Things To Do Before I Die

6

Why is he here, standing in front of me. The light through the window bounces off his beautiful golden hair, as he grips the tray with his food on it his arm muscles grow. "Hey Maddi. Mind if I sit?" he says as his mouth moves.

"No, not at all." I stutter with a smile as my cheeks flourish with a blush.

Lane drops his tray onto the sterling metal table and pulls himself out a chair. The small hairs on my arm stick up underneath my black Nike jumper. In the distance I see Gwen in the background waving her tiny hands at me. I lift up my arm with the drips in it and wave my hand back and forth trying not to rip out any cords. "What's in the bag? It looks like vomit" Lane laughs letting a grin form across his face.

I laugh and look at my bag of pureed food, "That's my bag of lunch roast and green salad. Its delicious, you should get some."

Lane looks at me and his smile starts to grow wider. "Oh I will. I can see the chopped up chunks of meat in that glowing, rotten, skin tinted pink. I may just get some myself some for dinner, it looks like some fine cuisine" Lane chuckles sarcastically pushing his golden hair out of his tanned face.

"What do you have there? I haven't seen real food for weeks. I think I am forgetting what is what" I add as Lane stuffs some medium rare meat in his mouth.

"Roast lamb and Irish wedges, the lamb tastes a bit under cooked, but the wedges are perfect. I would offer you some but, well, you know, you can't have any" Lane exclaims covering his full mouth while talking.

I put my hand under my hood and scratch my ruff head and the hood slips off and I quickly grab it with my free hand. "You can take off your hood you know, it doesn't bother me" Lane suggests reaching over to pull my black hood off.

"Can I?" He pauses before he proceeds reaching over to pull it down behind my neck.

His hands grab hold on the hood and I realise I am blushing. My cheeks must be a heavy red by now. His soft hands run over my scalp and my extremely small hairs on my scalp stick up. My hood sits on my shoulders and Lanes eyes sit on face, I am having trouble figuring out if he is disgusted or amazed. "Wow, you're more beautiful without that hood on Maddi" he declares, revealing a grin showing how amused he looks.

The sun shines on my face, coming through the window making my eyes scream. I blink a few times to gain focus again and there is my head, bald and naked finally feeling the sun. In my room the windows where always open but I always had a beanie on to hide my bare scalp. "Not true, I miss my hood and my hair" I respond, looking down knocking my fluffy slippers together.

"What colour was your hair?" Lane asks softly, his happiness started to disappear.

I think back to when I had hair, which was about a year ago now. "Light brown, like a chestnut brown" I exclaim silently, twirling my fingers together.

Lane smiles his mint green eyes stare at my bald head, "I can see you with chestnut hair. Was it long and wavy?"

"Nice guess, Lane" I giggle, letting a smile screen across my face.

Lane stuffs a few wedges in his mouth and I look up and see my bag of roast, Lane's right it really looks like vomit in a bag. Once Lane finishes chewing up his delicious looking meal, he turns his head towards me. "How long have you been sick? I never really asked."

To be completely honest with myself I remember the day like it was yesterday.

It was a rainy day and I was in the middle of my 11th year of schooling. My mum pulled me out of my biology class, right in the middle of an extremely important test, which counted for 45% of my grade. My mum walked in and reminded me I had to go, I had my oncologists appointment at the hospital. My long hair swayed over my shoulder as I exited the room, little did I know in a year's time that hair would no longer be on my head, let alone in a bin.

The appointment was with Doctor Jacobsen, she organised a nice room for my mother and I to meet in with her. It was a meeting room, boarded up with dark oak panes and an industrial light fitting. My mother and I sat at a long glass table with leather chairs facing across from Doctor Jacobsen.

I remember Doctor Jacobsen laying out some files along the table, scans, tests and notes she had taken about me. I originally thought nothing big would happen, until the big words blurted out. "Miss Andrews, I am afraid to tell you have cancer in the descending colon. A team of doctors and I have come up with multiple treatment plans for your cancer" Doctor Jacobsen explained, but after that I remember nothing else. It was all a blur for me.

I shake my head around refocusing on Lane, preparing to answer his question. "Right, sorry I lost track. I've had cancer for around a year and 1 month. The doctors just came to tell me that the cancer grown back. Guess I'll be here for longer then" I laugh sarcastically and my grin wipes off my face.

"How long has your sister been sick?" I ask comfortingly.

Lane turns around and looks at his sister who sits across the cafeteria. Her little body is wrapped in a fluffy pink dressing gown with polka dots in all different colours. "Shes been sick for about a year too. Doctors have given her around 1 year left, her lung cancer is too strong for her body. I took a year off school to spend time with her, school is always around, siblings aren't" Lane clarifies.

I look at him his face looks bright when he looks at his sister, he deserves to sit with her. "Lane go sit with your sister, she needs you" I say grabbing his hand, his delicate, bronze skin on my hands.

"And you Maddi? Will you be ok?" Lane inquires.

"I will be completely fine, no need to worry yourself" I chuckle while letting go of his hand.

Lane stands up and hands me his phone, it's an iPhone 6s Plus. "I'm not walking away without those digits Maddi" he demands humorously and hands me the phone.

I push the buttons of my phone number on the keypad on the screen and hand his long phone back to him. "Don't waste you texts and calls on me" I exclaim while laughing.

Lane wraps his hands around the silver tray on the table and stands tall, his face looking right at me. He smiles as he walks away and then he slowly but swiftly turns around. "Who said I would waste it? He yells across the quiet cafeteria.

~~~

My parents come back to the table with two sparkling silver trays with food. My dad's holding a good looking chicken roll and my mum's holding a Caesar salad with tiny little burnt bacon bits. "Were you talking to that blonde boy from the waiting room? My mum asks with a grin on her face, the corner of her mouth smiling from ear to ear.

"A boy huh, was Madeline talking to a boy?" my dad laughs while placing down his tray next to me.

I sigh and look at their happy faces, the first time I have seen them happy in months.

Hey, hey, hey I released another part! Sorry it took about a few months time to update this. I'm really happy I am one view away from 200 views woooo! Thanks a ton!

I am a bit stuck on what should happen in the next chapter so If you have any suggestions go ahead and tell me. I love you all and I hope you enjoyed this chapter :))

-Lily XO