The Story of Kaiden and Lilac

11

L I L A C

I'm not feeling so good.

"Lilac, you're not grounded anymore!" My mom yelled through the door.

"Mhm," I replied.

"Are you okay sweetie?" She asked.

"I'm fine," I responded.

"Okay get ready, I'm taking you to school!" She said.

"Can I skip today?" I asked her, my voice hoarse.

"Why? Are you sick?" She questioned.

"No, just tired," I replied quickly.

"That's not an excuse get ready." She told me.

"Okay," I whispered and rolled out of bed.

I went to my closet and lazily picked out an outfit.

This is what I chose-

I brushed out my hair but it was falling out.

What should I do?

I decided to wear a purple bucket hat to try and hide it.

I grabbed some sunglasses to hide my tiredness. I washed my face and walked downstairs.

"Are you ready?" My mom asked and I nodded.

"The doctor wants to see you soon." She told me as we got inside the car.

"I'm fine mom," I replied looking out the window.

"Why are you sad?" She asked me.

"I'm not sad," I replied, faking a smile.

"Are you sure you're okay? You look like you lost a lot of weight." She said, concerned.

"Mom, I am okay," I assured her.

I just feel like there are needles in my ribs and I can't breathe, that's all.

"Just to make sure, you're seeing the doctor after school." She told me.

"Fine," I mumbled and laid my head back, closing my eyes.

We arrived at school and I got out of the car.

"Here." My mom said and handed me my phone.

"Thanks, bye," I told her and left.

I entered my classroom and sat in the back. I leaned back on my chair and watched as everyone entered the class.

I spotted Kaiden and Raphael enter the classroom.

Kaid scanned the room until his eyes fell onto mine.

He and Raphael sat next to me, I was in the middle.

"Hey," Raphi told me.

"Hi," I whispered, my throat hurting.

"Why the hell did you ghost us for 2 weeks?" He asked me.

"I was grounded," I replied, unintentionally laying my head on Kaiden's shoulder.

"Ms. Leilani, take the sunglasses off." My teacher told me.

"Oh okay, sorry," I said and put my glasses in my bag.

"You look tired, are you okay?" Raphi asked.

"I'M FINE!" I yelled.

Why do people keep asking me that?

"Can I be excused?" I asked the teacher.

She nodded and I ran out of the classroom.

I went to the bathroom and locked myself in a stall.

Tears started to fall from my eyes as I coughed.

Why am I such a baby?

I'm going to die but I'm only 16.

I didn't even get to see the world.

I want to see the world.

I don't want to die, not yet.

K A I D E N

Lilac ran out of the room and I could see her heading to the girl's restroom.

"I'm going to go check on her," I told Raphael and got up.

"Where are you going, Mr. Nightingale?" The teacher asked me.

I ignored her and walked out of the room.

I walked to the restroom. Should I open the door?

I heard cries so—fuck it—

I opened the door and entered the bathroom.

"Lilac, sunshine where are you?" I asked, softly.

"Please leave, Kaiden." I heard her say not before coughing really harshly.

"I'm not going to leave you alone. I'll just wait here with you then." I said and stood there.

"You won't get a proper education if you're in the bathroom." She mumbled to me, sniffling her cries.

Of course Lilac thinks of that.

"You won't get one either," I replied, laughing.

"It doesn't matter. I'm going to die anyway." She told me.

"We're all going to die one day darling," I answered.

"I want to go on a road trip." She said.

"You can definitely go on one," I replied.

"My parents won't let me leave my room, let alone go on a road trip." She told me.

"Well, you can go when you turn 18." I tried to cheer her up.

"I'm not going to live for that long...shawty." She told me.

"What do you mean?" I asked as I opened the stalls.

I finally got to the one she was in and saw her eyes red from tears.

"What's wrong darling?" I asked as I grabbed her waist and brought her outside of the stall.

"It's getting bad again." She mumbled.

"What's getting bad, sweetheart?" I asked wiping her tears away.

"The cancer."