Learning A Lake ✔

- Thirty-One -

♢ Laura ♢

I fell to my knees in front of Oscar.
"Fuck. Oscar. I'm so sorry." I couldn't hide the tear that fell down one cheek, which I quickly wiped away with one hand.

Oscar opened his mouth but before he could get any words out the door flung open. Katie and Rachel basically barged in. This was really bad timing.

"I knew you would be in here, Laura." Katie laughed.
"Couldn't keep away from lover boy could you?" Rachel smirked at me.

When neither me or the boys said anything they both realised they had walked in on a bad situation.
"What's wrong?" Rachel asked, frowning. "Oscar, what's happened?" She approached us all, seeing her twin brother in a state.

Oscar composed himself and told Rachel and Katie about his illness. They were both in complete shock, Rachel more so than Katie at this point.
"I've got to leave camp early. They want to do more tests and start my treatment as soon as possible."
Katie stayed silent, Rachel was full of questions.
"How did you find out? Can you be treated?"

"I've been feeling awful for ages now. Tired all the time, feeling sick most days and just feeling generally shit." He explained with a deep breath. "It's Chronic. It can't be cured. Maintained, yes. Cured, no."
Katie just stood there, a single tear fell down her left cheek as she crumbled, landing on Ryan's bed with force. Shock wasn't the word for it. 

"I thought nothing of it until I started having excessive nose bleeds and I felt fatigued after doing things I could usually do with ease. I contacted mom and dad and we went to the doctors. They referred me to the hospital for further tests. I'm sorry I didn't tell any of you until now."

Katie was still sat there, staring at the floor whilst biting her nails.
"We'll be back in a moment." I said quietly and tugged Katie's arm to get her to stand up. I knew she didn't want to keep hearing it all so I got up and lead her out of the cabin. The others carried on speaking, Oscar seemed more at ease now he had told everyone.

Once we were outside, she exploded. Katie cried loudly and I thought of nothing else to do but to hold her. She was my best friend and for once, there was nothing I could do to fix this for her.
"I-I'm in l-love with him Laura!" She croaked between breaths.

Katie had fallen for Oscar harder than I thought she would. We are all young and this is so unexpected. I suppose as soon as he revealed that he was moving to England with Rachel, she let her heart run wild and now she might lose him. The thought brought tears to my own eyes. I pulled away, her face was red and her makeup was smudged.

"Don't act like it is all over, it has only just begun Katie. You and Oscar have so much time with each other. Don't waste it being sad and upset. Act like today was your last day and help him to do everything he has ever wanted to do. Life Is without a doubt, too short."

Before she could respond, the cabin door swung open. Oscar walked hesitantly down the steps and towards us.
"Katie." He said, almost whispering. She looked at him, and he could see how upset she had been. He wanted to speak to her alone. 

"I'll be inside." I rubbed Katie's arm and took Oscars place back in the cabin. I knew they needed to speak about this. It probably didn't help that she found out in front of everyone, instead of one to one. She couldn't react when everyone else was there. She just froze. 

When I walked back in the cabin, Rachel didn't seem fazed by it all. She had questions to ask Oscar but It didn't all add up.

I was about to asked Rachel when she answered my questions for me.