One Summer, One Goal

t h i r t y f o u r

He was breathing in coarse motion. Red marks were across his face and arms, his face was bruised, and he moved weakly.

"Baby, I'm fine," He groaned, attempting to sit in an upright position from the pain he's feeling, "Let's just go home, and rest!"

I padded a cloth of alcohol on a wound, "No," I said sternly, "You're in bad shape, you need to rest," I remarked, squeezing away the extra contents of the cloth.

Alex hissed slightly from the stinging pain. He ran a hand through his hair and muttered some curse words underneath his breath.

I wiped the sweat trickling from my forehead with the back of my hand. We were alone in the clinic since Timothy and Alyssa took off earlier than estimated.

Fortunately, The bruises on my boyfriend weren't big, and the cuts barely showed due to immediate healing and the medications prepared.

As I set aside the basin of alcohol and water, I hear Alex form the words, "I'm sorry," with his lips.

I turned to him and frowned, "You know you shouldn't have engaged in that fight, Alex," I shook my head in disappointment.

He licked his lips, "Yeah, I know, I'm sorry," He said again, "I was a dick to do that."

A sharp breath escaped my lips, "I understand that you're trying to protect me from that, baby. But you could settle that problem quickly with a mature conversation," I reasoned.

"You're right," He nodded in agreement, kissing the tip of my nose once I hovered above his body so I could lay right next to him.

As I tangled my fingers in his sweater, I grinned at him, "I know I'm always right!" I grinned smugly at him before laying my head on his shoulder.

~~~

"Happy Birthday, Alex!"

I screamed giddily as I entered his bedroom. His bed was a mess, blankets were toppled everywhere, and pillows were shooting across the room as he laid his head sleepily.

He raised his head, giving me a goofy and adorable smile. He adjusted in his bed, sitting up straight after running a hand through his hair.

I scuttled over to him with a breakfast tray of a perfectly battered pancake topped with syrup and a glass of orange juice. There was a flaming candle blazing on the three layered breakfast.

If he only knew the trouble I went through to make a breakfast here at their place at 6:00 AM. Thank God, Mr. and Mrs. Cooper said they'd take care of the damages.

My boyfriend groaned sleepily, pulling me by the hips towards his body, almost making his meal fall out of my hands, "Thank you, baby," He grinned, burying his lips in my neck, taking a whiff of my perfume.

October 26. Alex's birthday. I cleared out my schedule for today so we could take him out on a special dinner celebration tonight.

He nestled more in his bed, hugging me tighter. I set the breakfast tray on his lap, then I watched as he blew the flame off the candle.

I pulled out my phone then scrolled through Instagram, liking pictures of Addison from TikTok, when a chomping Alex looked at me dearly.

"What?" I creased a brow, putting my phone down on his side desk, "Is there something wrong with what I made?" I frowned.

He genuinely laughed then chirped, "No, your pancakes taste sweet... like you. But I want you try what you made."

Before I could protest, he sliced off a big portion of his pancake then insterted them in my mouth in one swift motion.