Euphoria - E.D.

20

I know I'd felt in shock before, but I never felt so in shock, then I did when Alex spoke those six words to me.

It was like a sudden punch to the face, except I didn't feel the pain, because I didn't know how to react.

I'd never forget that day. So many things came crashing down at once, that I became numb to all the pain I was feeling, mentally and physically.

Physically, because I had to be given more morphine to numb the pain in my cancer stricken leg, as it grew worse and worse.

Mentally, because I was not only given one case of bad news, but two. And after encountering so much bad news over the past few months, it's like I became used to it.

I didn't know what to do anymore. I wanted to stay strong, but I was too weak to do so.

"Come on E, you can't just lay there forever," Grayson said, "And you can't keeping saying you're not hungry so you don't have to eat your food."

"Why can't I lay here? Didn't everyone say I was supposed to stay in bed because I'm, what was it, too weak or too ill?" I responded.

"That was the other day, Ethan. They said your fine now. Come on Ethan, everyone's worried about you."

"I bet they are," I mumbled.

"You've been begging to get out of bed and walk around, and now you don't want to. You'll feel better if you move around and get some fresh air."

"I really don't think that getting up and walking around will help me feel better. Not with this, at least."

He let out a sigh, sitting on the small leather couch in my hospital room.

"I just can't believe it," I quietly said, shaking my head.

"Can't believe what?"

"Alex shouldn't be dying. She shouldn't be given a time frame of how much longer she has to live. She deserves to be free of cancer, living a normal teenage life. She deserves to grow up and experience life."

He looked at me sadly, nodding his head, staying silent as I continued to talk.

"I knew it was coming. I just...don't want to accept it. What makes everything worse is that there's nothing I can do about, I can't make anything better. She's dying, and I can't do anything to stop it."

"You can help make things better if you try," he said.

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"Do what you've been doing this entire time. Make her last days on earth the most memorable time of her life. Cherish the time you have with her. You don't want to go on with life knowing that you didn't enjoy the last few moments you had with her."

He was right.

All along, neither me nor Alex were phased by the fact that she was dying. We were having to much fun enjoying the time we had together to worry about all the sad things in life.

Sure, I thought of it occasionally, but I didn't quit enjoying life with her because I was sad. I was happy with what was occurring in the present, not worrying about the future.

That's all I had to do. Enjoy every second left with her.

"G-Grayson. There's one last thing I have to do with Alex. Before I go into surgery, and before she...s-she's g-gone..and I need your help," I said, sitting up in bed.

"What is it?"

"Prom," I replied.

"Ethan, you can't leave and neither can she. How do you expect-" he began questioning, soon being cut off by someone walking into my room.

My parents and doctor all walked into the room, all ready to tell me something else.

"We just went over some more things, and the sooner you go into surgery, the better chances we have of getting rid of all tumors," my doctor said, reading off her clipboard like it was some script she's said to every other cancer patient.

"Your surgery is scheduled for next Monday, okay?" My mom said, standing next to my dad.

I looked back and forth between everyone, nodding my head in response. "Can I ask for one thing before all of this happens, though?"

"Sure Ethan, what is it?" My dad replied.

"I want to take Alex to prom."

They all stood in silence, try to figure out if I was being serious.

"Ethan, honey, your prom is this Saturday. You can't leave the hospital," My mom gently spoke.

"I know, but I want to take her to prom. I never said I have to leave the hospital to give Alex the prom she deserves."

Her and my father looked at each other, knowing very well that I wouldn't give up on this.

"If you don't mind me cutting in," the doctor began, "The Make a Wish Foundation cut off is eighteen, but we can make it work and give Ethan a wish. Is this what you'd like to use your wish for?"

I nodded my head, smiling a little. "Yes. That'd be great."

My parents looked at each other, than at me before placing a smile on their face.

They wanted to see me happy. That's all they want as my parents, and they knew that this one wish, would make me smile.

"Alright. I'll contact the foundation to get everything arranged," my doctor said before leaving the room.

"I'm not just doing this for me. This is for Alex as well," I told my parents and Grayson.

"We know Ethan. You've got a big heart," my mom smiled.