The soft knock on the glass made her turn her head, and there he was. He raised his hand slowly, as to wave at her, and the boyish awkward look on his face, made her smile.

As he saw her smile, the weight he had been carrying around, the worry that had accompanied him the last few days, was gone all of a sudden, and he realized, all he needed was to see her face, that smile he craved...apparently. It felt almost like it had a healing effect on him, something he never experienced before. Caring about someone you know is going to leave you? That's almost sadistic? A complete lost cause, a battle you can never win, only take part in, and what role will you play?

He wondered.

It took almost 3 weeks before Skylar was allowed back in the room. Ryder was waiting for her, he had been standing in front of the window every day for 3 weeks looking at her.

Waiting for her.

"I can't believe I actually missed this room!" Skylar said, as she rolled over the threshold, like she had done hundreds of times before. But this time it felt different.

"I can see why" her dad said, as he spun her around, to realize Ryder was behind the door holding a sign, which said: WELCOME HOME on it, seemingly store bought, and the cheesy deliverance made her laugh out loud.

"He insisted!" Dave said, and sighed.

"Your dad picked it out" Ryder retorted, and they all laughed.

"It's definitely the thought that counts" she said, and took the sign from his hand, dragging him by his wrist, until he was close enough to hug her.

"Enough of that...I need cake" Dave said, and gave Ryder a determined push towards the table.

"Awwww you guys even bought a cake! You really thought I was a goner, didn't you?" She smiled.

"Don't even joke about that!" Ryder said. He had developped this serious side to him, which he didn't even know excisted! It took him by surprise. Her too it seemed, as she raised her eyebrows, and nodded politely.

"I am allowed to joke...if I stop doing that you should be worried!" She smiled at him, trying to lighten the mood.

"I guess" he said, and he caught Skylar and Dave exchanging a somewhat worried glance.

"Red Velvet...my favorite" she said, as she sliced through the white icing.

"I might be a shitty dad, but at least I remember your favorite cake" Dave said.

"That counts, for sure" she said, as Dave gave her shoulders a slight squeeze.

Ryder wondered how they could be so easygoing around each other. The past they shared could easily ruin any possible chance of reconciliation, but they seemed to have found a common ground somehow. The way they spoke to each other, the jokes they made...the tone of voice, and the subtle innuendo they shared, caught him by surprise.

It made him think about the relationship he had with his mother. He could never be this relaxed around her, for some reason it just didn't come natural. How can you be relaxed around someone you ultimately don't trust? She hadn't given him any reason to trust her. The times he cried for her, begged her to help him...a child never forgets. He hadn't. Every beating she witnessed, was carved into his brain with a chisel! She chose not to act. She chose not to leave. She chose that life for them. How could he feel relaxed around her?

"Have some cake" Dave said, dragging Ryder back to reality. Going down memory lane was less appealing anyway, and so he was thankful to Dave for bringing him back.

Dave left them after he finished a greater part of the cake, and so they just sat there next to each other on the bed, there was only silence between them.

He felt awkward, he was usually really chill around Skylar, but something had definitely changed that.

"Why did you take off like that?" Skylar broke the silence, he knew she would...eventually.

"I am not sure why" he said, but he knew that was a lie, and so did she.

"I don't believe you" she said.

"Why don't you believe me? I am not like you Skylar. I don't have the right answer every damn time something happens, you know? I just act on impulse" he said trying to convince her...and himself?

"So...your first impulse was to run...run away, and just leave me behind" she sighed under her breath.

"That's what I do best...leave" he said, shrugging his shoulders, they were sitting close enough for her to feel the motion of his gesture against her body. It made her jump.

"I don't believe that, maybe in the beginning. But not anymore...I don't believe you intended to leave. I think you were just scared" she turned to look at him.

He did not move.

"Of course I was scared!" He said, and finally he looked at her, he did not blink. His blue eyes made her forget all the words she had lined up, but she did muster up the most important question she could think of.

"Why were you scared?"

He was still fixed on her, and for some reason she felt unable to look away.

"I was scared that you were never going to wake up, I don't know what I would do, if you hadn't come back to me" he said, and suddenly everything around them seemed to become blurry. The only image in focus was the look they shared.

He turned his body towards her, and let his one hand rest on her cheek for a short minute, but it felt like an eternity to her. His touch was almost electric, she felt the waves cascade through her entire body, it made her light-headed.

His hand moved slowly from her cheek, and he let the outside of his grip slide down her neck, making her gasp. She lifted her hand, and reached for his hand grabbing it before fainting, that's what it felt like.

But she did not faint.

This is the kind of moment you read about...she read about a moment like this so many times, imagining what it would feel like to have someone look at you like that. Like they might actually love you?

She read about that tender moment hundreds of times. In novels...in poems, but experiencing it for yourself, is something entirely different. Words cannot describe what it feels like to have someone touch you like that...so gentle. A touch like that can stop time. No words can describe how your heart is pounding so hard, you are out of breath...how a simple glance can make you forget where you are...words just cannot describe what it feels like at that pivotal moment, where you realize you might be sitting in front of your soulmate. There are no words. Only feelings. For the first time in her life, no books could save her, no words would comfort her.

There is no remedy for an ache like that. Her entire body was aching for him.

And she wondered if a boy would feel the depths of that too?

Ryder did.

As he leaned towards her, he felt the same turmoil inside, knowing once his lips reached hers, his life would never be the same.

Some kisses are like that.

Life changing.

That's exactly what happened as they met in the middle...her lips - the sweetest he ever tasted, and as he closed his eyes, he knew exactly what Skylar would leave for him.

A broken heart.

Nothing less. But it would be worth it. He knew that much...that's what a real kiss does...it makes it all worth it.