The Dating Game

Chapter Sixty-Nine

Justin

Juliet had deteriorated a lot rapider than Doctor Klein anticipated.

It had barely been a week, not a few.

She had to stay lying on the sofa most of the time. When it came to eating, she had to sit up. Ian sometimes asked if Juliet could manage to amble to the dining table in the dining room. If she'd had enough rest, she'd be able to manage it without much support. If she had already been awake for awhile, she might not have been able to accomplish it, or accomplish it and be heavily supported.

But today, the nurse felt that after her morning check up, Juliet needed some fresh air. Because she couldn't walk too much because of the lack of food she was digesting, she was losing weight quite quickly, too. She looked even paler than she had ever done. So that is why the nurse brought round a wheelchair and kept it near the front door in case of emergencies like this.

Beth, Michelle and I still had to go back to school just to finish off a little bits and bobs like cleaning out lockers and saying goodbye to teachers and picking up graduation robs. Graduation wouldn't be for another few weeks, and the torture I was enduring thinking Juliet wouldn't be here to graduate was excruciatingly intolerable.

So now, as it was a weekend, Beth, Michelle and I were with Juliet. I was pushing Juliet in the wheelchair up to a more secluded section of the park. Michelle was in profound conversation with Juliet about Rachel. Since we'd been at school, we'd found out that Rachel had attempted to die her hair black as a rebellious stage, but instead, for some magical reason, it had amended into a vivid auburn colour.

"Rumour has it, her sister changed the colouring for her," said Michelle.

"I wish I could see it."

Even Mr. Beckley was always asking about Juliet whenever she wasn't in school. Sometimes she managed to come in a morning or afternoon, but it was a rarity to see her in for a whole day now – even if we didn't have lessons.

"How is she, Justin?" he'd ask.

"She's... okay," I'd settle with. "Doctor Klein said... uh..." I could barely choke the words out because of how much it hurt me. Knowing she'd be gone was... unimaginable. In the time I had gotten to know her, I would never have thought she'd be dying. I thought we'd be together happily for as long as we'd both put in the effort and make it work.

"A few weeks," Beth would finish. "A few weeks left."

"I'm sorry," he'd say. "I'll give her dad a call and see how he's getting on. Thank you, you three."

Michelle would sit there, her face a concoction of a pale and green colour as if she felt sick from the news.

But her bucket list even lay abandoned in her drawer in her room. She'd seemed to have forgotten it, but this might be down to the reason that she could barely walk up the stairs normally. Her bones were becoming very brittle and weak in her weight-loss.

Michelle and Beth said they'd walk ahead which left me alone with Juliet, gently pushing her and letting the breeze and sun get to her. She wasn't wearing a knitted jumper, but instead a strappy top. I could see the spots flecked on her shoulders, some crimson and some fading.

In the last few days, she was getting a bit worried on certain things. She was worried that because she didn't always have enough energy, we couldn't consummate the relationship like we had done previously. But then she tried to lighten the mood.

"At least when I'm gone, you'll be able to find someone who will consummate it properly."

Not only did it make me quite annoyed and upset, it broke my heart.

Beth and Michelle went out of view as we went down a hill so I stopped the wheelchair and put on the brakes to stop her from inadvertently darting down the hill and crashing somewhere. Leaning down in front of her, I put my hands on her thighs by her knees and smiled at her, despite her appearing so different than what I've been used to.

"I love you," I said. "You still look so beautiful to me."

Not permitting her any time to reply, I leaned forwards and up on my knees, connecting our lips. The kiss lasted a few moments before Beth and Michelle came rushing back to us and squealing at the sight of us locking lips.

"Stop, please! There are little kids about!" Michelle said, a broad grin on her face as I turned around to her.

Kicking off the brakes, we continued our descent down the hill.

We didn't do much in the park that day, but it was refreshing to see colour adding to Juliet's cheeks and her eyes glistening in the sunlight. It was a lot for her to give up the sunlight because she didn't have enough energy most of the time, and I could tell how much she missed it.

So today was about the four of us.

The next morning, I was tempted to phone Ian to see if Juliet was awake, but I didn't want to be so predictable and boring considering I do this most days when I want to see her. Instead, Mom gave me some money which was a bit of leftovers from her wages and said, "Buy her some flowers or something."

Elated with the idea, I stopped off at a shop on the way in town. It took me a good five minutes of mere speculation of what to buy her when the shop assistant came out to me and queried what the occasion was. His first idea was, "Guilt flowers?"

"She's Juliet Royal," I said.

His face paled.

Ian was well-known in the town and his family history. Consequentially, this meant that everyone acknowledged Juliet's health status and her inevitable and heart-clenching future.

So once the shop assistant suggested I buy half a dozen red roses and a few yellow roses, I made my way through town to her house. There were a few men giving me some stares, and woman staring enviously at the flowers in my hand, and then at me. When I did get to Ian's, he answered the door. His cheeks looked hallow yet they glistened. His eyes were bloodshot. In his hand he held her Coke lid and material bracelets.

"I'm so sorry, Justin," he whispered, his voice breaking.

My flowers dropped to the floor almost inaudibly.

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Author's Note:

I'M SO SORRY, GUYS, BUT THIS HAS TO BE DONE :(((( MY HEART IS BROKEN I PROMISE :(((((

Thank you :) x