Breaking Down the Unbreakable

"What?" I think I hallucinated. I mean, no one asked me questions like that.
"Will you be my girlfriend?" I think I might have worried him a little. I mean when you ask someone out, you don't expect them to ask you to repeat yourself.
"Seriously?"
"Yes. Riley, I want you to be my girlfriend." He smiled at me.
"Why?" If the 1st question didn't throw him off, this one sure did.
"Why?" He shifted a little in his seat. "Riley, why not? You're amazing. You're beautiful, and smart and fun to be around."
I could tell there was more, so I waited.
"And you're the only girl I've ever met who was more inclined to get to know me than to tell her friends that she went out with me. No girl has ever been that concerned with me."
"And you like that about me? I thought you hated it."
"No. I don't hate that you care!" He almost sounded offended, but his eyes held the same softness he'd had when he asked me. "I may not want to tell you, but it's good to know someone cares."
"It's good to know that you like that." I smiled and squeezed the hand he still had in mine. "And I would love to be your girlfriend. But I have to ask you one question first."
"What's that?" Yeah, he was suspicious, but then again it's me. I'm a little bit sneakier than most 17-year-old girls.
"Will you ever be able to tell me your secret?"
His hand stiffened a little, but his face stayed calm. I could tell he was thinking.
"I honestly don't know. But if I ever told anyone my secret, it would be you."
I smiled at him across the table, and just as I was about to reply, guess who came back holding a tray of food. Yes, that's right. Your favorite waitress, Tiffany!
"Enjoy your food, and let me know if there will be anything else." She forced out a business-like smile before starting to walk away.
"Thanks, Tiff." I spoke a little too sweetly and I smiled a little too big, but I think she got the idea that if she didn't stay away from him, she wouldn't like the way her face looked anymore.
We spent the next half hour eating and talking. One thing I like about being around Seth is he already knew I was socially awkward and had no manners, so when I accidentally squished the lettuce out of my burger and into my lap, we were able to laugh about it.
I didn't have to pretend I was girly or proper, and he didn't have to pretend to be the jerk everyone thought he was. Well, everyone except for me and a select few.
And Ali, since she'd basically become my best friend. I mean, the girl must have taken lessons from Evan in the gossip area. Luckily, she'd also gotten lessons somewhere on how to keep a secret a secret.
When we finally finished our food and paid, we headed out. But we made sure to leave Tiffany a big tip. I mean the girl may have looked like a dumb waitress, but she caught on to the touch him and die vibe I was giving off.
I slid into the passenger seat and Seth closed the door for me, running over to start the car again. It being the end of April in California, it was already getting a little warm, but at night it was perfect.
That's probably why Seth decided we should stop off at the park behind our houses. It was dusk as we took my hand and lead me onto the cement pathway that wound around the whole park, including the small lake in the center of it.
As we walked, his hand seemed to find mine, as if they were magnets drawn to each other.
"Favorite movie?" We'd been asking random questions to each other for a while, because it was fun.
"Wall-E" I smiled. I mean who doesn't love the adorable little robot? "You?"
"The Italian Job." He smiled.
"That's good too. Let's see. What animal would you like to be?"
"Probably an eagle. I'd get so far away from this town." He looked off the where the sun was setting on the other side of the lake. "Of course, I'd take you with me."
"That was cheesy." We laughed together, and he lead me to a bench overlooking the water and the oncoming sunset. We sat down and he wrapped an arm around the back of the bench, resting his hand on my shoulder.
"Of course, but I'm your boyfriend. I'm supposed to be cheesy." He gave a huge fake smile like one of those cartoon tourists. "What animal would you be?"
"A horse. But a wild horse. I don't want to be stuck in a fence or used for other people's purposes. I'd want to be free to run and live." I watched the sky as it slowly changed from light blue to purple.
"You'd make a good horse." He was watching me.
"I know!" I smiled at him.
"What are you thinking right now?" He was looking right at my eyes. His big blue eyes looked almost like he was looking straight into my soul.
"I'm thinking I don't know how I'm the girl lucky enough to be sitting here with this amazing guy when he could have anyone. I mean, I've never been the girl that gets the guy. Ever."
He turned a little on the bench and looked right at me like I was crazy.
"Why? What are you thinking?" I looked right back at him, waiting for his answer.
"I'm thinking that there's no place I'd rather be, than here with you. Or anywhere with you. Because I may be able to have anyone, but there's only one that I want, and she's the most wonderful girl I've ever met. I don't know how I've lived without her before now."
"You've had other people in your life."
"I've had family and Dominic." He pushed some of my messy hair behind my ear. "My family is my family. I don't have them by choice. And Dominic is awesome, but he's not the kind of person to really ask how I'm feeling. I mean, he knows what's going on because he was there when it all started. But I've never had someone who was just mine. Who I could look at and know she meant something more important than every bad thing that was going on."
"So you're happy right now?" I played with a drawstring on my jacket absentmindedly and he rested his forehead against mine.
"More than I can ever explain and more than I thought possible for me." He placed a hand on my cheek and leaned in, pressing his lips to mine. This was definitely something I wouldn't get used to, but would never let go.
I placed my hands on his chest, feeling the muscles under his shirt and his right hand rested on my cheek and his left on my hip. I somehow knew he was going to try to go further, and I wasn't going to stop him.
But it wouldn't be my life without an interruption.
His phone rang.
He groaned and looked at the caller ID. And apparently, someone important was calling since he flipped it open pretty quickly and stood up just in front of the bench and me.
"Mom?" Oh, that makes sense. "Right now? I'm with Riley. Are you sure?" Worry was more than present in his voice. "Well I'll have to take her home. No mom. Mom, I can't." He paused. "If you're sure." Another pause. "Ok, I'll be there soon. I love you."
He flipped the phone closed and took a deep breath before he turned back to me.
"Remember that question you asked at the restaurant?" I remembered. "Do you think you're ready to know my secret?"
I could tell he wasn't ready to let me know.
"Are you ready to tell me?"
"Riley, my mom wants you to come with me." He took my hands and brought me to a standing position in front of him. "I'll never be ready to tell you, but I know that when you know, I'll be okay. I know that I want you to know, and that's enough for me."
I smiled at him and placed a hand on his cheek.
"Where are we going?" He took another deep breath.
"The hospital."