Jay🥰💕: Thanks for the Pancakes Doc McStuffins 🌞 Did Maxine give a fatherly lecture to you this morning about spending the night over boys house and oh our candle ready.

My lips curl up, clicking off my phone tucking in my brown handbag purse. A rounded, white coffered ceiling with dark wood inlays wraps over me, wrapping me in revered silence. The only movement is the warm, yellowy glow of flickering candles and the soft shadows they dance over the white walls. I bite my lip, stare at the crucifix at the end of the white marble inlay floors, pondering on the most magical and weirdest events of my life from the last couple of weeks.

I didn't puke on Jaylan last night.

But I had a badddddd stomach ache.

Lexi kept crabbing at me about needing to eat real food but I did! Brownies, apples, angel food cake, strawberries, and pretzels are all good, with health benefits, and I check myself!

At first, I could feel Jaylan's eyes judging my sugar habits, but his eyes flicked up and down between two spots of me. My cheeks became molten hot when I realized he was judging the fact I had chocolate on the corner of my mouth and on my right mango. 

It was so embarrassing.

I wiped and wiped but the dark chocolate spot on my grey shirt wouldn't come off. Lexi wouldn't help me because she was too cuddled up with Stephen on their side of the booth. So, of course, I ask Jaylan. For some odd reason, he was shocked. I asked him to get it off. He actually said no at first but I furrowed my eyebrows and he let out the hottest laugh, warm and hearty like almost a fresh brownie out of the oven.

He got it off but he kept making my mangos shake. As they bounced, his eyes got dilated, with his pupil size almost close to a dangerous size which requires medical attention.

It came back down when Lexi said he got it. Well, she wasn't helping, and he was just making sure he got it all.

Who knew he was such a gentleman?

I press my hands together and bow my head. My lips murmur the prayers, but my brain keeps moving back to last night.

During the car ride home, Jaylan kept trying to act like a creepy, hairy spider and tried to hold my hand in the car. I told him if he does it again then I'll tell Max. He stopped for a few seconds but kept sneaking over, which I giggled at because he wasn't sneaky at all. He ended up holding my hand anyway. His hand feels nice to hold, as an acquaintance of course.

However, I just wanted him to pull me close to him in his strong arms, say, 'ditch the acquaintance thing,' and kiss me passionately.

I know it's a stretch but what can I say? Amor En La Calle trienta y tres really ruins a girl's expectations.

We were close to home when I noticed he kept making faces and rubbing his ankle. So, I told Stephen to stop by the CVS so I can make Jaylan become my patient.

Nursing is never easy.

And Jaylan is a terrible patient.

He kept moving his ankle, making me mess up my wrapping. It literally took me a whole hour and an a half. I had to hold down his leg at one point just to make sure I got it right but he playfully winced in pain when I pressed down too hard. 

I might have also been a little distracted by how warmly he looked at me while I wrapped his ankle. He sat silently but our eyes' conversation was enough that I felt his appreciation. It was more than just helping a patient, he looked at me like no one's taken care of him and that made my heart pinch.

I gave him my best Max voice to make sure he uses P.R.I.C.E on his ankle so that he can recover so he can play for the Penn State game next week.

You know what he asked me? To come! I've never been to a basketball game, especially one out of state. Max never really liked Lexi and I going because she said she didn't want to go to an out of state jail from guys ogling us but she has nothing to worry about.

I don't know if I want to go but I think it would be cool to see him play.

I look down at my beige flats thinking about the last couple of weeks. I mean, I know he said sorry yesterday but sometimes I have my doubts.

I have been given apologies were followed by deceit and pain. But little things Jaylan did last night and this morning really question if I should let him pursue me.:

I thought last night couldn't have gotten any more magical but it did. Stephen's suggestion that a good date night should end with a movie sounded perfect to me. I was first to say Parent Trap because I love that movie. I mean, come on having a twin you didn't know about the whole time. It's destiny. I think I met him last night too.

I quietly giggle, holding on to Bisabuela's rosary on how similar Birthday Boy, Jordy, is to me. For starters, he has a big, fluffy, stuffed Maryland terrapin. I'm hundred percent sure Conor would love to hang out with both Jordy and JD sometime. We can't forget that Jordy celebrates Winnie the Pooh Day and - get this - even celebrates PB&J day.

We already have plans and bought matching shirts off Amazon during the movie. Jaylan, of course, had to get one too but I threatened him if he also ruins PB&J day then I would never sleep over there again.... And that's when I quieted down, watching the movie because he grinned a little too creepy at the thought of me sleeping there in the future.

The sofa was sooo comfy and so was Lexi. For some reason, her left arm is like a soft pillow.  That's why I like sleeping with her in my bed but Stephen took that side so I had to sleep on her right side. It doesn't have the same effect.  All I remember was a text message from Maxine saying don't go to Jaylan's room because he has a poisonous, worm-filled apple on his bed, waiting for me to eat it.

With a snicker, I cozied up more to JD and Lexi and dozed off until I felt both of my comforts gone. I felt Jaylan near me by his furnace of body heat.  He told me to lay my head down on his lap while he watched some film for his upcoming game with Penn State. He was so comfy but I didn't tell Maxine or Lexi, especially not Conor because he would run away to Mexico and go back to Isabela, his original owner.

Jaylan woke up around two this morning, suggesting to give me some comfy clothes and I didn't have to puke to get it. My plan worked after all. His clothes were huge but clean and smelled like the botanical rain laundry detergent I use. It didn't have the diseases like Maxine accused him of.

Jaylan will not be getting this shirt back by the way. It's compensation for all the distress I endured.

His room was bigger than I thought it would be for a college townhome. It was navy blue and he didn't really have much decorations except for his dark brown accented furniture. He needs some decorations for sure. And you know what, he makes his bed. I'll give a kiss foundation from Lizzie Kisses Foundation for his clean room, although I haven't really started it yet so maybe he'll be my first donation.

I was really surprised when he stayed down stairs with me the whole time. He slept on the loveseat sofa opposite of me. He smiles in his sleep.

It's cute.

I look down at my bisabuela's rosary, thumbing my fingers on the frame of my bisabuelos. My eyes close at how they are with me through the whole process.

This morning when I woke up, I sneakily went into the kitchen and started making pancakes. Boys eat a lot of food, but especially tall, muscular basketball players who ate all of Cinco de Mayo's daily chip supply. They had so many boxes they haven't yet, so I picked the funfetti pancakes, having the whole kitchen smelling like sugar. 

They didn't have an apron so I got pancake mix on myself. That's when Jaylan snuck up behind me, snickering at me because I had some on my cheek. I scolded him and put him on bacon duty.

I smile, standing up from my pew. Walking down the aisle to the sanctuary candles, I reminisce about how Jaylan helped me in the kitchen, like a good noodle. I have set my reminder to give him a reward chart like I do Max when she does kind things. She's almost at twenty and her reward is me watching Fifty Shades of Grey with her.

Maybe I should not say that in church.

Sorry God.

I'm not exactly sure what Jaylan's reward would be with me.

I hum, shrugging my shoulders, kneeling down, and crucifying myself. After a quick prayer for my loved ones, I then light a candle for my family. My heart begins to tighten again.

After the guys left for workouts, Maxine picked us up and took us back to campus. Isabela called me at seven in the morning, which is not usual because she is a hibernating bear 24/7. My heart sank hearing her cry and not knowing what to do because Papà moved some more things out of our home yesterday.

All the sugar in the last twelve hours really was starting to creep up my throat.  I didn't think Papà wanted to do that just yet at least that's what Mamà told me. But Mamà tells me everything to make it sound like everything is okay.

I sigh, lighting another candle particularly for Mamà, for her to have a change of heart.

Oh, Mamà

I frown, staring at the cascading rows of glowing candles in front me, reminding me that a glimpse of hope could happen at any time. 

I really hope Mamà changes her mind.

I get up and neat out my dress, turning around to see the whole chapel's brown pews are empty. My phone rings, echoing through the whole chapel and making me juggling it around. I quickly rush out to see the screen and it's Jaylan.

"Si," I say flustered and my face flushes.

"Hey, I can't see you, just the side of your face." He chuckles.

I pull back my phone, to see him grin big, making me furrow my eyebrows at my phone. "What?" I arch my brow.

"Whoahhh, what's with the sourness, sour patch." he jokes

"You called me in mass!" I grumble.

"Oh, my bad good girl." He shoots a wink, sending a rush of butterflies out my mouth.

"Is there something you need," I tried to sound cool like Max.

He arch his eyebrow with a smug grin, rubbing his jawline and making me stand frozen in the church's front atrium. "You are cranky, most not want your candle," he brags

My eyes grow and he laughs at me. "I forgot to text you back." I palm my forehead

"Yeah yeah yeah, I'm coming to get you." He smugly grins

I arch my brow, only for him to do it back. "You don't know where I am."

"Memorial Chapel," he deadpans me.

I crinkle my nose and he laughs. "I have plans with Lexi and Max," I formulate a lie, only for him to cackle.

"Are you lying in God's house?," he playfully scolds. His background is moving, with bright light so he's outside, but I can't make out where he is.

"I'm not lying," I furrow my eyebrows with a grin.

He looks like he had a quick shower, his beard fluffy like Conor but more kept up and not raggedy.

"So we going or what," he says, while he puts his phone on his stand of his car.

"Jaylan, we are acquaintances and I have homework to do that I procrastinated." I smirk mischievously.

Jaylan's face becomes really serious, something I've never seen even during his tutoring appointment. The way his eyes laser focus on the screen and his lips pull tight in determination, make the butterflies quiet down and hide but peek through the flowers to see.

"Lizzie, what's two plus two," he says in a snarky voice.

I furrow my eyebrows, not sure what he is getting at. "Four," I sink my teeth in my lower lip

"Alright, I'll be there in like ten minutes, and stay there," he bosses. With that, he chuckles and hangs up.

I huff, stuffing my phone in my purse.

Two plus two? What does that mean?

I don't like unplanned things but I guess Jaylan will be an exception. I walk out of Memorial Chapel to the sun brightly shining. It's honestly a nice day for a winter but, knowing Maryland, it will probably be a snow apocalypse by the evening.

The soft, cold winter air touches the bare skin on my legs, making me press them together. The longer I stand outside, the more I regret my choice of this beige button dress I fought with Lexi in the middle of Target. We didn't get to the point of hair pulling but I sure almost wanted to when she shoved me in the pile in the rack of clothing.

My eyes catch sight of a familiar, dark complexion male jogging through campus with some other people. I gulp because I haven't really texted Rashad since last night during our car ride home. He said he was sorry he couldn't make the candle making date with us but I told it was okay and maybe we could go another time. He only left me on read after that.

He looks frustrated and tenses every time his feet hit the pavement. His running shorts cling to his thighs making my throat slightly drier than normal. I wave at him but when he glares at me, it's almost like I have some broccoli stuck in my teeth.

What's wrong with him?

I twist my lips to the side at how he didn't even smile at me. I hope I didn't say anything wrong to him last night. 

I pull out my phone again and decide to check out the photos we took last night. I really like this one of Jaylan, almost banging my head on the sign, but it's Pinterest pin-worthy. I hope I get a lot pins so I can be famous for this cute aquaintence photo and not the stupid naughty photo still spreading around. 

I crinkle my nose because Jaylan and Stephen took a whole bunch of selfies on my phone while I went to the bathroom! There are like two hundred on here!

Who does selfie blasts anymore? So immature, this reminds me something Mate-

A blaring horn causes me to jolt up, as my eyes spot Jaylan's creepy kidnapper car. I still don't understand why he has dark windows like that, they make the daylight look like night. I watch him come smoothly out the car, standing tall and stretching his long arms. The butterflies in my tummy came out happy from hiding by the flowers in there.

He scans his eyes up and down me while opening the door. I no longer feel the cold from how his eyes roam over my curves and drop down my legs. My skin tingles, like he is touching instead of looking.

His eyes made me feel like the burning pancake I stuffed in my mouth so quickly.

Yeah, that hurt.

Jaylan had on a plain, grey Nike shirt on and some black joggers, which he shouldn't wear because his conga drum looks really good in them when he turns to open the door. No one wonder all these girls are loca for this man. 

I skip over to the car and I am welcome with his woody, vanilla, cinnamon mystery scent that I swear is forbidden in the United States. He looks down at me, arching his brow. I do it back and get in, making myself comfy in the car. It's so clean and it's so....

Waitttt is that-

The sight of a familiar, glittering gold item that's beyond important to me catches my eyes. My heart literally grows out of my chest, bigger than the grinch was when he found out he loved Christmas.

Jaylan gets in, smiling up a storm when I reach over for my clip on his vizor.

"You found it!" I gush, holding my Mama's clip in my hands but my smile starts to fade.

"Yeah I did.... I wanted to talk to you about it." He adjusts himself in the seat.

"Where did you find it," I beam, clipping my hair up half up, half down.

He sighs, almost like the similar sigh I've heard before bad news is coming. The butterflies hide back behind the flowers in my stomach.

"Ava had it." He looks over at me and I look at him.

Silence fills the car and I finish up my hair, putting up the vizor with trembling fingers.

Ava had my clip this entire time? What is wrong with her! She literally stole something that wasn't hers.

Jaylan's voice is quiet but heavy with guilt, like Ava's crazy actions are somehow his fault, "I... I'm sorry I didn't fight for you in the beginning Lizzie because, well... I didn't understand what was going on between us,"

Us?

I look over at him, his syrup eyes blended with a warm honey tone brightening them like the word is spewing straight out his heart.  I flick my eyes back and forth at him, studying to see any signs or hints of manipulation but I can't find any.

Wait, am I day dreaming again? Hold on.

"Te perdono (I forgive you)," I pause, waiting for him to spout off a love confession in Spanish but Jaylan remains quiet. His eyes keep shifting back to me as he pulls onto the road.

Sweet Niblets, it's real.

I bite my lip for a moment, then clarify, "I said I forgive you Jaylan."

He glances over at me with relief in his face but he also seems stressed by the way he is gripping the wheel tightly.

"Thanks Lizzie," he says softly, leaning a bit backwards a bit and relaxing his shoulders like my forgiveness sinks in.

The space in his car grows quiet again and honestly all I could do is stare at Jaylan. He looks so hot driving right now, even just his strong profile features. I know I shouldn't be staring at him like this but look at him. His one hand on the wheel and eyes focused forwards. I just want to-

"Chill," he laughs, reaching my hand from me from where it's fidgeting with my necklace.

My face warms as he rubs my hand as he clasps on to it. I feel like the butterflies are doing a limbo dance at how his palm feels on my skin. I can't help but smile, so I turn and face away to avoid him teasing me about smiling too much. I press my other hand into my warm cheek and just look out the window, marveling at the beautiful day that just seems too good to be true in winter. 

I jump a bit when Jaylan's thumb runs over the skin between my thumb and index finger and my attention goes back to him. He's smiling a little too hard to be entirely innocent. I narrow my eyes at him and he gives me a quick glance back with the same expression.

"So, I have already started a candle schedule," I begin, making Jaylan laugh.

"Oh yeah," he eggs on.

"I'm not sure what's funny, you are about to go down to thirty percent custody." I furrow my eyebrows.

"So what's the terms and conditions?" He chuckles, adjusting our hands so that mine is resting on the console between our seats, making me smile even more but I can't get distracted.

I get my phone out and immediately go to my notes on my phone. "Okay I have the candle Tuesday, Wednesday, andddd every Friday at the end of the month, oh and Saturday but only the third Saturday, '' I crinkle my nose because I wrote a typo on there.

"Well, what if I need it on Wednesday? I have a game on Wednesday," he teases.

I narrow my eyes at him and he laughs, making me squirm my hand back from him but he catches it playfully.

"Alright, can I add to those terms and conditions?" He releases another smile.

I squint my eyes at him and all he does is let out his hearty cackle. "If you think you're getting this candle on Chip and Dip day, you have another thing coming. I already gave you Pie Day,"

He keeps laughing and pats my hand as if I said something funny but I'm being serious.

"I won't take Chip and Dip day from you." His laughs die as he catches my expression. "But I was thinking maybe we could use it one day for a date, Lizzie."

My phone slips out of my hand like a wet bar of soap and my heart somersaults. The longer I stare at him, Jaylan laughs harder and I huff quietly. "Jaylan, we are-"

"Acquaintances," he mimics my voice, but way too high and squeaky. I gape my mouth open at how horrible he makes me sound, like I'm five.

"I don't sound like that," I try my best not to squeak my voice.

He laughs, switching lanes and not letting go of my hand. He actually clutches it tighter, like I'm going to jump out of the car or something. His hands are so strong and fingers wrap tightly around the wheel and in between mine. I really want to trace my finger around his tattoos but I might be a little weird doing that.

"I think acquaintances can go out on a date?" He grins, as my eyes marvel how veiny and muscular his one hand on the wheel looks, and trace the colors of his tattoo swirl up his arm and disappear under his short shirt sleeve. I twist my lips to side at his proposal as he grows quiet.

I mean going on a date wouldn't sound bad but I would have to ask Maxine. She is going to want a whole health history, updated drug and STI tests, and psych evaluation before he even thinks about taking me out.

"Lizzie, what's eight plus seven?," He quiz.

There he goes again.

"Fifteen." I narrow my eyebrows and he laughs.

"Alright, so we are going on a date."

"You know I'm going to stump you with a Human A-" I cut myself off when Jaylan literallys crack up in laughter and playfully lifts our hands.

"Oh, por favor," he begs in a teasing voice, and I crinkle my nose as a round of giggles rises up inside me. I hold them back and press my lips together because I thought he would have let that go.

He traces his big index finger around my finger.  "Your hands are so small," He plays with my hand, rubbing his thumb in small arches back and forth.

"They are fun sized," I proudly say and he laughs, sharing his million dollar smile. "I'm sure your hands are fun."

He extends his hand out, palming his flat against mine and comparing them. His palm covers mine on all sides and his fingers are more than an inch longer than mine.

"Shouldn't you be driving and not playing games with my hands," I suggest playfully.

He curls his fingers around mine, drags it closer, and pretends to eat my hand. I squeal, making him laugh  "There you go judgin me again."

"Well, I'm precious cargo and Maxine wouldn't be happy if you damage me," I bat my eyelashes.

He chuckles and playfully fists his big dinosaur hand into my open palm and clasps it with ease. I turn my face, trying to swallow this one butterfly that always keeps trying to come up out my mouth. I didn't really realize where we were until Jaylan parks in front of a brick building that had 3D Edison bulb letters saying Old Town Ink. I arch my eyebrow and look at Jaylan palming the wheel and backing into a parking space.

I think I'm going to burst into all the candy I ate over the years. My mouth begins to salvate from his arms showing, muscles flexing from him adjusting his arm from palming the wheel.  Jaylan puts his car in park, glances over at me, and chuckles. He grabs his keys and phone.

"Wait Jaylan, I thou-"

The door slams before I could even finish what to say. How rude. I grumble under my breath how he is a gran malvado (Big meanie) when he swings open the door and reaches his hand for mine. I slap it to be funny and he squats down, his eyes at my eye level, right directly in my face. They look serious and burning with molten heat.

"Lizzie," he starts in a low, serious but slightly strained voice. "You, in that dress, looking at me like that, giving me deposits, is not helping me try to be a gentleman."

Deposits?  Deposits for what?

I told Alexis this was a bad dress.

"I..." My face burns as I look down at my lap, where the short edge of my dress sits. "Thought it was -"

'Beautiful." His breath fans warmly over my lips, like he's breathed out his own Sunday confession. He pauses, his eyes study mine, then his voice strains around each word, "Unbelievably sexy."

Wait, me? Did he just say -

Jaylan's compliment, and the heated way he's looking at me like I'm edible and he's starving, flushes my body with heat. Like I've jumped head-first into a volcano, it starts in my face, spreads down my neck and chest, and even flushes down between my toes. It also pools right in between my legs, along with a faint pulse beat. My skin tingles and my blood rushes faster through, like my body is lighting up with electricity.

I like this new, unfamiliar feeling. It's thrilling like I'm soaring down the initial drop of a rollercoaster, but a little scary. I bite my lip, not that I have any words I'm pulling back.

"You better behave or I'll make you eat broccoli," The way his eyes glint makes the butterfly escape from my mouth finally, right on his cheek.

The mention of the evil vegetable twists my face into a scowl, which Jaylan laughs at.

I smile at him and he helps me out of the car, where I'm glad the cool air meets my warm cheeks. For a second, we stare at each other, welcoming our invisible kiss with our eyes. He sends a arrogant smile and touches my back softly, making all the butterflies scream in my tummy. I don't think butterflies can scream but mine feel like they are. He shuts the door and clasps on to my hand.

"Why are we at a tattoo shop?" I look up at him but all he does is smile.

"Because I need to vent," he says and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. I miss his reason why and I hate that. Wait wait wait, is this -

"¿que estas obteniendo? (What are you getting?)" Jaylan smiles with the quizzical look I was hoping for.

"Doc McStuffins," he says with his eyebrows drawn together.

I giggle and shyly lean into him by accident. "Sorry, what are you getting?"

"Good question." He opens the door for me and I walk into a small, interior store with black and white tiles and a large, wood service counter with 'tattoo' written in large letters. The room is filled with unorganized picture frames, making my eye twitch in wanting to reorganize them. The walls are teal, which makes no sense of style. Jaylan happily walks up to the center desk to this oddly tattooed guy, over all of his face, with piercings in his nose and ears that are so big I can see through the earring holes.

"Welcome backkk." The guy extends his hand to Jaylan.

"I know, it's been a minute Todd," he admits, then looks down at me, where I'm still displeased with all these unorganized frames.

"You got anything in mind," the tattoo guy Todd says and looks at me with a smile. "Or you?"

Who me? A tattoo? Kim Kardashian says you never put a bumper sticker on a Bentley so this Bentley would never get one.

"For me, sure." Jaylan nods.

Todd waves him back to go through a veiled, red curtain, which makes no sense to me why this is in here. If Lexi was here she would have had a seizure. Jaylan caresses my hand again, I guess 'cause I was twitching my eye or maybe I was fiddling with my necklace.  We walk into a room that actually makes sense out of the whole place, with nondescript white walls, a leather barber's chair, and a counter with torture-device looking equipment laid out on trays. 

"So where are you getting your tattoo this time?" The overly doodeld man asks, setting stuff up his trays. My eyes narrow in on his safety precautions and contact precautions but my mind eases when I see the certificate for blood pathogen certification and him snapping on sterile gloves.

I don't have time to process when Jaylan lets go of my hand and flings off his shirt. Wait wait wait wait..... one two, three, four, five, six... seven... eight.

"This could use some work," Jaylan says, rubbing his hand over his eight abs. He barely has any tattoos on his torso, surprisingly, except for a few. There is one writing in cursive, an olive branch, and someone's name above his chest. I can't really make out who's name because I think my vision is starting to blur.

Where are my glasses?

I huff as I start to dig through my purse and... Ahh, here they are. I place my glasses on, only for them to magnify Jaylan's chest and stacked abdominal muscles even more!

"Oh querido (oh dear)," I mumble, taking my glasses off and placing them back in my purse. Bad idea.

Jaylan smirks as he lies back, shutting his eyes on the black chair and adjusting himself comfortably. I stand by the doodle man, who pushes over a metal chair for me to sit on.

"So, thoughts?" The doodle guy holds up a sketchpad and black ink pen.

Jaylan opens one eye and peeks at me, making me sit back in my chair. "She gets to pick." He shuts his eyes, not looking at me anymore.

My eyes widen at his outrageous remark and the doodle man laughs. The butterflies are having a fire dance in my tummy right now and I nearly fall off my chair at the weight of Jaylan's casual suggestion.

"Lizzieeeee," he drags out my name, not looking at me.

My head shakes so fast, his calm face blurs back and forth. "No Jaylan."

"Lizzie, I only have an hour slot here and with Maxine, so you have to pick."

My eyes grow bigger at his comment and he laughs like he knew it too. "Jaylan."

He mouths, 'por favor,' and I grunt, only for him to laugh at me... again. His eyes open and my mouth dries the longer he looks at me, full of warmth and desire.

He's getting a tattoo? On him... about me? What is he thinking? Wait, what is he thinking? Why is he getting a tattoo? Surely, this is a....

"Elizabeth," he says sternly, like he is Papà.

What should I even pick?

He probably won't even like it.

I sigh discontentedly and Jaylan chuckles. I nibble my lip and try to formulate what he should get. My heart thumps so far as I start to search on Google to see if maybe I could find some inspiration. The only thing I keep thinking of is a white rose but surely Jaylan wouldn't go for something like that.

I get up, finally after debating at least four minutes over the right photo and walk over to Jaylan. I tap him on his shoulder. He peeks up at me with his eyes open and lets out a sweet smile.

"I like that one, show him." He nods at the patiently waiting Todd.

I nearly drop my phone. "Wait, but wh-"

"Lizzie, I like it. Relax," he assures calmly.

His entire persona, from his relaxed shoulders to half-closed eyes and cute smile, Jaylan radiates calm. I however, feel like my heart will burst out of my chest and my skin is crawling at the finality of this choice.

I furrow my eyebrows at him and spin my flats to the doodle man and he looks at my choice, nodding. He takes my phone and I sit back in my seat. After a quick sketch and placement, Jaylan nods. The buzzing noise feels like my nerves are speaking as Todd adjusts his chair near Jaylan's chest.

Upon the needle's contact, Jaylan pokes out his lip and holds his long arm out to me. "Hold my hand, I'm scared," he playfully frets.

I giggle as I felt my face warm up. The doodle man places my chair on the opposite side of Jaylan and I sit right next to him. He clasps my hand and doodle man Todd begins to work on Jaylan's journal entry.

I don't think I can blink for the next fifty minutes.

Edited by: still_just_me