Rose had just finished placing her books in her book bag when her writing teacher Miss Jones called her to her desk. Her expression was unreadable making Rose nervous.

Rose swallowed. She could only imagine what she wanted.

Rose walked up to her desk with butterflies in her stomach and praying she wasn't in trouble. "Yes, mam?" Trying to hide her nerves.

A smile formed across Miss Jones's face as she handed her latest essay. "I don't know what you're doing but its working!"

"Huh?" Rose replied confused. She glanced at her paper and saw a red "A" on it.

"Congratulations!" Miss Jones said proudly.

Rose grinned. "Seriously?" She squealed.

She nodded. "It was excellent Miss Tyler. You must have a very good tutor helping you."

Rose smiled thinking of David and couldn't wait to tell him. She thanked her teacher then dashed back to his apartment.

"David?" She called arriving and knocking on his door.

"It's, it's, achoo! Open!" She heard him sneeze. Rose frowned. It sounded like he had a cold.

She poked her head inside before slowly walking in. "David?" She said.

She saw his arm rise from the couch waving. "Down here." He sniffed.

Rose walked to the living room; there was a box of tissues, cold medicine and orange juice on the coffee table.

She saw him lying on the couch with a thermometer in his mouth.

"Hi." He smiled slightly.

She gave a small wave. "Hi, yourself. What's wrong?" Rose knelt beside him.

"I'm not sure but according to this thermometer I'm defying the laws of medical science." He replied squinting at it.

Rose muffled a giggle. "Um, you're reading it upside down."

David blushed. "Oh. Well, now you know why I'm not a medical student."

Rose smiled and checked his forehead. "Well, good news is you don't have a fever but I think you've got a cold." She sat on the floor next to him.

David shrugged. "Oh, well, I wanted a couple of days off, anyway." He joked.

He glanced at her. "So what brings you by other than checking up on yours truly?" He playfully tugged his shirt in a posh manner.

She grinned. "Thanks to you Miss Jones just gave me an "A" for my essay."

He shifted in the couch and smiled. "Well, look at you but don't thank me you did the work. I just gave a couple of tips."

"They worked." She pointed out. She poked his arm. "You helped me and that's final." Rose playfully scolded.

David chuckled slightly. "Yes, sir." He leaned his head back coughing a little into his arm.

Rose watched him concerned. She could tell he wasn't feeling well.

"Would you like me to stay with you?" She asked.

David shook his head. "You don't have to. I can take care of myself."

Rose arched her eyebrow. "Really then why are you on the couch?"

He shrugged. "It's a nice couch and besides…I couldn't quite make it to the bedroom." David sheepishly admitted.

Rose clapped her hands. "That settles it, then. I'll stay with you for a while."

He smiled thoughtfully. "Thanks."

"No problem. Maybe when you're up to it I'll make you some chicken soup." She offered.

David shook his head and made a face.

"Why not?" She asked.

"Easy, I don't like soup." He folded his arms defiant.

Rose smirked. "Bet, you'll like mine."

"That's what you say." He replied scowling.

She gave him a pout and batted her eyes. "Please?"

David laughed. "Oh, you're good but no."

"Come on, my grandmother used to make it for me." She replied tugging his sleeve.

David couldn't resist that sincere sweet smile and relented. "Okay, I'll try it but later. I just want to rest a little." He said softly.

Rose nodded. "Sure, I'll still be here when you wake up." She promised.

David gave a small smile before closing his eyes.

Rose sat there for about a minute before carefully removing his glasses and finding a blanket to put on him.

She stared at him thoughtfully secretly admiring his handsome profile before sitting back down and gently stroking his fingers.

Eventually Rose got up and started digging through his kitchen to make the soup.

David didn't know how long he had been asleep but the pleasant smell of hot chicken soup slowly woke him.

He blinked a few times then groaned a little propping himself up. Rose heard him and came out of the kitchen. "Hi!" She smiled.

He squinted at her. "Okay, I either need new glasses or I forgot to them on, again."

Rose smirked and came towards him. "Close. I took them off for you and set them aside so they wouldn't break." She replied handing them to him.

He placed them on and smiled. David noticed she was wearing his apron. "Well, aren't you cute?" He smirked.

Rose blushed. ""Thanks, hope you don't mind if I borrowed it."

He shook his head. "Not at all. How long have I been asleep?" David yawned.

Rose shrugged. "Oh, just for a little while. I made you the soup if you're ready."

David sighed. "Okay, why not?"

She went to the kitchen and came back with a hot cup. "Here you go." She smiled handing it to him.

He looked at it and sniffed. "Smells nice." He admitted raising the cup to his lips then glanced back at her. "You're sure I'll like this?"

Rose scoffed. "Just try it."

He gave a mock salute then took a sip and nodded. "Mm, this is good!"

Rose smiled satisfied as she nudged his feet over to sit down. "Told you!" She sang.

David shrugged sitting up to give her more room. "Okay, it's good but I still don't like soup but I like this."

Rose glanced at him curious. "How come you don't like soup?"

David blew into his cup before answering. "Ate a lot of it when I was a kid."

Rose tugged her earring. "Why?"

"It was the only thing my grandmother knew how to cook." He replied simply.

"Oh, did you visit her a lot?' She asked.

David did a so-so motion with his hand. "Kind of. Me and Bobby actually lived with her for about a year."

Her eyes widen. "Really, why?"

He muffled a snicker wondering if he should tell her before finally answering. "Mum and dad went to one of those cosmic romantic sexual retreats to rekindle their romance."

"Seriously?" She gawked.

David nodded. "Oh, yes, now you know how Sammie was conceived."

Rose made a face. "Eww! A simple none of your business would have sufficed." She said playfully tapping his leg.

He shrugged innocently but there was mischief in his eyes. "You asked."

"I know and I'm sorry I did." She chuckled embarrassed.

"Yeah, well imagine my reaction when I found out." He said shaking his head.

"You mean you didn't know?" Rose asked.

"Not for six months. I thought they were just on vacation until Bobby finally told me." David replied.

"So your brother knew that entire time?" She said biting her thumb nail.

He paused and swallowed some soup. "No when he found out he told me. That's how we were with each other. We were always honest with one another and when Sammie was born that's how we were with her."

She nodded admiring the closeness of David and his siblings. "Sounds like you have some nice siblings."

David smiled. "Yeah, by the way next week I was going to take Sammie to visit Bobby."

She nodded. "Sounds nice."

"You wanna come?" He asked casually.

Rose looked at him. "Really?"

"Sure, I think he like to meet you." He replied.

Rose smiled at the idea but then became concerned.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

She sighed. "I'm worried I'll be in the way."

David smiled and gently touched her chin. "You in the way? Never!"

She blushed and smiled softly. "Okay, I like that."

David beamed and drank some more soup as Rose continued to sit with him until they both fell asleep cuddled up on the couch.