Skyline

Chapter 23: Zander Neeson

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Alexei's P.O.V.

Colleen was acting weird and it seems like something's bothering her. I feel like she's hiding something from me as I asked her if she wanted to come to Mrs. V's café.

"Sorry, I'm busy," she said while typing something on her phone.

"Can I help you with anything?"

"Uh no. It's bonding time with my dad," she replied still not taking her eyes off her phone.

"Isn't your dad going to New York for a business trip?"

"Yeah, no. It got cancelled. Anyway, see you later." She kissed me on the cheek, which both surprised me and strengthened my suspicions. Something's not right. There's something she's not telling me and I'm about to find out.

I borrowed Julian's car to trail Colleen because a. I don't have a car because my uncle's too stubborn to give me one and his condition is something I don't want, and b. it's new and I want a feel of it. After a few minutes of driving, her car stopped and parked on a hospital parking lot.

I parked Julian's car a few meters away before following Colleen inside Isle City General Hospital. I kept walking a few feet behind her until she stopped outside a room. I stopped and hid behind a vending machine. When I snuck a glance, she's talking to a nurse who entered the room with her. I got closer to the door and saw the name of the patient confined inside.

Zander Neeson.

Who is this guy? I opened the door to find out.

Colleen was sitting on a chair beside the bed, leaning on the person on the bed and holding his hands. A boy about the same age as Jules was lying on the bed. His head is bald; his skin is as white as sheet and a breathing tube is connected to his nose.

The kid saw me first and I froze. Colleen followed his gaze and saw me quickly masking her expression before I could see it.

"Hello," the kid greeted. "Who are you?"

"I'm Alexei," I replied, slowly walking towards them. The nurse has finished checking on him and has exited the room. I sat on the chair on the other side of the bed across Colleen and snuck a glance at her but she kept her focus on the boy's face.

"Oh, you're sister Colleen's boyfriend. She has told me a lot about you," the boy said, smiling at me.

"Yeah, that's me." I said lamely.

"I'm glad that there's someone to replace me as her protector."

"Zander," Colleen spoke up in a scolding tone but Zander acted like he didn't hear her.

"You see, I'm her personal protector from bad guys. My name – Zander – it means protector. But I can't do that in the future anymore." He told me with a pout, as if dying is such a disappointment.

"Why not?"

"I'm dying so I can't protect her anymore."

"That's not going to happen, Zander." Colleen said firmly but I know she doubts her words.

"Big sister, we promised each other not to tell lies," scolded Zander. Colleen pursed her lips.

"You shouldn't give up so easily, young knight." I piped in. "You should never hand over the princess. You should protect her until the end. But if you give up that easily, then I guess, I should take the princess from you."

Zander grinned, his eyes sparkling a bit. "Is that a challenge, sir?"

"What if it is?" I asked playfully, making Colleen smile.

"Then, can I ask the princess to hand me the chosen weapon of war?" Zander said to Colleen, who then reached for the box of Scrabble by the table and handing it to Zander.

"I hereby accept your challenge, Sir Alexei."

"Let our battle begin," I replied with an eager smile.

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Visiting hours were soon over and Colleen and I left with a promise to visit again the next day. Colleen led the way to the hospital garden, telling me about Zander and his illness.

"I met Zander three years ago when I was hospitalized after a kidnapping stunt which left me a bullet on the shoulder." She looked annoyed as she recalled the incident.

"He was so chatty then even though he had a hard time breathing and I can't help but be friends with him. It was only stage two then, his lung cancer. But now it has progressed and the doctor said he only have a year at the most." Her voice broke at the end and silent tears had started to fall from her eyes. I put my arms around her and holding her as she cried.

"Shh, it's okay, shortcake. It's okay."

And maybe the sky felt the sorrow that Colleen held because just like my personal sky – my Colleen, it cried. It cried in forms of snow. And we stayed there, as the first snow fall.

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"I'm sorry I can't tell you about it earlier." Colleen had finally calmed down and we're now on our way to her house.

"It's alright," I assured her.

"Zander had made me promise him not to tell anyone or introduce him to more people because of his sickness. He believes that it will end his life early and so he doesn't want more friends to leave when it happens," she explained and I can still feel her sadness coming off her in waves so I held her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"You know this is one of the things I love about you," I said, making her look at me. "You are so passionate about everything."

When she didn't say anything but kept staring at me, I continued, my eyes still on the road. "Keeping your word about something, being a loyal friend, playing the piano, you're passionate about everything you do."

"Don't forget food. I'm a very passionate eater," she told me with a joking smile.

"Yeah, and that."

Everything that happened today made me realize how life could be cut short in an instant. Zander is just fourteen years old and yet he only has a year at most to live. And then it hit me. I realized I haven't told Colleen. I went to park the car on the side of the road and took a breath. Colleen was looking at me oddly.

"I love you." Colleen stared at me in surprise. "I love how you change the color of your hair and doesn't care what people think about it. I love how you play the piano so intensely filled with emotions. I love the color of your eyes and how they spark when you watch anime. I love it when you cry because a character in the anime you're watching dies. I love it when you blush because you look so cute. I love that you support your friends on what they want to do like letting Arianne dress you up because she wants to be a fashion designer. I love that you think more about people before you think of yourself. I love that you donate your time to helping people. And I love it that you'll call me an idiot after this."

I stared at Colleen, waiting for her reaction. She stared back at me for quite a while then blush a really deep red, her eyes suddenly filling with tears.

"I love you too, you idiot." She said, in a barely audible voice bowing her head in embarrassment.

A/N: Gomen'nasai!!! Sorry, I totally forgot to update. Still, thanks for reading! The song is I love you by Avril Lavigne. :3