Everything
by Mallory
When it starts to rain, he takes off his jacket and holds it over her head.
*
He remembers that he asked her once, "What are you, my tutor or my shrink?" And he remembers that he said it lightly, and that he didn't mean it, and that her answer was said just as lightly, but it resonated inside of him.
She had said: "Whatever you need."
*
Haley suggests that they go to the café, because they're close to it and the rain is pouring down hard. So he nods and they hold hands as they run and try to escape the rain.
The café is closed but Haley has a key, and he watches her go around the room and flip the light switches and turn the heat on, and her hair is wet and her shirt is wet and she is beautiful, and then she asks, "Do you want some coffee or something?"
He sits at the counter and props himself up with his elbows, and she stands behind it and leans down on her elbows.
And he's tired and a little bit sad, and whenever he feel this way all he wants is her so he takes her hand in his and kisses it, and then he sighs and presses his forehead against it and closes his eyes. She runs her other hand through his wet hair and leans over him and kisses the back of his neck.
"You okay?" she whispers.
"Yeah," he says, and he is okay, because he can feel her warm breath against his neck, because her hands are soft, because she's stroking his hair.
He looks up at her and kisses her softly, and she smiles at him, and he can see in her brown eyes those words she won't say.
And they're silent, and he strokes her cheek with his thumb, and she runs her hand through his hair and…
She is everything he needs.