[Immunity] David Kay - Ch.5: The First Time He Knew

Instructions

The steady beeping of Annie's heart monitor faded into the background as Deacon rested his head next to her hand. His breathing slowed, and for just a moment, he closed his eyes.Reality faded away. And he was pulled back into memory. ... *Ten Years Ago* The first time Deacon saw Annie, she was standing in front of a broken vending machine in the movie theater lobby, hands on her hips, grumbling at the metal box like she was ready to take it on. It had eaten her dollar. It had eaten her patience. And it was seconds away from getting a punch. "Need some help?" Deacon asked, stopping a few feet away. She didn't turn around. "If you can get this thing to give me the chocolate bar it just stole, I'll owe you big time." He laughed—genuine and surprised at himself. "I'll see what I can do."He tapped the side of the machine a couple of times, hit the front corner, and gave it a good shake.The chocolate bar dropped immediately. Annie blinked. "Okay. Color me impressed. And a little worried." "Worried? Why's that?" "Well..." She bent down to grab the bar. "Either you're really good with stubborn machines—" "Or?" "Or you've robbed vending machines before." He put a hand on his heart, grinning. "Never been caught." That was the moment she shot him a genuine smile for the first time—a small, crooked grin that made everything else around him fade for a beat. He didn't realize it then, but that moment locked something in him. Something deep. Something permanent. Later that week, they bumped into each other again—this time at the gym. Annie was sitting on the mat tying her shoes, hair pulled back, eyes sharp even before they started warming up. "Are you doing the defensive drills?" she asked. "Yeah," Deacon answered as he stretched his arms. "You?" "Yep," she said, giving him a look he'd remember forever. "Try to keep up." He raised an eyebrow. "Don't hurt me, okay?" "Oh, I make no promises." Ten minutes later, she swept his leg so skillfully that he hit the mat before he even realized what just happened. When he blinked up at her, confused, she offered her hand. "Just keeping my promise."He took her hand and felt something strange—like an electric spark grounding him at the same time. She must've felt it too because she pulled her hand back a little too quickly, cleared her throat, and pretended to need more chalk on her palms. Their instructor barked orders. Deacon stood beside her, heart racing for no reason. Annie bit the inside of her cheek to suppress a smile. That was when he knew. Not yet in words. Not yet in certainty. But in instinct. She fit. Not because of who she was. But because of who he became when she was around. A few months later he asked her out. Nervously. Too polite. Way too rehearsed. And she just laughed softly, grabbed his shirt, and kissed him before he could even finish his sentence. When they pulled apart, breathless and a little shocked, she whispered, "Took you long enough." ... The memory shattered when the ventilator hissed louder, dragging him back to reality like a wave. Deacon opened his eyes. The pain of the present crashed into the sweetness of the past, and it was almost too much to handle. Annie still lay motionless. No crooked smile. No bright eyes. No teasing challenge. Just the rise and fall of a machine keeping her breathing. He reached up and gently touched her cheek with the back of his hand."I fell for you the first day I saw you," he whispered. "And every day after that."His voice got softer. "You can't leave. Not like this. Not after everything." A tear slipped down his cheek before he even noticed it. He didn't wipe it away. "You're the strongest person I know," he said. "If anyone can fight their way back..."His voice cracked."...it's you." He bowed his head again, the memory of her laughter pushing against the harsh reality of her silence.