Darkness. 

Neither pleasant not unpleasant. 

I hear voices. 

Yelling.

Sirens. 

I smell a memory. 

I hear him.

Him. 

Him.

My eyes fly open.

He's crying. 

I want to touch him. I want to help him. I want him to stop crying. 

I hear a beeping sound and everything goes dark again. 

William. 

"Nico?"

William Solace. 

"Nico, are you awake?"

My solace. 

Everything comes rushing back. There is light. Am I in heaven?

Nope, just the hospital.

"Oh my god, Nico, you're up!"

There he was. The boy I loved was here. All is good.

He hugged me gently, so as to not disturb the tubes connected to me, "I missed you."

"I love you," I whispered hoarsely. 

He froze, "What?"

I looked around for some water and, as if reading my mind, Will handed me a bottle. 

I took a swig and tried again, "I love you."

-----------------------------------------------------------

Three days and some convincing later, the hospital released me. 

I felt reborn. 

I couldn't stop talking.

"I missed you so much. I love you. You're so pretty." 

Will chuckled and held my hand as we walked toward his house.

"Your lips are so soft. They feel nice. I like kissing you."

He stopped walking and grabbed my face, smashing his perfect lips against mine. Fireworks were going off in my stomach and I ran my hands up and down his back. 

Will pulled away and I let him take a couple of breaths before kissing him again. 

Eventually, he pressed his hand to my mouth and giggled, "I like kissing you too."

"Why'd you stop?" I pouted.

"I want to make you feel special."

I definitely felt special when I walked into Will's room and found the floor covered in rose petals. 

I also felt special when he removed my clothing and pressed kisses all over. 

I felt even more special in his arms as we whispered I love you's to one another.

But I think I felt the most special in the park the following day. 

Will was on one knee, offering me a ring. 

It wasn't an engagement ring per se. 

It was a promise ring.

A ring that held the promise of one day getting married, having children, and growing old. 

A ring that held a promise I wanted to keep.

----------------------

Thank you to everyone who has become a devoted reader of this silly little story I began years ago.

Time passes faster than we can wrap our minds around. 

I was finishing off my last year of middle school when I began this. Now I am selecting which college I plan on spending the next 4 years of my life with. 

If I were to start this story over from the beginning, Nico would not have built his life around Will. In order to truly be in a healthy relationship with someone else, you must first be in a healthy relationship with yourself. 

That is what I want anyone who reads this story to the very end to walk away with. Do not live your life under the assumption that you are missing someone. No one person can fix what is wrong with your life. 

Make friends. Find hobbies. Explore your identity. 

I don't know much, but I do know that each and every one of you is special. 

You were put onto this earth for a reason. 

Don't throw away opportunities. 

I love you all,

Jackson