"Did Tommy make that?" Holden's resonant voice jerked me from my mindless observation of the paper boat.

"Yeah," I said while fidgeting with the corner of a loose sticker "is he going to be okay?"

"He is."

Narrowed steel eyes riveted on the glistering white hospital tiles, his stubbled jaw twitched with tension. Faith might be described briefly as an illogical belief in the occurrence of the improbable. But what Holden portrayed wasn't faith, it was unmistakable assurance. Like he could determine the outcome of the situation.

"Maybe you should head back, he's going to be out for awhile," Knox quipped whilst he fleetingly gazed at the translucent blinds of the window. The almost unnoticeable tracing of the moon behind the clothe bringing forth the current time.

The hours had passed by inconspicuously, consisting of me blankly watching Tommy while sipping stale coffee. It was however, impossible to ignored the flagrant tension between Knox and Holden.

Through the cracks of the door I had heard tidbit of their frustrated arguing. It had undoubtedly peeked at my inquisition but I didn't pry. If they had gone to the length of talking outside the room, it was a private matter.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'll call you if anything changes" Knox persuaded an unmoving Holden. I diverted my eyes at their mental conversation, silently folding up the craft boat. Holden hardly nodded in compliance, his objection blindingly clear.

"His going to love that" Knox said while directing his thumb to the plain white origami swan on the side table, appreciation indented in his eyes. I mastered a genuine smile, shifting to stand next to Holden.

"Tell him I said thank you for the boat" I steadily managed to maintain my wavering smile as I glanced at the winding wires disappearing into the bland sheets.

"I will," Knox responded while his large strides gulped down the few steps towards us "thank you for coming, Tommy really wanted to be the one to show you the boat."

Stunned, I staggered unbalanced when he circled his blurry arm around me. The hug was respectful, none lingering and good-natured. His eyes radiated appreciative warmth as he shuffled towards an unblinking Holden.

"Look man, I appreciate everything you do for Tommy. We both do, but your no obligated to help us." Holden's lips disappeared into an incredibly thin line as his penetrating stare flitted to Tommy's bed.

"I know."

They seemingly shared a private conversation, a heated on at that. Neither of them bothering to conceal the severity of the wordless discussion, both stiff and resolute.

Knox was the fist to flatter, his deep sigh bouncing off the walls of the small room. He slumped his shoulders, defeat weaving into his features. Soon after, Holden noticeably lessened his defence. He nodded jerkily before opening the door, falling in step with me as we retracted down the noiseless hall.

The chilly night air cocooned me immediately I stepped past the revolving doors, a great contrast to the the steady warmth in Tommy's room. Nonetheless, I blinked past the dry wind to sight the weathered down truck.

Maintaining the quietude, I clambered up the high raising of the car, reclining against the leather seat. Holden's nimble fingers clenched along the worn out wheel as he stared at the far away distance.

"Stay. Stay over at my place tonight"

"Okay" I whispered, watching his skin on his neck ripple as he rived the engine. I studied how steadfastly he stared out at the darkness as we ripped through the concrete road. I had a feeling something was bothering him, something other than Tommy's condition. Intuition maybe?

The truck's headlights outlined the two story house as we pulled up onto the drive way, crunching gravel offering me relief from my wayward thoughts. In the most clandestine way I could, I tried failingly to gauge Holden's emotions once again.

I breathed in sharply as I clicked off my seatbelt, disappointed at the steel wall Holden had enforced over his features. I dreadfully tread around the car to meet him at the front door, ducking past him when he twisted it open. Aggressive cheering rang through the house as Holden shut the door, my eyes shooting to the three burly guys consumed in their game.

Holden flattened the palm of his hand against my back, steering me up the stairs and past his engaged teammates. The heaviness of his footsteps matched rhythmically with my soundless ones all the way to his lone room.

"I got drafted" he mumbled after dragging seconds of us just standing in his room.

"That's what you wanted right?" I knitted my eyebrows together at the frown plastered on his sharply lips. His stare finally alined with mine, clear intent submerged in his steel irises.

"Yeah," he sighed, unable to maintain eye contact "when my mum got sick there was no one to help us, surely not my asshole of a father. I worked every deadbeat job I could to manage the bills, it was always just me and her."

"You want to do it for Tommy?" This had to be what Knox was talking about. He wanted to support Tommy the way he couldn't for his mother.

"Tommy needs to undergo surgery and Knox's paycheck can't sustain the hospital bills," he flexed his fists, clenching and unclenching them before exhaling "I know how it feels to have nothing, to live off hand to mouth. This time its different, I can help Tommy."

"What's bothering you?"

"I got drafted by the Patriots...if I sign, I'll have to relocate to Boston" the after effect of his hesitant words was the insufferable constriction of my lungs. Like the shards of a broken mirror, his words lingered in my head, the shattered glass scraping the walls of my throat. He was leaving.

"Oh,"

"Come with me," he said while tentatively tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. He narrowed the distance between us, skimming his long fingers across my cheek "you could go to the university there, major in art. Actually do something you like, not something your expected to"

"Holden, that's not how things work. I can't just pack up and leave" I sighed, resting my hand over his against my cheek.

"Why not?" He pulled me further into himself, the warmth of his large palm coxing me to relent my hesitation "you're better than just mixing chemicals in a closed off lab."

"How do you know that's not what I want?"

"Well I know that you discredit yourself to much, your an incredible artist" he slipped his hand from underneath mine, using his thumb to outline the curve of my lips.

"We've only been dating for a month" I said logically, biting my lip to stop his distractive touch.

"But I've loved you longer,"

It took a few seconds for my slow brain to grasp at his words, but when I did, a hurricane of emotions swamped my puny heart. He really did cause mass distraction in my heart. My eyes widened conspicuously as I stared numbly at his, my breathing coming to a conclusive halt. I wouldn't be surprised if he could make out the rapid drumming of my heart, I couldn't be bothered to tame it.

"I know you said the words 'I love you' first, but I was the first to fall in love" his deep voice grumbled, startling every sense in me awake "I loved you even before you knew of my existence. I loved you hopelessly and silently" he pressed himself closer to me, the hard lines of his chest tracing on my skin.

You would think that with eighteen years of practice, I would be able to formulate words instead of gaping dumbly at him. I was too shocked and confused to formulate my disheveled thoughts into coherent words. I wasn't prepared for his declaration and I was finding it incredibly hard not to be stupefied at the moment.

"That day at the bathroom, it wasn't the fist time I saw you" he disclosed after my frozen reaction "two years ago, I saw you at the cemetery. It was the day of my mothers funeral, when I say you crying it pulled at something in my heart. I had been so numb when she died, so when you evoked an emotion from me I was intruded. I guess my feeling transitioned and I began looking forward to seeing you."

"You love me?" I asked hoarsely.

"Yes, I love you" his answered whilst his eye twitched in amusement. Was I really that unobservant? Had I really not noticed him at all?

"Do you fall in love with every girl you meet at the cemetery?" I mumbled, gulping down the remnant of my shock.

"Just you."

His smiling lips slowly pressed against my own, they moved rhythmically over mine. It was a slow kiss but nonetheless, packed with waves of emotion. His movement were similar yet different in the way the had my knees buckling.

"I love you," he whispered against my lips.

"I love you too."