6463 l.h

t h i r t y - o n e

It seemed like the time stopped and those 60 seconds weren't passing by. I placed the pregnancy test on the sink next to the trash so after I get the result I disposal it.

I chewed my bottom lip and tapped my finger nails impatiently.

"Liza?" I hear Kira and immediately freak out, making my hands shake so I accidentally threw the pregnancy test in the trash without checking the result. "Liza? Are you okay?"

She stops next to me as I try to compose myself

"Yeah, I just don't like hospitals" I wash my face and dry it with some paper towels

"Sure? I thought you might be sick cause of the baby and stuff" she rested her warm hands on my shoulders trying to calm me down

"Oh, we're fine" I smile "Let's check on Ashley"

We leave the bathroom and I catch Luke's concern as he approaches me, but I walk past him and join Michael, resting my head on his shoulder

"You okay, kitten?" He rubs my back

"Uhum" I nod "Its just weird, ya know" I clean my throat "She's our age but she's running out of time"

"I know" he hugs me tight. I've grown to like Michael very much, he just gets me "Life's so fragile"

Ashley's mom guides us to her daughter's room "I'll look for her doctor and ask some questions, she's a bit weak so she won't talk a lot but it will be good for her to listen to you guys" she smiles and leaves us alone with Ashley

Her little figure is so pale and weak lying on the bed. Her once bright blonde hair now is a foggy messy bun. I can't even look at her.

"Hey, girl" Calum says approaching the bed with Kira

Ashley smiles and coughs a bit

"It's okay, we just wanted to check on you" Kira says caressing her hair

We all say hi ans try not to cry

"It's good to see the crew" Ashley takes her time to finish the sentence

I hold myself next to Michael, trying not to rub in her face Luke and I together.

Luke's standing next to Ashton, Kira is talking to Ashley saying how bored we've been since schools over. I can see on Ashley's face that's she's done with life, that if she sees the light she'll run desperately towards it.

"Can I speak to you?" She mutters heavily and I approach her bed. Everyone else take a step back to give us some room

"Hey" I rest my hand next to hers

"I used to hate you, ya know" she laughs a lil bit "I used to wish awful things happening to you even imagining how happy I'd be if you're the one dying from cancer and not me" I just look down and chew my bottom lip "But now I get you, now I know how it feels to be hollow and brave at the same time, you kinda teach me that"

I smile, not knowing how to answer that

"You take care of him okay?" She says with watery eyes "Cuz I can't anymore"

"I will" I promise her that and lean to kiss her cheek "You can go if you want, don't fight if you don't feel like fighting" I whisper on her ear, these words are meant for her only

"Thank you" she cries making me cry too "For what matters, I was wrong about you" she smiles "Your heart is good"

Kira tries to join the conversation and I think about what she said. I'm done being brave.

I feel myself sick to my stomach, this whole scenario isnt making it better. I excuse myself and leave the room to catch a breath. I find some chairs down the hallway and rush on them. As soon as I sit I cup my face with my hands and it seemed like I was breathing for the first time, like all the way to here I was holding my breath for no reason.

Tears started to flow but I don't understand them. I know I'm sad because Ashley won't survive the night, I'm sad because of these lies and I'm definitely sad because of my mom.

It's been so hard to be me right now. This broken home that's my life its taking its toll on me. And I've tried to be strong for Zoe and brave to Luke but when do I just get to be me?

"Hey, what's up?" Luke sits next to me and holds me tight.

"I can't Luke" I sob burrying my face on the crook of his neck "I can't be strong anymore, I can't keep up with this fight cause I've lost it long ago" words float out of my mouth but I'm so done with taming them.

"Baby, it's okay" he kisses my temple trying to calm me down "You don't have to be strong anymore, let me be tough for the both of us"

"You don't understand!" I shout and get myself out of his embrace "You can't be strong for me, you can't fight my battles neither kill my demons!" I stand up shoving my hands down my pockets

"Then what can I do? I can't see you like this!"

"You have to tell the truth" I say breathless "This entire mess is suffocating me" I lean against the wall to catch my breath but it seems impossible

He stands up to hold me, his arms snaking around me soothes me for a second.

"I will baby, I will" he promisses "Let's just focus on Ashley right now"

I nod. Shortly we head back to her room just to see everyone being pushed out by some doctors. Kira's crying with Ashley's mom. I hold on to Luke when I watched through the glass window a doctor by her bed using that charging machine to make her heart beat again.

"Oh God" I cover my mouth with my hands and burry my face into Luke's chest

I hear her mom shouting and the doctors saying something about keep trying.

"Not my baby girl!" Her mom shouted "No! Ashley! You're too young, its too soon" she runs to the window and slams her hands against it "No!"

Luke tightens his grip around me even more when a doctor came to talk to her mom.

She let go. She's done fighting and I wonder if I have reached my limit too.

"I'm sorry Mrs Khors, but she was too weak" he said to her "She didn't make it"

I hear Kira gasping and crying. It feels like my heart shrinked in me twisting my stomach even more. I run towards her mom and hug her.

"Now is the time you gotta be strong" I tell her while I hug her skinny figure "Mrs Khors you did all you could, you need to let her go" I start to cry while comforting the mother of the girl I used to hate

"I can't" She cries out

"It's no piece of cake but you have to, she was ready to go" I stroke her hair "Sometimes we hold on to things thinking we can't breathe without them, thinking we cannot exist without but we can" I look into her sad eyes "Now you gotta live this life for the two of you"

She cries even more but I can see she's accepting it. She nods and runs her hands over her face

"Thank you Liza" she kisses my cheek and go stay with her husband

I walk back to Luke and hug him

"Take me home, please" I whine looking into Luke's eyes "I have something to discuss with you" I pierce his blue eyes and he nods

I prepare myself for the worst talk I'll ever have.

--

HI GUYS ITS MA BIRTHDAAAAAY. Im officially 19 and old af, hope yall liked this chapter and one thing: 6463 is ending

BUT FEAR NOT

THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL

Im planning to publish the sequel around late January so stay tuned. I will post the link on my profile and also here in this story.

Hope yall have a good day and Merry Christmas!