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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐘. Dawn sat curled up next to Jimmy. Her head rested on his shoulder as they both tried to get in as much sleep as possible. Both groups, along with their managers, had been waiting at the hospital for roughly 2 hours. Lola was okay, thankfully.
She'd suffered a minor heart attack, that her reckless addictions most likely had caused, along with the little to no rest she'd gotten on the tour. The horrifying experience had somewhat brought Jimmy and Dawn closer together. A shift had taken its place inside Dawn.
"Dawn," Jimmy spoke. His voice was dreamy and soft, and Dawn couldn't decide if it was the way he produced every sound or just the natural tone of his voice that pulled her in more. Either way, she couldn't get enough of it, and she'd gladly listen to it all day.
"Dawn, Lola is awake now," Jimmy said.
Her eyelids flickered open as she slowly snapped back to reality. Jimmy's soft-spoken voice was a gloriously pleasant one to wake up to. Everyone but Dawn and Jimmy had cleared out of the room, which left the two all alone.
Dawn stretched her legs and stood up from her chair. Her mind raced and wandered before she asked a question, that she had been dying to ask for ages — "Jimmy, can we talk?"
He returned a gentle smile and sat back down in his chair, where Dawn took to the seat next to him. She'd prepared herself for the very moment. But as she sat there, her mind fell empty of all thoughts and lines that she had rehearsed within herself. "I just-" She didn't even know what to say. Jimmy grabbed her hand and rubbed his thumb on the top of her hand. His were warm, but hers were icy cold. She felt frightened by what would happen as soon as she revealed her thoughts. She was always so confident, but as soon as the subject of matter turned to her past, she felt fragile. She almost couldn't look at him, and when she did, she was afraid that he'd see right through her. That he'd see her flaws, the chaos within her that had been actively erupting for too long. That he'd see every single thing that she despised about herself. "I-I can't," Dawn whimpered. She let a single tear run down her face before she flew from her chair. But she didn't get far before Jimmy's voice stopped her. It was no longer the soft tone her ears had gotten so used to hearing. This time, it boomed through the room like thunder on a rainy night.
"What is it you're so afraid of, Dawn? Tell me!" Jimmy asked. The fear came like crashing waves, those of a winter beach rather than with any warmth. Dawn's heartbeat grew louder and faster as every moment passed. She breathed loudly through her nostrils and turned around to face Jimmy. She knew he was pressuring her because he cared, but it felt like an open wound and he was doing nothing but pouring salt on it.
"Please don't," Dawn whispered, and stared straight at the ground.
"Why not?" He asked.
"Because I'm scared." She said.
"Afraid of what?"
"I'm afraid of falling in love just to get let down again."
The room fell quiet as Jimmy stared at Dawn in complete admiration of her bravery.
Dawn didn't need to tell Jimmy about her past. He already knew, and he wanted to kill every person who'd ever let her down because she didn't deserve that. She spoke those words with such courage, aware of the fear they brought. She let her walls crumble and her tears run. Dawn never cried. Everyone knew that. She'd always stated that it was a waste of time. That was, at least, what her father had taught her when he used to beat her as a daily routine. Just suck it up!
The nightmares had returned as well. This time, they'd robbed her of any kind of sleep at all. Worst of all, she never spoke of the terrible times. She just let them be, hoping that one day they'd disappear.
Jimmy took a deep breath and walked to Dawn. He took her by the hands. Hers were shaky. They always were.
"Look at me," Jimmy spoke. He grabbed Dawn's chin and gently made her look up at him. Her eyes were puffy and red, and a tear or two rolled down her face. "I will not hurt you, Dawn. I promise." Jimmy spoke as he caressed her cheek, attempting to comfort her."I've heard those words before." Dawn spoke blankly, wiping the tears off of her cheek.
The words of empty promises weighed heavily in her heart, and she wondered if she would be a fool if she took Jimmy's words. In her mind, no greater fraud existed than a promise not kept. But when she looked into his adoring eyes, it felt so right.
"You don't have to trust me. I can't force that upon you. Just know that you can." Jimmy spoke. She didn't have to worry if she could trust Jimmy's words. She could feel it in her bones. That it was safe to just believe in him. Dawn had never felt that before; A complete sense of security.
She couldn't help herself. Her heartbeat grew faster, and she could feel the thumping sensation in her throat. Her cheeks felt hot like the summer sun, and her stomach felt like a wild bunch of butterflies. The two stared at each other for what felt like centuries. They were both so entirely captivated with each other that nothing — and no one — mattered. Before Dawn could relinquish her mind from its far places, Jimmy had wrapped his arms around her waist. Warmth blossomed in Dawn's chest as Jimmy leaned in close. Their lips brushed each other. For a long time, they kissed. So passionately that the surrounding universe seemed to stop. Jimmy's lips felt so right on Dawn's that she never wanted them to part.
Who would have thought that something so small could be so everlasting? Something so short would be the thing they both spend days waiting for.
When their lips did part, both were incapable to open their eyes for a few moments afterwards. Dawn let out a shaky yet relieved breath as she opened her eyes to see Jimmy.
"I trust you." Dawn smiled. She knew she had to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.
"I won't let you down. I promise."
"Dawn! Lola wants to see y—"
"—Oh,"
Mandy stopped in her tracks as her eyes met the two standing close together in the small waiting room. A quirky smile spread itself across Mandy's face. Everyone had known that they'd end up together. They'd even gone as far as betting on the new couple.
"Lola wants to see you," Mandy spoke, concentrating on trying to keep herself from laughing.
"I should go." Dawn smiled at Jimmy, who gave her a small peck on the lips as if it was a natural habit.
"I'll be right here," Jimmy said and as Dawn walked out of the waiting room, for the first time in forever, she felt safe knowing that when she returned, he'd still be there. Always.
