All I Have To Live

Chapter 10: Kaya, and Kicking Cancer

I had to cancel my date with Will since Kaya still gets dizzy, so I washed her hair, my hands full of her dry blood.

She is like a baby, who needed tending, like a small and delicate flower, who needed a little bit of rain to grow.

Kaya was allowed to stay home, as the nurse said she wouldn't heal, sitting in a classroom full of noise.

I still attend school along with Ava, but Janel skipped school a few days.

Ava and I are sitting in the cafeteria, discussing our time here. 

"Ava, it's not enough, being friends with three people. I want to get to know new people too." She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm fine like this. I have three best friends, I'm okay this way" 

Will came over to our table. " Hey. Hi, Ava."

"Will," Ava said in a respectful manner (for once.)

" Since we canceled yesterday, let's go out today."

"Woah-woah-woah. As a date?" Ava asked. Will nods. I smiled, understanding that he wanted us to move fast, which I didn't mind the least. "Boy, if you hurt my sister, you're going down. I'm telling you. I will personally take a knife." She threatened him. "Ava! He's the last person I want you to threaten." I told her, my voice stout and sharp. Will laughed a little. I told Ava that I would catch her later since Will and I needed to go and talk to our science teacher about moving me to Biology. Taking Chemistry was a huge mistake.

" Sir, I want to move classes. I don't want to continue with this lesson. I don't enjoy learning anything here, and I don't learn anything here. All I know is that it's not too late to move."

He looked at me and said-with much disrespect, I might add- 

"Who are you again?" I looked at Will, and Will didn't look so happy either. 

 "I'm Emilia, sir. I study in lab 65. Working with chemical compounds and PH values incorporated with metals in the reactivity series?"

 I told him, also asking why he didn't know who I am since he has already been teaching me for two weeks. 

"Sir, I don't think you understand.  I would really like to move. I strongly dislike this class, and if I must be honest, I don't like your teaching. I think I would be better off with a teacher that pleases me and reaches my standards. In addition, I want to do biology. I'd also appreciate if you could listen to a student who is wasting her lunch time to attend a meeting with you respectfully, but in return all I get is you staring at your phone."

He looked up at me and said: "Very well, Miss Emilia. You will move to Biology in room 67 with Mrs. Cadenza. She is a Russian speaker, so I assume you can  communicate freely with her."

"Thank you." 

Will and I turned our backs and walked out the wretched chemistry lab. 

I told Ava the story, but she didn't seem surprised.  

In a few hours.

I got home, checking up on Kaya, I got ready for my date with Will. I wore a simple strapless dress and some white ballet flats. A necklace, and pearl earrings. Will Picked me up at eight, and we went to a drive-in. We watched Me Before You,  but I I think my sobbing on Wills shirt was speaking. This will forever be our movie.

I took Will to a place I discovered when I got lost on campus, near the school. I dragged him through the forest, to a tree with a ribbon tied to it.  "So I don't forget which tree is ours," I told him that I had a secret, and he could only know if he wouldn't leave my side and would help me to my problem. " I promise." He said. "I have breast cancer." 

He looked at me, and slowly stood up, walked towards a tree and picked a flower. "I don't care." He whispered into my ear, putting the flower into my dark brown hair. " This will be no more. No more hair, no more fun, just depression, chemotherapy, sadness, and being able to go to school and being certain I'd be the laughing stock."

" I'm not leaving you. If you get hurt, the arrow that hits you will pierce my heart, not yours. I love you, Emilia Cordell, and I knew I would from the day you red stilettos hit the school tiles." We stayed in the forest, I cried on his shoulder, about cancer, about my thanatophobia. "What's thanatophobia?" He asked. "Fear of death." I sobbed, as he took his hand, and wiped the tears out my eyes, probably smudging my mascara. My iPhone started buzzing, disturbing our moment. "You're going to die." He said, right before I answered my call. It was Ava. "Where are you? Wheres Will? His friends are at our place, they couldn't find him and were worried. Come home. It's almost the sunset." That's when I realized the sun was rising. I had fallen asleep enveloped in Wills strong arms, feeling needed again. We had stayed there for almost four hours, one of which I spent sleeping. 

We took Wills car and drove to my place since his friends were looking for him. I kissed him long and steady, before entering my place. I rushed into the room. "Hi, guys. If you give me ten minutes, I'll be out of the shower. Please, if anyone needs to sleep, we have five spare mattresses in the laundry room. Feel free to use them." I said to the guys. The girls, however, were zoned out.

I jumped into the shower, not bothering to lock the door, knowing Ava would come in and do her makeup. Just as I closed the curtain, the door opened. "Ava?"

"Oh Jesus! I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were here, Em. I didn't see anything, you closed the curtain right on time. I'm very sorry. I left my phone here. May I take it?"   

"Adam, it's okay, yes, take your phone, here.It's fine, it was an honest mistake."

"Again, so sorry." He said, rushing out and closing the door.