You Raise Me Up (Artemi Panarin)

2| Almost Together

Valerie

I wake up early this hot August morning and open my blinds. Man, it sure would be nice to go outside and experience this great weather. But instead of going outside I move away from the window and fix myself a cup of tea. It's supposed to make your immune system better and I'll take all the help I can get. After I get my cup of tea I sit next to the floor to ceiling windows. I place myself on a bean bag chair I recently purchased and watch the sun rise over the city.

I sit there for a while and let my mind go blank. Silence is good when all you do is get stuck in your own thoughts more times than not. And I was very much enjoying that silence, that is until I hear a knock on the door. I don't usually have visitors, like never, so I wasn't sure what to do. But I eventually pick myself up off the bean bag chair and walk over to the door. I open it up and see Artemi standing there with a mask over his face and gloves on his hands as he holds a plate of food in front of him.

"Good morning" he muffled from behind the mask as I peak my head outside the door.

"Are you also a traveling doctor along with a hockey player" I ask referring to the gloves and mask and he laughs.

"What? Oh... no. I just didn't want to get you sick" he claims and I smile.

"That's very sweet of you, but you don't have to do that. I can be around you and you're not going to kill me" I insist.

"Well then this is just embarrassing" he laughs as he takes off the mask revealing his perfect smile. I smile back at him not because I had to but because I wanted to.

"I thought it was kind of cute" I admit.

"Well I came over because I brought you a Russian delicacy to introduce myself, it's Syrniki which is the only thing I know how to make" he admits showing me the plate and I laugh.

"That looks great" I admit.

"Can I come in" he asks and I pause. I really wasn't supposed to let him in here... but how can I say no?

"Of course, come on in" I smile.

I welcome him in and close the door behind him. He turns to me and hands me the plate of food and I thank him. He removes his gloves and starts to look around.

"Your place is so freaking clean" he notices.

"Yeah. Germs can't spread if everything is clean" I say. He walks around my apartment before going to the window and stoping to look out at the city. I go into the kitchen so I wasn't too close to him and sit down with the plate of food he brought me.

"Are you sure it's okay that I'm here" he asks as he turns around to look at me but careful to keep his distance.

"Okay is the best word I could possibly use to describe our situation" I claim.

"What's the worst" he wonders.

"Deadly" I say over dramatically and his eyes go big. "I'm just kidding" I smile and he lets out a loud sigh.

"Don't joke about that" he pouts.

"What's fun about a life so serious" I question.

"I looked up what you have. I researched it and that doesn't seem like anything to joke about" he claims.

"That stuff you read, that's not who I am. I am not a disease. I am Valerie, I love to talk to people and help them out. I take my struggles and turn them into lessons and tell them to everyone who is willing to listen. Yes I am sick, and yes it sucks, but life is as beautiful as we make it. So I'm going to take what god has given me and make the best of it. And that includes death jokes" I insist and he smirks.

"I wish I had your optimism" he admits.

"Did you find anything else when you were searching the Internet" I wonder as I sit on a stool at the island and digging into the food he brought me.

I figured if he looked up what I had on the internet something else would pop up and I was curious to know what all he knew about me.

"You mean besides the fact that you're a famous motivational speaker with millions of followers all over the Internet and have some very very interesting blog posts? Nope.. didn't notice anything" he teases.

"I hope I didn't disappoint" I say.

"Quite the opposite actually. I could learn a lot from you" he claims.

"Like what" I wonder.

"Everything" he replies.

I hop off my stool and walk over to him at the window. He backs away a little as we both turn to the city.

"It's beautiful, isn't it" I ask.

"It's kind of scary" he admits.

"You can't let the things you don't know about scare you, you have to embrace the world for what it is" I insist.

"I am... thanks to you" he claims and I turn to him. He smiles down at me as he turns to me.

"So you really did read about me" I smirk.

"Turns out I got the coolest neighbor in the world" he claims and I giggle.

"You're the one who's a professional athlete. I think you're pretty cool" I admit.

"I haven't done anything yet" he claims.

"That's one of the greatest things about this life we all share. About this amazing city we live in. No matter where we've been we can always go wherever it is our hearts lead us. And your heart lead you here with a pretty great team, you've already done a lot" I assure him.

"But I'm nowhere close to where I want to be" he claims.

"And that's okay. You don't need to step foot on the ice and tear it down. Nobody starts at the top. Like this city you start from the ground, then brick by brick build up your future" I say.

"I can do that" he admits. "But I would really like if you were a part of the process" he claims.

"What do you want to do with a girl who isn't allowed to live" I ask.

"Now that didn't sound all too positive" he teases.

"I'm just trying to protect you" I claim.

"You want to protect me from someone who can only leave her apartment to go to the doctors office" he asks.

"Precisely" I admit.

"I don't want your protection. I want your mind and your heart. I'm going to need all the help I can get trying to fit in here" he insists.

"You're not going to fit in here, I can promise you that" I chuckle.

"Why's that" he wonders.

"I don't know... you're pretty unique" I say and he starts to blush.

"Thanks" he smiles.

"So what's the real reason you came over here, because I know you're not bringing Russian delicacy's to everyone in this building" I accuse.

"Maybe I like you" he says and I laugh.

"That's dangerous ground you're walking on" I warn him.

"I like dangerous" he claims.

"I'm not girlfriend material. I can't go on dates, I can't come watch all your games or hang out with your friends" I explain.

"I don't want that. I just want to be with you. You know, talk about things and be together" he shrugs.

"I don't want you to be reliant on me and me not be able to be there for you when you need me" I say.

"How about we try to figure this out" he says.

"I'm not opposed" I smile.

"Sweet. So were almost together" he asks.

"Almost together."