Dying and Everything in between

27| Some new things

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There wasn't much time to think about what happened after that afternoon.

In the days that followed, Lucas's condition took a sudden drop. Irregular fevers, muscle weakness, shortness of breath, nausea, and all these crazy symptoms ravaged his system, and there was no way to tell what it was. It was a medical mystery that left his doctors stumped, Laura frustrated, and with that, they all knew what it meant for him.

The most terrifying thing happened one day when he collapsed. He didn't pass out, but his legs gave up from beneath him as he was with Bea during a harmless trip to the vending machine.

That caused the poor girl quite a scare, and everyone around him only worried more when he came into the meeting next time in a wheelchair.

Laura said it was something temporary until he was able to regain his strength, but they knew words were just words; they didn't mean anything. Not in this case.

Lucas hated it but what could he do? What could he say or change when this was his fate? He was going to die in less than three months. His body was giving up, time was running out, and the chance for a cure was incredibly slim. The world was against him, forcing him to remember he wasn't normal and he would never be.

But the only thing that made this bearable was Joy Jones.

Something changed— there was no denying that.

Whatever was said or done after that day changed something within her. But it was a subtle change, something he could have imagined. It wasn't like Joy was ignoring him. In fact, it was the opposite. As long as she was by at his side, smiling and laughing Lucas came to know that, it was okay to be selfish and live in this stupidly naïve idea that everything would be okay.

Because this— this was as good as it would get.

And he was grateful. So, so grateful for her. Even if Bea was right. But despite that, Lucas tried not to think about it. Joy, on the other hand, seemed to be doing the same thing.

At least they were on the same page.

"Something on your mind?" Joy asked. She insisted on pushing him all around the floor while everyone in the meeting took a snack break.

"Not really. Don't you think it's getting a bit cooler outside?" He asked, peering out the windows to see the sky a vibrant blue, though there were still thick clouds plaguing the heavens.

"Are we seriously talking about the weather?" She snorted, pushing him closer to the windows.

"Well yeah, I don't know what else to talk about. I'm being pushed on a chair with wheels," He said, nose scrunching. "What else is there to say?"

"Well, you can offer me a ride," She teased.

"Please," He scoffed. "You'd break the wheelchair if you sat on me. You'd break me."

"Are you body-shaming me, Andrews?" Joy gasped dramatically pretending to sound offended. She even added a sniffle for extra dramatic effect.

"No," Lucas said, "I'm trying not to die."

"You're doing quite a fine job at it," Joy hummed.

"Shut up,"

"Laura proposed physical therapy to regain some of your strength back, right?" She brought him to one of the sitting areas so Joy could sit across from him. It was probably tough for her to push him around in circles.