Thank God I Found You

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[Mariah]

I woke up and found myself in a hospital room. My head is still aching. Suddenly, Zach came in with the other boys, their faces gloomier than ever.

"Guys... Can you just leave Mariah and I for a sec?" I heard him asked in his low voice and the boys nodded and all went back outside. Ha! Poor boys. They have to go back again outside. He pulled a chair near to my bed and then he leaned over and kissed me on my lips then he kissed my left hand.

I looked at him and then he looked at me as well. "What did the doctor say?" I asked him. I also noticed that his eyes were red and puffy.

"The doctor told me that the tumor in your brain is getting bigger and bigger." He said and I just lied there, frozen from what I've just heard. Then he held my left hand even tight. "He said that it can't be removed by surgery anymore because it's already big...." He added as a tear came out from his left eye and then I choked out in tears when he said that. This is it. I'm gonna die.

"But... But don't worry Mariah, we still have an option and it is for you to undergo the chemotherapy." He assured me and I shook my head.

"No... No! Do you know what it would do to me, huh? Zach, it would just make my body even more weak! I would be weak and useless until the day I die!!!" I cried.

"NO! DON'T SAY THAT!!! Mariah, the chemo is the only option that we've got! You have to do this so you would still be able to live! Baby, I want you to live! I want to be with you... I wanna grow old with you!" He cried softly. "I love you..." And we were both crying at that time and then he leaned in and kissed me passionately on my lips. "I love you..." He kept saying to me as he hugged me tight.

How long? How long do I have to suffer?

[Zach]

I cried as she cried too in my arms. Who would know that beneath her small frame, lovely eyes and cheerful smile, she's carrying an illness that has a 50 percent chance of surviving? Sigh... Of all the people in this world... Why her? And how long does she have to suffer from this illness? I pulled away and looked at her in the eye and she was still crying.

"Hush now..." I said as I soothed her hair. "You're gonna make it through all of these. Trust me. You are stronger than you thought you were.... And you are not alone Mariah, I'm always here. Me, Jayden, Trent, Julian and William are all here for you." Then she mouthed at me 'Thank you' and I wiped her tears away and gently kissed her on her lips again.

After that, I called the other boys back in and I know that they all knew that Mariah and I both cried but I guess they didn't want to ask why.

"Hey Mariah!" William greeted her as he and Mariah did a high-five.

"Um... Guys, my mom would be arriving from Canberra at 4 p.m. later. Can I go and pick her up?" She asked us and I gave her a glare. "Or... I guess not."

"We could pick her up." Trent said. "Zach and I could fetch her from the airport." Then I shot him a look and just gave me a wink. Mariah turned to me, "Please? Can you?" she asked.

"Alright." I said.

At 3 p.m., Trent and I already left the hospital to pick Mariah's mom at the airport. We met her mom and she was pretty much alike with Mariah except for her semi-strict aura that she gives off whenever she looks at Trent and I and the way she walked. Yeah, she's a little bit scary. And with her was a little girl, about five or six years old. She has brown hair and like Mariah, bright blue eyes.

"Oh! And this is Tara... Mariah's little sister." Mariah's mom said. The little girl just waved at Trent and I. "Don't be shy Tara. He'll be your future brother-in-law."

"I'm not shy mom. I'm just preventing myself from fangirling at the two of them." Tara said. "Like, they are the members from my favourite boyband!"

"So we've got a little 'Collector' here, aye?" I said as I crouched down to her level so I could meet her eyes and she just nodded cutely. "Can I hug you since now you are like a big brother to me?" she asked and I chuckled and nodded as I held out my arms to her and she went to me and hugged me then eventually, I carried her in my arms when we went back to the car. After that we already drove back to the hospital and got there by 5 p.m.

"We're back." Trent declared as soon as he opened the door of Mariah's room.

[Mariah]

We were eating a fruit salad that Jayden's mom had prepared for us. The salad tasted good, by the way. Suddenly, Julian just burped out loud. "Whoa! What was that?!" William and Jayden howled while laughing.

"Disgusting, Jules. DISGUSTING." I said.

"Yeah yeah.... I'm a boy. So what?" He defensed.

"Well, what Mariah's trying to imply is that it's unacceptable to burp so loud in public." Jayden said and I looked at him, "Thank you Jayden." I said and he just smiled back.

It wasn't long until the door opened, "We're back." Trent declared and I looked up from my bowl and saw Mom came in the room and then Zach came in too with Tara in his arms!!!

"Mariah!!!" Tara called out as Zach put her down. She ran towards me and hugged me tight then she pulled away from me and her expression changed into a quzzical look. "Why are you here?" she asked. "Did you have an accident?"

I chuckled, "No. It's just that I'm sick so that's why." I said trying to put on a smile because deep inside I'm lonely and scared.

"Oh... I hope you get well soon." She said cutely then she kissed me on my cheek and then she looked at William, Jayden and Julian who were sitting on the couch looking at us then she turned to me and giggled.

"Why are you giggling?" I asked.

"Jayden's cuter in person." She whispered to me and we both giggled.

"You like him?" I asked her, half-teasing her and she nodded. I laughed and turned to Jayden, "Jayden, she likes you." I said.

"No I don't!!!" Tara said. "Mariah!"

I laughed and then she crossed her arms and pouted.

"Jayden pouts too, you know." I told her and her eyes widened as her cheeks went even more red.

"I don't!!!" Jayden complained.

"See? You too are really meant for each other." I teased them.

"That would be illegal, you know." He said.

I turned to Mom, "Where's dad?" I asked and her happy expression of seeing me turned into a sad one. "That's what I want to talk about with you privately." She said.

"Anyone up for an ice cream?" William asked as they stood up from the couch. The boys all mumbled 'yes' while Tara shouted.

"Tara, no shouting. That's very unladylike!" Mom reminded her and she covered her mouth and then said, "Sorry. Won't happen again."

"Let's go!" Zach said as he carried Tara in his arms again. "What flavour do you want?"

"Anything that Jayden would have." I heard her say and as soon as they left, Mom sat down on the stool beside me.

"So what is it, mom?" She said and then she started to choke out in tears. "Mom..."

"Your father and I already divorced." She cried softly.

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