So, I didn't answer him... but he didn't seem to mind. In fact, he just seemed to be happy to be able to say it to my face for a change.

We spend the first couple of days making awkward attempts at conversation. He's not strong enough yet to go anywhere, or do much of anything except lay in bed and crack jokes. It's kind of weird, actually, to have him conscious for a change. We're eating lunch one day when I ask him a question that's been on my mind ever since I got the first letter.

"So... how do you know me?"

He grins, and pats the side of the bed, gesturing for me to sit. I do, and look expectantly at him.

"Well... I told the nurses that we were childhood neighbors, but... it was more than that."

He laughs, then shakes his head slightly.

"I was just the dorky boy next door, you were 'dating' the richest kid in school... if there's even such a thing as dating in middle school."

We both laugh and he continues his story.

"I knew I liked you right away, and I also knew I had no chance with you. So... I loved you from afar."

I shake my head and laugh.

"What?" he asks, laughing.

"You say you loved me, but you were like, what, 12?"

"I was thirteen, you were 11." He corrects me, snickering.

"Pft, same thing. I'm just saying, I don't think 'love' is the correct term for whatever it is you were feeling"

"Dude, let me finish my story. It is my story, after all."

I giggle, and shut my mouth.

"So, anyway, there was this girl I loved and I loved her all the way up to highschool, and then all through my sophomore year, her freshman year... aaaaand then I moved."

"Wait, but wouldn't I still have been in middle school for your sophomore year?"

"I got held back a year."

"Ohhhh..."

"Now shut up and lemme finish my story."

I giggle, "Okay"

"So we move, but I can't get this girl out of my head. Then this happens" He gestures to the machines surrounding us. "Cancer."

I look down, not sure what to say.

"It was the best thing that ever happened to me!!!!"

I look up at his face, shocked.

"Wait, huh??"

"You heard me" he smirks, "Best thing that ever happened to me... cause I finally had the guts to tell her I loved her!"

"Oh... so you wrote the letter..."

"M'hmm."

"Interesting... and for the record, I do remember you, but... I don't know... obviously not like you remember me."

He smiles, half of his mouth curving up higher than the other half.

"May I take you on a date?"

"Wait, what?"

I'm thrown off for a minute by the abrupt change in subject.

"You heard me."

"Um... okay... but to where?"

He giggles (yes, he actually giggled), and says, "Well, I can't really go anywhere, but we could go down to the little park they have here and like, eat food or something."

This time, I laugh. Hard. So hard in fact, that when I finally stop laughing, there are tears rolling down my cheeks. The idea of our "date" being in a hospital park eating horrible hospital food just seems so ridiculous that I can't help myself.

"So is that a yes?" He asks, as I'm wiping my eyes.

"S-sure, whatever you say."

I'm still giggling as I push his wheelchair down the hall.