Her laughter echoed in the empty hallway that Ro walked with Gabe. He clutched her hand, but as they neared the detention room, he let it go. As she passed the room, Ro caught Mico's gaze, and something in it reminded Ro of why she cared.
Gabe's hand on her waist broke the moment, making her knees lock. She struggled to breathe properly and tried to remember what she'd thought before he touched her. She couldn't.
The two stood in the hallway and Gabe kissed her, gently and passionately. She backed into the wall, bringing him to her before realizing she'd even responded. Pain ripped through her when they stopped kissing to breathe. Ro knew that intense physical attraction to Gabe was completely different to Mico. Ro knew Gabe's feelings for her weren't very strong at all.
She found herself trying to prove something; to test something, she pressed tighter so their bodies were close and their lips moved in synchronization. Before she lost herself completely Ro pulled back, tugging Gabe to keep moving so she could stop shaking. Detention let out the second she was around the corner.
Mico went in the direction of his locker, and surprise flooded through him to see Ro with Gabe still as he turned the corner. He had no doubt she'd been with him the whole time, and Mico's anger was incomprehensible to anyone but him. He settled himself with the notion that he had a claim on Ro that no one else had.
At his locker Mico texted Ro and asked if she still needed a ride. Her immediate yes made him smile, and his worry ceased. He told her to meet him at the side doors and she said okay. The second he saw her his whole body felt lighter.
He felt pulled towards her. He yearned to give her a life where she'd be only happy. Although she seemed happy too, Mico noticed her gaze was guarded. When he accepted that the only thing to do was let her have her way, he opened his arms to her, and her expression of caution dropped.
She sprinted into his arms and he held her tight around her waist. He felt too needy of reassurance. He wanted all of her, and he didn't care what it cost. The only thing that marred their fiery kiss was the word cancer as it seeped into his brain.
All of a sudden he remembered why he couldn't have all of her again. She knew something was amiss in his arms so she just tightened her grip and consoled him with a sweet kiss. She was crying when they both pulled away.
"Baby, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry that I kissed him." Though Mico felt like he'd been punched in the gut, he consoled the miserable girl that he had accepted was his destiny many years before.
Ro barely listened to Mico's, "It's okay, you're fine, we're fine." All she heard was the beating of both of their speeding hearts. She wanted Mico more than Gabe for this reassurance and safety. Sure, she was attracted to Gabe much more strongly than she was to Mico; however, there was an emotional connection between her and Mico.
The choice felt like it was breaking in two directions, but she clung to Mico for dear life. When her tears slowed, the two walked to Mico's van. They drove home, parted ways, and went to sleep early.
Ro had many nightmares of herself being bald and pale. They terrified her. She was petrified to close her eyes. She still noticed every detail of her life, as if it were in slow motion and she had minutes to notice everything going on.
In the morning she aoke and knew that it was the day she was going to the movies with Gabe. She had a text from him asking about plans and Ro went online to check movie times. She answered him with the time and movie and began getting ready.
She grabbed a ride from her mother on her lunch break and went inside the movie theater. Buying her ticket, Gabe came up behind her and put his hands over her eyes. "Guess who," he whispered softly in her ear. Her stomach dropped at the sound of his voice, but the question was completely unnecessary.
