Sadie lay in her lover's arms, studying his face. He was gorgeous, especially now in the early morning light, the faint pink just barely kissing his cheeks. He looked so peaceful, asleep, like he was dreaming of all the greatest things in life. And the amazing part was, he thought she was one of the greatest things in his life, he'd told her so, just before they fell asleep and he'd also whispered something else, right before he dozed off. Three little words, that were scaring her to death now, as she lay, listening to them echo in her head. I love you. He'd said it, before her, just whispered it, before kissing her gently on the cheek and sinking into sleep. And the scariest part about those three little words, Sadie, knew he meant it.

Lying here with you

I watch you while you sleep The dawn is closing in With every breath you breathe

They'd met at a party, where he was the typical jock and she was the badass girl who got drunk as much as possible to drown out everything else. She'd been so drunk she couldn't see straight and he'd led her out to the backyard for some fresh air. She'd stumbled back there and puked up everything inside her, on her hands in knees, while he held her hair out of her face and rubbed her back. He hadn't even known her then, not even her name, but for some crazy reason, he'd stayed with her, until she finally wiped her mouth and staggered back to the lounge chairs, falling back in one and staring up at the stars.
"You can leave now." She'd said, not wanting pity or some lame guy hitting on her.
He had smiled, "Yeah, I could, but I'm not going to."
"Why not? Everyone else does." The problems she'd been trying to drink away came flooding back, her stupid father, her now ex-boyfriend who'd pressured her to go too far and had stolen something she couldn't get back, everyone she'd ever loved had left. She looked around for something to drink, to dull the pain, but there was nothing there, but him.
"Well, not me. So, what's so bad that you got to drink so much to forget it?"
"Who says I'm trying to forget something?" She said, defensively, looking at him through blurry eyes.
"Me. Everyone who drinks is, in one way, or another." He said it with a straight face and she looked away, and then, decided she might as well tell a random guy at a party.
"I'm screwed up, irreversibly and everyone that I love walks away. So, there it is, I drink so I can forget that there's nothing for me at home or anywhere." The words were slow and dripping with alcohol, but they managed to escape her lips and he nodded.
"There will be."
"How do you know?" She asked, annoyed with his assumptions.
"I don't know, I just do."

I can feel the change

The change you've made in me

But will I ever see

All the things you see in me

He had changed her. One second, she'd been a scared little girl running away from her world and all the horrible things that came along with it. And then, the next, she was giving up the fast life, stopping at two drinks and not smoking at all. She was enjoying life, laughing more, opening up to him, and trusting him with all her deepest fears and dreams. It was incredible what he'd done, but part of her was afraid, she wasn't good enough, that some day her old self, would bring her back to the place she once was.

When you say that I'm one of a kind

Baby, I don't see it but you believe

That I'm so strong and true, I promise you

I'll try to be that kind of (wo) man

Because you love me like I am

"I am screwed up, don't you get it? I'm screwed up and I can't be with you, I'll just screw you up too." She said, through tears, choking on them as they fell harder now. He was acting like he didn't understand, but how could he not. She was the bad seed and he was the angel child, they couldn't be together, no matter how much it would hurt to let him go.
"Stop trying to push me away, Sadie, I'm not going anywhere." He said, firmly, taking her hands in his and looking at her, with confused eyes. "You aren't screwed up, you are the most amazing person I've ever met, I believe that, so why can't you?"
"You met me, while I was puking, off my ass drunk, in the backyard at some party. What kind of a girlfriend does that make me? A stupid drunk bitch, who runs away from all her problems and doesn't deserve you..."
"You don't get that drunk anymore, you talked to your dad, you stood up when that asshole Brian or whatever said all that stuff about you, and you made me laugh, for the first time, in a really long those things make you worthy of me. Half the time, I don't feel like I'm worthy of you." The honesty in his eyes was unmistakable; she pulled him close, with his football jacket collar and kissed him. His lips never tasted so good, because she knew that what just came out of them was true, and he really did believe in her.

When it comes to love

I may not know the rules But there's one thing I know My heart belongs to you, just you

She didn't know love's rules, because she'd never really been loved before. Her mom had died when she was born and her Dad had given her food, and a place to sleep, but that was about it. He never sang to her, read to her, told her he loved her, or really said anything to her, most of the time, it was like she was never even there. Which was fine, especially when he was drunk and mean, but sometimes, she found herself wishing that she had someone to love and care about her. Her boyfriends were the same, using her for satisfaction and fun, nothing when it came to a boy who actually loved her, she was confused. She didn't understand why he loved her, or why he had stuck by her, the only thing she really knew was that, the feeling inside her, that blossomed whenever he was near, if that was love, then she loved him, too.

When you say that I'm one of a kind Baby, I don't see it but you believe That I'm so strong and true, I promise you I'll try to be that kind of (wo) man Because you love me like I am

You show me you love me With a fire that burns deep inside

The alarm clock went off and a Rascal Flatts song came on the radio, so she leaned, carefully, so she wouldn't wake him and turned the volume down. Then she cuddled back into his arms, liking the way his muscular arms held her close against his chest. He'd shown her so much, how to love, how to forgive, how to trust, how to be free, and she didn't know if she deserved it, but she knew, she was going to work as hard as she could to deserve his love. She listened to the words of the soft song and smiled, recognizing the tune.

When you say that I'm one of a kind Baby, I don't see it but you believe That I'm so strong and true, I promise you I'll try to be that kind of (wo) man Because you love me like I am

When you say that I'm one of a kind Baby, I don't see it but you believe That I'm so strong and true, I promise you I'll try to be that kind of (wo) man Because you love me like I am

I'll never understand I don't think I'll ever understand Why you love me Why you love just like I am

When the last chords of the song played, he opened his eyes and when he saw her face close to his, he smiled, the dimple in his cheek showing. She kissed it and buried herself in his embrace.
"Love you." He murmured.
She smiled, a happy tear that had gathered in her eye, finally escaping. "I love you, too."