HER

𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝟺𝟹

♪Tᴀᴋᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ʙy Yᴏᴜ Mᴇ Aᴛ Sɪx♪

                                    Rᴏxʏ

After three exhaustingly long days of training with coach and helping Troy pack our things, we finally landed in Dallas. We were finally here.

Coach helped out with the flight and even got us a penthouse to stay at for the week. Unlike me, he was quite rich. I didn't tell Troy that coach had helped, I just made up stories and he believed them. He always did.

Sometimes I wondered if he'd even still love me if he had found out about everything.

He wasn't the only one in the dark. Lucy was hoping to see Jake after spring break again. She missed him and she had no idea that there was a possibility of never seeing her father again.

"Ooh it's so pretty!" Lucy uttered in amazement.

Troy walked in and looked up at the ceiling where the chandelier hung then at the large windows and luxurious furniture. "Woah, Nina's dad must have paid a fortune for this place."

I chuckled awkwardly.

I hated to admit it but with every lie, I felt less and less guilty and I didn't understand why. Inheritance from my father, I presumed.

The hotel was illuminated with a soft and welcoming light, as if it were a sunshine in gentle pastel hue. I looked around at the paintings on the cream white walls. They seemed ancient yet modern at the same time but nevertheless they were impeccable in design and detail. The kitchen was grand and it smelt like lemons and homemade gingerbread.

"It's like a castle!" I heard Lucy exclaim from the living room.

I smiled to myself and walked over to where she was. "The view is everything." Troy whispered underneath his breath as he stood by the large windows.

"It's beautiful." I agreed, hugging him from the back, placing my chin in the crook of his neck. We just stood there and watched the view then Lucy started getting excited.

"Ooh, ooh, can I please FaceTime my dad?" She asked me, hopping around excitedly. Troy smiled in admiration.

Shit, shit, shit.

"Uh.. sure." I said, handing her my phone.

She smiled widely, showing her teeth. She started tapping around on my phone then held the phone up to her face and waited.

Eventually her call got declined.

She looked up at me with sad eyes, confusion spread on her face.

I bended down before her and smiled softly at her. "He's probably just busy. We'll try again later, okay?" I assured her and she nodded slowly.

"So.. ice cream, anybody?" Troy suggested and I watched as Lucy's face beamed up with joy. "Me, me, me!" She yelled happily.

I glanced over at him gratefully and he winked at me with a smile.

It was bearable with him. He was always going to be there. It was a feeling I was certain about.

                                          ➪

It's kinda strange how for a little while, everything seems to be running smoothly and then.. poof. Life happens.

"Hey baby." Troy whispered as he hugged me from behind, his arms and hands resting on my stomach.

Butterflies.

I smiled and looked up into the bathroom mirror. "Hi."

"You're so cold." He told me as he snuggled his head into my neck, kissing it softly. "Wanna cuddle?"

I giggled, quickly turning so that I could face him. "No. Not tonight. I want to show you something."

"Yeah? What is this something?" He questioned in a flirtatious tone.

I chuckled. "This something doesn't require us lying on our bed."

"Oh. The kitchen counters?" He teased and I rolled my eyes then smiled tiredly. "Why don't you get us our coats, I'll be down in a sec."

"What about Lucy?" He reminded me.

"I'm sure she'd be both fine and still asleep for another five minutes." I assured him.

He hesitated for a bit then nodded before turning to leave the bathroom but then quickly walked back in to peck me on the cheek. "I love you." He told me.

"I love you." I said back sincerely.

He smiled then left me alone again.

I sighed, opening my right hand slowly to see the two red liquid-filled pills still in my hand.

Yeah...then life happens.

I swallowed them with some tap water then looked at my reflection in the mirror. My face was much thinner than yesterday and my skin complexion was paler than ever but for once I couldn't spot a single bruise or cut. It's been so long. I kinda missed it. It's like I wasn't myself anymore, as if I was slowly starting to fade.

                 •                      •                        •

♪Tʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɢᴏᴛ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ʙʏ Kᴀᴛʏ Pᴇʀʀʏ♪

It was hard hiding something as big as cancer away from Troy. I knew what it would be like if he found out and even though telling the truth would be better, I just couldn't get myself to do it.

"We've been walking for a minute now and still you won't tell me what we're doing outside at midnight?" He whined.

I grinned at him before walking into the road and lying down in the middle of it. "We're going to die." I joked.

"What are you doing? Get up from there Roxy!" A car could come." He panicked.

I closed my eyes and smiled. "I don't see any."

He chuckled and then walked towards me, quickly picking me up bridal style and walking over to the sidewalk. I rolled my eyes at him. "I want to do something spontaneous!"

"Yeah, can you do that without getting killed?" He asked, putting me down to sit on the pavement.

I sighed and lied back to look up at the night sky. "We're all going to die anyway." I told him.

He lied down beside me and nodded. "Yeah but it doesn't end there. You don't just die and that's it. There's so much more afterwards, maybe even better."

I frowned a bit. "You really think so?"

"Yeah. As in another life."

I smiled softly at the thought of another life, a better one perhaps, then frowned quickly again. "What if it's not real? What if after death it's just nothingness?"

"Of course its real! You'll see. But for now, right here, I'm quite pleased. There's no better life except for the one which I share with you."

I smiled sincerely and so did he. I inhaled deeply in relief. If I don't make it, maybe I'd meet him again. In another life.