"You're trying to bribe me."
"Is it working?"
She laughs. Not the tired, automatic one she's been giving me lately. "It's working."
I set the food on her desk, and she immediately digs in. I sit on her bed and watch her eat, relieved to see some color returning to her face.
"Thank you," she says around a mouthful of enchilada. "I didn't realize how hungry I was."
"When's the last time you ate?"
"Um, breakfast?"
"Sutton, it's seven."
"I know. Time got away from me." She takes another bite. "This is so good."
"I also got you something else." I grab the basket from where I left it by the door.
Her eyes widen when she sees it.
"It's a finals survival kit. You're going to need it."
She sets down her fork and pulls the basket toward her. She picks up the candles first, then the bath bombs, and then the chocolate.
"You didn't have to do this."
"I wanted to."
She finds the note and reads it. When she looks up at me, her eyes are shiny.
"Thank you," she whispers. "This is really sweet."
"You've been stressed. I wanted to do something to help."
She stands and crosses to me, climbing into my lap. She wraps her arms around my neck and buries her face in my shoulder.
"I love you," she says.
"I love you, too."
She pulls back and kisses me. Soft at first, then deeper. Her hands slide into my hair.
This. This is what I've been missing. This connection. This feeling of actually being together rather than just existing in the same space.
When she finally pulls away, she's smiling. A real smile that reaches her eyes.
"Okay," she says. "Thirty minutes. Then I have to get back to studying."
"Deal."
While she eats her meal, I take out my container. We talk. It feels like we haven’t talked in forever.
It feels normal. Easy. Like maybe I was imagining the distance.
When thirty minutes is up, she kisses me again. "Thank you. Really. I needed this."
"Anytime."
