For Almost

Two days before

Two days before
Early November

***

    "But mum!" I whined, "I need to go!"

    "Not tonight," my mother told me, "It's late and you have school tomorrow. You can't spend every minute with him."

    "He's my best friend mum! And he's dying!" I argued. It was no use though, she was set.

   "You can see him tomorrow," she said to me. "It's not the end of the world if you don't see him tonight."

   But what if it is? Although the question was in my mind, I didn't say it aloud because that would make it feel real. Like it could actually happen. And I wasn't ready for that.

   Angrily, I stalked off to my room with no intention of staying there.

   As soon as I heard the light being turned off and my parents say goodnight to each other, I pulled out my phone and sent a text to Red, asking him if he could pick me up.

   Unfortunately, he didn't reply and I had a strong feeling that he was fast asleep and would be till morning. So I quickly shot a text to Travis saying pretty much the same thing.

   In response, he said he would meet me outside and down the street in ten minutes.

   After grabbing a sweater and tossing it on, I took a second to be thankful that my room was on the first floor as I climbed out the window. There was no way I would have been able to sneak out if I'd had a second or third floor room like all the movies.

   Searching for Travis as I made my way down the street, I nearly walked right into him. Because he wasn't in his car like I had expected; he was jogging.

   "Do you mind if we walk?" he asked me.

   I shook my head, "Not at all. It's peaceful out." So we headed off toward the hospital.

   "Why are you jogging if you don't mind me asking?" I wondered.

   "Liam, Julie, everything. I just needed some air and space."

   "What happened with Julie?" I prompted, "Did you fight?"

   He shook his head. "She dumped me. Said she couldn't handle it anymore and left. Hasn't spoken to me since." I nodded in sympathy and we continued our walk in silence.

    Once at the hospital, we realized that we might not be allowed in his room, but we were damn well gonna try.

    After the secretary recognized our faces, she waved us up with a warning to be quiet and respectful and not to wake the patients.

   I cracked open Liam's door as quietly as I could and popped my head in to see him sleeping. He looked so at peace in his sleep, as if the pain was nonexistent while he slept. I couldn't bare to stir him from his dreams, so I quietly left and shut the door behind me.

   Travis was still behind me, so I mouthed the word sleeping and we left, my heart aching at how obviously painful it was for Liam to even be awake. I knew. I knew there wasn't much time left. But I left that night —after all that work I did to get there— without so much as saying hello.

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A/N

Oh my gosh, it's getting so close!

Xoxo ~T