{An After Romeo Fanfiction Collection Book}

Normal, But Not At All

Just a normal day except... nothing actually feels normal.

I asked my boyfriend if he had noticed anything.

"Meh, I don't really pay much attention to the outside world. Remember we're outcasts! We don't have to notice anything," Blake said as he walked closer to quickly hug me and give me a little peck on the lips.

"We gotta head to... ?" He continued as we began to walk.

"Chem...istry?" I asked.

"Chemistry that's right! What would I do without you Izzy?" He asked and soon answered himself.

"I would have to remember my own schedule! What a tragedy!" He pretended to fall back dramatically and soon came up to laugh about it.

** In Class**

"Alright class, today we will be creating a volcano. Very 2000's but oh well. It's due by the bell, that means you've got 45 minutes so chop chop!" He clapped his hands as he said chop chop.

I went to the back of the room to grab vinegar, baking soda, newspaper, glue, wire, and the instructions. As I walked back I yelled to Blake "Aye, get off your phone. This is due in, well now 41 minutes. C'mon!" He just sighed and rolled his eyes.

"All right, all right. I'm off, see?" He said and lifted his hands off his phone. "Good, now you assemble the volcano with the newspaper and glue. I've got to go to the bathroom."

I walked out the door and down the hall. I stopped around the corner and pulled out my phone. I looked on almost all the social media apps but nothing explained why today was feeling so different.

Maybe something is wrong with Blake. He didn't act like something was wrong this morning. I don't know... but if something is wrong with Blake then I should probably get back to him.

I walk back into class and see that Blake had finished the volcano and went back to staring at his phone. His face was in shock. I wonder if he read the same article about the theory of Louis Tomlinson's baby being fake that I read earlier.

"Hey! You could've started the rest of the project!" I said as I walk back to the seat. "I'm sorry, I've gotta go." He said keeping his face locked onto the screen. He grabbed his stuff and left. I knew something was off about today.

**After School**

I walked to Blake's house, it's only 5 houses down from mine, and knocked on the front door. His dad came to the door.

"Oh, hi Izabel. Blake is in his room. It's been a pretty hard day so, be quick." He said, he sounded upset and drained of energy. "Okay, I'll be out of here soon. Thanks." I ran upstairs and opened his door.

He laid on his bed, still as a statue. He laid on his stomach with his head and left arm hanging over the edge of the bed. Shit.

"Hey, umm, why did you leave in class today?" I asked while I walked to his bed and sat down on the end of his bed. He didn't answer, or even look at me. "Blake? Can you please just talk to me?" He lifted his head to look at me, but put it back down as he sniffled.

Blake never cries, so whatever happened must have hit him hard. "My mom." He sat up but stayed facing the other way. "Of all people, it had to happen to her. Her of all fucking people." He whispered but emphasized 'fucking'.

"What happened?" I asked, I need to know what's bothering him. He turned around and sat next to me. He didn't answer, just sobbed and rested his head in my lap.

"Hey, hey. It's gonna be okay just tell me what happened." I said, I wanted to help him overcome this but how can I if I don't know what's going on. "She was," he cried between words. "She was having multiple seizures so we," he cries again. "We brought her to the hospital and they said that she had developed a glioblastoma in her brain." When he said the last couple of words he broke down.

He looked up at me and I think he could tell a was confused, so he explained. "A glioblastoma is an aggressive brain tumor." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. If I couldn't believe what I was hearing, it must have been a thousand times worse for Blake.

"Oh my god, Blake. How are they going to treat it?" I didn't know what else to say. It's not like I could give him any advice now, I've never had to deal with anything like this.

"They had to do surgery. But, the tumor was too," he broke down even more so now that he had the first couple of times. "The tumor was too overpowering and......" He paused. "She died in surgery." Now I had started sobbing. I hugged Blake as tight as I could. His mom was the nicest woman you could imagine, how could this happen to her? He needs support right now, so I'm going to give him every ounce I have in my body. I love him so much, and right now he needs me more than he's ever needed me before.