They're always claiming that people can't change, or that people are set in a particular thought process that can't be re-mapped. I think they forgot to add in the key word, most. Sure, a lot of the older generations hate all the change that's going on, and all the lifestyle preferences taking place today. And sure, they spread their beliefs on people like me in an effort to instill how we should think about those who are different from us. But there I was, a simple-minded woman who despised what Luke was for months, holding him in my arms as the two of us sobbed.

I never knew, but how was I to know when he never told me? And I had no idea that this hurt him so badly. I figured he was like most guys I knew: we'd get in a fight, they'd act all tough, and would just brush it under the rug. Not Luke. What I did and said to him really crushed the poor guy! Not to mention, it ate away at me a little, too. I did exactly the opposite of what Luke needed from me. In fact, I didn't think I deserved his friendship, especially as his tears landed on my shirt. But something in his voice, and something about what he told me and how he told it to me, struck a chord of compassion within me that I didn't even know I had. Yes, this whole diaper thing was odd, but Luke was Luke, and I'd lost sight of that.

"I won't leave you, Luke. I'm sorry for being such a bitch!" I whispered as we looked at each other, our sobs turning into light sniffles.

"No, Molly. It's not your fault. I guess I should've been more upfront with you about the whole thing before asking you to do something like that."

We both sat upright on the couch, and Luke gave a long sigh of both relief and of letting go of months of tension. I was never the type of girl who was good at getting the words out right when I tried explaining myself, and I don't think the long months of Luke and I not being on speaking terms helped much, either. That was why I usually got all defensive and upset with people who bombarded me with questions whenever I did something wrong. And yet, something happened on that couch. I'm not all that religious, so I don't know if it was divine intervention or simply a moment of clarity following our fight, but somehow, the words fell off my lips exactly the way I needed them to.

"I know there's no excuse for me breaking my promise, Luke. You asked me not to look through your things, and I did. But seeing you lying there, nearly on your death bed, I guess-I guess I didn't know what to do. The way you made your secret sound was sad, and when you asked me to go through with deleting the files and history, I was afraid."

"Afraid of what?" Luke asked as he cocked his head sideways, clearly confused by my explanation.

"That it would weigh your soul down? That you'd die carrying something that you never shared with anyone before. I prayed, Luke. For the first time in forever, I prayed that you wouldn't die. And I know I should've just gone through with deleting everything, but then I thought that if I found out what you were hiding, and if I got back to you in time and told you I knew and that it was okay, that you'd have something to hang on for"¦or if you died, you didn't have to bury your secret with you. I mean, obviously that didn't work, but," I stopped short, seeing an almost expressionless look on Luke's face, "what is

it, Luke? Why are you looking at me like that? It's true!"

He remained the same, but I could tell he was thinking. Was he mad? Was he going to laugh at me, or tell me that no excuse was good enough for him? Did he want me to leave?

"Damn it, say something, Luke! Now I'm babbling on like an idiot and I don't know if you're mad, or you're-"

I stopped short once more, because Luke's face evolved into a smile. He then gently put both hands on my shoulders, leaned up slightly, and kissed me on the top of my head, followed by my left cheek. I never felt lips so gentle on my skin before, or so genuine. There was sincerity in his kisses, and still I blushed like you wouldn't believe.

"Thank you, Molly. I forgive you." he said with a smile as he leaned back from the kisses.

I imagine I had quite the stupidest, goofiest grin on my face after that.

* * *

She cared! She really freaking cared! All that time I thought she was just being nosy when she snooped through my stuff, but no! Molly was trying to help (even though it didn't work out exactly as planned, but oh well)! I'd have kissed her square on the lips if I didn't have some self-restraint, but I didn't want her to get too freaked out. Still, the two kisses I gave her must have done something, because she responded with one of the prettiest smiles I'd ever seen her give before.

"Y-you mean it, Luke?" her smile faded away slightly as she bit her lip, looking like she was about to cry again.

"No, I'm just being the Amazing A-Hole and really hate your guts right now"¦of course I mean it!" I exclaimed.

Just for a moment, put aside the bad stuff that happened between the two of us. If you look past how she reacted and how she treated me for the months following the day of my near-death experience, Molly's intentions were good. Despite breaking her promise to me, her intentions were good. The fact that she made an effort to take some of the burden off my shoulders for me completely changed my impression of her, even after the horrible things that we said to each other. In that moment, I loved her even more than previously stated and expressed.

We both laughed at my response, and Molly did start to cry a little again, and yes, even I started to tear up once more. Molly wrapped her arms around me and gave me a warm, loving hug.

"I didn't know, Luke. I didn't know about the pain you went through or how hard this was for you." She sighed as she held onto me.

"It's alright, Molly," I comforted her, "there's no way you would've known because I never told you before."

Molly wasn't usually the type of girl to give extended hugs, so I wasn't sure what was going on when she continued to keep her arms around me. That and I wasn't sure what she thought of me kissing her the way I did. Sure, we'd given each other quick pecks on the cheek here and there, but the last time I went to kiss a girl was at a party, and I got a nice, inch-long scratch across my face for it. That's what happens when you try to kiss a girl who complains about her boyfriend not being a good kisser and wishing for a "real kiss." You live and you learn, right? But anyway, back to Molly. Was she ignoring my kisses aside from giving me that smile? Apparently not, because I soon felt her breath on my cheek, followed by her lips. This wasn't a simple kiss, either. This was something more. She took her time with it. I felt my heart-rate increase and a wide smile overwhelmed my face.

"I read your letter, Luke." Molly said quietly a she looked at me.

"O-oh," I said weakly, still stunned from her kiss, "And?"

There was some more silence between us, but this time, it wasn't uncomfortable. I could tell she was thinking of what to say.

"I want to try to understand. I was an idiot for pushing you so far away, and"¦I want to show you that I can be genuine and make up for what I did. You told me in the letter that you loved me. Which, by the way, I read your letter at least a hundred times." Molly chuckled lightly.

"Did you analyze my handwriting to make sure it was me who wrote it?" I joked.

"No, you jerk," she laughed once more, but then went back to speaking quietly, "but trying to understand is the least I can do, because"¦.I think"¦" she came closer to me, and I waited for her to say the three words back to me.

Maybe the close encounter with death changed my perspective and my feelings for Molly, or maybe this was the first time I heard her speak in such a way that made me become more attracted to her. For all I know, it could've been fate. She never said the words that day, though. Instead, she closed her eyes lightly, leaned in further, then pressed her lips against mine. Everything that happened from the time of my accident to the that moment on the couch leading up to the big kiss suddenly felt like some bad dream, a sequence of blurs and images that never actually happened.

In standard time, this went on for about 20 minutes. In "oh my God, I'm falling so hard for this woman that I want this moment to last forever" time, this went on for centuries. All the while, I prayed that we'd work through this.