My body collapses on the couch when I get home from physical therapy. I'm encased in soreness and my muscles are weak. Once I finally gain enough strength, I call Allie and leave her a voicemail asking her to call me back. I roll my head back on the couch and close my eyes, falling asleep to cope with the pain.
A knock on the door awakes me and I get up, slowly shuffling over to the door. When I unlock the door, worried blue eyes look up at me and Allie rushes to me.
"Are you okay?" she gushes, her hands grabbing my cheeks.
"Just fine, Allie. I just wanted to talk to you," I say, her head shaking.
"You didn't answer. I called three times, fifteen minutes apart. I got worried," she rushes, my hands grabbing hers. I squeeze her small hands and kiss her forehead, my hands letting hers go to grab her cheeks to get her to focus on me.
"I fell asleep. I'm perfectly fine. Just sore from PT," I say, her lips releasing a deep breath. She then flails her arms around my neck and I hug her close.
It's an odd feeling I have at the moment. Someone worried if I was okay or not and I have no clue as to what I did to deserve it. I've been a shitty man since my accident and I hate who I have become. But I want to do better. Be better for Allie.
"You're too young to stress," I tell her, earning a laugh.
"You're gonna give me a heart attack, Harry," she whispers, my lips pressing to the top of her head.
She pulls away and I take her jacket, her feet walking around the apartment for a while. I allow her to explore, my eyes watching as she gazes upon the pictures on my wall. There's only a couple of me with my platoon and one of my family before I left for the last time. My walls are bare compared to hers.
"You're a handsome Sergeant," she grins, her eyes gleaming. She walks closer to me and grabs my waist, her lips pressing softly against my cheek. My hands grab hers and I carefully spin her, the one dance move I hadn't been able to do. She beams, her smile so bright when she looks back up at me.
"Would you go out with me tonight?" I ask, her head nodding.
We get ready and walk outside, her hand holding mine. We go to a Chinese restaurant and she sits across from me, her hand running through her hair.
"How are you today?" she asks, my head nodding.
"I'm good today. Thanks. How are you?" I inquire, her arms crossing over the table.
"Good now that I know you're good," she smiles, my lips curving. It's almost like I can finally breathe again. All this time since the accident, I've been so choked up in my own pain and suffering. Now I have assurance from someone and I feel like I am free.
"Do you, um, have any plans for the future?" I wonder, trying to see where she's at with her life.
"I wanted to go to school, but life caught up to us," she explains, my interpretation being her brother's passing.
"So I have been working at Chaser's for a while, trying to make some more money for school," she continues, my head nodding.
"What do you want to do?" I ask, her lips curving at my question.
"I love art. Interior design specifically," she smiles, my hand grabbing hers across the table.
"You know, I sell my art sometimes," I tell her, her eyes widening.
"Harry, why didn't you tell me you're an artist?" she says, entwining our fingers together.
"Because I prefer not to make it something everyone needs to know. I'll show you my stuff later," I say, her head nodding. She says deal and I smile, her head turning to look at our waiter.
Once we order, my eyes fall on a familiar figure and I sigh. I forgot Jess made this a weekly place to come to and she chose today of all days to get her Chinese food.
"Jess is here," I whisper, Allie stiffening. But I see her slowly move to the chair next to mine, her back now facing Jess. Her body leans closer to me and kisses my cheek, her hand moving to my cheek.
"Is she still there?" she asks, but my eyes can't look. I'm so focused on her that I can't think about Jess right now.
"I-I," but I shake my head, her thumb brushing beneath my eye.
"You alright?" she whispers, my head leaning closer to hers.
"Fine," I say, her head leaning up. She lightly pecks my lips and I close my eyes, her hand so soft against my cheek.
When I open my eyes, angry eyes glare at me from behind Allie. Jess just shakes her head and walks out, my cheeks grabbed. My eyes focus on Allie and I apologize, her forehead pressing against mine.
"She hurt you. Just take your time," she tells me, my lips releasing a sigh. Our food comes and she lets me go, her fingers using the chopsticks. I set my hand on her thigh and she smiles, my lips curving over at her.
"Can I ask you something?" I say, her head nodding.
"I'm, uh, curious as to how far you've gone," I say, her eyes looking into mine.
"Um, I, uh, haven't really talked about this before," she blushes, her hand running through her hair. I brush my thumb over her knee, her blue eyes looking back into mine.
"I know that's really...invasive, but I just want to know your comfort level and thoughts. By no means am I asking for anything. Just...where you are," I explain, her head nodding. I feel her hand set over mine and hold it, my fingers holding hers.
"My first time was when I was eighteen. A stupid, beyond horrible drunk mistake after I graduated high school. Woke up and was just a mess and so mad at myself. I've only done it once since then and it wasn't that great," she says, her hand holding mine tight. It must've taken a lot to admit that to me and for that I'm grateful.
"Jess is the only one I've been with. I lost my...virginity at twenty two," I tell her, her eyes widening. It makes me laugh.
"H-How?" she asks, my smile unable to fade at how gorgeous she is.
"I just never wanted to be with someone like that. When we got engaged, I finally said I would. And when the accident happened, I lost her and I didn't care. I was a horror to be around because I had PTSD to the extremes and I wanted to die," I tell her, but I see her look down.
"I want to live now, because I have someone again. Someone that makes me want to be better," I whisper, her eyes flickering to mine.
"I know by me saying that is crazy but it's true," I say, her gleaming blue eyes making my heart pound.
"How does that even work?" Allie wonders, her surprise clear.
"Allie, I have been so alone and I hate what I am as a man, but I have never met someone so optimistic before you. You're...amazing," I tell her, her lips parting. "Because you're saving me."
~*~*~*~*~
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