And That's How It Happened

Chapter 16 | Day 32 | Why am I Sitting Up?

Song of the Chapter: Cancer Cover by Twenty One Pilots

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When I wake up, it's almost eight o'clock, the latest I've ever woken up since freshman year of high school. Hotshot is in the chair by my bed, his head in his hands.

"Good, you're up!" He exclaims when he sees me looking around.

"Why's that good?" I mutter but he hears it and glares at me.

"Because. I need to give you this."

He takes something out of his pocket and has me sit up.

"Hotshot, why am I sitting up?" I whine.

He slips the thing over my head and I look down. It's their crystal necklace from the auction. I never got it back.

"Thank you. I love it. Well, I never stopped," I gush.

He grins and I smile at him. I stare into his deep brown eyes and get lost, melting away into nothing. He leans forward and I put my hand on his, which is on the rails of the bed. I feel something rough under my palm and look down, breaking the moment.

"What's this?" I abruptly ask, lifting his hand to get a closer look.

His knuckles are covered in bruises as if he's been fighting all night.

"Nothing," he says, brushing it off and taking away his hand.

"Doesn't look like nothing. Why were you fighting? Who were you fighting?"

"It doesn't matter. All that matters is that you're awake and well."

"What about your health? I care about you and when you aren't healthy, it hurts. So please tell me what's going on!" I say loudly.

"Fine. I care about you, too. And the thought of you going through this surgery with the survival rate so low, kills me. I can't stand the thought of not having you in my life, Baby Doll. So I guess your technique works. Work out until I can't feel anything except the physical pain," he admits sadly.

I smile sadly at him.

"Why do you look like that? You are going through with the surgery, right? I'd rather have you actually try than not."

I look down, ashamed. I'd made my choice a long time ago, but I hadn't told anyone.

"Why?"

"Because, Hotshot! Do you know how risky this is? How low the chance I'd my survival is? I have to take care of the twins! Help my family! How can I do that if I'm dead?"

"You're putting your family above yourself?"

"Of course," I scoff.

"Then how do you think they'll feel if you don't do the surgery? You sacrificed yourself for them. If you don't do the surgery, you'll die. Eventually and painfully. Don't you think it'll kill your family to see you die slowly? To see your life wither away before their eyes? And know that they could've saved you but they didn't because of a choice you made for them? The guilt you'll make them live with is going to be immense. You can't do that to them."

"Then who will help them?"

"You. When you survive the surgery."

"Please. No one wants me to survive it. Look at me. I'm a wreck. I can't do anything right. I can't stand on solid ground. I can barely walk on my own! I don't look good in anything, I can't talk to people, I'm too shy, and when I open up, they leave me! Why? Because I'm so weird! I favor my left hand over my right because I think the right hand gets too much attention! I  have to tap everything an equal amount of times. I read too much, I'm obsessed with all the superheros, I-"