I'M SORRY

Zeke's Pov

"Would you mind if we took a drive and talked?" Zeke asked as he stepped into the hallway.

"Okay, sure. Let me tell Jessie and grab my jacket," Jannie replied, walking down the hall. She was wearing black tights and a blue T-shirt.

"We're going for a drive; I'll be back in a bit," Jannie shouted at Jessie's door.

"Okay, don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Jessie shouted back. Jannie laughed and grabbed her jacket.

"Let's go then," she smiled, and we went downstairs.

___________________

"I've missed you," Zeke said as he drove down the road. It was around four in the afternoon, and the traffic was becoming more congested. 

"I missed you too," Jannie replied, staring out the window. "Are you okay? You seem lost in thought," he observed as he glanced at her. 

"It's been so loud in my head these past few days. I'm trying to view our situation from every angle, but it's exhausting," Jannie sighed. 

"But why do you feel the need to do that? Shouldn't our perspective be the most important?" Zeke questioned, and Jannie continued to gaze out the window. 

"I don't know; maybe it is. But it's hard, Zeke. I don't know what I'm getting myself into here. I hate being in the unknown. I had my whole life planned out: going to medical school, passing the MLE, choosing my residency, graduating, and finally passing the third and final test." Jannie paused before continuing,

"This has been my goal, and I have worked hard to get where I am. Then I met you, and suddenly, I'm second-guessing everything in my life. I even considered leaving it all behind to be with you. Do you know how scary it is for me to think like that after being so consistent in my life for so long?" Jannie blurted out, and Zeke felt a little offended.

"Jannie, look at me," Zeke said. "I haven't, and will never, ask you to give up your goals and dreams to be with me. I love that you are studying to become a doctor, and I know you will be amazing once you pass. I understand this is overwhelming, but I want to be a part of your life if you want me to be. However, I need to know you're safe to do that." He spoke calmly, and Jannie nodded in response.

"I was getting a little ahead of myself, wasn't I?" Jannie mumbled with a sigh.

"How can we be together then? What do you mean when you say you need me to be safe?" Jannie asked.

"I told my father about you today," Zeke replied, and Jannie looked at him in shock. "What? But we haven't been seeing each other for that long, or whatever this is," she responded.

Zeke shrugged and said, "I know, but you're my mate, and our relationship is different. I wanted his input on how to move forward."

"Okay, so what did he say?" Jannie inquired.

"He told me he was happy I found you and understood how hard this has been for you. He will look into how this could work in the long run, but we should go with the flow for now. You're starting school again, and I need to focus more on my club and the family business."

"So, we will continue seeing each other like a normal couple... kind of?" Jannie asked, frowning.

"Yeah, we still have a lot to learn about each other, and I think it would be nice," Zeke replied as he grabbed her hand.

Jannie's Pov

Zeke held her hand, and she felt a calm wave over her. This was precisely what she needed: to be with him as a normal couple. Jannie wanted to be with Zeke, no matter who he was. She had never felt such a strong connection with anyone, so she needed to look beyond the doubts causing her to hesitate.

"What are you thinking about?" Zeke asked, squeezing Jannie's hand.

"I'm thinking about how much I want to be with you and how I must set aside all my doubts to fully embrace the moment. I feel so much better now that you're here," Jannie smiled.

"I'm relieved to hear that... I thought you had a change of heart," Zeke sighed, making her feel terrible.

"I'm sorry. I tend to overthink things and let my emotions get the best of me," Jannie admitted.

"It's okay; you don't need to apologize," Zeke insisted. Jannie reached over and kissed his cheek.

"Jessie's spending the night with a guy she's seeing, so would you like to spend the night with me?" Jannie asked as she leaned back, feeling Zeke's temperature rise at her question.