One Life

15.

I had fallen asleep on the car ride home, even though it was only half an hour away. I guess half of it was because I had just gotten out of the hospital, and maybe another part of it was that I was exhausted from not sleeping well during the time I was in the hospital. Either way, I didn't wake up until Sal had to wake me up when we pulled into his driveway.

"Hey, gorgeous," Sal whispered, trying not to startle me. "Hey, babe, come on. We're home. Let's go inside and go to sleep, alright? The bed is more comfortable than the stupid car seat, yeah?"

I groaned as I turned over onto my side, seeing what Sal would say or do. "Let me sleep," I whined as I tried not to laugh.

"Mickey, come on," Sal said, shaking my shoulder gently. "I'm tired, too."

"Carry me," I said, finally giving in. I put my arms out for him and pouted sleepily. "Please?"

Sal smiled slightly as he also gave in and got out of the car, coming over to my side. He opened up the car door and picked me up bridal style. I giggled as I wrapped my arms around his neck loosely and kept my eyes closed, even though he knew I was slightly awake.

"I love you," I told Sal as I kissed his cheek softly. "You're the best thing to ever happen to me."

Sal looked down at me as he stopped walking dead into the door way. I know I had told him that he was the best thing to ever happen to me before, but I think the moment just had him so caught up.

"What..?" Sal asked as he stared into my dark brown eyes.

I simply shrugged with a sleepy smile. "You heard me," I giggled, kissing his cheek softly. "I said that you're the best thing to ever happen to me. I've said it before and I'll say it again."

A giant smile crossed his face as we kissed. He pulled out of the kiss after a minute and pressed his forehead to mine.

"And you're the best thing to ever happen to me," he whispered as he brought me into the house. He walked me up the stairs and laid me down in his bed. "Are you comfy? Does your arm still hurt?"

I giggled quietly with a shrug. "I mean, this bed is like ten times better than that stupid hospital bed, but yeah, my arm is still sore from before. I don't even want to know how much dried up blood is under the bandage."

Sal just rolled his eyes with a chuckle. "Alright, I'm just going to get the backpack out of the car then come right back up, okay? If you're hungry or something, let me know. I wanna make sure you're all cozy before we go to bed."

I nodded my head as he left the room. He always knew just what to say to make me feel comfortable, and it was so relaxing to know I had him as my boyfriend.

I began thinking back  to the day when he first asked me to move in with him. I was hesitant, and it actually took me a few days to answer him. I knew it drove him crazy, but I also knew he didn't mind because he wanted to make sure I was happy with the choice I made. I also understood why it drove him crazy, though, since he literally took me on dates to the most expensive restaurants, even though I told him I didn't mind simply going to some small cafe for a dinner. Usually after our dinner dates, we would just go back to his place and I would spend the night since I didn't live as close to him as I wanted to. I would spend the night as his place, and my parents would always be worried that we were doing something that they wouldn't like. That was never the case, with the exception of one time when we were both just.. really in the mood.

As my mind stopped thinking about the past, Sal came back into the room with a few Oreo cookies and a glass of milk. He had a warm smile on his face as he sat the glass down on the nightstand and the cookies in a napkin on the nightstand.

"Brought these for you, beautiful," Sal said, getting into the bed with me. He kissed me softly as he lied down with me in bed. "Jenna actually brought the Oreos to the house when we were in the hospital, cause I kinda asked her to while you were asleep. I know they're your favorite, babe."

My smile widened as I rolled on top of him and straddled his waist. "You're so amazing," I told him, taking his hands into mine. "Did I ever tell you how amazing you are? Because you're pretty damn amazing."

Sal turned red in the face as his grin grew even wider. "You need to shut up," he laughed, kissing my hand gently. "You always spoil me with compliments and make me blush. I don't even know why you said yes to me, honestly. You're so amazing, and I'm just.. Sal."

I looked at him straight in the eye and shook my head. "You're not 'Just Sal'," I told him, brushing his hair back gently. "You're the best thing to ever happen to me. You were and still are the funniest joker, the cutest joker, the shy joker, and.. my god, Sal, why don't you see what I see in you?"

"Why don't you see what I see in you?"

Good come back.

"I just don't see myself as 'beautiful' or 'gorgeous'," I confessed, grabbing myself a cookie. I broke it off and handed him one half. "I just see myself as.. plain and normal and simple."

Sal bit the cookie and stared up at me as he chewed. "Well let me tell you something," he said to me, nodding his head. "You are the most beautiful, gorgeous, stunning girl I have ever seen in my life," he said. "Please start believing me, alright?"

I swallowed my cookie half and wiped my mouth. After a minute, I nodded with a smile. "I'll believe you if you promise to believe what I say when you are the most handsome, cutest, most perfect man in my eyes. And nothing can ever change that."

As I cuddled next to Sal, I kissed his forehead gently and kept brushing at his hair.

"I believe you," Sal said after a minute before shutting off the light.

I didn't break my promise.