Age 19:
From: [email protected]
What do you think it’ll be like when we meet one day? I’m picturing you in a top hat and loafers and me in a mid century dress with an oversized collar. Hot, right?
I also picture you dressed up like the guy from Monopoly. Hot for sure.
Lily
***
Was this a dream? It wouldn’t be the first time I replaced Shiny with Nathan.
Without a word, he captured my jaw with both hands. Then he covered my lips with his, kissing me with more passion than I’d ever felt from another person. The tension radiating off him was palpable. As tears dripped down my face, I looped my arms around his neck, raking my fingers through his hair. As the kiss went on, our breaths synced, quickening in anticipation.
The sounds of the hospital—the beeping of machines, small talk down the hall, the chime of the door opening and closing—faded away. All I could focus on was this intense connection. The electricity arcing from me to him and back again. This kind of passion had always seemed mythical, yet here it was. And really, it had always been there, in muted form. But now that I knew he was Shiny, that he knew every one of my secrets and I knew all of his, the passion was magnified. It grew and grew until I thought I’d explode with it. The sensation of his mouth brushing against mine was so amplified that I practically melted into the warmth and tenderness of his embrace.
Our lips danced, exploring as he caressed the back of my arms and slid his hands lower to squeeze my hips, as though he was testing that this was real.
Shiny. My Shiny. How had I not seen it before?
Nathan pulled back, brushing my hair from my face and searching my eyes. His fingers trailed across my lips like he still didn’t quite believe I was here.
I whispered, my voice barely even there. “In my head, it was you.”
His response was raspy, his voice almost unrecognizable. “My Calla Lily. I should’ve known.”
He planted two more kisses on my lips, this time soft and sweet, his mouth gentle on mine, and slid his hands to my shoulders. His fingers traveled to my hair, running through it till they got caught in my curls. Then he gripped the strands and pulled me back gently.
I choked on a laugh, tears still spilling over my cheeks. “And I should have known that only you would think mint Oreos are better than peanut butter ones.”
Nathan laughed and hovered over me, brushing his nose against mine, his own tears cresting his lashes. I leaned forward as much as the hospital bed would let me and kissed the tear away.
Smirking, he shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re real. That this is real.”
When we floated back down, he dropped the railing on one side of the hospital bed and sat beside me. He couldn’t stop touching me. Fingers grazing my knee, a light squeeze to my arm, brushing my hair off my shoulder. And I adored it.
His eyes never leaving mine, he asked, “How did we never put this together?”
My cheeks hurt from all the grinning. “I told you. In my head, you were Shiny.”
He chuckled. “I have to be honest. I never, ever thought it could be. I don’t think my brain could handle the thought of you being the same person. I still don’t think it can. I’m kind of short-circuiting right now.”
I laughed and squeezed his hand, my smile never fading. “So what do we do now?”
He squeezed back. “Whatever you want, sweetheart. I’m there if you are.”
I believed him. How could I not? He was the most loyal and faithful man there was. And he was mine. He had been mine longer than either of us had ever realized.
Nathan leaned in for one more kiss, then pulled back just enough to murmur, “I love you.”
“I love you more,” I said right back.
Nathan groaned, tilting his head back. “All this time, I was emailing Luke’s little sister about embarrassing erections in class and asking for advice about girls. This is so unreal.”
I sighed and relaxed back against the pillows. “It’s wild. You know everything about me. Everything. It’s all out now. The spark will fade so soon.”
“I think there’s still some spark, honey.” His hand traveled down my leg and back up, and I giggled. Only he could make me feel sexy in an oversized hospital gown.
And that’s when it dawned on me. “Here I was thinking we were living the brother’s best friend trope. Turns out we’re fated mates, Nathan.”
