As soon as school ended that day, I found Nala again. "Come with me to the hospital?" I asked, waving my keys in her face.

Nala lifted her eyebrows. "I can drive myself, thanks." She said, slamming her lockers and slinging her backpack over her shoulder. "But Cece hasn't texted me yet, so I don't...I don't really know what's going on."

I nodded. "See ya there, then!" I shouted over my shoulder as I ran down the hall.

<>

"I need to see Cecilia Kee." I said, slamming my keys down on the counter in the lobby of the hospital. The nurse at the front desk tilted her head, looking me over. "Are you a parent or guardian?" She asked me coldly.

I shook my head. "I need to see her, okay? This is important."

"I'm sorry, honey, but I'm afraid--"
"Isaac?"

The nurse looked over my shoulder. I turned around. Mrs. Kee approached me, a cup of water in her hand. "Oh my God." She whispered when she saw my face.

Yes, I was revealing my face. Yes, I was revealing my scars.

"Isaac..." She touched my face with a cold hand. I pushed her away. "It's okay Mrs. Kee." I said quietly.

The nurse observed the interaction between the two of us. "Mrs. Kee, you know him?" She asked.

"Yes of course," Mrs. Kee said, setting her water on the desk. She pushed my keys back towards me. I picked them up and shoved them in my pocket.

"How is he related?"
"He's not."
"Oh?"
"He's her boyfriend."
"Okay."
"Listen I really think they should see each other."
"Well I can't let him in unless a legal parent or guardian--"

"I don't have a legal parent or guardian." I interrupted, my hands clenching. Mrs. Kee and the nurse both stared at me. I closed my eyes tightly, took a deep breath, and spoke again. "My mother died of cancer. My father recently died in a car wreck."

The nurse looked at me sadly. So did Mrs. Kee. I shook my head. "And there's no one really responsible for you?" The nurse asked. I shook my head again. "I can't lose her too."

This seemed to win the nurse over. "You can lead him back up to Cecilia's room."

Mrs. Kee nodded, picked up the water, and headed towards the elevators. I followed her, my heart thumping frantically in my chest.

<>

When I got up to Cecilia's room, she was puking.

A lot.

She looked over at me, her eyes so wide I was afraid that they would pop out of her head.

"Uh, hi." I said awkwardly.

Cecilia opened her mouth to say something, turned two shades paler, and turned back to the trash can she was holding in her hands, letting out another spray of only-God-knows-what.

I cringed. "Damn." I said quietly.

The doctor approached me and shook my hand. "Hello. You must be her boyfriend." He said, a twinkle in his eyes.

I nodded once. "Can I, er, go anywhere near her?" I asked. The doctor nodded. "Be my guest. This is nothing contagious."

I nodded and walked up to Cecilia. She looked at me and wiped her mouth with a napkin, then took a tentative sip of water.

"Isaac, I--"

I didn't let her talk. I just leaned down a kissed her. Not a quick little peck on the cheek. Something soft. And right on her lips.

I pulled away. Cecilia stared at me, stunned. "That, er...that probably didn't taste great." She stammered.

I smiled. "It was worth it."

"Isaac, I could have thrown up right in your mouth."
"Cece, it still would have been worth it."

We both laughed. Cecilia didn't even puke.

The moment would have been perfect if Nala hadn't crashed into the closed door and screamed: "LET ME IN. I DODGED THE NURSE AND THE BASTARD IS AFTER ME!"