Through sickness and in health

58

Thursday

"So what are you doing tonight?" Katie asks, I never thought I'd see the day where Will would be dating someone. Sweet, annoying, Will. Dating my fucking best friend.
"Nothing much, probably going to go to Jason's house and watch outerbanks with him" I shrug closing my locker.
"That's it? No cute date like last year?" Katie asks, her mouth dropped. Everyone knows how much of a romantic Jason in, so they were expecting him to take me on a cute date.
"What do you mean thats it? He got me this beautiful ring" I smile, I've been fiddling with the ring all day because u can't get over it. I always knew me and Jason were going to get married one day and we will. This promise ring just symbolises it all and makes it so real.

"We all know Jason" will says kissing Katie on the cheek.
"First, gross. Second, Jason is on chemo, and third what are you doing tonight?" I ask looking directly at will.
"I haven't heard Katie talking about any romantic date" I add folding my arms.
"That's because we're not going on a date" Katie chirps
"We're gonna have sex" she smiles
"Oh my god" will laugh looking away and scratching the back of his neck.
"Lots of sex" Katie whispers in my ear as she walks past me holding hands with Will.
"Come on you" will laughs dragging Katie away
"Remember protection! As much as I'd love to have a little kid running around, I think me and Jason should be the first to have kids!" I yell after them.

*~*

"Jason!" I yell putting my car keys down on the table next to the entrance. Max comes trotting over to me, his tongue sticking out and tail wagging.
"Hey buddy" I bend down giving him a scratch behind his ears
"Where's your daddy?" I baby talk him making him bark then run off somewhere
"So much for being on my side" I mumble to myself.

"What are you mumbling about now?" Someone laughs behind me. I scream jumping forward with my hand on my heart.
"Jason you can't do that!" I yell when he starts laughing. He walks over to me still smirking, I smack him on the shoulder pretending to be mad at him but when he wraps his arms around me I start to struggle to keep my act up.
"I love you" he whispers in my ear softly. He starts kissing my neck and I can't help but start to melt into his body. Craving nothing more than to be close to him.
"I hate you" I grumble, but don't argue when he turns me around and wraps his arms around me again. I hug him tightly, his whole body is tense right now for some odd reason which makes me pull away.

"Why are you so tense?" I ask confused, he just smiles at me.
"I'm not" he shrugs walking to the kitchen
"I brought you a smoothie. It's supposed to be good for the immune system, I know you've been eating healthier and cleaner" I start stumbling over my words and fidgeting with my fingers. I can tell Jason is hiding something and it's making me nervous.
"Thank you!" He shouts from the kitchen. I hear the back doors open which only confuses me more. Then the kitchen light flickers off leaving me left in nearly complete darkness since it is about 7pm now.

"This guy" I whisper to myself with a huff. I following him outside.
"Jason why are you being so-" I cut myself off when I get outside when I see what he has set up.
A little tent is set up, with a mattress and blankets. There's fairy lights hung up, and a small box projector on the other side of the tent. I can see from the opening of the tent that the projector is on, it reads I love you Lexie Thompson, happy Valentine's Day I can't help the small gasp that leaves my mouth. Then arms wrap around my waist again.
"I love you" he whispers again

"Jason how did you-"
"I had some time since I got home. I was planning something more...more, I guess but I wasn't sure how bad I would feel since I'm on chemo and I didn't want to ruin valentines for you" Jason explains cutting me off.
"Jason you didn't have to do anything. I'm perfectly happy lying in your bed watching outerbanks for the millionth time" I say, but I can't help the feeling of excitement I feel inside though because he has done something. Maybe it means something more that Jason is still the romantic he always was. That the chemo hasn't changed him and he's still himself.
"I've been watching tangled recently" he shrugs behind me. I can't help the laugh that escapes me, I slap a hand over my mouth to stop my laughing but I can't help it.
"You don't like tangled?" He asks pen sign over my shoulder to look at me. I shake my head, afraid to take my hands off my mouth so he can't see the big grin threatening to break loose on my face.
"You like it?" He asks, I nod my head again and he smiles.
"Judge me all you what but I like tangled" he shrugs walking away, he crawls inside the tent and sits down getting comfortable.

I give myself a minute to laugh quietly before I crawl into the tent and settle down next to him.
"I love you thank you for setting this up you really didn't have to"
"So you don't like it? Because I can just clean this up and-"
"No. I love it" I shake my head. He chuckles pulling me closer and goes on his phone.
"Your really going on your phone right now" I laugh
"Chill out rapunzel. The projector is connected to my phone, I have to turn the movie on from my phone" he explains

"Oh and I uh-" now it's his turn to stumble over his words as he reaches behind the pillows and grabs a box.
"Jason you already got me the promise ring" I shake my head when he tries to hand me the box.
"It's nothing much don't worry" he shrugs handing it to me.
"Jason I can't-"
"Lexie I know you, as much as you deny it u know your stumbling over your thoughts right now trying to think what it is inside this box" he laughs pushing the box to my hands.
"I hate you for putting me in this position" I grumble, but dont argue when he tells me to just open it.

I untie the ribbon on the box, inside is another black box.
"Your giving me boxes now?" I smile
"Shut up and open it" he chuckles
I open the box and pull out a clear picture frame box. Inside is a bunch of rose petals and a Photo Booth picture from our first date.
"It's uh...well-"
"It's a petal from every bunch of flowers you've ever given me, and the photo booth picture from our first date" I explain for him already understanding full well what it is. I look over at Jason, he's fiddling with his fingers looking at me and waiting for a response.
"Turn it over" he mumbles keeping his eyes on the frame in my hands.

I turn it over, tears immediately prick my eyes. There's a Polaroid picture of us lying in his bed together, and his hospital bracelet.
"Jason I-"
"Jessica made it. I mean...she's good at these things. She had the bracelet and she was the one that took the picture of us in bed together at my house after I found out about the...yeah. I'm sorry if it's ruined the present of the good memories and replaced it with the bad" he says all too quickly.

"They aren't bad memories Jason. I'm fact they're some of my favourite memories. There's going to be ups and downs in life and this just symbolises that. There's not going to be sunshine and rainbows all the time, whilst they aren't the biggest moments in our relationship they are still small moments that matter. After the surgery and after we found out, I didn't want anything more than to be with you. I was afraid that if I left your for a second you wouldn't be there when I got back. Because I've learnt recently that those little moments sometimes matter more than those big moments" I explain. He sits still beside me and for a moment I think he's zoned out and stuck in his thoughts like he usually is. But then he turns to me, a small smile pulling at his lips.

"You like it?" He asks quietly
"I love it" I nod, I fall into his arms and lie in his embrace throughout the two movies we watch. We fall asleep outside in the tent. His chemo forgotten, his cancer forgotten. And I'm grateful that Jason didn't feel the urge to puke the whole night.