The Dating Game

Chapter Forty

Justin

Is accepting death really the way forward? Being so audacious to fashion a list and follow through with it?

To say I was vexed when Juliet presented me with her bucket list to do before she would die was an understatement. Was it so easy to just wish your life away like that by holding the last months down to a piece of Goddamn paper where anything could tamper with it? How could someone's beautiful life be compared to a frail piece of paper?

The bucket list I had haphazardly copied was now staring up at me from my desk in my room, all scrunched and folded from being in my jeans. It was almost like it was taunting me and being a constant reminder of the foreseeable future. Juliet seemed to think her future was ordained already, but there was still that shred of hope lingering within me that would mean she would get to be free from riddled with this disease and she could lead a normal life afterwards.

Death could be something both predictable and unpredictable. If you get in a road accident – that's unpredictable. But if you're contaminated with a disease or illness and the doctors have specifically told you that you have only months to live, then your death is predictable. Miracles can occur, however. People who were once infected with diseases are now liberated from their diseased bodies once deemed an ensnarement.

"Why are you staring so intently at your desk?"

Turning around, Jazmyn was hovering by the threshold with her book in her hands. I turned back to my desk as she stepped forward to scrutinise my peculiar conduct further.

"It's not my desk," I replied, "Juliet's made a bucket list and I took a copy of it. I don't quite know what to think of it or how to go about some of these. She made it like a week ago and I haven't helped her with any yet."

I figured despite some of the explicitness of certain points on the list, Jazmyn would look past them and decide against teasing me relentlessly because of them. Her cheeks didn't even redden whilst reading down the list. On the contrary, her face actually contorted quizzically when she'd finished.

"Well, I don't she'd want to meet Mom but if it would make her happy... passing exams will be fine given that she'd revise-"

"How do we know she's still going to be alive by exam time? It's January now but she's not showing many signs of LQTS."

"Perhaps they appear abruptly when you're least expecting it. Haven't you done research on this, Justin?" Jazmyn flapped her hand about, letting the list float in the air.

"Yeah, I have. But it was all too confusing."

"Anyway, I won't say anything about number three except the lake-"

I raised my eyebrows. "Are you telling me you've been in the lake skinny dipping with some guy?"

"People talk about it," she replied nonchalantly, protesting.

"A hot air balloon won't be too difficult if you can rent one out for an evening... go on your laptop and see if there's one nearby."

Whilst Jazmyn was continuing to read aloud her musings to the list, I retrieved my laptop from under my bed – nearly retracting my guitar in a bulky case instead – and began searching for nearby hot air balloon rental places. We could go in together and ask if her dad would want to join us. And reading the next point which was to make her dad happy, Jazmyn suggested just that.

"She'll make a difference alright," Jazmyn continued, "she can set up charity events for people with this disease and everyone can raise money and it'll be all her idea and that's how she'll be known – be known for a good cause. And I hope you'll help considering her next point is making your relationship worth it."