CHRIST: FINDING THE LIGHT

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Two months later

"We won, you lost! Take that suckers!" Kate waved her arms wildly, and danced around her front yard.

Stacie laughed, and her eyes twinkled.

Candy, Mia and I stood there with our palms on our knees, wondering how they could have played a thirty minute game of soccer and not be tired.

"I—It was on purpose," I wheezed. "As if we'd lose to the two of you."

Kate grinned. "Oh? Do you want a rematch then?"

"No! No, no rematch!" yelled Mia. "I am still recovering from the first one."

"I still don't get how you guys lost. There are three of you, and two of us. And one of us is nine--"

"And eleven twelfths," added Stacie.

"And eleven twelfths," amended Kate. "How can you not win?"

Candy glared at her, her left eye twitching. "Some of us don't have mad soccer skills, hon."

"Maybe you'd have 'mad soccer skills', as you so eloquently put it, if you actually ate something instead of grass. Though I do appreciate the compliment," Kate teased, with a spark in her eyes.

"I'd chase you," said Candy, collapsing onto the grass, "but I am too tired to do so."

"Or you're just afraid that you can't catch me."

"Nope, still not going to fall for it."

"Chicken."

Candy's cheeks flushed red in anger, and she squeezed her water bottle.

"What. Did. You. Just. Say?" she said, through gritted teeth.

"You heard me. Buck. Buck. Chicken." Kate flapped her arms like the farm animal she spoke of, and Candice stood.

"Oh, it's on." She started to chase Kate around the large yard whilst the rest of us looked on and laughed. My friends were crazy, but when it came down to it, they would stick by me no matter what.

"Dinner's ready!" yelled Stacy from the patio and everyone quickly scurried inside. She had taken us all over to visit Kate's mother and coincidentally, Candy and Mia had come over. Meal time at the Myers' household was something of a battle. It ran purely on the basis of 'first come, first serve,' especially since Kate had three brothers who ate like pigs; her words not mine.

Stacy had set aside a plate of food for Stacie,  who was laughing at something James, Kate's eldest brother, had said. Times like these almost made me forget that she had cancer. Almost. The thought was always there, niggling at the back of my mind, dampening my mood. I fussed over her like a mother hen, and even Stacy had told me to tone it down a little.

I couldn't help it. I just wanted her to feel normal, to feel loved. To feel free of cancer. She had been in and out of the hospital constantly, skipping class for appointments. Of late, she'd been feeling better, although the cancerous tissue was still there. Still looming overhead, ready to strike at any moment...

"Ash!" yelled Candy. "Earth to Ashley!" I blinked twice.

"Huh?" I said. Candy rolled her eyes.

"You spaced out. Again." She spoke accusingly, until she saw where my attention was. Her eyes softened. "Oh Ash." She held out her arms to me, and I walked into them, hot tears spilling over and onto my cheeks.

"I just want her to be okay. I want all this to be over. I want her to be okay."

"Hey, hey Ash. Look at me." I wiped my snot covered nose on her shirt and she didn't even flinch. That was just the kind of friend she was. I looked up into her concerned blue eyes.