"You're stronger than anyone I know," I whispered, not sure if I wanted her to hear me or not. My voice cracked at the end, and I clenched my jaw to keep it steady. I didn't want to wake her, but I needed to say it. Even if it was just for me.
I leaned in closer, resting my elbows on the edge of the hospital bed. My eyes didn't move from her. Every soft breath she took was a reminder that she was still here, that she was fighting in her own quiet way. She was so small. So still. But there was something fierce in her, even now. Something that had kept her alive when the world had tried so hard to take her away.
"You know, I used to think I had it all figured out," I murmured, my voice barely above a breath. "That I knew what it meant to care about someone. I had friends, family, a life that made sense. And then you showed up. You changed everything."
I paused, my throat tightening.
