Love in a Time of Death

5 - You're a real good liar

Hi guys, here is Chapter 5 for you! Hope you like it, please comment / vote if you do!

This chapter's song is Sweet Emotion by Aerosmith

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The next morning all Jade could think about was Nick and Emily.

Patients usually die within a year of diagnosis.

Jade shook her head roughly, trying to get rid of the thoughts. She pressed the palms of her hands into her eyes so hard it hurt. Why did this happen to people, why? Jade thought it would have lightened somewhat, but the weight of Emily’s disease sat as heavily on her heart as ever. She guessed Emily would be one of the kids she would be working with if she did this thing.

She groaned inwardly, that was another thing she had to worry about. She wished she had just said no to Laura. Then she could start putting this whole disastrous trauma behind her, and get back to her good old mundane life.

But, how was she supposed to do that? If she just acted as if nothing had happened, would it simply fade away? It was easier when it was her own pain, but someone else’s...that was a whole different story.

In one sense she felt as if yesterday had never actually happened, like it had been some sort of crazy dream. But at the same time, every detail was still so vivid to her, as if one tiny step would take her right back to the hospital.

Did she want to turn away and forget it? Jade honestly didn’t know.

She had felt vulnerable last night, and for the first time in a really long time she hadn’t been in control of her emotions. That couldn’t happen again.

This stupid stranger had crashed into her life when she was least prepared for it, her guard had been down and he’d made her care. She really, really didn’t want to care. Especially, and she knew how bad this sounded, but especially because she knew what was going to happen in the end. She didn’t want to deal with that. She couldn’t. The best thing she could do now was to stay away, or try and help without getting too attached.

The hospital job though, Jade wasn’t sure she could do the same thing. She was worried she’d find herself saying yes, even if she didn’t want to; she hated disappointing people.

Ugh, it was too much to think about so early in the morning.

Running over to her closet, Jade pulled out the new shirt dress she’d ordered in from Anthropologie, hoping the brightly coloured print would give her some much needed spunk. Hannah poked her head in the door and Jade immediately stiffened.

“Morning! How did everything go last night? Though I need the condensed version, I gotta leave for work in,” she checked her phone, “exactly five minutes.”

Jade ignored her, throwing the dress over her head and brushing past on her way to their shared bathroom.

“Oh, so you’re ignoring me now, seriously?”

Jade faced the mirror, shaking out her long waves before piling it into a ponytail, as the anger came rushing back “Yes I’m ignoring you. You crossed the line yesterday, and I have nothing to say to you. So get out of my face and leave me alone.”

Guilt trembled on Hannah’s face for a moment, “Look I’m sorry about that, but you know I didn’t mean it, I needed to be brutal.”

Jade remained expressionless, “Maybe I get that, but I don’t forgive you. Now get out, please.”

Anger and frustration immediately wiped out Hannah’s guilt. She had got to be the most open book Jade had ever seen, every emotion ran across her face for the whole world to see. Jade shook her head, it was stupid of her.