365 Days and Counting

Chapter 6: What About Me?

After our date at the park, things has been going great. Mason hadn't officially asked me to be his girlfriend, but we were both single and spent all of our free time together, so I considered it as dating. Every afternoon since our "park date", we had something planned. Whether it was getting ice cream, or doing our homework. We also just spent time looking up at the clouds and talking about random things. But lately, it seemed like I had been missing something and I found out what it was this morning. I walked up to Mary who was standing at her locker. "Hey Mary. What have you been up to?" She didn't respond. "Mary. Mary? MARY!"
"What?"
"I just was wondering what you have been doing. It seems like I haven't seen you in forever."
"I haven't been doing anything. And if you were wondering what I'm upset about, you already said it."
"What? That I haven't seen you in forever?"
"Ever since you and Mason have been hanging out, I've felt like a third wheel. We haven't talked in several weeks and you never want to hang out with me anymore, or at least that is how I feel."
"Well I'm sorry. It is just Mason is important to me." Everything fell silent. I could tell that Mary was about to cry, or scream at me.
"Mary, I...I didn't mean that way."
"You don't get it do you?" I wasn't sure what she meant to be honest.
"April, your dying. We all are, but in several months you will be gone, and I will be left here alone without my best friend."
"Mary, we can hang out anytime."
"Not anymore we can't because it is always about Mason! In 320 days, I'm going to lose my best friend! Then I'm going to be left here to wonder, what did I do wrong? Is there anything that I could have changed? But it would be too late."
She then walked off towards science, with tears rolling down her cheek, and then one began to roll down mine.
The bell rang, and headed towards science. I made sure to wipe my face off so people couldn't see that. I had been crying. I sat in my usual spot (in the back), and I sat there in deep thought. I can't believe what a jerk I was being. I knew that this was hard for me, but I had been so wrapped up in my own thoughts, I didn't even think about how this affected Mary. " Hey Mary. Look, I know that you probably don't want to speak to me right now, but I just wanted you to know that you are my best friend. I was being a jerk to you, and I didn't realize hie selfish I was being. And I'm sorry."
Mary looked at me for a second, then she nodded and gave me hug. As soon as she touched my shoulders, I felt a wave of relief. Actually, it was just the feeling of a great best friend.