A g00d year ag0, she used 2 be c0nstantly defensive. Always take charge, never back d0wn, and always in c0ntr0l. She always smiled thr0ugh g00d and bad, because there was n0 0ther em0ti0n 2 0ffer 0ther than an empty smile. Each m0ment in life was just a m0ment 2 her, and she treated it as just an0ther m0ment, a phase 0f s0me minutes 0ut 0f life that passed as easily as it came. N0ne 0f it mattered. Waking up the next m0rning 0r the next week didn’t matter. Events merely 0ccurred. Pe0ple came and went int0 and 0ut 0f her life.

But 2day, she laid d0wn next 2 0ne pers0n wh0’s m0ved the entire w0rld ar0und her. S0me0ne wh0’s made her think and actually c0ntemplate. She laid next 2 him as his eyes cl0sed and stared 2 him in awe, 0r c0mpassi0n, 0r l0ve, 0r warmth. She lightly felt his eyes under her fingertips. Part 0f her wanted 2 merely t0uch him, the 0ther part 0f her wanted 2 make sure he was real, that everything was real.. Within th0se minutes lying there, she realized h0w changed she had been. Each new day was w0rthwhile. Her life met its purp0se. Each day she saw him was an0ther day that she felt a c0mf0rt unb0unded. He 0ffered her sincere happiness, h0pe, trust, life, and fear. Fear that hurt s0metimes 2 even c0nsider. She remembered h0w 0ften she felt c0nfused ab0ut it all. S0metimes she wanted 2 d0 whatever in her p0wer 2 express everything she feels f0r him. S0metimes she wanted 2 bec0me distant and silent because maybe—just maybe, she l0ves him m0re than she sh0uld.

But, she still let herself l0ve him with every aching inch 0f her. He’d always been her first c0ncern, her first th0ught, her waking th0ught and restful dream. S0 she just stared at him and alm0st teared, n0t 0ut 0f s0rr0w 0r fear... but 0ut 0f c0ncept that everything was real, and that he’s here. With me. F0r me. His eyes 0pened, and the walls br0ke a little m0re than bef0re, and that much 0f her was his.