"This hurts." I wrap my hands around his neck. "I don't want you to go, and I don't want to make you feel bad for having to go, but it hurts."

"I know, baby." He grabs my forearm and clutches my pinky. "This will be forever, I promise."

I squeeze his finger in mine knowing it's the truth and our destiny. He showers me with several more kisses before leaving. Not even five minutes pass before my phone vibrates on the nightstand.

State: Tell my princess I'll be back soon to see her.

Me: Okay (heart emoticon) State: And remind my queen she's mine forever.

Me: She knows. XOXO It takes a few minutes for me to drift off to sleep. Right when slumber takes over, Rowe bounds into my bed and begins tapping my forehead.

"Are you sleeping?"

"Grrrrr."

"Want to get cereal?"

I pry an eye open to see her toothy grin flash at me. I roll over and tickle her until she squeals uncle.

"Why are you so happy and hyper in the morning?"

She cups her hands around her mouth. "It's magic."

"Get out of here, silly goose."

I crawl from the bed and join her in the kitchen, picking out our cereal. We both pour heaping bowls. Rowe digs in while I slice some fresh fruit for us.

"Dance day," she sings out.

"Yes, today is dance."

"Are you teaching my class?"

"I'm not sure. I'll find out when we get there."

"Mmmmm, can you invite Shrek?"

I nearly choke on a gulp of milk when she refers to State as Shrek.

"No, he has football practice."

Her eyes grow in size. "Remember, he plays football and brings you flowers."

"I hate football. It's bad."

"It's okay to not like football because you may think it's boring, but it's not bad, sweetie."

"You gonna make me mad."

I cover her little hand on the top of the table deciding on how to deliver my message. "Not everyone in life are good people. Sports, like football, have lots of good people in them. Miss Tami and I will always be here to guide you. Okay?"

"You piss me off a little."

I bite the smile on my face.

"I know it's scary, but you like State, right?"

She nods her little head.

"He brought you and me flowers. He's a nice guy and loves football."

"Can you just shut up?"

I squeeze her hand and do what she asks, not wanting to send her into an angry state. We will be forever working her through the process of vocalizing her frustration. I typically don't let the words "pissing me off" fly, but I was hoping to connect the bigger picture for her.

I turn on the shower and wait for it to warm up, but the buzzing of my phone distracts me. State's name scrolls across the screen. I slide over the green button to see his text.

State: I miss you.

Me: You just saw me.

State: That was hours ago.

Me: Like 2 (smile emoticon) State: Two hours too long Me: Don't you have practice or something?

State: Getting ready to go to cardio.

I think on my next text, but decide to do it. My heart zings with excitement. I've never felt the way he makes me feel. It was different when we were kids and just best friends, but this is so much more.

Me: I'm getting into the shower State: Jesus, Baylor Another text from him comes through before I can respond. It's a picture text of him. A whole body selfie. His sly grin is in the frame and then his chiseled chest right down to his perfectly sculpted abs. I notice the slight bulge in his black gym shorts. The man is fucking gorgeous.

State: See what you do to me.

I smile and tap out a text.

Me: I like it.

State: My turn, send me a picture.

Me: I WILL NOT.

I can practically hear his deep chuckle.

State: Please?

I snap a picture of my toes pressed against the white tile of the bathroom floor and send it.

Me: Text me later State: You're going to pay for that. Talk later, xoxo I let the hot water run over my skin, regretting the decision to take one. The last wafts of State's scent flow down the drain, making me instantly crave him all over again.

Seventeen.

Rowe spun off into quite the fit when she realized she wasn't in my dance group today. She's going through a lot right now, adjusting to State being in our lives. She's used to being the center of our worlds.

Miss Tami had to sit with her for over twenty minutes before she calmed down and finally agreed to join her group. I blow her a kiss through the clear glass window, while keeping my students dancing.

It's been a month of State taking over my life. He controls my every thought, action, and beautiful dreams. It's something I never thought I'd experience, but I love it. He's coming over tonight for dinner and a princess movie of Rowe's choice. My loathing of football only grows knowing it keeps us apart. However, the light in his eyes and pride in his voice when he talks about it, soothes the ache a bit.

"One more time through. Watch your toes and make sure to nail your spins." I hit play on the One Direction song one more time before leading the girls through the dance.

Parents trickle into the studio and grab their children until I'm left standing in front of the mirror staring back at myself. I feel alive for the first time in my life. I can't help the smile that grows across my face.

"Baylor." Rowe runs in and hugs my waist. All signs of her sour attitude have vanished.

"Can we dance?" She asks with a hopeful smile playing on her face.

"Of course."

"I pick the song." She proudly points to her chest and waltzes over to my iPod.

Can't Stop The Feeling by Justin Timberlake begins playing and Rowe claps her little hands together. She takes the position as the teacher and nods to me to follow her. Dance has been so good for her coordination skills. The girl doesn't let her disability stop her.

Her hips begin to sway and her feet smoothly glide on the floor, dancing her little booty off to the song. I follow her steps while pride swells in my chest. It's a dance we taught the kids a while back and she's nailing every step.

I flip my hair down and shake it in her direction, letting my feet glide across the floor, feeling the song drum through me. With her hands on her hips, she nods her head, and kicks her leg out finishing off the song. A round of applause fills the dance studio. We both look over to our audience standing and clapping. Miss Tami and State smile widely, clapping like lunatics. They're our champions in this world.

"Nice, girls." State nods. I don't miss the underlying message, but I'm thankful he keeps it rated G right now.

"State." Rowe slaps her hands over her mouth and closes her eyes.

I know it's the football shirt he's wearing. Miss Tami and I both agreed it was time to push her a bit more towards the idea of it. She adores her Shrek. It hurts like hell to see her work through this, but it's a coping skill she needs to develop. Nothing in life should ever hold her back.

"Open your eyes, Rowe." State steps closer to her keeping his voice low.

She shakes her head side-to-side.

"Please, it's me, Shrek," he whispers.

I catch Rowe peeking between her fingers, gaining a healthy smile from State.

"Look what I found." He holds out a brand new Rapunzel doll still in the package.

She squeals still peeking through her little fingers. "For me?"

"Only for you."

My heart melts listening to him talk so gently to her. I've watched footage online of him crushing men his size on the field. He's a freaking beast that dominates. Grown men are afraid of him on the field. It takes me back to our time in the King's, he was always my protector.

Lily, a little girl from dance, races back into the studio.

"Baylor." She tugs on the hem of my shirt.

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"I can't find my pink jacket."

"Let's go look in the cubbies." I point to the cubicles arranged symmetrically on the wall.

"Thanks it's new and I'll be in hot water." She wrings out her hands.

We look for only a few moments before digging it out of the cubby on the very top.

"Here, sweetie." I hand her the jacket and she bolts over to State who is still kneeling in front of Rowe.

"That's pretty." Lily's blue eyes look up to State with a twinkle in them.

"It's mine." Rowe drops her hands from her eyes and pats her little chest. She wraps an arm loosely around State's neck. "And he's mine, too."

I'm forced to bite back a giggle. Miss Tami is stepping in to run interference, seeing the fire light up in Rowe. She's tends to get a bit territorial when it comes to things she loves.

"Glad you found your jacket," State nods then whispers something into Rowe's ear. Her nose turns up for a second.

"Thank you, Lily, for telling me my doll is pretty, but don't touch it again. It's mine."

My bottom lip hurts from biting down on it, stifling my laughter. State stands to his feet, pulling Rowe up with him tucked to his side. She keeps her arm wrapped around his neck and her doll clutched to his chest. She seems to have no problem with the football on his team shirt right now.

When he turns around to walk out, I notice his number for the first time. Number seven and I know it's no coincidence. It's from an UNO game when we were younger. He was pissed I'd won when he laid down that yellow seven. It makes my footsteps light as I walk out behind him. I'm in awe realizing how he never let go of anything, even though I'd thought he had.

Rowe insists on riding in State's car on the way home. Miss Tami waves us off, letting us know she was going to stop by the grocery store to pick up a salad for dinner.

"We're having basagna for dinner." Rowe rubs her hands over her belly while I fasten her seatbelt.

The huff of disappointment when I put her in the backseat was evident, so she scooted to the center where she could stare at State in the mirror.

"I love lasagna," he sings back to her.

He waits until I'm settled in the front seat and buckled before starting the engine. A rap song blares about hoes and other foul concepts before he can turn it off. I give him a sideways look and he only shrugs.

"I was a bit fired up after practice."

"Everything okay?" I ask, placing my hand on the top of his leg.