Beside You

Three

POV: Cara

His cold lips were against mine, and I immediately sat back upright.

He was trying to catch his breath, but we didn't kiss that hard..

"You taste sweet."

I look over my shoulder and his eyes were on me, and the joy in his grin stuns me.

"Look, I can't be doing these types of things.."

"What type of things? Kissing? I thought you said in your application you were single."

My heart stops beating.

"You-you read my application?"

"I always read about my caretakers, dimwit."

"Stop calling me that."

I see his teeth through his lips.

"Dimwit."

"Stop!"

"Fine, dimwit."

I stop by the door when I hear his sharp breaths again as soon as I step out of his room.

"Cara!"

He yelled my name, and I hurry back into his room, checking if he was ok.

"You forgot the mask."

His voice croaked and I turned on his ventilator, covering his nose and mouth with the mask.

Tiredness swallows me as I watch his eyelids fall heavy.

On my way out, I notice a poster he had at the back of his door.

It was of Kobe Bryant.

The best basketball player in the US.

I know it brings back his memories of himself being a basketball captain.

But doesn't it remind him of the pain he had been through that day of celebration?

Yawning the biggest yawn I ever had, I change into the pj's that I packed, and I slip into bed after brushing my teeth.

———————-0

The next day came, and I was woken up by the quiet beeping of Quinn's ventilator.

My door was open, I remember I closed last night..

And this was when I saw a small kitten.

It had pushed the door open and it was sleeping right by my feet.

Getting out of the blanket, I hold the purring kitten, stroking its soft head.

I put it down, and I enter Quinn's bedroom.

He was already awake, and his attention moved from the ceiling to me.

"You're awake."

I try to sound as calm as possible.

"I know you have swimming training today. Remember to come fetch me before you go after school."

He knows.

"You can't come with me-"

"I can if I want to." He responds with such an attitude.