Nevermore

All Good Things Must Come To An End

*KADEN*

It felt like my whole world had turned upside down. Sure life had its downs, but so far my life was great. I had great friends, no drama, and I was doing good in school. But of course, it couldn't last for long. No. Because I had received the most horrible news I never dreamed I would get.

I'd only ever wondered what it'd be like to have someone close to you be affected by something so awful. Now I was feeling it. It wasn't a good feeling. I felt sick and horrified.

I'd been sitting at one of the blue, rounded lunch tables outside of the cafeteria, reserved for seniors who had the privelage of having lunch outside. My friends sat around me, buzzing with the latest news.

"Kaden, I have to tell you something," he'd said in that terrifyingly calm voice.

"Sure, what's up?" I asked with a handful of fries between my lips.

"I'd rather talk to you alone." At this point, I was a bit concerned, but I was sure it was nothing I couldn't handle.

"Okay...." After that we'd gone to the back of the school. "What's up?" I'd asked nonchalantly.

"Kaden... I have cancer." I didn't understand. He'd looked so calm, I thought it had to be a joke. How could he look so calm about it? There was no way he was being serious.

"What?... Adrian, you're joking right?"

"No."

I was silent. The gears in my head were turning, trying to make sense of what he was telling me. I analyzed his face, searching for any signs of deceit. "You're not being serious. That's not funny to joke about. Tell me you're joking."

I could tell he was growing impatient with me. "Why would I be joking about this Kaden?!" Now he was yelling, face twisting in anger.

"What the fuck?! Of all the things that could have come out of your mouth. What do you mean cancer, what kind of cancer?" I asked trying to calm down a bit.

"It's Leukemia... I don't think I'm gonna make it Kaden. Please, God, please don't make this hard on me!" His voice was cracking. I still couldn't believe all this was happening so I went to pinch myself. "Kaden, what are you doing?" he'd said with a sigh in his voice.

"Waking up," I'd replied. Adrian shoved me.

"Kaden, shut up!  You're really starting to piss me off. I didn't tell you because I wanted your opinion, I told you because I wanted your support! " The tears were welling up in my eyes now, and I saw his face mirrored mine. He rubbed at his eyes with his sleeve and I grabbed him, wrapping my arms around his trembling figure.

I sniffled. "I'm sorry, Adrian, I'm really sorry." I couldn't find the right words to say, so I just kept repeating, "I'm sorry."

Now, me and Adrian were on our way home from school. Adrian sat in the passenger seat, while I drove. I was going over his house today and I couldn't get rid of the lump in my throat that was keeping me from speaking. This explained his odd behavior these past few days. I should have noticed.

"When did you find out?" I asked.

"Hmm?"

"The cancer."

"Oh. Just a few weeks."

"And you didn't tell me until now?" I asked calmly.

"It wasn't easy; I had to let it sink in myself."

"I would have been there for you, you know. I would have gone with you for the tests." I was feeling a little bitter about being left out.

"Because you would have handled that so well?" He asked, sarcasticly.

"You seem so calm about it," I said, ignoring his question.

Adrian stared at his lap, pretending to be occupied with his phone. "Just trying to be strong for everyone... I guess." This made me feel guiltier about my outburst, earlier.

"If you need anything..."

"Just stick with me through this... and don't forget me when I'm gone." 

"You don't know that you won't make it!"

"Kaden. I'm not going to give myself false hope." That shut me up.

"What about football?" I asked after a while.

"If the time comes... I'll have to quit it."

"No-"

"I can't play if I'm not fit to. Anyone could play kicker, anyways."

I couldn't believe this. I had never expected something so depressing to happen my senior year.

"Don't say that. You're the best God damn kicker we've had. You're part of the team."

From the corner of my eye, I saw his lips turn up in a smile.