(don't know what to name this yet, but please read.) - June 13, 2011

It was raining outside continuously for days. I've been so bored and lonely. I started to fall asleep...then all of a sudden, "BANG!" I wake up, dizzy and confused, my hair a mess. Then I see Jack get back on his feet, he tripped on the oxygen cord.  I haven't used the oxygen since last night, I didn't need it. "Are you okay?" I asked. He looked over looking as startled as I was that he snuck in here. "Yeah. I'm fine, don't worry about it." He didn't say this in a mean way.  He just didn't want me to worry about him while I could be worrying about myself, in the condition I'm in right now. I pulled his hand so he went on the bed, he pulled himself closer to me, we held each other, our arms wrapped around each other. I could feel his heartbeat beating against mine...it was the most wonderful feeling in the world. He must of gotten a shower, his hair was still damp and his skin was warm beneath his white t-shirt, and he had this sweet smell to him. Not a girly sweet, but a sweet that you can't explain.  I noticed something different about him. "Did you get a haircut?" I asked him, backing away from our embrace. "Yeah, I did." He said. "It looks really nice." Not that this was a surprise, he always looked cute to me. It's just he looked different, maybe even cuter if it was possible. He cupped his warmed hands on my cheeks and kissed me. It was a very long kiss, he must have missed me as much as I missed him. When I finally came up for air, I said, "So, how's school?"

- Lacie Solt (former author of short stories that never were finished, The Way I Am and Between Two Lungs)