Aaron is already sprawled out on one couch and when we walk into the room, he looks up at us with one eye.
" Good morning," I greet him friendly.
" Hiya," is all he seems to manage.
" Aaron is not used to late nights," Jared explains, while he lies down on the other couch, moving to the back and pulling me down toward him.
I lie down with my back to him, facing the TV. He drapes his arm over my waist, and with his other arm under my neck, he pulls me closer to him.
Once we are both cuddled together, he whispers in my ear, "And neither am I, in case you were wondering."
In a low voice, I say seriously, "I am really sorry for my earlier outburst. I don't know what came over me. Usually, I am so good at keeping my emotions under control. Besides, isn't love supposed to make a person feel elated, not sad?"
Only when he turns me over to face him, do I realize what I had said. I was too forthcoming with information relating to love. I stare at his chest embarrassed.
He talks into my hair, close to my ear, and he murmurs, "So what you are trying to say, Elizabeth, is that after a mere three days, you really like me?"
" I know, silly isn't it?"
" You didn't answer my question," he insists.
I look up at him. The smile is gone from his face. Seriously I whisper, "If feeling this is how I want to feel forever, if never wanting to be without you for a single moment, to feel this comfortable with a virtual stranger, to have this sense of acceptance, of feeling a greater purpose in the workings of the universe bringing us together, then yes, I do."
Smiling slowly, he gets that dreamy look in his eyes again. He looks over my shoulder at Aaron, who grunts, "Yes, I'm awake."
We laugh together softly.
Jared hugs me tightly to him and sighing deeply, he kisses me on the forehead before he starts to watch the football game over my shoulder. He asks concerned, "Don't you want to watch?"
" Nah."
I turn my head so my ear rests against his chest. Listening to his heartbeat, I realise nothing could ever come between him and me. Jared is the first boy to ever tell me he likes me, the first boy to tell me he is giving me his heart. It happened so fast, too fast, so it is only natural I would feel unsure and am scared it is not real. It is normal for the earlier feelings of jealousy and uncertainty, which engulfed me.