Play Date

Twenty

July 1st 2021

Hey, it's currently 3:42 in the afternoon. It's extremely sunny and humid.
I'm excited for today, but also slightly worried. I've had a tickle in my throat all morning. I've been scared to cough because I don't want anyone to worry

Today's Jack's birthday. We've got a party planned out at Jonah and Corbyn's house, and since they have a pool, everyone can go swimming.

We dropped off Ashton at my mothers since Jack's family will be at the party.

Technically there will be two parties, one with family and close friends, then at night, an actual party with way too many people.

"Ready to go babe?" Jack yells from down stairs

"Yeah, just give me a minute" I yell from my bed.

I stand up, climbing over the boxes of already packed things from my bedroom. I head into the bathroom to recheck my makeup when the tickle in my throat comes back.

I close the bathroom door to cough so Jack doesn't hear me. I don't want him to worry.

Once the door is closed, I cough into my elbow. My arm gets wet and gross. I pull away and look at my arm, seeing it covered in blood.

Shit.

I grab a tissue and wipe off the blood, quickly throwing the issue in the toilet, flushing the evidence.

I can't let anyone know, I'm not going to ruin Jack's birthday.

I quickly check myself out in the mirror. Slide on my wig and head down the stairs. I shuffled my way over to Jack, hugging his waist

"Happy birthday cutie" I smile in his chest

"You've said it like, 5 times today baby. But thank you" Jack kisses the top of my head before we leave out the door to his party.

We get to Corbyn and Jonah's house and everyone's already there waiting for him.

Everybody gives him his presents and we all have a little cake before the boys set up for the friends party later. They set up alcohol in the kitchen, snacks on almost every table.

It's about two hours into the party and people are already wasted. I'm avoiding people I don't know because I don't really feel like explaining who I am or why I have a oxygen tank.

Jack and I are sitting on a couch, he's talking to a bunch of his friends and I'm just sitting there awkwardly.

I get the tickle feeling in my throat again. I reach over and grab a tissue and excuse myself out of the conversation I wasn't even participating in.

To avoid any people hearing, I walk upstairs to cough. I walk into a random room and I somehow make it into Corbyn's room. I close the door before I actually allow myself to cough.

As I'm coughing, I feel the blood start rolling down my arm from my lungs. I try to wipe it up with the tissue when I hear the toilet flush in Corbyn's bathroom.

Fuck.

I race to try to clean myself up before the door opens.

The door opens revealing a somewhat intoxicated Corbyn Besson.

"Hey! Y/n! What are you doing up here?" He asks with a beer bottle in hand

"Fuck! Are you okay? Why's your arm bleeding?" He grabs my clean wrist dragging me into his bathroom.

Corbyn chugs the rest of his beer before resting the empty bottle on the sink counter. He puts the toilet seat down for me to sit on and he gets a wet towel. Gently holding onto my wrist with one hand, wiping the blood off with the other.

"You don't even have a cut on your arm.. where's the blood coming from?" He whispers under his breath but loud enough to make me think he's talking to me

"I don't know"

"Say that again" Corbyn says intensely looking at me

"What?" I laugh but he shakes his head

"You're coughing up blood, aren't you?"

"What? No I'm not" I nervously break eye contact

"Your tongue and teeth are covered in blood. Let's go, we're going to the hospital"

Corbyn pulls me up off the toilet seat, and slowly walks out the bathroom door.

Tears start streaming down my face as I constantly shake my head, no.

"Please, not right now"

"What are you talking about? Of course we're going right now!? You're coughing up blood, and as far as I know, bloods not a good sign coming out of anywhere!"

"Please" I choke out in almost a whisper

"Stay here, I'm going to get Jack" Corbyn says starting to leave the room

"Corbyn please, it's his birthday"

Corbyn stops in his tracks, right in front of his bedroom door. He spins around on his heels and walks back over to me, sitting on his bed. He sits down beside me, wrapping his arms around me as I cry into my hands.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come off aggressive, I'm just scared. I don't want to lose you" He places a soft kiss on the top of my head as I continue to cry

"Just, please don't tell him, not right now. I'm not about to ruin his birthday by spending it in the hospital"

"You're lucky I like you" He whispers, kissing the top of my head again

"What?"

"I said, let's get back down there then. Pretend like you aren't dying, I guess" Corbyn sighs as we stand up off his bed

"Oh, use mouth wash or something, get the nasty blood of your teeth"

We both laugh as I use his bathroom, cleaning myself up as if this is supposed to be normal.

I know I should be rushed to the hospital and get this all looked at but I'm not ruining Jack's day. I know I'd tell him to stay and not worry but knowing him, he'd refuse to leave my side.

Corbyn and I walk back down the stairs, with Corbyn's hand on my lower back, helping me down the stairs.

Corbyn goes straight to the kitchen while I go back to the living room, sitting beside Jack.

Jack puts his arm around me, kissing my cheek.

"I love you" He whispers in my ear

"I love you more" Jack shakes his head with a huge smile on his face.

Jack kisses my lips before going back to the conversation he was having with his friends.

So far, he doesn't suspect a thing.