Just to Hold You Close and Tight

I played back the past week in my head. I was amazed that it had only been a week. I hadn’t known Ray for very long, and I was already in love with him. How had I gotten so involved? Almost every moment since he had shown up in my room had revolved around him.

I had done things I never thought I would, like sneaking out. I had even forgotten my own birthday!

I was suddenly aware that my precious locket was not around my neck. “Ray,” I asked suddenly. “Where is my locket?”

“Don’t worry,” he said soothingly. “I took it off of you after you feel asleep. I didn’t want it to get in the way.”

I sighed in relief, and coughed.

“Easy,” he cautioned.

“Sorry. But do you have my locket?” I asked.

Although I couldn’t see his face, I knew by his tone that he was frowning. “I have it, but I can’t return it to you yet for two reasons. First of all, your parents would wonder how it magically appeared… not to mention the doctors. Second of all, I haven’t had time to get it cleaned yet.”

“Cleaned?” I asked, mystified.

“A lot of your blood got on it,” he muttered. “He cut open your neck, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember,” I grumbled, and then shivered.

“I’m sorry,” he said in response to my shiver. “I wish you could forget.”

“Me too,” I replied. “Bout Ray, without your help with my phone, I might still be lying on the ground.”

“But –” he tried to say.

I interrupted him, saying, “Don’t give me that crap about what could have happened in a million other scenarios. In this scenario, you just might have saved my life.”

He didn’t answer for a long time. “At least I did something useful.”

At that moment, the door to my room started to open. Ray jumped off my bed. He only left his hand on my shoulder.

My parents came in. “We brought you food, honey,” my mom said. I noticed a tray in her hand, and the food looked wonderful.

I almost forgot Ray. Almost. I looked up at him, trying to convey my question asking why he had gotten up.

“They can’t see me,” he said, “But they can see the indentation I make in the bed. And even if they couldn’t… it wouldn’t seem right.”

I sighed, but the food was distracting me. My stomach rumbled, calling to it.

My dad laughed as he helped me sit up and said, “The doctors said you’d be hungry.”

I nodded vigorously. My mom set the tray on my lap, and I dug in, not caring that Ray was watching with his hand still on my shoulder. When I glanced at him, he was stifling laughter. I only glared at him for a second before returning to my breakfast.

When I was finished, my mom took the tray. I lay down because I was tired, but I wanted my parents to leave so that Ray could sit next to me.

After thinking for a few minutes, I concocted a plan. If my parents thought that them being in the room was keeping me from sleeping, they would leave. Before I set my plan into action, I made sure my parents weren’t looking and winked at Ray.

He raised one eyebrow and said, “Whatever you’re up to…” He didn’t finish.

I pretended to fall asleep. Every time my dad turned the page in his paper or my mom turned a page in her book, I pretended to wake up, turn over, and return to sleep.

Finally, my mom coughed, and I pretended to wake up again. “That’s it,” she said to my dad. “We’re keeping her awake. The chairs outside are just as comfortable.” And with that, she dragged my father out of the door. I giggled.

“Sneaky,” Ray said in a complimentary tone. He hopped lightly onto my bed, wrapping his arm around my waist as he had before. I quickly drifted into sleep.