Stars in Your Eyes | AnunKamol

Chapter 9: A Good Friend

Anna managed to hide her pain throughout the afternoon with Lila. She could see the changes in Lila—how much more confident she had become, how her light was starting to shine through again. Anna didn't want to ruin that, not when Lila had come so far.

As their meeting came to an end, Anna gave Lila a soft hug. "I'll be visiting some of my family over the weekend," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "But I'll be back to visit you as usual on Monday. Will you miss me?"

Lila smiled, her fingers gently tracing Anna's back. "I understand," she said, tugging Anna in for another hug. "But yes, I will miss you."

Just then, Lila remembered the pill case. She reached into her pocket and handed it back to Anna. "Here, you dropped this. Anna, are you okay? Please tell me if you're not. Like you told me, we're all just human."

Anna was stunned, her mind racing with thoughts. She looked at the pill case in her hand, then back at Lila. The concern in Lila's voice touched her deeply, and for a moment, Anna considered telling her everything. But instead, she simply smiled and said, "I'm proud of you, Lila." She gave Lila an endearing rub on the head, a gesture full of affection and unspoken words.

Lila felt tears forming for some reason she couldn't quite understand. "Please take care of yourself too," she repeated softly. "I'll see you on Monday."

Anna nodded, giving Lila one last hug before leaving. As she walked away, she felt the weight of her secret pressing down on her more than ever. But seeing Lila's progress gave her the strength to keep going, to keep fighting, even as her own time was running out.

She made her way back to her car, the pain in her chest a constant reminder of her fragile condition. She had to be careful, to take care of herself, if only to keep her promise to Lila.

___________

Anna knew she couldn't trust herself to take care of herself at home. The pain in her chest was a constant reminder of her deteriorating condition, and the exhaustion was becoming unbearable. So, she made the difficult decision to spend the weekend at the hospital, where she could be monitored and receive the care she needed.

Packing her bags was a sombre task. She didn't need much—just a few essentials, a change of clothes, and her medications. As she zipped up her bag, her thoughts drifted to Lila. She hoped Lila would be okay without her for a few days. She wished she could be there to see her, to encourage her, to remind her of her own strength.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Naomi's team was busy setting up for the charity art event. They were selling their graphic designs to raise funds for terminally ill patients, hoping to grant their last wishes. Naomi was leading the project with her usual passion and dedication, determined to make a difference.

As Naomi stepped out to take a call from Poppy, she noticed a familiar figure in the distance. She squinted, unsure but hopeful. It was Anna, looking tired and worn but unmistakably her. Naomi's heart sank, knowing that Anna must be in worse shape than she had let on.

"Hey, Poppy, I need to call you back," Naomi said, her voice tinged with worry. She hung up and quickly walked towards Anna.

Anna was checking in at the reception, her eyes heavy with fatigue. Naomi approached her, concern etched on her face. "Anna? What are you doing here?" she asked gently.

Anna turned to see Naomi, her eyes widening in surprise. "Naomi... I didn't expect to see you here."

"I could say the same. Are you okay?" Naomi's eyes scanned Anna, noting the pallor of her skin and the shadows under her eyes.

Anna sighed, knowing she couldn't keep up the facade any longer. "I'm here for a stay. I haven't been doing well, and I thought it would be best to stay where I can be monitored."

Naomi's heart ached for her friend. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell any of us?"

"I didn't want to worry anyone," Anna admitted. "Especially Lila. She's been making so much progress, and I didn't want her to worry about me."

Naomi nodded, understanding but still feeling a pang of sadness. "Well, you're here now. Let me know if you need anything, okay? We're having a charity art event here this weekend. Maybe you can come by if you're feeling up to it."

Anna managed a small smile. "I'd like that. Thank you, Naomi."

As Naomi returned to her team, her thoughts were heavy with concern for Anna. She vowed to check on her regularly, to be there for her friend in any way she could. And as she looked around at the bustling preparations for the art event, she felt a sense of purpose. She would make sure this event was a success, not just for the patients but for Anna too.

Later that day, Naomi found herself standing outside Anna's room in the terminal section of the hospital. Her heart felt heavy with apprehension as she softly knocked on the door. A faint voice from inside welcomed her in.

"Hey, Naomi," Anna greeted, her voice a bit stronger than before. She looked slightly more coloured, but the wires and IVs attached to her painted a grim picture.

"Hey, Anna," Naomi replied, forcing a smile as she took in the sight of her friend. She hesitated before asking, "What exactly do you have?"

Anna gave a small, resigned smile. "It's called Eclipse Disease. It's a rare condition that affects the heart and lungs. I'm in the final stage now."

Naomi felt a lump in her throat. "Anna... I'm so sorry."

Anna, trying to lighten the mood, joked, "Hey, at least I got a cool name for a disease, right? Eclipse Disease sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie."

Naomi's eyes welled up with tears. "Don't joke like that, Anna."

"Sorry, coping mechanism," Anna said, her smile fading. "But seriously, Naomi, thank you and Poppy for looking out for Lila. It means the world to me."

"Don't say it like that," Naomi warned, her voice stern but kind. "You're going to get through this, and we'll all be there for you. And for Lila."

Just then, the doctor entered the room, clipboard in hand. "Ms. Anna, we need to continue with your checks now."

Naomi gave Anna's hand a gentle squeeze. "I'll be back to check on you. And don't worry about Lila. We'll keep her company."

Anna nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Naomi. For everything."

Naomi left the room, her mind racing with thoughts of Anna and Lila.

___________

Naomi returned to the apartment, her mind heavy with the weight of the day. As she opened the door, Poppy immediately sensed something was wrong.

"Naomi?" Poppy called out from the kitchen, her voice filled with concern. She wiped her hands on a towel and walked over to her partner. "What happened?"

Naomi's eyes brimmed with unshed tears as she collapsed into Poppy's embrace. "It's Anna," she said, her voice trembling. "She's in the terminal section of the hospital. She has Eclipse Disease. It's terminal, Poppy. She's not going to make it."

Poppy's eyes widened in shock, and she pulled Naomi closer, her own heart aching at the news. "Oh my god... Naomi, I'm so sorry."

Naomi clung to Poppy, letting the tears fall. "I don't know how to handle this, Poppy. Anna has been so strong for Lila, and now... now she needs us."

Poppy stroked Naomi's hair, trying to soothe her. "We will be there for her, Naomi. We'll be there for both Anna and Lila. They need us now more than ever."

Naomi pulled back slightly, looking into Poppy's eyes. "Lila doesn't know yet. Anna hasn't told her. We have to find a way to support both of them without breaking their spirits."

Poppy nodded, her mind racing with thoughts and plans. "We'll figure it out. First, let's make sure we're there for Anna. She needs to know she's not alone in this."

Naomi wiped her tears and took a deep breath. "You're right. We need to be strong for them."

Poppy smiled gently. "We'll take it one step at a time. We'll visit Anna tomorrow and see what she needs. And we'll keep Lila company, just like we promised."