Cause and Affect

||Four

A few weeks went by, more treatment, and my hair came out more and more with chemo.

By the beginning of July, I was sick like a dog, and balding.

The doorbell rang one Wednesday afternoon. I was laying on the couch covered in ten blankets with my favorite sweatshirt on, like always.

"Mom! Can you get the door?" I tried to yell to my mom, but then ended up having a cough attack.

"Of course, honey."

Mom went to the door and opened it. I heard familiar voices.

"Come on in guys. She's in the living room."

I heard a very familiar voice stand out among all the rest. Amber came in view and I smiled as big as I could muster.

"Hi Kaila! I brought friends!"

Alex, Hunter, Claire, Alexandra, and Penny came into sight. Mom ushered them to wash their hands before coming over my way.

"Hi friends." I replied weakly. They laughed.

"We brought some movies and snacks. We thought since you can't go out to the movies with us, we'd just bring some to you!" Claire explained, taking off her shoes before going to the bathroom.

"Aww, you guys. That's so nice of you." I coughed a couple times and smiled.

"We'll go make some popcorn." The girls yelled, from the kitchen.

"I'll go with." Alex commented, leaving Hunter and I alone.

He smiled. "How are you today?" He scooted next to the couch, kneeling on the floor looking directly at my face.

"Eh. I've been better. Today just isn't a good day. But since you guys came, it's a lot better." I partially lied. I hadn't felt this bad since I had the stomach flu for a week in seventh grade. This felt much worse, though.

"I'm glad we could come by. It was actually Amber's idea to come."

"I guessed as much. She's great."

"Not as great as you."

I blushed and shoved him lightly. "Stop it you are making me blush!"

"Oh sorry. Maybe I shouldn't do this then either." He winked.

I covered my face with my blankets to refrain from him seeing me. He pulled them back to my chest. I coughed some more, a little more forcefully this time.

He patiently waited for my fit to finish before continuing his thought. "Don't do that. That way I can't see your pretty face."

"Gosh, Hunter!" I shoved him again with a little more force. He playfully fell over.

"Ahhh! Kaila's being mean!" He pouted and crossed his arms. The microwave finished popping the popcorn. The overwhelming smell of butter popcorn filled the house. It was something I wish I desired to eat, but couldn't stomach.

I giggled. "Baby."

The girls, and Alex, came back with a bowl of popcorn and varies candy assortments.

"So what movie are we watching?" Claire asked sitting on the floor, leaning against the couch.

"What do you have?" I asked. I tried sitting up, but it failed miserably, so I laid back down.

"We have all the High School Musicals, 101 Dalmatians, Lion King 1 and 2, and we have Gods Not Dead."

"High School Musical 3 is my favorite!" I exclaimed. That was enough for them to decide on that one. The boys groaned and we argued with them to keep quiet while the movie played. They agreed only for my sake.

They put it in the Blu-Ray player and turned on the TV. The movie began to play and I smiled.

The movie continued and through some of it, I saw Amber lean on Alex's shoulder. All the girls sang to the songs, and the boys just rolled their eyes. I just watched them, my voice was too weak to sing.

Alex and Amber had been started dating again a week before Hunter and I. We went on a lot of double dates before I got too sick to even get out of bed.

So, when the part with Troy and Gabriella in the tree house came on, all I could picture was if Hunter and I did that.

He was sitting directly in front of me, making sure I was okay or if I needed anything, casually reaching for the popcorn bowl once and a while.

When Gabriella and Troy started singing, I put my hand to where it touched the floor and reached for his hand. He got startled for a second and realized it was me. He grabbed my hand and intertwined his fingers with mine.

We sat like that for the rest of the movie. Once it was over, Claire started clapping really loudly and all of us looked at her. "What? It was a good movie! I've never seen it before!"

We laughed and watched three more movies one after another before it was time for them to leave.

"Thanks so much for coming guys. This was really really fun."

"We were glad to be with you some, Kai. It was a lot of fun." Amber said with a smile, grabbing my hand.

"Thank you so much, Amber." I squeezed her hand.

After everyone left, Hunter was the only one to stay behind. I looked over at him.

"Why are you still here?" I asked, curiously.

He quietly chuckled. "What? Don't you want me here?"

"Of course I do. I always do."

He grinned. "I stayed behind because I brought you something."

"What did you bring me?"

He pulled out a sky blue beanie from a bag I hadn't noticed before. I gasped as he handed it to me.

"Oh my gosh, Hunter. It's so pretty!" I attempted to put it on, but couldn't muster the strength. Hunter then reached his hand to help. He slipped the beanie on my head. His face inches from mine, I asked, "How's it look?" and he just smiled.

"Gorgeous, as always." I covered my face with my sleeves. Then out of no where, tears rolled down my cheeks. He pulled my hands down. He was sitting cross cross instead of on his knees.

He made a sad face. "What's wrong, love?"

"I don't deserve you." I covered my face again for him not to see me cry. He once again pulled down my hands from my face.

"What do you mean?" He softly wiped the tears away.

"Look at me. I'm a mess. My life is screwed up, my hair is almost gone, I've become tired all the time, we barely hang out anymore, and still you love me." I paused. "Why?"

He smiled, kindly. "Kaila, I love you. I could never give you up. Ever since I laid eyes on you at camp, I fell in love with you. But we were at camp, so I couldn't do what I've always wanted to do but never had the guts." He laughed a little.

"And what was that?"

"This."

So without any hesitations and with one swift move, he put his lips against mine. I was surprised at first. We never really talked about kissing. All he did was kiss my nose or forehead. But this, this was amazing. It was just as amazing as the first one. Maybe even better.

He slowly parted from me and looked me in the eyes. He said something that's probably the most meaningful line I'd ever heard.

"I will never leave you for as long as you live. God and you are the only two people I need in life to make me that happiest man alive. I love you, Kaila. That won't ever change."