FERVOR

Ch. 2

Layla

Layla came face to face with the door that restrained her from seeing the only good thing in her life - Jesse.

Room 211.

She stood for mere seconds, failing at an attempt to mentally prepare herself for the scene that may or may not be. Tears had already started to cloud at the corners of her eyes, but she tried so hard to be brave.

Be brave for Jesse.

Layla reached for the handle and slowly pushed the door open as a creak resonated from the heavy mechanism. After finally having enough courage to look up, the picture she found in front of her eyes was soul crushing.

Jesse layed still on the hospital bed. She approached closer, noticing how his familiar eyes were closed. His normally vibrant cheeks had settled to a pale white and the shadow of long eyelashes only made the ghostly appearance more apparent. The single  clue that confirmed he wasn't dead was the faint rise and fall of his chest.

Tears sprung into her vision again as she lightly stroked his cool cheeks. He looked so fragile, almost like an antique doll. Several wires and tubes were connected to his arms and mouth. This was not the Jesse she knew. If it had been any other day, he would have be cracking jokes left and right. But now, he was rendered to a stiff body.

Not until she heard a faint 'ehem' did she realize that her parents had stood watching from the far corner of the room. She gazed back at them with eyes void of emotion. They were the last people she wanted to see right now.

"Hi, sweetie." Her father made an effort to break the silence and staring war.

Layla responded with only a nod of her head.

"What did the doctors say?" Layla managed to croak.

Her mother responded with a sharp,"They said there's nothing to be done. He's being put under chemo. All we can do is hope for the best."

She winced at the reality of the situation and the tone in which her mother spat. This couldn't be true. There had to be a way. Layla's heart when into overdrive.

No. No. No. God, please.

Tears streamed down her face and she raced to hold Jesse's graying hand. He always managed to bring her out of a panic attack. In fact, she hadn't had a relapse in years. But now, the way her stomach constricted and how she couldn't breathe made it evident that she was having and episode.

Neither parent made an effort to comfort her, but maybe it was better that way. Although she still struggled to breathe, she somehow reeled in the attack before it had the chance to erupt. And before she knew it, sleep had settled over her.

...

Weeks had passed. Layla hadn't rested, as every second of the day was spent with Jesse. He had finally woken up two weeks ago, after having been in a coma for a month. She rejoiced, and while he wasn't in a fabulous state, she could at least hear his soothing voice.

"What are you still doing here, loser? Not that I don't love seeing my little sister, but only one of us needs to be in the hospital." Jesse comedically threw at Layla.

"I can't leave you here alone. God knows you'd probably try to walk out of here." Layla giggled.

Although she was joking, her statement held some truth. She couldn't leave him there alone. Their parents hadn't visited ever since he had been admitted into the hospital. They sent a card saying 'get well' but that was about it.

"Layla, seriously, get your ass out of here. You look like hell and I can't have my lil sis made fun of on her first day of college, just because she spent too much time with her lame brother."

Earlier that week, Jesse had mentioned how he had been stashing cash for her college fund ever since he got his first job at sixteen. They both knew that their parents wouldn't send her to college, unless she appealed to their idea of success, but they were unable to be appeased. She declined his offer several times, because it was too much. She couldn't let him waste his money on her like that. But he insisted, and wouldn't take no for an answer. Layla couldn't express how thankful she was. Even at such a young age, Jesse was securing her future before his.

"Jesse I really can't thank you enough. I swear I will pay you ba-" He cut her off before she could finish her promise.

"No, no. You will do no such thing. Consider this my gift to you. I don't want the money back, I just want you to be happy." He admitted.

Layla rushed to hug him. Though she had the urge to squeeze him, she knew it was imperative that she was gentle. He hugged her back and kissed the top of her head as she pulled away.

She was his little sister, and he'd give her the world.
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Hello again, lovely people! Second chapter done! Third will follow shortly! Hope all of you are having a fabulous day!
Xoxo,
_phantom_writer_vl