[Featured by wattpad romance, teen fiction, young adult and psychologicalnovel]
Joy Jones was a seventeen-year-old kind and optimistic girl working in her grandpa's flower shop, but she had a secret. She was suffering from acute lymphoblastic leuka...
Four days after Christmas, Logan was trying to sleep in the sleeping area, but his eyes remained wide open. He tossed and turned on the bed, his thoughts drifting to Joy. He hadn't slept a wink in the last three days and had stayed next to Joy, talking to her until her mum asked him to rest. Logan curled himself in a small ball, forcefully squeezing his eyes shut.
Sleep. Sleep. Sleep.
Dream. Dream. Dream.
Suddenly, he heard unsteady footsteps approaching him and he held his breath.
"L-Logan . . . J-Joy," Shaun said forcefully, barely spilling the words out.
He immediately shot up from the bed and stared aghast at Shaun who nodded mutely, his eyes red-rimmed.
Logan didn't recall the next few moments vividly- he had followed Shaun to Joy's room and his arms and legs felt like they weren't his. They felt oddly heavy as if he was dragging himself to face the inevitable. They quietly entered the room where Joy's mum held Joy's bluish hand and talked softly to her.
Joy's father and Gemma were seated on the sofa, hugging each other, watching Joy and adding in to the conversation occasionally. Shaun joined them on the sofa while Logan took a seat beside Joy's mum. No one was crying.
Joy's eyes were fluttering like crazy and her body slightly shook despite of her mum's soothing words. It felt as if she was in a state of confusion- whether to hold on to the last secure ball of suffering, suffocating twine or to unwind and free them. She didn't know when to let go- let go of all the beauty that made her her and all the ugly that grinded her until she collapsed. Logan gingerly placed his slender hand over her faintly beating heart and it seemed like the traitorous time slowed down. Soft thuds of her heart sounded like gossamer petals falling on the ground from a withering flower. The string unravelled from the confined ball, her fears twisting and turning, breaking free from her body. The last loop of string- her inner turmoil spiralled out of her and she stopped shaking. Her eyes closed, her scanty eyelashes peacefully rested over her ashen cheeks.
He could barely feel her heartbeats as he let his quivering touch linger over her big heart and then fiercely held her lifeless hand.
The room was filled with their quiet, clear voices talking to her about the wonderful days they spent with her, the mellow crashing of the waves of the ocean and her noisy breathing. Every breath she inhaled and exhaled was desperately long and roughly noisy. A part of Logan wanted to catch her breaths in the fist of his hand and kiss them back into her. Another part of him wanted to steal her breath away- steal her aches and woes.
"I'm here, we're here," Logan said as his glassy eyes flickered to everyone in the room. His warmth spread to her cold hand. "I love you Joy. We love you our Joy."
"We love you our Joy," they all repeated softly, their voices not wavering.
Those words brought her peace for Joy took one lasting breath, her body tightening and then dropped back on the bed.
Not her end. Never their end. Always on his mind like ketchup.
The rays of the sun found their way through the flimsy, floral curtains and crawled in inch by inch on her pale body, cleansing her pain away. Her blonde hair shone like a golden crown as the rays of the sun took away her bright spirit. Specks of dust danced in the yellow light, a promise that she would always be there, with him, with them. How much ever sorrow would ruin someone, Joy would come one day in her golden glory, gathering the ruins and making them stronger. Hopeful. Happier.
They continued talking to her for a while, taking their time with her before the nurses were called.
Joy's mum casted a glance at Logan who smiled tearfully. "She is happy, at-at peace."
Those simple words from a boy less than half her age assured her as she bit the inside of her cheek hard to not cry.
Logan and Joy's mum helped the nurses bathe Joy's thin body. All her scars and battles were visible to them, to remind them how strong a person could be. How she smiled childishly as if a sickness wasn't killing her. How she shared everyone's torment as if hers wasn't enough.
After bathing her, Logan walked out of the room and drank coffee in the yard with Shaun, both of them crying silently. A half-dead leaf soared over them as no words were exchanged. A lost daughter. A lost sister. A lost friend. A lost lover. This basic sense of loss first tore them apart even caused disbelief, but deep within they had accepted it.
Not her end. Never their end. Always on his mind like ketchup.
Logan entered the room and saw Joy was laid on the bed, dressed in her radiant yellow dress. Memories of lovely summer days rushed in his mind- chasing her in the sunflower field, slurping thick milkshakes at the crammed dairy, stolen glances at the flower shop, cuddling in the back of the truck as meadows passed by, listening to her talk endlessly in the lighthouse, her wet kisses at the ocean. Here, right here in the body of this strong creature, lay the heart of summer.
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A/N :
There are more chapters to come, so stick around ;)
