Together Forever

Chapter 12

ISABELLE

There was a girl in chains. She was writhing in pain. There was a machine attached to her, injecting her with a red liquid. Blood. Her eyes went blank. She was expressionless. Her blonde hair was tied up in a bun, but there was a red streak running from the back to the front...or was it front to back?
I took a step closer. I gasped. 'Isabelle...'
My name rang out from all directions. My eyes couldn't take it anymore as a horrific realisation fell over me. It wasn't pumping blood into her. It was sucking it out like a vacuum.
'ISABELLE!'
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"ISABELLE!"
I sat upright, from my desk and looked around. I was in school. And I dozed off. Great. The last thing I needed was for my grades to start slipping.
"I'm sorry, I just...." I couldn't finish my sentence. The stupid lump in my throat. The one that appears when you choke back your cry.
The teacher glared at me pitilessly as she continued with her explanations about frog guts.
I didn't dare doze off. I took notes; anything to take my mind off Rachel. Everyone.
But I was restless. Tears came into my eyes. I couldn't fight...
"Isabelle-"I need the lavatory." I snapped as I darted out of the classroom, leaving a bunch of awestruck students sitting there. Once I stepped out, I sobbed. I placed a hand over my mouth, as I made my way to the bathroom.
I saw the tip of someone's blonde hair enter the bathroom. Rachel.
I sped walked there. I wanted to find out what was wrong with her once and for all.
But I stopped short at the entrance of the bathroom, well out of sight. She was sobbing heavily. Crying. She was trying hard not to make a noise. My heart hammered into my chest, as I walked in.
Rachel gasped and covered her face once I came in. But she cried loudly that her gasps were loud.
"Rachel. Hey, Rachel." I soothed. I hugged her and rocked her back and forth. I could almost taste those salty tears..,
I rocked her back and forth. I was impatient although u didn't let her see it.
"Rachel, what the matter?" I asked, still clutching her tightly.
"I-I-I can't k-keep it h-h-hidden, c-can I?" She stammered. I felt so uncomfortable, but I had to grit my teeth and suck it out of her.
"Rachel, tell me. It's alright." I comforted. I tested up a little at the sight of her. She pulled away and wiped her tears which rendered her face like tomatoes. She shook her head as if she couldn't stand the person inside her.
"I'm so...weak." She sobbed.
"Why? What's the matter?"
"I...I...I...I have l-lung cancer." She wailed.
I was stunned, my head began spinning.
Rachel had lung cancer. That's why. That's why she's so sensitive about these situations.
Rachel...
My head spun around. She-she had lung cancer.
"Rachel..." I said. I wasn't feeling well. "Rachel, go, it's alright." I sucked in a sharp breath and quickly hugged her.
"Isabelle just promise me one thing." She insisted.
"Yes?" I was now seeing spots. I wasn't shocked...I wasn't feeling well and I didn't need Rachel to see this.
"You won't tell any other soul."
I nodded and she ran off. I ran to the nearest stall and shut the door tightly. I knelt over the toilet bowl, hands pressed on either side of the wall. My hands were clammy and my heart raced, as if I would drop dead if I stopped breathing even for a second.
It's coming....
I puked.
It felt like every organ leaving my body. Once I was done, I flushed the toilet and leaned against the walls. I felt so shaky and relieved. So I started taking deep breaths, trying to stay in the real world.
After I had gotten a grip, I stumbled out of the stall and out into the cafeteria to catch up with Rachel.
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TRISTAN

Isabelle kept on giving me weird looks as if I was a criminal. She was with Rachel the whole time in the cafeteria, and when I gestured for her to come and sit with Dimitri and I, she's just shake her head like she was saying: Silly, Tristan. There's no way I would ever sit with you.

I gnashed my teeth once Rachel rolled her eyes at me. I know how Isabelle felt now. What is she told her? What were they keeping from me?

I stood up and walked over to the two girls.

"Why don't you guys com and sit with us?" I asked. It was actually diverted to Isabelle in a challenging way.

"We need to discuss some things." Rachel murmured, looking at Dimitri.

"Look, I don't know what it is you're keeping against me, but I don't like it." I sighed, looking at Isabelle. How I kissed her on the cheek...I felt my lips against her soft skin. I wanted to desperately reach out to her and tell her: Don't you remember me? You trust me, don't you?

"It's nothing, Tristan." Rachel smiled. But I know it was forced.

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RACHEL

Hiding this from my friend was so painful. I desperately wanted to reach out to each and every single one of them and cry my problems down their necks. But I didn't want to burden them any more. In reality, me and Isabelle were arguing. She told me to forgive my mother for not telling me about this illness...but I was against it. It was my health after all, and it wasn't something to be tampered with.

"She's your mother." She insisted. But stubborn me protested.

Now I had to lie to Tristan. Ugh.

"Hey, I think lunch is over. We'll see you later, okay?" Isabelle quickly said. She grabbed my arm and led me to the corridor on the other side of the cafeteria.

"I will find out..." I heard Tristan say just before she whisked me into the science lab.

"You can't keep hiding this! You just can't!" Isabelle whisper-shouted, one she made sure we were alone. I know, I silently added.

"But I don't want the entire school to know, do I?" I scoffed, running my hands through my hair.

"Look, I know this is a hard time for you,-"Forget it. I'm done with this conversation." I snapped, and walked out of the laboratory.

Nobody was to know of this. But you've told two people... the voice in my head sneered.
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ISABELLE

I slammed my textbooks onto the table, making the whole class, including the teacher, jump.
"Isabelle, no need for the extra attention." The teacher sneered. I glared at him. He had pearly white teeth and wore purple slacks and a red shirt. He might as well be Dionysus.
"Shut up." I mumbled. I sat down in a foul mood. The lesson was all about mathematical stuff like the gradient, and coordinates. But I didn't want to pay attention. I know Rachel told Dimitri. I just know she trusted him more than she trusts me.