Chapter 5: Reveal

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A single tear runs
And drops off her nose
She cries in the darkest corners
Where nobody goes
Just follow their tracks
From her eyes to her chin
Years and years
Of letting them win
Look in her eyes
That tell the story
Of sadness and pain
And tell me, is she truly happy?
She laughs and she smiles
But look again
The scars of her past
Are hidden under her clothes
They are a map to places
She prays no one will go
Yes, her smile is fake
She's a master of disguise
But you can see her pain
If you just look into her eyes.
    - BlueStarrySky1

Arya:

I stirred my coffee, staring dolefully at the swirling brown liquid. A single tear dropped silently down my cheek. I couldn't muster the strength to wipe it away. Although it was a warm day, I wore a long-sleeved shirt with a thick black hoodie and thick sweatpants with leggings on underneath them. However, I was still cold- inside and out.

Opposite me, Lucas was sipping his own drink- mint-choc chip- while studying me with furrowed eyebrows and pursed lips. "What's the news, Greenie?"

I exhaled a long, forceful breath, keeping my gaze firmly down. We were at the Costa just down the street from my home- a cute, quiet place with sweet-smiling servers and a cosy, warm feeling. I'd called Cheekbones that morning, on the verge of tears, and he managed to carve out time from his busy schedule to meet me.

"It came back." I whispered, fiddling with the hem of my hoodie. When I received no reply, I risked a glance up. Lucas was very still, frozen in place by my statement. His grip tightened on the plastic cup and his breathing sped up.

"No, that's impossible." He murmured, shaking his head. "The doctors said they removed all the harmful cells. You can't be sick again, you just can't."

I let out a bitter laugh. "Well, the doctor's appointment I had yesterday says otherwise."

"We can go to chemo again, right? It worked last time-"

I shook my head. "The cancer is spreading too quickly, Cheekbones, there's no point."

He looked at me, a fire of determination burned brightly in his eyes. "That's what they said three years ago- but you beat it then, right? So you can beat it again this time."

"That was different and you know it. The leukaemia wasn't spreading that quickly."

Lucas abruptly stood up, his chair fell backwards with a resounding crash! that gained us the attention of the few people in the cafe. "Then what do you want to do, huh?! Just sit around and wait for it to kill you?!" His voice broke.

I slammed my palms on the wooden table and lurched up, nose to nose with the seething man. "Thanks so much for reminding me! Really made my goddamn day! This is my decision, not yours."

He shook his head vehemently and leaned back, staring at me for a second before storming out of the cafe. I let out a long breath and sat down.

"Is everything alright, Miss?" A server approached me tentatively.

"Yes," I lied, taking a sip of my cold drink. "Everything is perfectly fine."

Lucas:

Arya is being stupid.

She doesn't want to go for treatment for a disease that could kill her.

I had a dark scowl on my face as I walked down the street. People gave me a wide berth, mothers clutching their children tighter as they caught sight of my murderous expression. I sat in my car and gripped the wheel tightly, rage clouding my thoughts. I punched the dashboard. Once. Twice. Thrice. Soon I lost count. My skin was cracked and bruised, warm blood oozing out of it and yet, I felt no pain.

Someone tapped gently on the car window and I snapped my head over to see Arya. She shivered, red eyes drooping and lips tinged a light blue. Suddenly, I was the biggest asshole on the planet for making a cancer patient walk in the cold. I hastily unlocked the car and Greenie slid in, blowing hot air on her bony fingers in a desperate attempt to keep warm.

An awkward silence descended.

"I'm sorry." I said gruffly. Her curious gaze burned in the side of my head, but I refused to look her in the eye. "It's your choice on whether to get the treatment or not, but you have to understand, you're like my sister, Greenie. And I really don't want you to die."

"I really don't want to die too, Cheekbones." Arya muttered. "But it how life is. I honestly don't even care anymore. I'll just go with the flow- what happens, will happen."

"Even if it ends up with you six feet under?" I growled darkly.

"Yes."

Arya:

I knew Lucas wasn't happy with my answer, but he let it go. The rest of the journey was passed in terse silence. Lucas still refused to look at me- which hurt more than I thought it would, but I refused to let it show. We soon pulled up outside my home.

"Thanks." I spat bitterly, stepping out the car. Why does he have to make my decision so much harder?

"Wait, Arya-" I didn't let him finish, slamming the door on his words. For a moment, I wondered if he was going to follow me, but then I heard him drive off, leaving me alone with my dangerous thoughts.

I walked up the stone steps, taking the key out of my pocket. But then I hesitated.

Then what do you want to do, huh?! Just sit around and wait for it to kill you?! Lucas's harsh words reverberated in my skull and I shook my head, making a rash decision.

I'm gonna have fun tonight. I thought determinedly, turning away from the door and storming down the path. I deserved to have fun- a breath of normalcy before reality will come crashing down on me.

End of chapter 5.

Very short- but this is just a filler. Next chapter will be... interesting to say the least :)

Qotc:

1. Thoughts on the poem at the top of the page?

2. Thoughts on Arya's diagnosis?

3. Who do you think is right- Lucas or Arya?

I hope you guys liked it!

Stay safe and thanks for reading :)

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