It’s been three weeks since I last saw Brandon’s face, and Oliver told me he will be taking the food to him instead of me for now. After the night his illness struck, I gave him space. It was also Oliver’s advice since his cousin needs to heal again. I have no idea how this illness can affect people; I’m afraid that I might hurt him again, so I keep my distance. I told Brandon that I wasn’t bothered by any of the things I was told, but after learning about his situation, I have to be more careful around him. Any skin-to-skin contact with him can trigger pain. That is the reason he doesn’t want to be touched. But unwilling to cut our connection, we were sending each other notes about his meal or how our day had gone. I sometimes went to his now-less-creepy white room so I could hear his v

