to myself. Funny how one person can completely rewrite everything you thought you knew.

If someone had told me a year ago that I'd fall in love with the man who rescued me in a grocery store parking lot, I would've laughed in their face.

Now I couldn't imagine my life without him. The thought alone was enough to make my chest tighten.

Harry had slowly begun making his life revolve around me. I never wanted that. The day I was admitted, he tried taking an extended leave from work.

I practically argued with him until he agreed not to.

"You still have bills," I reminded him.

"I don't care."

"I do."

He sighed dramatically before pointing a finger at me.

"Fine but the second my shift ends, I'm coming straight here."

And he'd kept that promise every single day. He'd always smile the second he saw me. Even on the days when I knew he was exhausted.

He'd tell me about the new book he was working on, and how his editor was hounding him for the manuscript. Harry smiled as he recounted the tale of the editor using the emergency key Harry had given them just to double check that Harry was actually working.

He exaggerated every story just enough to make me laugh.

Sometimes he'd read to me, or watch old movies neither of us were paying attention to until visiting hours were up. And sometimes we'd just sit in silence.

Those were my favorite moments. People think silence means there's nothing to say, but with Harry, silence was its own conversation.

He'd hold my hand, tracing little circles across my knuckles with his thumb.

I also noticed things he thought he was hiding.

The dark circles under his eyes, the way he'd rub the back of his neck when he thought I wasn't looking.

How he'd stare out the window for a few seconds before turning back to me with that same familiar smile.

His smile still reached his mouth, but it didn't quite reach his eyes like it used to.

He thought he was protecting me, but the truth was I knew.

I knew he hadn't been getting much sleep and was stressed from the pressures of work and taking care of me.

I knew every "I'm okay" was just another way of saying, I'm trying to be.

Ithurt almost as much as the cancer. Watching the man I love wither away from me being a burden.

A soft knock sounded at the door before it slowly opened.

As if summoned by my thoughts, Harry stepped inside carrying a paper bag in one hand and two steaming cups balanced carefully in the other.

His curls were a mess as his jacket was dusted with tiny snowflakes.

His smile appeared the moment our eyes met.

"There she is," he said warmly, "the prettiest girl on the fourth floor."

I laughed quietly.

"How do you know I'm only fourth-floor pretty?" I asked, adjusting my nasal cannula.

He placed a hand against his chest, pretending to be offended.

"Fourth floor, third floor, second floor...honestly, I'd say you're the prettiest girl in the whole hospital, but I haven't checked every room yet." he teased.

"You should probably get on that."

"I'll make appointments." I give him the bird as he laughs. He set the drinks down before pulling a small container from the paper bag with a flourish.

"I come bearing gifts."

I raised a suspicious eyebrow at the paper bag.

"If that's pudding again, I'm breaking up with you." I deadpan.

"It's mashed potatoes." 

I groan, "That's even worse..."

"But they're garlic mashed potatoes!" Harry exclaimed with a small chuckle. I narrowed my eyes.

"They're still mashed."

"But they're fancy mashed." I rolled my eyes, before letting a laugh slip past my lips. The sound echoed through the room, as Harry joined in. For the first time in a while, his smile met his eyes, and I cherished being able to see it again.

Harry watched me finish another spoonful of mashed potatoes before stealing one for himself.

I gasped. "You brought those for me." He chewed thoughtfully.

"Mhm," he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"...Harry."

"They're delicious." I narrow my eyes.

"I've changed my mind." Harry pauses midchew. He quirks a brow at me as he rest the container in his lap.

"About what?" 

"I am breaking up with you." I say with finality. He laughed so hard he nearly dropped the container.

"Oh, come on. You weren't going to finish all of them."

"I would've!" I lie, holding back a giggle of my own.

"There are, like, three bites left." he says showing me the container which truly only had a little bit left.

"They were emotional support mashed potatoes."

"Well, they're emotionally supporting me now." Harry says taking another scoop of the mashes potatoes. I rolled my eyes once more, before letting a laugh rack through me.

Harry looked at me for a moment, smiling quietly.

"What?" He shrugged.

"Nothing."

"It can't be nothing with the way you're looking at me. Is there something on my face?" I grab the napkin on the side table and begin to dab around my mouth.

"I just like seeing you smile." 

For a few seconds, neither of us spoke. The monitor beside me filled the silence with its familiar rhythm. Harry's fingers absentmindedly found mine.

A gentle knock sounded at the door. My nurse, Claire, stepped inside carrying a clipboard.

"Well," she said with a smile, "I have some good news."

Harry's head snapped toward her so quickly I thought he might give himself whiplash.

"You do?" Harry asked. I could hear the hope in his tone.

Claire smiled softly before continuing, "I spoke with Dr. Patel."

My stomach tightened. Doctors usually didn't have good news for me these days.

"He said your vitals have been stable enough this week to the point where we can take you outside."

I blinked. Harry looked just as stunned as I was. Claire nodded, our faces clearly doing the talking for us.

"You can go to the hospital courtyard, though it is a bit chilly out there. Warm blankets, hat, gloves, and wheelchair only. Fifteen minutes maximum before you have to head back inside. Got it?"

I wasn't listening anymore. Outside. I was going outside. I looked over at Harry. His eyes had already filled with tears. He rubbed at one eye before pretending nothing had happened.

"So," he cleared his throat, "I may have asked about this."

I burst into laughter.

"You already knew!" He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I asked this morning." Claire smiled knowingly.

"I'll come back in about twenty minutes and help get everything ready."

The door clicked shut behind her. Claire returned twenty minutes later carrying what looked like enough winter gear for an expedition.

"I've got blankets, gloves, a scarf, and one very fashionable knit hat," she announced. Harry looked at the hat and nodded approvingly.

"Oh, she's going to love that." he says with a teasing grin.

"I already don't," I muttered, eyeing the hat like it was the devil.

Claire laughed as she helped me into a thick sweater Harry had pulled from the overnight bag Mom packed. Every movement drained me more than I wanted to admit. By the time she'd eased me into the wheelchair, I was already breathing a little harder.

"You okay?" Harry asked quietly. I nodded, hiding the grimace as I adjusted in the wheelchair.

"Just tired."

"If you change your mind, we can stay-"

"No." I reached for his hand.

"I want this."

His fingers curled around mine, warm despite the winter air waiting just beyond the hospital doors.

"Then let's go."

The elevator ride felt strangely exciting. It was ridiculous. I used to ride elevators without giving them a second thought. Now each floor that ticked by made my heart beat a little faster.

When the doors slid open, a rush of cold air drifted through the lobby as someone entered from outside.

I closed my eyes.

Winter.

It smelled like snow and pine and something wonderfully alive. Harry glanced back at me.

"You smiling already?"

"Everything is so exciting, I haven't even made it outside." I reply giddily.

The automatic doors slid open with a soft whoosh. The cold kissed my cheeks immediately.

I inhaled. It felt good to have fresh air hitting my lungs, even if it was a little nippy. My eyes filled unexpectedly. Harry quietly pushed my wheelchair onto the cleared stone pathway winding through the courtyard.

Fresh snow blanketed everything. Tree branches shimmered beneath delicate layers of white. Tiny flakes drifted lazily through the gray afternoon sky. The world looked quieter.

"It's beautiful," I whispered. From my peripheral, I could see Harry's head turn towards me.

"It really is." I smiled.

He wheeled me toward a wooden bench overlooking the snow-covered garden before setting the brakes on the wheelchair. For a while, neither of us spoke.

Harry knelt in front of my wheelchair, gently adjusting the scarf that had slipped from my shoulder. His gloved fingers brushed a snowflake from the top of my knit hat.

"There."

"What?" Harry reached into his coat pocket.

"Don't move." I raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I wasn't exactly planning a marathon." I reply sarcastically. He rolled his eyes affectionately before pulling out his phone.

"Oh no."

"Oh yes."

"Harry!" I protest trying to roll away, but to no avail due to the brakes.

"I need proof you escaped."

"I look awful." He frowned, shaking his head.

"You've always been beautiful to me." I looked away, suddenly embarrassed. He lifted the phone.

"Just one, please."

I sighed before caving.

"Fine." A tiny click sounded. Harry looked down at the screen, his expression softened almost instantly.

"What?" I asked. He looked up at me.

"I think," he glanced back at the photo before meeting my eyes again, "I think this might be my favorite picture of you." I laughed softly.

"The one where I'm wearing a hospital blanket and a ridiculous hat?" I tease. He shakes his head. 

"The one where you're smiling."

He slipped his phone back into his pocket. He kneels down to be eye level with me. Harry grabs a hold of my hand, allowing his thumb to trace patterns on my knuckles.

She giggled, the sound light and delicate, making his chest ache in the best way. It was moments like this that made everything feel normal, like they were just any other couple teasing each other on a lazy morning. But reality was always waiting just beneath the surface, ready to seep in like the cold wind outside.

"I could kill for a steak right about now." Evelyn groaned. Harry shook his head as he watched Evelyn eat her pudding.

"You can only eat soft foods right now, babe." Evelyn squinted at Harry as she scooped another spoonful of vanilla pudding in her mouth.

"You're no help. I can smell your momma's good eats in your breathe." Harry smiled fondly as he placed a hand on her thigh.

"And I can smell a kiss coming." Evelyn shook her head viciously as she shoved another spoonful of pudding into her mouth.

Harry shakes his head with a smile. He waits patiently, admiring how beautiful Evelyn is.

A soft knock interrupted them. The door creaked open, revealing Evelyn's mother, Rebecca. She stepped in hesitantly, clutching her purse like a lifeline.

"Mom?" Evelyn's voice was lined with surprise.

"Hey, sweetheart." Rebecca smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Harry stood up, giving her a polite nod. "Mrs. West."

Rebecca waved a hand dismissively. "Please, just Rebecca." She turned her gaze back to Evelyn. "I'm so sorry I couldn't get here sooner. Work has been overwhelming, and then there were flight delays..." Her voice trailed off, guilt flickering across her features.

Evelyn forced a small smile. "It's okay, Mom. You're here now."

Rebecca exhaled and walked closer, brushing a strand of hair from Evelyn's face. "I should've been here the moment I heard." Her eyes flickered to Harry, her expression softening. "But I know you haven't been alone."

Harry cleared his throat. "Of course not. I wouldn't leave her."

Rebecca reached out, squeezing Harry's arm gently. "I know. And I can't tell you how much that means to me. You've been taking such good care of her, Harry. More than I could have asked for."

Harry swallowed, nodding. "She's everything to me. I'd do anything for her."

Rebecca's eyes misted over. "I see that." She pulled back, blinking quickly. "I just wanted to say thank you. I know this hasn't been easy on you either."

Harry shook his head. "I don't need thanks, Rebecca. I just need her to be okay."

Silence settled between them, heavy but understanding.

Evelyn's eyes shifted to the window, watching the snowfall, but her mind drifted back—back to that night on the ice.

The paramedics arrived quickly, gliding across the ice with a practiced urgency. Harry barely registered their voices as they asked him questions, his focus entirely on Evelyn's still form in his arms.

"Sir, did she say anything before she collapsed?" one of them asked, checking her pulse.

"She was skating fine, then she started moving faster," Harry's voice was hoarse, his throat tight. "I told her to slow down, but she didn't hear me. And then she just... dropped."

Another paramedic examined her pupils while his colleague radioed for a stretcher. "Her pulse is weak. We need to move her now."

Harry felt his chest constrict as they carefully lifted her onto the stretcher. He held onto her hand, unwilling to let go even as they wheeled her toward the ambulance.

"Sir, you can ride with us or follow in your own car," one of them said, pausing briefly to look at him.

Harry's answer was immediate. "I'm coming with her."

He climbed into the ambulance, never loosening his grip on her hand. The ride to the hospital was a blur of flashing lights and the steady beeping of machines. He pressed his forehead against hers, whispering, "Nous ne sommes pas encore à court de temps, mon amour."

We're not out of time yet, my love.

Evelyn blinked, shaking the memory away. She turned back to her mother and Harry, taking in the way they stood together, both of them worried about her in their own ways.

She reached out, taking both their hands in hers. "I'm really lucky, you know? To have both of you."

Rebecca squeezed her fingers. "And we're lucky to have you."

Harry smiled softly, kissing the back of her hand. "Always."

There was an awkward silence before her mother cleared her throat and turned to Harry. "I hear I have you to thank for taking care of my daughter."

Harry sat up straighter. "I just—" He hesitated before shaking his head. "I just want to be here for her."

Her mother's expression softened. "She talks about you all the time, you know. I knew you were special to her, but I didn't realize how much until now." She paused, glancing at Evelyn before looking back at Harry. "Thank you. For loving her the way you do."

Harry swallowed hard, his fingers curling slightly against the sheets. "She's everything to me."

Her mother gave him a small, sad smile. "I can see that."

Evelyn watched the exchange quietly, her eyes shining with unshed tears. The room felt heavier now, reality pressing down on them once more.

Her mother reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. "I'm here now, sweetheart."

"You wanna go?" he asked. Evelyn scoffed.

"Do I wanna go? That's like asking a child if they want candy. Of course I wanna go!" Harry laughed at her silliness. "Alright then it's settled. We'll go ice-skating when it opens." Harry said. Evelyn squealed with joy.

As Harry pulled up to a red light, Evelyn leaned over the center console and peppered his face with kisses. Harry could do nothing but smile as his cheeks burned crimson red. He lightly pushed her back in her seat as the light turned green. They were both grinning from ear-to-ear, excited for the day to come.

And a promise is a promise, which is how they found themselves now stood upon the sleek ice. Harry was quite skilled when it came to the art of skating. Evelyn on the other hand...not so much. Harry had gone skating before when he was younger. His sister Gemma would take him as a pastime when they needed a break from their parents and had taught him how to skate. He had done his fair share of falling and learning how to balance back then and was now ready to take on a student of his own.

"I'm right here, love. I'm not going to let you fall-" Before Harry could finish his sentence, Evelyn fell on the ice with a loud THUD! Evelyn slowly glanced up at Harry. Harry tucked his lips in his mouth and watched her, attempting to stifle his laughter at the ironic timing.

"Um...okay. So, I'm not going to let you fall starting now," he said with a big grin on his face. Harry helped Evelyn stand to her feet while she flailed around like an inflating balloon.

Once she was steady, Harry placed his arm around her waist and held her hand. "See this is why we should have gotten one of those skate walkers," Evelyn said with a huff.

Harry chuckled softly as they made their way across the ice. "You're doing fine, love. Honestly, you've fallen less times than I did when I first go on the ice."

Evelyn rolled her eyes, "Well the day isn't over yet." They continued to glide together.

As time went on and the couple took many much needed breaks, Evelyn seemingly began to grasp a hold of skating, Harry slowly began to let go of her.

"Wait, wait, what are you doing?" Evelyn said with a start. She could feel Harry's hands leaving her waist and it frightened her.

"Don't worry, baby. You got this," he whispered as he slowed his pace to watch her. Evelyn slowly glided across the ice as Harry stood back and watched her.

Her arms were stuck out by her side as she tried to maintain her balance. Harry smiled at his girl. He could see the confidence building with each step she took. Harry followed not too far behind her, in case she was in need of saving.

"Look at you!" he exclaimed. Evelyn was grinned from ear-to-ear as she began to pick up her pace. She felt light on her feet as she moved across the ice.

"Take it easy, love," Harry warned. He remembered when he, too, started taking pride in his progress and how quickly the ice humbled him.

However, Evelyn didn't listen. The rush of adrenaline had already overcome her senses. She heard a ringing in her ear as the world began to spin around her, but her speed didn't slow down.

Harry, too, picked up his pace to follow right behind her. 

"Evie, slow down. Eve...Eve!" Harry yelled. It all happened so fast. Harry slid just in time to catch Evelyn from her fall. Her head fell back limp as Harry knelt down on the ground.

"Evie?"

No answer.

"Evelyn?"

Still no response. Harry placed his hand at the base of her neck and lifted her head up. A small trickle of blood oozed out from her nose. Panic began to set in.

"No, no, no. Evelyn, hey. Wake up." Harry said, lightly shaking her. He checked her pulse which droned on ever so slowly. He then felt her face. It was almost as cold as the ice beneath them. She needed to be warmed up. Harry quickly stripped himself of his jacket and wrapped it around Evelyn as other skaters took notice of the scene.

"C'mon, Evelyn, stay with me," he whispered as he swaddled her in his jacket. Tears brimmed his eyes as all sorts of emotions started to hit him. He couldn't lose her, not yet, not right now. He wasn't ready. She wasn't ready. They had more time. They needed more time.

Harry knew their time was coming to a close, but he prayed it wasn't this moment right here on the ice.

"Somebody help please! Call 911!" Harry yelled. 

"Please! I need help! My- my-" He choked on his words as he kept pleading for help. Soon enough, the ice rink's paramedics came in and asked everyone to leave the ice.

"What happened, sir?"

"I don't- I don't know. One minute she was fine then she suddenly went limp." Harry said, his voice wavering ever so slightly. Harry's heart was beating out of control. He tried to steady his breathing, but to no avail. 

One of the paramedics grabbed a hold of Harry's shoulder. They could tell he was on the verge of a panic attack. "Sir, take a moment and breathe with me. The other paramedics will help her, but we can't have you passing out on us as well."

"Let's do box breathing. Ready?" Harry nodded as he breathed in slowly. He willed himself to follow the paramedics hand and not dare look at Evelyn as fear might set in again.

"Good. Very good," they said with a smile. The paramedic crawled back over to the other paramedics and helped them assess the situation.

One of the paramedics shot up and ran to grab a stretcher.

"What's happening?" Harry asked as he rejoined the paramedics.

"We are not sure yet. It's hard to tell without proper equipment. The excitement of skating may have gotten to her. We are submitting her to the hospital, seeing as she is not waking and her pulse is somewhat weak. Would you like to follow the vehicle or ride in the ambulance?"

"I'll ride with," Harry said without a second thought. He refused to leave Evelyn's side even if it was for a moment. Not when she seemed to be on the verge of leaving him.

He would run over a squirrel before he ever let that happen.

The paramedics quickly strapped Evelyn on to the stretcher and wheeled her outside. Harry following not too far behind.

Harry grabbed a hold of Evelyn's hand as they rode in the ambulance. He placed a kiss to the back of her hand. It was still so cold. He rubbed their hands together as a means to warm her up.

Harry's eyes never once left Evelyn's face. He refused to believe this was the end for them. An ice skating date gone wrong. He hadn't even gotten his chance to say goodbye, then again not many people do, but he was hoping God would at least give him this chance.

"Come back to me, Eve. Let me see you one more time." He placed another kiss to the back of her hand. 

The paramedic watched on sadly. He could tell the girl was weak and needed to rest, but he kept his words to himself.

Harry leaned his forehead against Evelyn's as a means to comfort himself and hopefully bring her back to him.

"I'm right here, Evie," Harry whispered, "Nous ne sommes pas encore à court de temps, mon amour."

Harry lowered the radio as a means to help him stay focused on the road.

He didn't want to end up in a car accident and have to explain what took him so long to Jas.

Meanwhile, Jas was sitting on her bed, wiping her tears away and smiling to herself. She didn't believe Harry when he said he was coming, but she thought his response was cute.

Jas: thank u stink. can't wait to see you soon. :) she sent back jokingly.

She waited a few minutes for a response, before putting her phone down to make some tea.

Once she had finished making her tea, she checked her phone again. Still no response. 

"Weird..." she thought. Harry was usually a fast responder. Unless he told her that he was going to be busy, he would usually respond within five minutes.

Just then, Jas heard thunder roll outside. She peaked out the patio door to her apartment and saw the pouring rain. 

Jas smiled contently to herself. This was her kind of weather. It was the perfect weather for her to snuggle up with a blanket and read a romance novel.

She quickly dashed over to the couch, pulled the blanket off the back of the couch, and began to read. 

Jas had started reading a new book series called Shatter Me. It is a dystopian thriller with romantic themes so nevertheless, it peaked her interest.

Thirty minutes went by and still no response from Harry. Jas was getting really in to Juliette and Adam's story. Jas could easily relate to the longing to be touched. That's how she felt right now.

She just wanted to be touched. Not in a weird perverted way, but simply the comfort that comes with being held by a loved one was what she yearned for.

An hour had now gone by and Jas still hadn't heard back from Harry. It was unusual to say the least. She was beginning to get worried.

Jas: you okay? Nothing.

Jas: harry? Still nothing.

Jas: come on this isn't funny anymore... Once again, nothing.

Jas got got up and began to pace the floor. The bad weather mixed with the lack of response from Harry was truly beginning to worry her. She knew it was probably just her hormones still being worked up from crying earlier, but she couldn't help the bad feeling hanging over her.

She decided to give Harry a call.

"You've reached the voicemail box of 'Hello, it's Harry-'" Jas was sent straight to voicemail. Now she was really starting to panic. 

It's like when you know your parent(s) are supposed to be home at a certain time, but they're not home yet and you begin to imagine the worst case scenario.

Jas begins to dial Harry's number again. "You've reached the voi-" she hangs up the phone and tries again.

"You've reached the voice-" she hangs up the phone again. Just as Jas is about to dial his number again, a soft rap is heard at the door. She halts in her movement and peers skeptically at the clock.

7:34 PM was blinking back at her. Who was at her door when it was almost eight o'clock at night? Jas rounded the sofa and slowly made her way to the door. She peered through the peephole only to see a mildly wet Harry standing in the hall.

Jas quickly opened the door and gaped at the man in front of her. Harry stood there with a wide grin on his face as he took in her appearance.

"Harry, wha- what are you doing here?" Jas asked. Harry simply stood there and watched her. He looked deep in thought as if calculating his next move. 

Harry licked his lips before stepping towards Jas and wrapping his arms around her. He buried his face in her neck. He let his one arm snake around her waist, and held her tight for he knew that's how she liked to be hugged.

Jas could only stand there in shock, the phone calls since forgotten. Slowly, but surely she came back to reality. She was still reeling over the fact that her best friend had really driven an hour to her house just to give her a hug.

Tears began to well up in her eyes as she returned the gesture by wrapping her arms around his neck. Harry exhaled softly while running a hand throw Jas' kinky black hair.

They stood in the doorway like that for a minute, soaking each other in both figuratively and literally.

A shiver ran through Harry's body. Not just because his clothes were damp, but because it felt so surreal being here with Jas.

Jas sniffled and it caught Harry's attention. He pulled back to give her face a one over and make sure she was okay. He placed his hands on her cheek and gently wiped the tears away.

"There's no need to cry, baby. I'm right here." he said with a smile. Jas nodded realizing how ridiculous she probably looked.

"But how? How are you here? My message was just wishful thinking. I mean-" Harry softly shushed Jas' rambling.

"You called and I came. That's all that matters." he said tilting her head up so they could maintain eye contact.

Jas shook her head with a sigh before embracing Harry again. Harry let out a soft chuckle and returned the hug.

He reached out with his foot behind him and kicked the door shut. He then walked them over to the couch all while never letting go of their hug.

Jas giggled as Harry plopped them down on the couch. Jas is the first to let go of the embrace. She sits back and just looks at her best friend.

"You are something else, Harry." Harry shrugs with a soft smile. Jas places her head on Harry's lap. Harry combs through Jas' unruly hair and gives her a head massage. Jas smiles up at him contently. A beat goes by and they enjoy each other's company.

"Hey, listen," Harry begins, "I want you to know that anytime you call for me, I will always do my best to be there. If I can't physically be here with you, I'll try to reach you virtually." Harry continues to play with Jas' hair as he speaks.

"We don't even have to talk about what is bothering you. If me just being here is enough for you, then I will do that."

Once more, tears begin to brim in Jas' eyes.

"Aww, Harry, stop." she whines. "I've cried enough for one night and then you go and say the sweetest things all because I said I needed a hug."

Harry smiles as he leans down and rub their noses together.

"If I could, I'd hug you forever." he whispers. Their eyes run over each other's faces, soaking in each other's features. Harry leaned back knowing if they had stayed like that, he might do something he shouldn't.

You see, Harry has had a crush on Jas for a year or two now. He's watched her go out with men who don't deserve her—Harry's opinion—and have her heartbroken by said men. 

Does it hurt watching the woman you love go out with other people? By all means, but he doesn't let that interfere with the bond they've built so far.

Harry's in it for the long run and if all he can do for now is be a friend that Jas calls up when she needs physical affection then that is exactly what he'll do.

Their eyes never once left each other as Harry leaned back. Jas could visibly see Harry's eyes darkening in shade. She could feel her cheeks burning up at this.

Its moments like these that make the boundaries become blurred lines. Right now, Harry wanted nothing more than to lean down and kiss Jas.

She had grown frailer over time and her eyes were slowly dulling out, there wasn't much life behind them. She was in constant pain but would do her best to conceal it.

Nevertheless, she was always smiling. She didn't want me to worry about her. I knew that and she knew that I knew that. But how could I not worry about the woman I love?

Love. What a scary word. My heart, body, mind, and soul all belong to her all because I love her.

Most people would call me a fool for falling for her, a terminally ill patient.

"Why put yourself in a position as such when you know you're going to lose her?" was what my mother asked me once she found out Evelyn's condition.

"Because I love her." was the only response I could give. Even I couldn't fathom how I'd come to fall for a random girl I met in a car park. All I wanted to do was save her from some creep and look at where we are now.

We're in love but at what cost?

We're so deeply in love, yet there is a dagger hanging over our heads that could drop any day.

Oh, how I fear when that day will come that I may lose my beautiful Eve. She managed to walk into my life and brighten every single one of my days.

I can't quite remember what life was like before Evelyn. It's like I was never truly living 'till she came to be.

I smile softly as I gently caress her face as she begins to stir in her sleep. Evelyn slowly opens her eyes before stretching out her limbs.

Her eyes connect with mine and her lips mimic my expression.

"Good morning, beautiful." I said, my smile spreading even more as she turns away from me blushing.

"Stop it. I look horrendous." Evelyn turns her body away from me as I lean closer to gently peck her on the lips.

"No, Harry. I've got morning breath." Evelyn says as she covers her mouth with her hand, but that doesn't stop me from attempting my attack. I place a kiss on the back of her hand while pressing my hips into her backside.

"Harry!" Evelyn yelps as she is sure to feel my morning wood. I hum in response as I move to place soft kisses on her neck.

"Go take care of yourself in the bath. You know we can't." she says slowly moving away. I don't miss how she wiggles her hips before sliding away from me.

Evelyn turns back and gives me a cheeky grin. A taste of my own medicine if you will. I grab her pillow and place it over my face. I groan into it as Evelyn cackles while heading to the bathroom.

A moment passes before I head to the bathroom as well. I had to compose myself after that barely there tease Evelyn just gave me.

We're not sexually active with each other due to Evelyn's unfortunate circumstance. She and I agreed we couldn't, rather, we shouldn't go any further than slight make-out sessions. With her newly weakened state, it wouldn't be fair to strain her body any more than it needs to be.

I will say though, I have one hell of a relationship with my hand every morning.

I lean against the doorframe as I watch Evelyn brush her teeth. Her eyes catch mine through the mirror and she smiles before continuing. I walk over to her, wrapping my arms around her waist. Evelyn giggles softly as she finishes brushing her teeth.

I spin her in my arms and place my hands on the counter behind her. One hand on either side of her, trapping her in.

Evelyn blushes slightly, I'm sure she can still feel junior down below.

"Harry..." she says warningly. I nod, leaning my hips back but moving my face closer.

"I know, I know. A man can dream though, right?" I say, now returning the cheeky energy from before.

Evelyn shakes her head in amusement. Her hands land on my chest and slowly glide down. She stops at the hem of my black tank top and begins to fiddle with it.

"Can I have my kiss now?" Evelyn continues to play with the hem of my tank as she shakes her head 'no.'

I scoff, "And why not?"

"You still have morning breath, and boy is it ripe." she says scrunching up her nose. I stare at her with a face of feign hurt.

"Wow, Evie. I planned a nice and comfy day for us, and you want to bully me?" Evelyn's eyes widen briefly as she wasn't aware of the surprise I had in store.

"Wait, wait! I take it back!" she says as I move away from her. My body immediately begins to yearn for her warmth, but I don't give into my own needs.

"No, no. Too late, sweetheart." I say as I grab my toothbrush from the caddy and begin to brush my teeth.

Evelyn returns the favor by giving me a back hug. She stands on her tippy toes to pepper light kisses along my neck.

I chuckle softly in amusement. I lean over the sink to spit while lightly lifting Evelyn on my back. Evelyn releases a small yelp as her feet leave the ground.

I slowly lower her back to the ground and continue to brush my tongue. I wiggle my eyebrows at Eve as I see her sending me daggers through the mirror.

I quickly finish brushing my teeth, so that Evelyn and I can get on with our day.

Evelyn had mentioned how she always wanted to be one of those couples that can just stay indoors and enjoy the company of one another without boredom or annoyance getting in the way.

So that's what I planned this day to be. A day of staying at home and adoring my beautiful girlfriend Evie, while she hopefully adores me too.

First on the schedule was to make breakfast. We made an assortment of waffles, pancakes, bacon, and eggs. Making the pancakes was a challenge seeing as both Evie and I would much rather throw the flour at each other than make the actual pancakes.

Once we finished making and eating our breakfast, it was already one in the afternoon.

Next on the schedule was to watch a horror movie. Evelyn always preferred to watch horror movies during the day, especially with me. She hated whenever I would add more horror to the film by jumping when there was no jump scare or screaming for no reason.

Another part of Evelyn's logic to watching a horror movie during the day was that the demons and evil spirits couldn't come out to haunt her, which in a way made sense.

"All of them, except you..." she said in reference to the demons.

I gasped, "I am not a demon. I may be part fallen angel, but I am certainly no demon."

We relax on the couch with blankets and pillows galore at our disposal. Evelyn is snuggled up on my chest again and I bask in her warmth.

I love the way she curls into my chest—almost as if she's trying to enter it—when she gets scared.

I wrap a protective arm around her back and gently coo to soothe her. I absentmindedly rub patterns into her back as the movie comes to an end and good prevails.

Once the credits begin to roll, I check the time on my phone to see if it's time for lunch yet. The clock read 3:23PM.

"Alright. You hungry?" As if on cue, Evelyn's stomach grumbles.

Eve smushes herself harder into my chest to hide her face from embarrassment while I laugh at how adorable she is.

"Come on, love. I'll make you something for lunch."

I decide to make a quick and easy ham and cheese sandwich for the both of us. Evelyn smiled with gratitude once the sandwiches were made.

I sat down on a barstool at the kitchen counter and pulled Evelyn towards me. She understood the message and placed herself on my lap.

I wrapped my arm around her waist to support her from sliding off. Evelyn and I scarfed down our sandwiches like a pack of hungry wolves.

"You've got a little something..." Evelyn said pointing to the corner of my mouth. I lick my lips in an attempt to get it off, but I don't seem to get it.

Evelyn huffs in frustration before wiping it off with her thumb. Before she can wipe her thumb on the napkin, I quickly grab a hold of her hand and bring her thumb to my mouth. My eyes watch her intently as I suck the mayonnaise off her thumb.

Her eyes watch my every move as if caught in a trance. I place a chaste kiss to her thumb and let her go. I smirk as her cheeks flush red.

"You're so annoying." she says. Evelyn grabs the plate our sandwiches were on and walks over to the sink.

"Aww, but you love it." I retort. I watch as she washes the dishes.

Once she is finished, we move back to the couch to watch another movie. This time, to set the mood, we watch a romance movie.

By the end of the movie, Evelyn is a crying mess in my lap.

"Why did he have to go to Switzerland, huh? They could've both gone to Paris, and she could've taken care of him. Everything would've been fine." I shush her as she rambles about the unfortunate ending of the movie.

I gently rub her back in an attempt to soothe her. 

"Did you at least like the movie?" I query. I feel her nod her head against my chest.

I sigh in relief. The themes of the movie were similar to Evelyn and I's relationship, and I wasn't sure how she would take it.

When I had first watched the movie alone, I remember I, too, was a crying mess. It made me realize how precious time with Eve truly was and that one day, I was going to be without her.

That thought weighed heavy on my mind a lot. Thinking about it even now brings tears to my eyes.

We lay there in silence, taking in one another's presence. I've come to find that we do that a lot. We tend to just exist with each other, and I think that is what makes our relationship so beautiful.

"I'm tired." Evelyn mumbles, her voice small and weak. I can tell she's trying to fight the sleep.

"Go to sleep, Evie. I'll be right here when you wake up." I say, kissing the top of her head. I pull the blanket off the back of the couch and drape it over us.

Evelyn mumbles something that I can't quite make out.

"Hm?" I wait patiently for her to repeat what she said. A minute goes by, and I assume she must have fallen asleep until I hear her again.

"I love you, Harry."

I smile wide at my girl. Oh, the things I would do for her. I place another kiss on her head as a wave of drowsiness overtakes me as well.

"Oh stop." Evelyn said, swatting Mari's hands away. They sat down on the couch and did their best to catch each other up on what was going on in each other's lives.

Mari and Evelyn used to be the best of friends. Their mothers were best friends so it was only right for them to become best friends as well. They were practically joined at the hip everyday. They rode the bus together. Did their homework together. They even got in trouble together.

Mari and Evelyn were an unstoppable duo. That was until Mari's dad had to relocate to Australia for work. At age 14, Mari and her family had to pack up and head to Australia together, leaving the poor girls devastated.

They managed to keep in touch, but things were never quite the same. Mari and Evelyn used to take turns each year visiting each other. Once they were well into their teenage years though, the visits faded out. It wasn't until Mari got news that Evelyn was sick did she start visiting again.

"So...are you seeing anyone?" Mari asked wiggling her eyebrows. Evelyn scoffed, rolling her eyes and took a sip of her homemade pumpkin spice coffee.

"As if. Who would want to be with a woman basically on her deathbed?" Mari smacked Evelyn.

"None of that kind of talk. I don't want to hear it. You know words are powerful. I'm sure there are plenty of guys flocking and throwing themselves at you and you're probably just turning them down with your negative mentality." Mari said. Evelyn rolled her eyes once again, taking another sip.

"You're wrong. There are no-" Evelyn's speech was cut short by her phone buzzing. Both her and Mari's eyes snapped to the phone buzzing on the table. On the screen flashed the name Evelyn had been trying to forget.

Mari slowly turned her back to Evelyn with a smug smile on her face. Evelyn kept her eyes casted down as she felt Mari's gaze fall on her.

"No guys, huh? So who's Harry? Last I checked you don't just put a heart next to any random guy's name. You don't even have a heart next to my name!" Mari said in disbelief.

"Actually I do have a heart by your name."

"Yeah? Show me." Mari said smugly. She knew pretty well Evelyn did in fact not have a heart by her name.

"I have a heart by your name in here." Evelyn said patting her chest. Mari and Evelyn burst out laughing.

"Whatever. Don't try and avoid the question. Who's Harry?" Mari was not letting Evelyn get away that easy. Mari had never seen Evelyn give herself the chance to be loved by someone, so for her to see a guy's name with a heart next to it meant a lot to her.

"He's just a friend." Evelyn mumbled.

"Just a friend? Come on, Eve, I know you better than that. You put a heart by his name!"

"Alright! Alright," Evelyn paused to put her cup down on the table, "he is a friend who is, perhaps, interested in being a bit more than friends." 

"Sooooo?" Mari asked expectantly.

"So...nothing happened. He asked me to be his girlfriend a couple months ago, and I said no."

"Oh." was all Mari could say.

"Yeah." Evelyn said with a sigh.

"Why'd you turn him down?" Mari asked. Evelyn thought about her answer. She knew exactly why she turned him down, but she didn't exactly want to let Mari know about her insecurities.

"Because he doesn't deserve that. He deserves someone who he'll be able to be with for the long run and have children with and perhaps buy a house that's far too big with a white Pickett fence around it. He deserves to get his dream and I can't give him that. I'm nothing more than a sick woman getting worse and worse every day until her demise. He wouldn't be happy with me and I want him to be happy." Evelyn said.

Mari nodded her head solemnly. She placed a reassuring hand on Evelyn's knee, rubbing circles.

"I know you could probably care less about what I have to say with how stubborn you are, but take it with a grain of salt. Don't you think he already knows all of this and is still willing to take the chance? I mean, he's braver than most men, but doesn't that go to show how much he loves you? How much he cares about you?"

"I'm not sure if he loves me in that way. It could very well just be an infatuation with something you know isn't going to last. It's like how some men like to chase things they know they can't have." Evelyn said with a snort. Mari nodded in acknowledgment.

"Well then let me ask you this. How do you feel about him? I know you said you want him to be happy, but do you love him?"

Before Evelyn could answer Mari's question, there was a rap at the door. Evelyn's brows furrowed as she wasn't expecting anyone.

"I'll get it." Mari said leaving her spot on the couch. She glanced through the peephole to see a man with curls up to his shoulder standing at the door impatiently. The man was gorgeous to say the least. 

Mari took a step back to open the door. There stood Harry in all his glory. His head snapped in the direction of the door opening to see a woman that wasn't Evelyn.

"Can I help you?" Mari asked. Harry furrowed his brows, but smiled nonetheless.

"Hello, I'm Harry. Is Evelyn here?" he asked. 

From the couch, Evelyn shouted, "Who's at the door?" A wave of relief washed over Harry as he heard the familiar voice. Mari glanced back at Evelyn to see she had emeresed herself back into her show.

Mari placed a finger on her lips in a shush motion and quietly ushered Harry in. Harry stepped in taking off his shoes. The thumping of his shoes hitting the ground caught Evelyn's attention. 

She turned around from her place on the couch and released an audible gasp. Mari stood behind Harry with an evil grin on her face.

"Hello, Evie." Harry said with a small smile. Inside Harry was somewhat angry with his girl for not answering his texts or calls. The only saving grace he had to know she was safe were her poetic story posts on Instagram.

But Harry was also relieved to see she was okay. He could immediately tell she had gotten thinner, but nonetheless she looked beautiful in his eyes.

Harry walked over to the couch tentatively. Evelyn's eyes followed him as he came closer.

"May I?" he asked pointing to the spot next to her on the couch. Evelyn nodded her head while making a mental note to kill Mari later for letting him in.

"Oh my! Would you look at the time. I've got to get going, yeah? I've gotta feed my cats and do some of Tony's laundry. You kids have fun. But not too much fun, yeah?" Mari said slipping her coat and shoes on.

Evelyn was sending Mari daggers with her eyes while Harry sat there amused.

"No clearing any cobwebs." Mari said with a wink. Evelyn picked up the pillow nearest to her and chucked it at Mari just as she was closing the door.

Harry let out a small chuckle at their antics. They both turned back around and focused on the TV show in front of them.

The atmosphere was tense. Evelyn could tell Harry wanted to say something, but was holding back for her to make the first move.

After sitting there in silence for another minute, Evelyn grabbed the remote and put the show on mute. She turned her body to face him.

She let out a sigh before asking, "Why are you here, Harry?"

Harry cocked his eyebrow as he turned to face Evelyn.

"Why am I here?" he asked rhetorically. Evelyn nodded waiting for him to proceed.

"I'm here because I wanted to talk to you." he said.

"Why?"

"Because you ghosted me and I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Why?" Evelyn asked again.

"Because I asked you an important question two months ago and you randomly vanished." Evelyn couldn't hold Harry's gaze. She casted her eyes to ground out of embarrassment.

A moment went by before Harry spoke up again.

"Did I do something wrong?" Evelyn shook her head no.

"Not particularly."

"Then what is it?" he asked. Harry was beginning to get impatient. He had been waiting for a response for two months. He thought maybe Evelyn needed time to think about an answer for his question. But when she suddenly stopped returning his text and calls, he knew something was up.

He didn't want to show up to her house uninvited. He never really planned to. He just happened to be in the area and his feet led him to her front door.

Evelyn mumbled something Harry couldn't quite hear.

"I'm sorry?"

She mumbled again. Harry subconsciously leaned closer to hear her better.

"I'm sorry, love. You're going to need to speak up." Harry's eyes never left Evelyn. They were like a hawk watching their prey. He'd never seen Evelyn seem so small before. He wondered if maybe he had done this.

"It was because of your question." Evelyn said clearly. She finally let her gaze trail back up to Harry's.

Harry's face contorted in bewilderment.

"You stopped talking to me for two months, because I asked you to be my girlfriend?" Harry asked incredulously.

Evelyn sighed. She was speechless. She had no other excuse for her actions except for fear. The fear of losing him.

"Yes." was all she could say.

"Why? I thought we were finally getting somewhere in our relationship?" Confusion was written all over Harry's face. He didn't understand where he went wrong or what he may have misunderstood.

"Our relationship is only going to end in heartbreak, Harry. You know that." Evelyn said holding back the tears welling in her eyes.

"Loving you is a losing game that I am not prepared to play."

"Then don't. Don't play with me, Evelyn, because I'm not playing with you," Harry pauses to take a deep breath before continuing, "I love you."

A neutral silence falls over them as Evelyn lets Harry's words sink in. As Evelyn thinks, Harry continues to speak, "I have loved you for a while now, and trust me, I wanted to respect your wishes. I wanted to keep everything platonic between us, but I can't deny my feelings for you."

"I was reading a poem by Courtney Peppernell the other day. It said 'one day someone walks into your life, a total stranger, and they become so important to you. And while you've known them such a short time, you feel you have loved them for a lifetime' and that is the exact way I feel about you, Evie. I felt that way back then meeting you in that car park and getting to know you and how amazing you are, and I feel that way about you now even after you ghosted me. And believe it or not I'm going to feel that way about you forever."

Evelyn's face flushed at his confession.

No one had ever said such sweet things to her. She almost let herself enjoy the moment before remembering her impending doom.

"But Harry-"

"And I know you're going to try to detour me with the whole 'Harry, I'm dying' thing as if I don't already know that," Harry cradles Evelyn's face in his hands, "but I'm going to love you through this. Even if you don't feel the same way about me. I'm going to love you. I already do. And there's nothing you can do to try to stop me from it."

Tears begin to well up in Evelyn's eyes as a smile appears on her face. Harry's thumbs wipe the tears away as they fall.

Evelyn moves closer to Harry to hug him. Oh how she had missed his warmth. His sweet smell suffocating and intoxicating her at the same time. She let herself fall apart in his arms as she always had before and Harry soaked up every minute of it. He sat holding her one arm wrapped around her back and the other holding her head to his chest.

After a moment of simply existing with each other, Evelyn sat up. She placed her hands on Harry's thighs as a means to stabilize herself. Her eyes flickered back and forth between Harry's eyes.

Harry watched her intently with a soft smile on his face. He used his thumb to wipe more of her tears away and fix the beanie atop her head. Evelyn let out a small laugh at how pathetic she must look.

She was the one to ghost him and yet he's here comforting her. How ironic.

"We're going to be okay, Evie. I promise." Harry said reassuringly. He held the side of Evelyn's face and brought their foreheads together. She smiled nodding against him. They both closed their eyes and relaxed into each other's comfort.

"I love you." Evelyn said. Harry's eyes snapped open at this. He moved his head back as he grabbed Evelyn's chin with his two fingers to make her meet his gaze.

"You what?" Harry asked. He wanted to make sure he hadn't misheard. 

Evelyn giggled before repeating herself, "I love you." Harry felt tears of his own well up in his eyes.

"So does that mean..." Evelyn nodded her head 'yes' before Harry could even finish his sentence.

A wide grin spread across Harry's face as he slowly leaned in. His eyes went back and forth between Evelyn's eyes and her lips.

He waited patiently for Evelyn to give him the go ahead before he could kiss his girl.

Evelyn nodded her head as she leaned in as well and their lips locked in a passionate kiss.

The new couple felt nothing but butterflies and fireworks in their chest as they finally let themselves feel what they have always felt...

Every morning I wake up, I can feel my body slowly giving up on me. I don't have as much energy as I used to have. There's always something wrong with me every day, sometimes it's something different and sometimes it's the same thing.

If I'm not nauseous, I have a headache. If I don't have a headache, I feel depressed. If I'm not depressed, perhaps I'm fine for only but a moment, but the cycle repeats later on. It's irritating really. Nobody should have to live a life like this.

Ever since my oncology appointment, Harry has become very protective of me. He had already been pretty protective of me before, but something Dr. Ansley said must have really struck a chord with him.

He's been more proactive in my life. Clingy, even. Not that I'm complaining though...I appreciate having someone to walk this journey with me. Though I fear the aftermath of us getting so close only for me to leave some day.

The minute I told Harry I was feeling down, he came running. He claims me being in my house all day is the cause of me suffering with my own thoughts, which he wouldn't be wrong about.

Now here we are. I'm thirsty. My legs are killing me, and I just want to cuddle up in my blankie and go to sleep.

Don't even get me started on how hot it is.

"What if I die of dehydration? The sun is eating me alive right now." I say using my arm to wipe away some sweat.

"Evelyn, that's because you're wearing a sweatshirt in the middle of June." Harry says matter-of-factly. I roll my eyes and proceed to let him drag me to the picnic site. It's not like I could take off the sweatshirt.

The second I take off my sweatshirt, not only will I feel cold, but Harry will see my body.

For the past six months, hoodies and sweatshirts have been my best friend.

Along with the body aches, I've found myself losing a lot of weight. I haven't had much of an appetite, and luckily enough Harry hasn't noticed...or at least I don't think he has.

"Almost there." Harry says, turning back to look at me with a smile. I groan like a small child in return, but I'm soon silenced by the beautiful scenery that comes into view.

Just ahead, the trees begin to clear a small path that is better hidden from the sun. I relish in the shade and let out an audible sigh. Harry briefly glances over his shoulder, the ghost of a smile on his lips.

"We're here." he says. In front of us was a picnic table with a lake in the background. The grass tickled our legs as we walked. It wasn't cut too high, nor too low. The grass was soft and provided the perfect amount of cushion under our feet.

We walked over to the picnic table. Harry placed the picnic basket on the ground.

He released my hand to open the basket. Inside was your typical picnic tablecloth with the red and white patches. I stand back and watch the master at work.

Harry quickly places everything down on the table. As Harry finishes setting up the table, my stomach begins to growl.

Harry chuckles softly.

"Don't worry, love. I'm done." He walks over to me as I stay planted in my spot. My eyes follow him as he gets closer, a lazy grin placed on his face. I can feel my cheeks get hot as Harry runs his eyes over my face.

I try to catch my words taking in the sight before me. I mean, everything was just beautiful from the scenery to the picnic. Harry had really outdone himself this time.

"You made all this?" I ask as my eyes scan the different baked goods and sandwiches on the table. Harry nods, grabbing a hold of my hands to steady them from their subtle shake. He lifts my hands to eye level and places a kiss on each one.

"For you," he starts, "I made all of this for you." His eyes reconnect with mine and there's a glint in them I can't decipher. I watch as his eyes shifts between my eyes and my lips.

We stand there for what seems like an hour taking each other in. My stomach growls again taking us out of our trance. Harry lets out a breathy laugh.

"Let's eat." he says before leading me closer to the table. He makes sure the seat is comfortable for me by adding a small cushion. I smile and thank him.

Harry walks around to the other side of the table to sit across from me.

"Everything looks delicious, Harry." Harry smiles as he opens everything up.

"Thank you. I hope it tastes good too."

"Ah yes. I'm sure the pastries will definitely taste good. I remember you telling me how you spent your teenage years as a baker." I say with a laugh as I wait patiently for him to finish.

"All those years of baking are finally paying off, huh?" he asks. I giggle while nodding my head.

"Go ahead, love. Don't be shy. Dig in."

I say thank you once more before making a plate of two sandwiches and two chocolate chip cookies.

Harry then makes his own plate, and we begin to eat.

We make small talk as we eat. Harry catches me up on the latest drama with his publisher, and I catch him up on some of my latest art projects.

"So, when are you going to paint me?" he asks. I nearly choke on my food at his question. Harry chuckles under his breath at my reaction. He refills my cup of apple juice as he waits for me to calm down.

"I'm sorry?" I ask, I want to be sure I heard what he said.

"I asked when you are going to paint me." Wow, he really did ask that. My mind is scrambling for the best answer while my stomach is doing somersaults.

I have always wanted to paint Harry. He is truly a sight to behold with his beautiful, brown curls that sit atop his head and captivating green eyes. His long eyelashes help frame and bring out his eyes. He stands tall and confident.

Along with his mesmerizing features, Harry has an amazing personality and incredible fashion sense. I can't remember a moment where Harry has looked anything but put together. Even his PJs look styled and all he wears is a white shirt and grey sweats.

He's so sweet and kind. He always knows exactly when I need him and what I need him to do. He's very understanding as well and accepts everyone despite their differences.

Harry's always been such a good friend to me. If I didn't have a timer on my back or have cancer in general, I would take a shot at dating him.

Harry has always made flirty passes at me, and on the very rare occasion I would respond to the comments with a flirty comment of my own, but we never crossed that line.

From the beginning Harry has always been suggesting we take that leap of faith, but he's never once officially asked me.

"Evelyn?" Harry asks. I hum in response.

"Are you okay? You kind of zoned out on me there. I was just kidding about the-"

"No! I mean no, you're fine. I was just thinking about how I would go about painting you. You know how it is. Once I start thinking of something, I get a little carried away." I say sheepishly.

Harry smiles wide and nods his head while finishing up his plate. I had already finished eating and was now taking in the scenery. I stared out at the lake, enjoying the silence that overtook us.

"I would like to paint you someday, Harry." I say looking over at him only to see his eyes were already on me.

"Really?" he says, swallowing his final bite.

"Yeah. If I'm being honest, I've always wanted to. On our late-night drives or the time we went to the aquarium, I captured those moments in my mind, and I've always wanted to draw it out on a canvas."

Harry lets the words I said soak in. He gives a cheeky smirk before saying, "So you've always wanted to paint me like one of your French girls?"

I reach over the table and smack his arm as he lets out a laugh.

"Not like that, idiot." Harry nods as he continues to giggle softly.

We let silence overtake us again and watch the lake in peace. The water was calm, clear, and inviting. If I wasn't scared off shedding my layers, I would suggest we go for a swim.

"Evelyn," Harry says to get my attention, "there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

"If it's another comment about painting you like a French girl I'm not interested."

"No, no. This question's more serious than that." My brows crease together as I turn my body back to the table.

"What's up?" Harry looks at me for a moment before letting his gaze fall to my lips. I feel my cheeks get hot the longer he stares at me. I bite my lip in anticipation and his eyes immediately shoot up to mine.

I take note of how his pupils have eaten away at some of the green in his eyes.

"Harry?" He looks over at the lake briefly as a means of composing himself.

Harry releases a sigh before looking back at me and asking,

It's been three months since Harry and I first met on that fateful September day. I avoided him and his vow to take me on a date as if it were the plague. I responded to his text messages and held conversation when necessary, but whenever he brought up the topic of going out, I would suddenly vanish.

Once a month had gone by and I saw he was still very persistent to take me on a date, I finally caved and said yes. I made sure to make it clear to him that it was just to commemorate our friendship just like he had said in the parking lot. I told him that I wasn't looking for anything romantic because they usually never ended well for me.

"You never know...things could end differently with me." Harry said shooting me a wink before proceeding to take a sip of his wine.

I remember blushing profusely and immediately changed the subject.

We got to learn a good bit about each other that night. I learned that he's a 29-year-old author with three highly acclaimed books—two of which I've read.

When he asked me what I thought of his books, I tried my best to downplay how in love with them I was, but I failed miserably. A slight rosy tint covered his cheeks as I complimented how well-written everything was from the characters to the scenery down to the death of the main character's dog. Everything about his books were beautiful.

"Thank you, thank you. Now enough about me, what about you? What do you do for a living?" he asked.

"Well, my name is Evelyn West. I am 22 years old, and I am an artist. I post some of my work on Instagram and TikTok. They get a decent number of views and likes. Sometimes with the weird algorithm they've got a random video of mine will blow-up and I get a lot of notice, but other than that I would say I'm just a small creator."

Harry nodded along to everything I said.

"I would love to see some of your work, Evelyn." he said with a small smile.

From there, I showed him some of my art and little videos showing how I created them. We went back and forth asking each other questions and sharing some slightly embarrassing moments we've had in our lives.

Fast forward to three months later and Harry and I's relationship is flourishing beautifully.

"Where are you going again?" Harry asks stopping in the doorway of my bedroom.

"I have a follow-up appointment with my oncologist today and I'm about to be late for it because of you." He rolled his eyes as he plopped on my bed.

"Can I come with you?" I pause for a moment.

"No, you cannot." I said proceeding to find some clothes to wear. I already have a hard time letting Harry see me as I am right now, I don't need him to be there when the doctor tells me I am only going to get worse.

"Why not?" he asks rolling over to face me.

"Because it would be weird if you came."

"How so?"

"It just would be." I say beginning to get annoyed.

"But why?" he asks teasingly. Harry knew he was working my nerves. I picked my bra up and chucked it at him. He lets out a deep laugh as he picks up my bra and places it over his eyes.

"Oh wow! This is a great sleeping mask!" I let out an exasperated gasp. I quickly ran over to the bed and pounced on him.

Harry laughed as I continued my assault. He grabbed my waist to steady me on his lap. Harry then flipped me over.

I giggled as his fingers tickled my sides. I writhe under him trying to get out. Harry grabs a hold of my wrists in one hand as the other continues to tickle me.

I can hear Harry's breathy laugh above me as the pace of his fingers begin to slow down.

I slowly stop moving, trying to calm myself down. Our eyes connect and it's not lost on me what position we are in. We stay there for a moment just taking each other in. I don't miss how Harry's eyes bounce back and forth between my eyes and my lips.

I clear my throat feeling my cheeks get hot as time passes by. I glance over at the clock on my nightstand to help calm myself down.

The time read 3:15 PM. I gasped and pushed Harry off me. My appointment is at 3:30 and I had gotten distracted.

"Crap, Harry. I'm going to be so late." I said as I began to strip, completely disregarding Harry still being in the room.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Harry look over at me, but immediately look away.

By the time I had finished getting dressed it was already 3:23. I grabbed my purse and keys and made my way to the door.

I felt a hand clasp my wrist. I locked eyes with Harry. He had a look of plea on his face, and I immediately knew what he was about to ask.

Too concerned about running late, I caved in and let Harry come to the appointment with me.

"Dr. Ansley will see you shortly." the nurse said, placing my file in the black pocket on the wall.

"Thank you." I said with a smile. As the nurse shut the door, my eyes immediately went over to Harry. I watched as his eyes took in the oncologist's office. His eyes scanned the room like they had never seen a doctor's office before.

Granted the oncologist's office looked a little fancier, I admired his fascination.

Cute. I thought to myself. Suddenly, Harry looked over at me. I began blushing profusely for being caught staring.

The door opened and in walked Dr. Ansley.

"Good afternoon, Ms. West. How are you today?" she asked while walking over to her desk.

"I'm doing alright, thank you."

"Good. Good. Any discomfort?" I shake my head 'no' as my leg begins to bounce. Once the appointment has officially begun, we go through the usual procedure. She asks me how I am, if I am feeling anxious, and if I have any concerns regarding my treatments or what is to come in the future.

Next, I have to have some blood drawn. Dr. Ansley shows me to the bloodwork section and tells me to wait there. Harry follows along quietly. He seems deep in thought, but also very attentive to every little detail Dr. Ansley says. After my blood is drawn, I am sent back to Dr. Ansley's office.

"Alright, Ms. West. The moment we've both been dreading." I sigh, sadness overtaking me as I know what we have to discuss next.

"Would you like your boyfriend to step out?" Getting ready to protest Harry being my boyfriend, I turn to see his eyes are already on me. I give him a small smile before telling Dr. Ansley she can continue.

Dr. Ansley begins by explaining the same old, heart-wrenching information that I already know. I guess she does it more for Harry's sake than my own.

"With that being said...since your breast cancer is no longer in the early stages of stage four, you may have chemotherapy sessions once every two to four weeks and then have a break. You'll need about eight cycles of chemo, before we can take our next steps. Though stage four breast cancer is not curable, we can try our best to prolong your lifespan."

I nod my head in understanding, willing back the tears that dare to fall from my eyes. I don't want to die. From my peripheral vision, I see Harry glance over at me. He places a reassuring hand on my knee and begins to rub soothing patterns. I look over and give him a weak smile as he gives me one in return. I let my eyes trail down to Harry's hand and place my hand over his.

"How long," Harry pauses to clear his throat before he continues to speak, "How long does she have?" Dr. Ansley gives Harry a sympathetic smile.

"Evelyn has anywhere between one to three years to live." A cold shiver runs down my spine. I'd never asked the doctors how long they think I'd have. I figured it would be better not to know so I wouldn't live everyday with the constant anxiety about what's to come.

"I know this can be a hard pill to swallow, especially with you guys being so young, but there are resources available to help you guys through this. We offer therapy to help you guys talk out how you're feeling through this trivial time, especially you, Evelyn. We highly encourage you out of everyone to speak. Without a doubt from the outside, we know it's difficult, however, you are the only one who is really dealing with it on the inside. You are the one that knows what is running rampage in your mind. So we highly encourage you to please visit one of our therapists. I'm more than happy to recommend you to one of my choosing." Dr. Ansley says.

She gives us a second to let the news sink in by excusing herself from the room. She tells us that once we are finished, we can check out and try to enjoy the rest of our day.

Harry and I sit in silence. It's so quiet we can hear the ticking of the clock and the rustling of the leaves outside. Harry doesn't move to say anything and neither do I. As time passes by, the silence begins to eat away at me. Harry's hand still rests on my thigh as I feel my head getting heavy and my eyelashes begin to flutter close. I lean my head on Harry's shoulder. I keep my eyes closed as he shifts in his seat. I can feel his eyes watching me. I can almost picture the curious look on his face.

"Come on, Evie. Let's get you home." Harry says softly. I shake my head 'no' and continue to snuggle up to him.

"I'm sure you would be more comfortable in your bed at home." he says shrugging his shoulder ever so slightly. I grunt in protest as a means to tell him to stop.

"I just wanna stay here like this. You're so comfortable and warm." I murmur. I hadn't notice how cold Dr. Ansley's office was until now. I still feel his eyes on me. Harry lets out a breathy laugh.

"In the doctor's office? Really?" he asks. I nod. A few minutes pass before Harry speaks up again.

"Tell you what. We get up now and start heading home, I'll give you all the cuddles in the world." he says. I can hear the grin in his voice.

"Promise?" I ask.

"I promise." Harry says. He begins to rub soothing circles onto my thigh again and places a chaste kiss to my head. I sigh in contentment before standing up and putting my jacket on.

I felt my heart drop to my stomach. I didn't hear anything she said after that. All I remember was hearing her say to come back on another day for screening to confirm whether I had cancer.

After two years had gone by of chemotherapy, shaving my head, losing weight, and surgery, the doctors had finally given me the best news I had ever heard since the Jonas Brothers getting back together. I was finally free of cancer, but only for a year.

Now it's back and has metastasized into the early stages of stage four breast cancer. The doctor told me there was still a chance for me to be saved; however, it was a small percentage, so I shouldn't get my hopes up.

As I placed the chocolates in my basket, I noticed a man staring at me. When we made eye contact, he quickly averted his eyes, pretending to be looking for some treats himself. I brushed off the weird feeling he gave me and decided to walk to the check out.

I patiently waited as the person in front of me took their sweet time to get their items checked out.

I placed my items on the conveyor belt and waited for the cashier to scan them. I smiled lightly and whispered 'hello' as the cashier began to scan my items. She gave me a small smile in return.

"Your total is $7.85." I nodded before handing her a ten dollar bill.

"Thank you." she said softly. As she turned to the register to look for my change, another eerie feeling came over me. Looking past the cashier, I saw the same man from the candy aisle staring me down.

As soon as our eyes met once again, he looked away, busying himself with a random pamphlet near the exit. I had half a mind to walk up to him and ask him if he needed something, but I decided against it knowing that I would be too weak to defend myself if anything were to happen.

"$2.15 is your change, and enjoy the rest of your day!" I thanked her for my change and placed it in my wallet. I grabbed my items and glanced at the exit. The man was no longer standing there.

I quickly rushed out the door. The once blue sky had already began to turn dark. I silently scolded myself for parking so far away from the store entrance. The eerie feeling came over me once again and I felt my heart rate pick up. I walked in the direction I thought I had parked my car, but began to panic once I couldn't see my car.

Suddenly, an arm wrapped around my shoulders. I released a small gasp as my head turned in the intruder's direction. To my relief, it wasn't the strange man from the convenient store.

"Hey baby." he said loudly. I winced at how loud and close he was.

"I'm sorry. You must have me confused for somebody else." I said back, getting ready to remove myself from his embrace, but he was quick to react and tighten his grip around me.

He leaned down to my ear and whispered, "There's a strange man following you. Just go with it 'till you find your car, okay?"

His emerald eyes held sincerity that made me think he genuinely cared about me getting to my car safely. I nodded and offered him a small smile.

"Do you know where you parked, love?" he asked as we stopped walking. I paused and looked around the lot, no sign of my car in sight. I shook my head.

"Here. Push the panic button so we can find it." He gently grabbed the keys from my hand and pressed PANIC. We followed the sound of my car alarm, two rows over and a bit further down.

From my peripheral vision, I saw the man look behind us before he removed his arm from my shoulders.

"Thank you." I say as I unlock my car. I truly owe my life to him. Had this man not come up and pretend to be someone I know, I would've been a goner.

"Don't mention it." he says, a small grin plastered onto his face.

"I mean it. I owe you big time. I haven't the slightest clue who that man is and he had been following me around the store and now to my car...Really, thank you."

He shakes his head sheepishly.

"I'm Harry, by the way." he says, effectively changing the subject.

"Nice to meet you, Harry. I'm Evelyn." I reply, sticking my hand out. Harry's eyes go back and forth from my hand to my face.

He lets out a small chuckle before placing his hand in mine and shaking it.

I am the first to let go of the embrace, feeling my cheeks getting hot. Having his hand in mine released butterflies in my stomach.

Now that the chaos was put behind us, I was finally able to get a good look at Harry. He is a very attractive man.

He has beautiful, chestnut curls that are pushed back out of his face; a single curl had fallen in his face.

Vibrant green eyes that are absolutely breathtaking and pink heart-shaped lips. He was also very tall and had a British accent.

Everything about him was stunning including his casual attire, while I looked a righteous mess with my beanie to hide my head from the cold along with light makeup that was probably washed off from tears.

We stood there for a second taking in each other's features. As I was getting ready to leave the semi-awkward silence, Harry breaks it.

"So how do you intend to repay me?" he asks.

I ponder not really knowing how to respond. There was a suggestive look in his eye and that's what snapped me back to reality and realize he was just like any other man in the world. Only one thought in their mind: sex.

"If you're implying that I should have sex with you, that's not going to happen." I huffed, moving towards my car door. I open the door and got inside, placing my chocolates in my passenger seat.

"What? No, no. You've got it all wrong." Harry takes slow, cautious steps towards me.

"Then what is it that you want?" I query.

"I want you to let me take you out for dinner some time." he says with a soft smile.

"Oh..." is all I can manage to say.

"It doesn't have to be anything romantic, unless you want it to be. It can just be a dinner to commemorate the possible start of a beautiful friendship." Harry tucks his hands into his jean pockets as he awaits my answer.

I feel so stupid and embarrassed now. I struggle to hold eye contact with him.

"Okay, sure." I say sheepishly.

"Okay, great. Let's exchange numbers and we can figure out a time that works best for the both of us." he says. His soft smile from before has spread into a wide grin.

I nod my head while handing him my phone, avoiding his gaze. I patiently wait as Harry puts his number into my phone before he hands me his so I can do the same.

"Wonderful. I'll give you a call sometime." I nod again, still refusing to make eye contact with him.

Suddenly, I feel his thumb and forefinger gently move my chin up so I am forced to meet his intense gaze.

"Don't worry about it. I know where you were coming from. Most men typically do only have one thing on their mind," he pauses, his gaze shifting to my lips before he continues, "but I'm hoping over time you'll learn I'm not like most men."

And with that he lets go of my chin and walks away with a smirk on his face while I am rendered speechless. My cheeks were on fire like never before.

"Wow." I mutter, closing my car door and starting the engine. I put the car temperature on cold to cool me down.

As I get ready to take off, my phone chimes. I peer over to see one new text message from Harry.