Growing Up (A Joey Gracceffa Fanfic) *Jawyer

Chapter 20: Your Song

Sawyer’s POV

I lifted my head up. “Lead poising?” I asked. Joey made his way into my arms and I held him tightly. He softly felt my arm. Before he talked he let out a sigh. “Remember how I mentioned that I got lead poisoning from eating paint chips?” Joey said.

“I remember. That’s why you developed a learning disability for a while when you were little” I answered. Joey shook his head. His voice started to get scratchy. “It wasn’t for a while, I learned to overcome my disability. It never went away”

He paused as if he was thinking of what to say next. “That’s why I still can’t read things. I pretend it’s nothing. I try moving from the past but it always mages a way to come back and hurt me. I can’t read some things not because I was in Special Ed when I was little but because it’s still affecting me. I just have to stop making excuses for myself” Joey explained. 

There was a long silence between us. “Sawyer. Say something” Joey whined. “I don’t know what you’d like me to say” I responded. “My brain is being affected Sawyer! The doctor fears that it isn’t long until my memories start to be affected, not just my learning abilities” Joey revealed.

“Memories?” I whimpered. He took hold of my hand and kissed it. “I’m afraid I won’t remember you” Joey said. “The best I can do is create more memories. Memories that will impact me” Joey said. “The greater the memory, the more likely you’ll remember it?” I jumped in. “Precisely” Joey continued.

 “Why didn’t you tell me sooner so I could help you? What if you forgotten where you lived? What would you have done? I would probably be looking for you as we are speaking Joey” I said. “I did it to prevent you from getting hurt. My father walked out of us because of my mother’s alcoholic problems. It was hard for him and he couldn’t take much more of it. What makes you think that you do better?”

“I’m not your father” I said softly. “Your problem isn’t alcoholism” I continued. “It isn’t but I wish it was because then I could at least get help for it. With this I can’t control it. It’s something I have to live with” Joey said.  

“Now it’s something I have to live with too” I replied.

Joey’s POV

I looked down at the box and began to tear up. “Sawyer…” I cried. I couldn’t even talk. But Sawyer did the talking for me. He sang:

“It's a little bit funny this feeling inside

I'm not one of those who can easily hide

I don't have much money but boy if I did

I'd buy a big house where we both could live”

“Joey I want to make lasting memories with you as long as I live” Sawyer said. I nodded and finally said “Yes. Sawyer Hartman, I will marry you.”

Sawyer opened the box and pulled out the ring. “I know it isn’t much” he said. “It isn’t much” I said. He looked down. “But I don’t need much I just need you soy-sauce” I continued. Sawyer took the ring from the box and slid it on my finger. He lifted my hand toward him and kissed it.

As Sawyer held me in his arms I looked over at the ring.  I didn’t matter if how many carrots it was or if there was a diamond. All that really mattered was that Sawyer and I were going to spend the rest of lives together.

As began to fall asleep I muttered:

“I hope you don't mind

I hope you don't mind that I put down in words

How wonderful life is while you're in the world”