As the night drew to a close, I knew it was time to take Cecilia home. We drove in comfortable silence, the only sound being the soft hum of the radio.
When we pulled up to her house, I turned off the engine and turned to her. "I had a great time tonight," I said, smiling.
Cecilia smiled back, her eyes sparkling. "Me too."
I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do next. But then I leaned in and kissed her softly on the cheek. "I'll call you tomorrow?" I asked.
Cecilia nodded, her face flushing. "I'd like that."
I grinned and got out of the car, walking her to her front door. As we stood there, I felt a sense of reluctance wash over me. I didn't want the night to end.
But I knew I had to let her go. For now.
"Goodnight, Cecilia," I said, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.
"Goodnight, Jackson," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
I turned and walked back to my car, feeling a sense of hope that I hadn't felt in a long time. I couldn't wait to see her again, to hold her hand and make her laugh.
As I drove away, I glanced in the rearview mirror, seeing Cecilia standing in her doorway, watching me leave. I smiled, feeling a sense of excitement for what the future might hold.
I couldn't wait to find out.
CECILIA POINT OF VIEW 
As I entered my house, I couldn't help but feel a sense of happiness wash over me. Things were finally going well with Jackson, and I couldn't wait to see where our relationship would go.
But as I walked into my room, my gaze fell upon the calendar on my wall. And my heart sank.
Tomorrow was my appointment with the doctor. The one where I would find out how much time I had left.
I had been trying to push it to the back of my mind, but now it was staring me straight in the face. 11 months. That's what the doctor had told me last time. 11 months left to live.
I felt a wave of sadness wash over me, and I slumped down onto my bed. Why did I have to fall in love now, when my time was running out?
I thought about Jackson, and how much I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. But how could I do that when I didn't have much life left?
I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes as I thought about the future. I wanted to be with Jackson, but I didn't want to hurt him. I didn't want him to have to watch me die.
I took a deep breath and tried to push the thoughts aside. I would face tomorrow when it came. For now, I just wanted to hold onto the happiness I felt tonight.
As the night drew to a close, I knew it was time to take Cecilia home. We drove in comfortable silence, the only sound being the soft hum of the radio.
When we pulled up to her house, I turned off the engine and turned to her. "I had a great time tonight," I said, smiling.
Cecilia smiled back, her eyes sparkling. "Me too."
I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do next. But then I leaned in and kissed her softly on the cheek. "I'll call you tomorrow?" I asked.
Cecilia nodded, her face flushing. "I'd like that."
I grinned and got out of the car, walking her to her front door. As we stood there, I felt a sense of reluctance wash over me. I didn't want the night to end.
But I knew I had to let her go. For now.
"Goodnight, Cecilia," I said, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.
"Goodnight, Jackson," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
I turned and walked back to my car, feeling a sense of hope that I hadn't felt in a long time. I couldn't wait to see her again, to hold her hand and make her laugh.
As I drove away, I glanced in the rearview mirror, seeing Cecilia standing in her doorway, watching me leave. I smiled, feeling a sense of excitement for what the future might hold.
I couldn't wait to find out.
CECILIA POINT OF VIEW 
As I entered my house, I couldn't help but feel a sense of happiness wash over me. Things were finally going well with Jackson, and I couldn't wait to see where our relationship would go.
But as I walked into my room, my gaze fell upon the calendar on my wall. And my heart sank.
Tomorrow was my appointment with the doctor. The one where I would find out how much time I had left.
I had been trying to push it to the back of my mind, but now it was staring me straight in the face. 11 months. That's what the doctor had told me last time. 11 months left to live.
I felt a wave of sadness wash over me, and I slumped down onto my bed. Why did I have to fall in love now, when my time was running out?
I thought about Jackson, and how much I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. But how could I do that when I didn't have much life left?
I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes as I thought about the future. I wanted to be with Jackson, but I didn't want to hurt him. I didn't want him to have to watch me die.
I took a deep breath and tried to push the thoughts aside. I would face tomorrow when it came. For now, I just wanted to hold onto the happiness I felt tonight.