4:06 - A Tale of Leukemia

Who Am I | Chapter 7

007 | The Art of the Distant Mind

''YOU know, I haven't seen you around too much at the hospital.'' Boo addressed on Tuesday, dialing his locker code into the dial, as he began grabbing all the books he'd need for his next couple of afternoon classes. ''Everything alright?''

Teddy smiled at the ground, but if Boo's body-reading skills held any significance, he'd say his best friend was definitely faking a smile.

''Yeah, just a homework pile-up. That's all...''

''Everything alright with your dad?'' He tried. ''I know you said the two of you don't quite get along.''

''Yeah.'' He said, shutting his locker with a barely audible clank! ''Just some at home stuff,'' He shook himself out of it, any weirdness his words left behind, and elaborated. ''Things are just weird right now, with your cancer coming back and stuff, and all the bad memories and stuff...''

Boo remembered hearing from his parents, that Teddy's mom had passed away due to breast cancer.

'' . . . just brings back bad memories for my dad. That's all.''

''Oh. I'm sorry if I - ''

''No.'' He stated firmly. ''Don't say sorry, Boob. You don't have anything to be sorry for. Believe me when I tell you, you did nothing wrong.''

Boob

There that rugged old nickname he had use to hate, but now desperately missed, was.

He couldn't stop his lips from upturning into an adorably goofy smile.

Teddy smiled back at him, lips lifting at the edges in a way, Boo felt like hadn't lifted in weeks.

''You should smile more.'' Boo complimented the ginger, cocking his head to the side. ''You have a nice smile.'' There was something about his smile that reminded him of a certain blonde who hadn't visited him in a couple of days.

Teddy's smile fell just then. In his eyes glimmered a sadness, an unexplained sadness that only meant of something sad that was to come. Like a little child who knew their dog had to be put down on a specific day, or a daughter who knew they only had a couple of minutes left to spend with their dying grandmother. Or even a spouse, who had the misfortune of witnessing their significant other getting hit, in a violent act of a hit and run, running over to their side to communicate with them, before the life got emptied out of them and onto the pavement.

''Teddy... what's wrong?''

Teddy opened his mouth, but was interrupted by the violent sound of a fist being slammed against a locker.

Boo jumped.

He was greeted by the horrifying sight of David, snarling that ugly mouth of his. Eyes narrowed, in a way that meant there was no way Boo could pass him without saying a word.

''What do you want, David?'' Teddy snapped out, annoyed.

David's eyes lit up with amusement, ''Still pining after somebody whose clearly not interested in you, Teddy-Bear?''

Boo cast a glance between the two of them, lingering on Teddy, a questioning look in his eyes. Teddy remained unchanging, hard eyes planted on the brunette.

''Still beating-on Freshman, because you can't pick on somebody your own age?''

David drew his fist back at that, decking Teddy right in the side of his jaw.

''Teddy!''

The ginger clutched the side of his face, groaning in pain.

David cast one more backward look, scoffing. ''You two losers are made for each other.''

And with that he stomped off, muttering something incoherently that sounded a lot like. Ponies.

Teddy was seated on the floor, back pressed against the lockers, and knees pulled to his chest. He was glaring in the direction the brunette had disappeared in. ''I freaking hate that prick.''

''Join the train.''

-

''That's another bead to your bracelet, Mr. Soleil.'' Cassandra smiled encouragingly, adding a dark brown bead to the plethora of colorful beads. ''Another treatment done and dusted, another bead to recovery,''

''And once treatments are all done, my hair can finally start growing back, and then I'll finally be cute enough again to get my flirt game back up.'' Boo whooped.

''Not that having hair makes you cute.'' Teddy pointed out.

Boo sternly pointed his Marker at the ginger. 'You try losing all your hair in the span of six-weeks, and see how it tarnishes your self-love.''

''I don't know.'' Cassie hummed in humor, ''I'm kinda digging the clean-shaven look.''

A blank look.

''No? I thought it was a great pun.''

Teddy swiped a hand across his best-friend's smooth round head, pressing a light kiss to his forehead. ''You look fine just the way you are, Boob, hair or no hair, hell. You look the same.''

''That's not a compliment at all, if you're saying I looked this pale, sick, bald, and bony, beforehand. Than I'm ugly.'' He exclaimed in a joking-manner, though he was only half-joking.

Cassie laughed, whilst Teddy just rolled his eyes in response.