The Boy With BlAIDS

The Agony

"You know, you don't have to go to school today," Kristian told me, carefully parking his car in the school parking lot before turning to face me. "In fact, the doctors encouraged you not going to school for awhile, at least until you get used to the medication."

"It's my senior year, Kristian, it's not like I can just make up the classes I missed next year. Next year we have college, I can't let my condition get in the way of my future," I retorted stubbornly, crossing my arms.

"Demetrius, you won't have a future if you wipe yourself out and don't stop to take care of this!" Kristian fumed, causing me to flinch backwards against my seat and close my eyes. "I'm sorry, I hate yelling at you Demetrius—you know that—but I just don't know how else to make you listen to what I'm saying, realize how important it is for you to take care of yourself."

"Once I get on that medication I'll be fine, all of the symptoms will go away and the HIV will stop spreading rapidly to my cells. So calm down, okay?" I reassured, sighing as I ran a hand through my hair.

"That's not how it works," Kristian deadpanned. "The medication doesn't work that fast, and all of the symptoms most certainly won't go away, if anything you'll get other side effects from the medication."

"Then why am I taking it if it won't even help me?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer. Dreaded the answer.

"Because otherwise you'll die, Demetrius. It's like why they put cancer patients on chemo, even though it slowly kills them, because it makes their lifespan longer. But that doesn't necessarily make that time okay, make that time anything like what it was before," Kristian answered sadly. "You have to accept that in the meantime you just need to relax, take some time off work."

"I can't take time off work, I won't be able to pay for the medication. We already talked about this."

"Let me pay for it!" Kristian pleaded, turning to face me with wide eyes. "Your whole life, Demetrius, I'm going to be taking care of you. We're engaged, Demetrius, it's my job to make sure you're okay and provide for you."

"We're not married yet," I answered stubbornly. "Look, can we talk about this later? I have a history test first period, I want to get there early enough to study for a couple of minutes." Kristian sighed, and I could tell he didn't want our conversation to be over so soon.

"Okay, fine. But we are talking about this later, the conversation is not over," Kristian reminded me. "Let's go."

He pulled his keys from the ignition and climbed out, effortlessly pulling on his backpack. Without waiting for another input from me, he slammed the door shut and ran around to my door, opening it and seizing my bag from me before I could grab it.

"I can carry my stuff by myself you know," I muttered, feeling my face flush red as Kristian held out a hand to me, looking unamused by my words.

"That doesn't mean you should. Now come on, I thought you were in a hurry," Kristian urged, gesturing his hand in front of my face to get my attention again. With an eye roll, I grabbed his hand and let him help me up out of the car. Once I was up, Kristian captured my hand in his, lacing our fingers together, glancing down at the intricately woven black and white and smiling softly. After one last smile in my direction, Kristian started pulling me towards the school, me falling into step beside him easily. We walked over the lawn of the front of the school, ignoring the students who had stopped to give us funny looks (something that I had also grown accustomed to over the time of being with Kristian).

"After you," Kristian piped up suddenly, holding open the door and bowing towards me slightly.

"Why thank you kind gentlemen," I giggled, covering my mouth to stop them from spilling as I strolled inside, before turning and waiting for Kristian to come in.