All Mine

Chapter 24

Maddy’s POV

In the dining hall I let my mind rest at ease before giving way to sleep, but only for a few brief moments. “Mads, Maddy!” Freyer shook my limp body until I nearly rolled off the chair. “We’re dancing again,” she whispered. The dread shook my body.

“No, I don’t want to dance, not with Eric!” I pleaded knowing she could do nothing to avenge my hopeless fate.

“Come on, everyone’s leaving,” she chuckled. She looked as though she had put extra effort into her appearance today. Oh how boys can have such an effect on our lives.

“Boys, please locate our partner and ask them to dance. Hold your hand out like this and offer them your utmost trust and care. Boys make your partner feel special, don’t make them feel like they are the only girl in this world, make them feel as though they are the only girl you have eyes for in this world!” she cheered. I would never expect Mrs Loyal to be speaking about love like this.

As what seemed like hundreds of guys strode towards their partners I turned my head away from mine. I looked over to see Loppy standing by two guys, Mason and Ryan. Oh no. I strained my ears so I could partially hear their conversation.

“Look Loppy is my partner,” Ryan protested pushing Mason back against the wall.

“Do you even know her real name?” Ryan stayed quiet, obviously not. “It’s Penelope, someone like you wouldn’t have even bothered to ask,” he argued. I was surprised to see Mason keeping his cool. The way he spoke made him seem so mature and superior to Ryan.

“It doesn’t matter about her name, she is my partner!” Ryan yelled, his tone rough. I looked to my left to see Mrs Loyal striding towards the bickering boys.

“It does matter in fact,” Mrs Loyal interrupted. She turned towards the group and yelled above the chattering crowd. “This is how NOT to address a woman!” she yelled. I couldn’t hear anything after that but I saw Ryan’s face fall and Mrs Loyal’s hand point towards the door. Ryan left the hall and I smiled when I caught Loppy’s eye. She looked so happy.

“Hello there,” I felt someone take hold of my hand before kissing it and bending down on one knee. Sprawled out on the cool wooden floor I shuffled around so I came across a little more lady like,” Harry? “Miss me?”

“Harry!” I squealed jumping to my feet. “How the hell did you get here? I’ve missed you so much!” How could this happen, I couldn’t comprehend anything.

“I missed you too much, I had to come and see you,” he smiled into my neck, his hot breath tickling me.

“I can’t believe you’re here!” I yelled. “How?” his smile lit up my mind. How I missed him!

“I’d been saving for ages, I just didn’t know I’d be coming to Paris,” he chuckled. Before I knew it Harry had been torn from me.

“Excuse me! That’s my partner, get your own!” Eric’s sour face emerged from the crowd.

“Mate, I’m here for my girlfriend,” the way Harry said ‘mate’ was almost lyrical. He was becoming Australian so easily.

“Oh, sorry,” Eric’s face fell. I felt almost proud that he took it that well but the saying ‘don’t count your chickens before they hatch’ became so true when he took off the same way Ryan went.

“He’s touchy,” Harry smiled.

“I can’t believe you’re here!” I squealed again. The question of ‘why?’ ran though my head.

“Excuse me? Who are you?”  It seemed Mrs Loyal wasn’t having the best day.

“I’m Harry Moore. Maddy’s boy-” I stood on his toe stopping him in his tracks.

“Uh,” Harry looked towards me, puzzled, “I’m her brother,” he smiled satisfied.

“Can he stay?” Mrs Loyal thought it over before nodding.

“Only for one night, he must stay in a spare room alone,” she hissed before returning to the stage.

“I’m so excited you’re here!” I jumped up again.

“Madelyn!” she yelled. Every pair of eyes was on me again, “You and your visitor may leave.” Harry followed me to my room where he became serious.

“Maddy I have to tell you something,” ignoring him I jumped up and down on my bed.

“I cannot believe your actually here!” I squealed, “Why?” I became serious once I saw his expression. “Is something wrong? Your Mother? Bella?” I became flabbergasted.

“Maddy, please. I have to tell you something,” he insisted.

“Am I going to like this?”

“No one has so far,” he smiled half-heartedly.

“Harry? Is everything okay?”

“Not really.” Tears welled in his eyes and mine did the same, “Maddy, I’m not the person you thought I was,” I smiled. It’s probably not that bad.

“I bet you stole from the school sports shed!” I laughed.

“Maddy no, it’s much more serious,” with that something sunk inside me. The tears kept coming. “Maddy I have lied to you for as long as we’ve known each other. I can’t give you what you want out of life. I cannot give you a family, I won’t be able to give you a house, a mortgage, I won’t be able to be with you much longer,” by now I am utterly confused. What is this boy on about? “Mads you know I love you and my heart is something you’ll always have with you, but I don’t have much longer. I’m sick.” My throat caught and my limbs became numb, for a slight second I could have sworn my heart stopped before it sped up so quickly that I could no longer breathe.

“You’re so pale,” I pressed a hand to his cheek, “And cold,” I finished.

“Maddy a year ago in England I visited a doctor, he told me that I had under a year to live. I’ve already exceeded that time and I’m so grateful. Without that extra time I would never have met you. I have a disease that only one in ten thousand people endure. It’s incurable Mads, and I don’t have much more time,” tears streamed down his face.

“You can’t! You’re too healthy,” I argued slamming my hand into the pillow.

“Mads its true, I can’t do anything to stop it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want our time together to be all about me. I want to stay normal for the time we have together,” he finished. I felt pity for him but couldn’t show it, no way.

“What do we do?” I ask hoping we don’t have to stay apart. There is no way I won’t be there for him.

“You’re here. As much as I want my last days to be spent with you, I won’t let you give up your new life,” he stated.

“Harry! How could you say that! I’m coming home! I’m spending as much time with you as possible.”

“I love you so much,” he mumbled before pulling my lips to his. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”