𝔽𝕀𝕃𝕆𝔽𝕆𝔹𝕀𝕊𝕂

ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥

Approximately 15 minutes passed with me and Daniel conversing in silence. Neither of us uttered a single word from the moment we stepped into my balcony, to talk in private. The cup of tea Zinnia brought for Daniel was empty with sticky residues and the cookies were simply ignored. I kept tapping my fingers on the metal rail as my patience was being tested by my ex-boyfriend's brother. 

I took a side look at Daniel who was standing beside me and watching the vehicles passing on the road with his hands locked behind him. I took in his shaved eyebrows and bald head. He looked really different from the handsome guy I saw in frames on the wall of their apartment. His skin looked more pale and his nails were dark and cracked. He looked like a whole different person without eyebrows and no wonder why some countries have declared shaving eyebrows as illegal. It would totally change the look of a person!

Suddenly Daniel looked at me to which I fake coughed and looked straight. 

"You don't have to analyze me like that, Elka. Chemotherapy will make any handsome guy a fugly."

My breath literally stopped as soon as that lengthy and terrifying word rolled off from his mouth. I gave myself a few minutes to make certain whether what I heard was right or was it my mind playing tricks. I looked at him, my eyes wide open and mouth agape like never before and my face showed pure bewilderment and shock.

Daniel lightly nodded at me with a tight smile before saying, "Yeah. I have stage two skin cancer."

He disclosed a news that broke me more. I didn't know him before, haven't seen him before, haven't talked to him before but still, I felt a pang of pain and guilt. I knew how much of a torment and woe it was for a person suffering from cancer. The physical pain of bones, muscles and organs around the tumor and to top it off, the mental distress of leaving your loved ones behind and waving goodbye to this world even before doing the things on your bucket list. The affliction was beyond one could imagine. And I shamelessly judged his look. Well, how could I know he was suffering a deadly disease just by looking at him? But still, I felt bad for him.

"Oh I'm so sorry. I-I..." I trailed off.

"It's fine. I know Danish didn't tell you this," he said to which I nodded my head.

"How are you now?" I asked to which he shrugged.

"The treatment is going and by far, I'm holding up. But I don't know how long I can, you know," he said and gave me a sly smile.

"How are you, Elka?"

"Me? I'm fine I guess," I said, shrugging. 

"Guess? You are not sure?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Have you ever had a break up?" I asked him back.

He pursed his lips before saying, "Trust me, a lot." 

"Then you must know how I feel, right?"

He nodded his head. He took steps closer to me, making a fair interval between us and let out a deep sigh. 

"I was diagnosed with cancer a few months back. Danish's and my grandmother died of cancer. Apparently, it's hereditary and I got the catch," he said to which I listened to him silently. 

"Ever since I broke this news to my family, it has been very hard for them. My dad, mom and grandma are all mourning for me now itself. They all are in dismay and are constantly trying to make me feel happy and keep my mind away from this whole malady. Even though I smile at them and show I'm a strong head, I'm not. I'm not because I'm not sure whether chemo will work and I'll survive. I was losing hope with each day passing by but that was until Danish came here. Ever since he came to live with me, I have this hope for living and a strong push to keep on going," he said with a smile on his lips and his eyes twinkling.