I'm on the couch in the sitting room, picking up where I left off on Pride & Prejudice. It's the first time I've read for fun since this past weekend. Aside from Nessie's visit yesterday and another therapy session with Dr. Cole this morning, I've spent the past few days catching up on schoolwork. My teachers are allowing me to turn in all my assignments online, which is convenient. It's been tough covering all my courses, but I've finally completed all my late work from the time I was in the hospital. My goal is to finish out junior year with at least a B in every class. Well, a C in math wouldn't hurt.

Reading a romance novel reminds me of Gray, causing a bittersweet feeling to resonate in my chest. Every day it becomes harder to be apart, and a story about the escapades of love only makes me miss Gray more. That being said, it also reminds me that Gray and I will someday return to being neighbors. Only footsteps away from each other. He'll pick me up in his truck and we'll take moonlit walks along the beach or head to the movie theater and kiss halfway through the film. I look forward to those days, but I also look forward to getting better. At Neo, I feel like I'm beginning to heal.

If only Gray had enough time to come and visit me. He's overwhelmed by homework assignments and college applications. We chat over the phone, the only way I can reach him while at Neo. However, it's not the same as seeing him, touching him, kissing him.

Per Dr. Cole's advice, I'm trying very hard to believe that school is the only thing keeping him from visiting me. I have to trust that Gray isn't purposefully avoiding me. He wants to see me but doesn't have the time right now. Sabina and André have made it easier, distracting my negative thoughts by roping me into evening card games with Tiff or swapping childhood stories out in the garden. It certainly helps, and I need all the help I can get.

"Paris Wills," a nurse calls from over the intercom, "There's a Grayson Pierce on line three for you."

Eagerly, I perk up from the couch, leaving my book there.

"Go get your man!" Sabina shouts from the other side of the sitting room, where she's watching a movie with André. André whistles, and I roll my eyes at their silly teasing.

I make my way down the hall to the row of call booths. Booth three is open and I climb inside, sitting down on the bench. I unhook the phone from the wall and hear Gray's soothing voice on the other line. If only I could hear it in person.

"Hey babe! Whatcha up to?"

"Not much. Just imagining you here with me," I whisper, letting my voice take on a flirtatious airiness.

"Really?" Gray questions, his voice dipping into an enticing low, "What am I doing to you?"

I bite my lip as I consider what to say.

"You're sitting right beside me, with this goofy smile plastered on your face."

"Goofy?"

"Yes, goofy," I mock before continuing, "As I turn to the side, you plant a fluttering kiss on my lips, and I silently hope that the feeling of your mouth on mine will never disappear."

"Like this?"

Suddenly, I'm no longer speaking with Gray on the phone. Instead, I'm looking right at him. Sure enough, he has a goofy smile plastered on his face. Instantly, Gray scoops me up in his arms and I melt into his inviting torso. I can hear his heartbeat in my chest, as if our hearts are beating together. It's the first time he's held me in weeks, but it felt like a lifetime waiting to touch him again.

Gazing into me, Gray gently graces his lips against mine. He pulls back before I have a chance to sink into them. Irked by his taunting, I place my hand against Gray's neck and bring him down to me, pressing our lips together. In the midst of our playfulness, Gray and I tumble down, reclining on the bench. Gray's tongue edges my mouth, begging to be let inside. When I open up to him, the taste of mint mingles with my tongue. I scrunch his sweatshirt with my fingers, holding on as I drown in Gray's sweet kisses, never wanting to come up for air.

***

Eventually, Gray and I pull apart and exit the call booth, making our way to my room. Evening rays peek through the small corner window, which provides the only natural light. Gray takes in the small, near empty space. Since befriending Sabina and André, I spend most of my free time in the sitting room. Otherwise, I use the library to complete schoolwork. It's the only place with computers. However, when I need a quiet, private place to write, I retreat to my room and jot down ideas in my journal. They're mostly fragments of poems, ideas I hope to someday flesh out.

Initially, Gray sits in a chair across from my bed, but I frown at him. He peers at me, unsure what I want.

"Come over here, silly," I instruct him. Gray smiles. Clearly he was waiting for me to invite him onto the bed. Although it's a twin, we can make it work. It's been weeks since we last laid with each other. I've missed falling asleep in Gray's arms and long to feel our bodies against each other once more, even if only for a few minutes.

Gray and I both lie on our sides and he snuggles close behind me. Our legs cuddle up against each other while Gray's arms lace under mine, wrapping my body like a cozy present. I feel safe in his embrace. Nothing can harm me while I'm enveloped in Gray's immense warmth.

As I rest my eyes, Gray inquires about my first week at Neo. I tell him about the lovely Dr. Cole and how well our first two therapy sessions went. When I relay Dr. Cole's advice that I need to work on trusting Gray, he kisses the back of my neck and softly whispers, "she's right." The vibrations of his voice tickles my ear and I can't help but giggle, overjoyed to feel Gray beside me.

Then, I tell Gray about Sabina and André. The news of me forming friendships ecstatics Gray. I'm pretty happy about it too. Especially since Sabina and André understand my pain. We may not experience the same burdens, but we all experience the anguish of depression.

Once I finish telling Gray all about my first week at Neo, he says he wants to tell me something. Curious, I prompt him to come clean.

"I'm taking a gap year," Gray explains in a quick huff.

"What? Why?" I question, pulling away from Gray and sitting up from the bed.

"Because I don't want to be without you."

While Gray's news is heartwarming, I can't help the nervousness building in my abdomen.

"Dr. Cole said that, whenever I feel unsure about something, I should ask for honest reassurance. So I'm going to ask you a question, and I want you to tell me the truth. Can you do that?"

"Of course. I would never lie to you," Gray guarantees, letting me proceed.

"Am I holding you back?"

The question swiftly escapes my lips, and I anxiously await Gray's response.

"Paris, look at me," Gray sits up and I focus on nothing but his gleaming green eyes sparkling in the light.

"You've never held me back. If anything, you've allowed me to go farther than I could've ever imagined. You gave me the courage to come out. I wouldn't be the person I am today if I never met you. You're my inspiration, and it's because of that inspiration that I want to be with you as much as possible. If that means taking a gap year, then so be it! I'll rent an apartment in town, find a job scooping ice cream cones or waiting tables, raise some extra money for college spending, and apply with you next fall. I'm doing this for you, Paris, but I'm also doing this for me." 

As the sun fades and moonlight descends over the room, I collapse into Gray's arms and sob on his chest, tears flowing from my eyes.

"There's no need to cry!" Gray assures me with a comforting laugh, combing his fingers through my long, black curls.

"I'm crying tears of joy!" I exclaim with a muddled chuckle that gets swept away by more tears.

While Gray sways me side to side, my chin resting firmly on his shoulder, a nurse enters my room and, hesitantly, tells Gray that visiting hours are over. She apologizes for ending our visit, but I assure her it's alright and sit up from the bed, reluctantly dragging Gray off with me.

Before we part, Gray brings my body into his for one final hug. I tilt my head up to catch another glimpse of his glimmering emerald eyes. In the midst of my gazing, we share one more kiss, and I try to remember the feeling of his lips on mine long after he departs.

As the nurse leads Gray out of the room, he shouts, "I love you!" I yell, "I love you," back, much to the nurse's chagrin, who chastises us for raising our voices. We apologize and Gray waves goodbye, walking out the door humming a familiar tune. One that I have trouble placing, racking my brain to recall the words long after he's gone. The words start coming to me, line by line.

"I hope you don't mind / I hope you don't mind"

I pause, humming the tune through once more.

"That I put down in words"

"What's the next line?" I mutter to myself, humming the tune yet again.

Finally, I remember.

"How wonderful life is while you're in the world"

I have no recollection of hearing this song before today. Only a faint memory of Gray strumming a guitar and singing those words. I didn't even know Gray played the guitar!

Stumped, I sink into my sheets and ponder. More details slowly fade into frame. Gray sitting beside my hospital bed, singing the song until tears are running down his face. Is it possible that Gray played a song for me while I was in the coma? Nonsense. How could I possibly remember something that happened while I was asleep?

Unless, even though I was asleep, I somehow heard Gray serenading me.

My memory flashes back to the night Gray and I danced along his bedroom floor, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's lilting duet echoing through the speakers.

"I don't know. Doesn't one of them die at the end?" I ask apprehensively, not looking forward to watching a sad movie and sobbing through the end credits.

"Yeah, but she belts her heart out and you know she'll always love him, even if he's gone."

After that, Gray said, "I don't think I could ever love someone as much as I love you, Paris."

Gray's song drew me out of that coma. That's why I remember it so clearly. It was Gray's love that brought me back to life. Even when I was on the edge of death, Gray still loved me. He expressed his love in the best way he knew how. By serenading me. And I woke up.

Our love didn't fade to black. It endures forever.