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“I know.” I limped towards the window. Each step hurt worse than the last, and I was pretty sure my body was being propelled by sheer will alone. But I kept going. Because there were some things you crawled towards if you had to.

I reached the sill and looked down. My breath caught in my throat as soon as my eyes landed on Dee standing out in the parking lot. Head tilted back, peering straight up at me with his hands blocking his eyes from the sun. But even brighter than the sun was his smile.

Wide. Relieved. Happy. Hopeful. All of it mixed up into one.

I put my hand against the glass at the same time he dropped his. Then he reached into his pocket and typed out something on his phone. Mine buzzed again, and I glanced at our message chain.

Dee the Dipshit:

Well?

I laughed through the tears spilling down my cheeks, my fingers doing their best to work the keyboard.

Me:

You know it always has been for you.

His phone lit up, and I watched him read it. His smile briefly disappeared. Replaced by something softer. Something that nearly broke me.

My phone vibrated in my hand.

Dee the Dipshit:

I know, Alvy.

Then another.

Dee the Dipshit:

This time, I’m coming in and never climbing back out.

My knees nearly buckled again. “Fuck.”

The nurse moved closer, probably assuming I was about to collapse. To be fair, maybe I was. Because Dee started walking towards the hospital entrance. Towards me.

I pressed my forehead against the glass. Crying harder now. Laughing too. Apparently near-death experiences had turned me into a fucking Hallmark movie.

My phone buzzed.

Dee the Dipshit:

Because I love you.

My hand flew over my mouth as I kept reading.

Dee the Dipshit:

I always have.

Then the last one.

Dee the Dipshit:

And I always will love my boy next door.

I slid down carefully against the window. Actually fucking sobbing now. As I suddenly realized that one time I kissed my best friend out by that dock was never meant to be that one time. It was meant to be forever.

The end.