Amnesia - A Luke Hemmings au [Completed]

6. Mad World

I paused for a second in front of the gym, taking in a deep breath and plastering a fake smile on my face.

I knew I shouldn't do this, but I couldn't bring myself to accept the situation I was in. I couldn't give up everything I had worked for in my life.

So I stepped into the gym and made my way to the locker room, trying to seem as normal as possible.

Even though I wasn't supposed to do any sport, I went to my dance classes. I hadn't told anyone except Em I had cancer yet.

As soon as she spotted me Em came rushing towards me and dragged me into a corner.

"What the hell are you doing here? You're not supposed to move, how could you eve think about coming here?!" She had an angry look plastered on her face, but her expression quickly softened. "Oh no, Ape. I'm so sorry. You came to tell them. I admire your courage."

I slowly shook my head. "Em, I'm really sorry. I can't... I can't tell them. I just... I can't just give up everything like that!"

"But look at you! I know your knee is hurting, you can't do this. If you do this, you're giving up on yourself."

At this point, I was really angry. "I'm not giving up on myself! And you have no right to tell me what to do. This is my  body we're talking about."

She slowly nodded. "Right. You're right. This is your body, you do whatever you want to do. But if you mess up, don't come crying to me later." She turned around and quickly walked away.

*

My knee was seriously hurting. Pain was shooting trough my body at every step I took. I knew this was a bad idea.

But I went on.

At the next move I made, my knee gave out and I fell to the floor.

I vaguely heard a few people gasp, and soon somebody was kneeling down next to me.

"April?"

I didn't want to answer, I didn't want to have to explain. I didn't want to have to admit to myself and to Emily that she was right. I didn't want this.

I just wanted to disappear.

I couldn't help the tears starting to stream down my cheeks. I rested my head on my knees, hiding my face in my hands.

I sat there for a few minutes, quietly sobbing in my hands, ignoring the outside world, ignoring the worried questions, ignoring the reassuring hands on my shoulders.

I eventually got up, and hurried to the locker room. I grabbed my phone and locked myself into one of the stalls.

I slid down the door, and sat there for a few minutes, trying to calm down.

I unlocked my phone and stared at Luke's number for a few seconds before I pressed the call button.

My shaking hands held my phone up to my ear. Luke answered after the first ring. "Hello?"

"Hi... It's- It's April..." I stuttered into the phone.

"Hey April! Are you alright?"

"I... I don't know. No. Can you- can you pick me up?"

"Don't worry, love. I can help you. Where are you?" He sweetly asked.

I told him the address.

"Alright, I'll be there soon. Do you want me to stay on the phone?" He asked worriedly.

"No, no it's ok. I'll meet you outside." I sighed.

I pressed the end button and slowly got up. I made my way out of the gym, keeping my head low to avoid the questioning looks. Somebody tried to stop me, but I pushed the hand back.

"Leave her alone." I heard Em's voice. I was thankful that she was keeping the questions away from me.

When I arrived outside, Luke's car was pulling up in the carpark. He stopped the car and hurried over to me, not even bothering to close the door.

He immediately took me in his arms, engulfing me in a warm embrace.

"Luke... I... I..." I tried, sobbing into his shoulder.

"Shh... It's alright... You're with me, now." He whispered reassuringly in my ear, whilst holding my head.

After a few seconds, it crossed my mind that it actually was a very awkward situation to be in with the almost stranger I had just met a few days ago.

I cleared my throat. "I'm sorry."

He smiled down at me. "It's alright. Wanna go have an ice cream so you can explain everything to me?"

I nodded and followed him into his car.

*

After the girl who took our orders left, Luke looked at me, smiled, leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest, as if waiting for me to unpack my story.

I updated him on what I was told at the hospital, while he just sat there and listened.

"I still can't believe I broke down like this." I confessed.

"Leaves fall from the tallest trees. Even mountains crumble into the seas."

"Wise words, Hemmings. Wise words."

"And how did your parents take it?" He asked after a while.

"Alright, I guess. My mom was angry, than sad, than worried, than angry. It was very confusing. By the way, you're my partner for a school project. That's how we know each other and I knew where you were living."

He raised an eyebrow, an amused expression on his face. "Is that so?"

I nodded. "It is."

He nodded to himself. "I can live with that."

After a while, he asked. "Are you scared? For the chemo?"

It took me a moment to think about his question. Was I? "I am. I'm scared of it not working, I'm scared of the side effects. But mostly, I'm scared about losing my hair." I confessed.

"Don't worry. You'll still look beautiful." I couldn't help but feel a blush creeping on my cheeks. "This is so cheesy."

He laughed. "I have an idea." I raised a brow, quoting him. "Is that so?"

He grinned. "It is."

I waited for him to explain his idea. "Let's go buy some beanies."