Jonas High School

I walked into the room and Nick looked up from the magazine he was reading and smiled.

"Hey, baby. Come here." He sat upright in the bed and motioned for me to come and sit next to him.

I made my way over to him slowly and sat down on the bed, "Nick, what happened?"

"Oh," he chuckled, "don't even worry about it. Look at me, I'm fine. I can't believe they're making me stay here until tomorrow. I'm so pumped up right now, I feel, I feel like a run a mile or something."

"You don't look fine." I said, putting my hand on his cheek.

Nick took my hand into his, "Babe, listen to me, I'm all better. But what would make me even more better is a certain something from a certain someone." He smirked and wrapped his arms around my waist, breathing down my neck.

"No, not now," I pushed him away. "What really happened?"

He sighed and let go of me, "Would you relax, Aurora? You're making a big deal out of nothing."

I stood up, "Nick, you're lying in a hospital bed because of insulin shock! You could have died! And you want me to relax?!"

Nick looked at me, "Uh... yeah."

I let out a sigh of defeat and sank into a chair in the corner.

Nick made puppy dogs eyes at me, "Aurora... are you mad at me?"

I sent him a look, "Yes."

"Well, then I'm just going to have to fix that..." Nick pushed away the covers and walked over to me. He wasn't dressed in those hospital gowns with an open back; instead he was in sweatpants and a black tank top.

"Nick..." I warned. I was in no mood for his games.

"Yes?" He smirked and rested his hands on the armrests of the chair. "Baby, you know you can't stay mad at me forever."

"I know that," I grumbled, "but I can stay mad at you for now."

"Not if I can help it." He grinned. He wrapped his arms around my waist, lifting me out of the chair and over his shoulder.

"NICK! PUT ME DOWN! YOU'RE IN NO CONDITION TO LIFT ME UP!" I screamed as he dropped me on the bed.

"Condition? What part of 'I'm OKAY, all better' don't you understand?" Nick said as he crawled on top of me.

"All of it." I retorted.

"Shhh, you worry too much." He put his finger to my lips and leaned down to kiss me.

I turned my head to avoid it, "You never told me you had diabetes."

Nick got off me and stood up. He walked over to the closet and put on a t-shirt. "So, you're going to be one of them now, right? You're going to treat me like some sick kid, huh?"

"What are you talking about?" I sat upright, resting on my hands.

"It's because you found out. Now that you know I have diabetes, you're going to treat me differently. You'll watch what I eat, what I do, and you'll treat me like some little kid. God, I don't need that! Not again... not from you." He kicked the closet door and sat in the chair.

"Nick, I won't do that too. I swear, I promise I won't treat you differently. Who treats you like that?" I got off the bed and sat on his lap.

"Everyone. Well, they used to. Everyone would constantly ask me, 'Nicholas, are you alright? Do you feel faint? Do you need your shots? Are you supposed to have that?' It wouldn't stop. That's why I didn't tell you. I didn't want you treating me like that."

"Well, I promise I won't do that. I'm sorry for freaking out on you. You're entitled to your secrets." I kissed his nose and twirled his hair.

"You're my only secret. Until next week." He smiled.

"Next week?" I questioned.

"Next week is prom, Aurora. Remember my promise?"

I was speechless.

"Let me guess, you thought I was too drunk that night that I probably didn't know what I was saying, right?"

I nodded and looked down.

"Well, I wasn't. I was perfectly aware of what I was saying. The night of the prom, everyone's going to find out about us whether they like it or not. I love you and if this is what it comes to for everyone to know, so be it."

I looked up and smiled. I pressed my lips to his and he deepened the kiss. One hand was on my back and his other hand grazed up my leg and up my shirt. The feeling of his cold hands on my stomach gave me chills.

His hand made its way up to the hook of my bra, but I stopped him before he could do anything, "Nick, we're in a hospital room with your family outside. I know what you want to happen, but it's not going to. Not here."

Nick sighed, "Fine."

I kissed his cheek, "You're too cute for your own good sometimes."

"So I've been told."

I slapped him playfully in the face and got off him, walking to the door.

"Before I go, you just have to answer me one thing. Why are you here?"

Nick sat up and ran his fingers through his hair, "When I came home, I got into a fight with Joe. I guess I go so worked up by screaming at him, when I was about to sock him, I collapsed."

"Well, I really don't think there's going to be any conflict between you two. Joe has decided to turn over a new leaf. He's apologizing to Lana tonight."

Nick smiled at me, "You just have to turn everyone good, don't you?"

"You know it. I'll see you later, Nick." I opened the door and walked out of the room.

Mrs. Jonas stood up and walked up to me, "Is he alright?"

"He's fine, Mrs. Jonas. He's doing really well. Try not to worry so much, he's a tough guy. It takes more than just one shock to slow Nick down."

She smiled, "Well, alright. Kevin, go in with Frankie, I'll be one minute."

Kevin put his arm around Frankie's little shoulders and walked into the room. Kevin smiled at me and sent me a friendly head-nod as a sign of hello.

I returned it with a grin and turned my attention back to his mother.

"Aurora, I just want to thank you for what you've done. When I last talked to Nick, he was a whole new person and it seems as if you made a big impact on his life. You're the best thing that's happened to him."

She pulled me into a hug and hugged me close. "You're like a gift to him."

The statement hit me hard. It made me realize that Nick was the real gift to me. Nick brought out the best in me. He made me see what life was all about and that living in books isn't reality. Nick was my reality.

Mrs. Jonas let me out of the hug and I began to walk away. I turned around and said to her, "Believe me, Mrs. Jonas, your son is a gift to me. He's done more for me than you can ever imagine. You raised him right."

I walked towards the exit and left the hospital. I walked over to the car and pulled out of the parking lot. As the cool, fresh air hit my face and the wind made my hair go in all directions, I realized that next week my life was going to change forever.

Not only was it prom.

But graduation.