Short Summer Nights

CHAPTER ONE

"Ricky! This one too, right?" Angelo asked Ricky, his best friend who was moving in today. "Yeah!" Ricky responded.

Ricky was recently diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer, and it really took a toll on him. Since it was draining Ricky's body so much, his doctors decided it would be best to take risks in life until...you know.

So, his father sent him to Angelo's for the summer, so he would be able to have one last good summer. "Here, that's the last of them." Angelo says as he drops Ricky's bags on the floor with a pant.

"Thank you for bringing them in for me. I can get them to the room." He responds. "No! You need to rest. It was a long ride, I'll show you your room, it's through this hallway." Angelo says as he walks through the kitchen to the hallway.

He opens the door for him as he walks in. The room is quite small, but nice and cozy. Sadly, to Ricky's dismay there was a hospital bed in the room, but he could tell Angelo tried his best to make it look like home.

The bed was lifted so he would be able to get in and out of it easily, and there was a crocheted rainbow blanket on the bed, along with a few stuffed animals. "Thank you Angelo, this means a lot." He says lightly as he hugs him.

They hugged for a while, both caught up in the moment. Both knew how bad they stress, especially about this situation. But they also knew they had to make the best of it, and they were going to try to.

Angelo let go, and helped Ricky in his bed, fixing his cannula for him. That was one of the things Ricky most hated, he had to wear a cannula, which he felt made him look weird, and it was tough for him to do a full face of makeup.

"Thank you Angelo." Ricky tells him as he tucks him in and hands him a stuffed animal. "No problem Rick, sleep well." He tells him, as he lays a gentle kiss on his forehead. Ricky smiled in response, and Angelo left the room.

Angelo tried not to let it show, but on the inside he was balling his eyes out. He's going to be there for his best friend, but it hurts him so much to worry if that was the last time he would see him again.

Once he knew Ricky was asleep, he brought his bags in and set them near the door gently, so he wouldn't wake him.

He decided to make him some food as he slept. Angelo decided on vegan spaghetti. Ricky recently became vegan, as he hoped it would keep him healthy for longer. Angelo wasn't vegan, but he would put up with it for him.

He picked at his nails as the water boiled. Once it was ready he started cooking again, while stirring the noodles he saw a light shadow behind him.

"Rick? What's wrong?" He asks Ricky, as he sets the spoon down. "I-I had another nightmare. They're just getting worse..." He told him as he fell into Angelo's arms.

"Oh honey..." Angelo whispered to him as he held him and kissed his head. "I'm sorry Ange...I don't want to be a bother...we all know I'm getting worse and I don't want you to have to put up with me." He whispered.

"Hey hey it's okay, you're okay. Why don't you take a seat and I'll finish dinner. You need to eat something." Angelo told him.

He helped Ricky up on the chair and made sure he was stable. He finished dinner and set it on a plate for him. "Careful honey, it's hot." Angelo told Ricky.

[Ricky's POV]
I looked down at my food, I think it's sweet Angelo made me vegan food, even though he doesn't like it. I poked at the food, since my cancer progressed all the food seemed to become bland.

"Is it good?" He asks. "Yeah, thank you for making it." I respond with a slight smile. I could see Angelo saw right through me. He always does, but he never pokes.

"After dinner, do you want to take a walk on the beach? It'll be nice." He offers. "Sure, I'm not sure how long I'll be able to walk for, my body's feeling a little weak today, 'm sorry." I tell him, as I shift in my seat.

"That's okay, I can always carry you." He responds with a giggle. I just smiled in response.

From being diagnosed, I knew I wouldn't be the same. And I'm not, I'm just skin and bone now, I don't have enough energy to do anything. I used to love baking, now it drains me and I have no interest in food. I used to love doing make up, now it angers me that my cannula gets in the way.

I watched as Angelo cleaned our plates and walked back to me. "Anything you need hun?" He asks me. "No, but can you maybe get my cardigan? The white one please." I tell him. He nods and walks into my new bedroom.

I can't even go outside without something to cover my body, I'm not sure if it's more because I'm so tiny and frail now, or if I am just really just cold.

Angelo returns with my cardigan and helps me put it on. "There you go, all pretty hmm." Angelo says with a small smile. I giggled at his antics, he would always try to make me feel beautiful in any way possible.

"Ready?" He asks me. I nod at him and he takes my hand in his. He helps me outside and locks the door. Angelo was always the sweetest. The most lovely person, I have ever met to be honest. I worried that I was going to make him stress more with being here, but it seemed as though he was happy he was in my presence.

As we started walking down the path from his house the beach, I got lost in thought. Ange and I never were a couple, yet we always acted like it. We didn't have feelings for each other, yet we both loved each other immensely. I truly am so thankful for him.

We reached the beach and he helped me over to a bench near the water. Not too close, but it was just right. I never was scared of water, I loved it. But I suppose I lost interest in a lot of things...

I sat on the bench wrapping my cardigan around me with my frail hands. How could Angelo be in a t-shirt and shorts? I watch as Angelo sits next to me and gives me a smile. I gave him a small smile in response.

I know he misses me smiling. He's told me. But it's so tough to act happy for some reason. I adjusted my cannula and fixed where my cardigan was being hooked on the machine. I at least wanted to look somewhat presentable.

"It's nice, isn't it?" Angelo asked me. "Yeah, thank you for bringing me here." Angelo smiles at me again. He was always a smiley person I suppose you could say. It was his way of talking.

"Hey! Ange!" A voice called from behind. Who was that? I watched Angelo get up and hug the person. "Woah Ange, who's the pretty babe you got with you?" He asks to him.

Was there someone pretty around? Maybe a girl who was tanning? I looked around and still couldn't find anyone. "Yeah, that's my friend Ricky." Ange spoke.

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hello everyone and welcome to my new book! i hope you all enjoy! please vote and comment! have a lovely day <33