Today's the day (Will be rewritten soon)

Chapter 3

- 2 days later at the airport

"Get your asses moving you slowpokes, otherwise the plane is gonna leave without us!" Megan yells from the other side of the hall. I elbow James on my right and say: "She realizes the gate opened like 2 minutes ago, right?" We stay quiet for a second and then burst out laughing, James is the first to regain his composure and says: "Let's just get to the gate before she drags us there by our ears." 

- 1 hour later in the air

I'm sitting next to Megan, peacefully reading my book, when she suddenly gets up and walks away to god knows where. I decide to ignore her sudden departure and continue reading my book. 

- Megan's point of view

"Guys, I need your help," is the first thing I say when I reach Ben and James, "I have this feeling that Jane is keeping something from us, and she is hurting because of it. Ben, do you think you could talk to her?" He immediately gets up and says: "Where is her seat?" "Five rows that way," I say while pointing to the back of the plane. Ben takes off and I take his seat. "Is this all part of your plan?" James asks me. I answer: "Yes, it is. Jane doesn't have long and we all know they've had a crush on each other since 6th grade. The second they laid eyes on each other they were meant to be. So now, I'm giving them a push in the right direction."

- Jane's point of view

I'm peacefully reading my book when Ben all of the sudden takes the seat beside me, takes my hands in his and says: "Jane, please be honest with me. Is something wrong?" I'm very taken aback by his straight forward approach. Normally he would ease into questions like these, but now he was being as straight forward as he could be. "I--I--I'm not okay," I say when the tears start running down my face again. I'm so done with crying but with Ben, I get this feeling I can just let it all out. I compose myself as good as possible and say: "W-When Kate came by a c-couple days ago she had my latest test results with her," I take a deep breath before I continue, "They weren't good. The number of cells infected has doubled. Which means my body is gonna give up the fight a lot earlier than expected," I take one last deep breath, "I only have 2 months left." I look up and see the horror in Ben's eyes. He wraps me in a hug and says: "Jane... I'm so sorry. You don't deserve any of this. Just know I'll always be here for you. We'll always be here. No matter what. We're gonna stick with you till the end. No matter how close or far it is." I tighten our hug and whisper in his ear: "Thank you, but can you promise me you won't tell the others yet. I'm gonna tell them tomorrow, I promise." "Of course, that's your news to tell not mine." We hug for a couple of seconds than Ben breaks the hug and says: "I'm gonna send Megan back here, so you can have some peace and quiet." He stands up and walks away.

- 3 hours later

"Finally out of that plane," is the first thing Megan says, "let's get to our car. I can't wait for our first bucket list item." She runs to our luggage, I really don't know where she gets all that energy after a 5-hour flight. "Let's get to the hotel as fast as possible, our reservation at the lake is at 2 pm. So we need to hurry." After saying that she is running, again, towards the exit of the airport. The rest of us just walk, at a normal tempo, to the exit. 

- 2 pm at the lake

The first thing I see when we arrive at the lake are five beautiful tails and I can't wait to put one on. A beautiful woman with blue hair approaches us and says: "Welcome! Are you the ones with the bucket list?" Kate answers: "We are. So what is gonna happen today?" "Well, first we're gonna get everyone a fitting tail, then we're gonna practice a bit in shallow water and when you're ready for it you can swim in the lake. Any questions?" I raise my hand and ask: "Can I have a blue tail?" The instructor giggles and says: "Of course you can have a blue one, I think I have one that will suit you perfectly." After a couple of minutes, she returns with a beautiful, with pearls and stones decorated, blue tail. I try it on and it fits perfectly. She helps me over to the lake and teaches me the basics. The others join me and after an hour or so we are all allowed to swim in the deeper water of the lake. I'm the first to take off. 

For some reason when I'm swimming like this I feel free. Nothing can stop me, not this stupid disease, not the water, nothing. I swim around for what feels like hours until I bump into someone. I turn around and find Ben. "Hey, you're having a good time I see." He says. I blush and say: "This is amazing, I feel free. Like I can do anything." He looks me in the eyes and says: "You can do anything. Not just right now." I want to answer but a wave of nausea hits me and my vision cuts out for a second. When I open my eyes I see Ben's arm around my waist, he is getting me back to shore. When we reach the shore he lays me down on the sand and calls Kate, who is surprisingly fast. She immediately checks my pulse, temperature and pupil reflexes. "I think you've done enough for the day Jane. I don't want you to faint. Let's get you back to the hotel, where I can check you completely." I grumble but listen to her. I take off my tail and hand it back to the instructor, who says: "You know what, keep it. It suits you perfectly and I saw how you looked at it when I showed it to you. I want you to have it." "Thank you." I give her a quick hug before Kate takes me back to the car. 

- At the hotel

After a couple more tests Kate tells me: "I'm gonna up your medicine a little bit for a few days. That way you'll be less nauseous and dizzy." "Okay, but I can still do everything right?" "Yes, but you also need to know when to take a break because if you keep going like this you won't be able to finish the list, you'll be in the hospital in no-time if you keep going like this. By the way," she says with a sad tone in her voice, "have you told your friends about the news?" "Ben knows, I'm gonna tell the rest tomorrow." "Okay, then sleep tight and hopefully you'll feel better tomorrow. Sweet dreams, honey." 

I turn around and start to think: 

What will it be like for everyone ones I'm gone, they keep saying that I should be happy during this trip but I know that they are all suffering on the inside because of the thought that one day, very soon, I'll be gone. That's why I try to keep smiling. So they don't see that deep down I'm breaking by the thought of leaving them behind. I hope they don't stop living their life once I'm gone, I want them all to be happy, even though I won't be there on their graduation day, weddings, kids? But I hope they know that where ever I may go when I die,

I will always be there with them, every step of the way.