MAC: The Twisted Alternative

16: No One

—BETHS POV—
London was just how I remembered it. Alive and dead at the same time. The rough night sky had an orange hue and the city lights acted as stars as I travelled through the night on the train to Yorkshire.

When I woke up it was time to leave. It was morning, the sky was beginning to grey with cumulous clouds as I got off at the Huddersfield station and was able to walk up to the hospital.

—STAMPYS POV—
I was lying in my bed, trying to exercise my fractured hands.
My collar bone was broken henceforth I was wearing a sling. And my fingers were wrapped up.
I decided to go for a walk, my legs felt weak, but I needed to strengthen them.
I stood up, feeling my eyes blur in the sudden movement. I persevered, taking a couple steps out of my cubical. I was without morphine now, I could feel all the pain, and all the shock. The migraines were starting again, and every time my hands shook I felt the intense pain as my fingers were broken.

—SQAISHEYS POV—
I asked the receptionist where David Spencer was, and I made my way up the stairs, it was visiting hour, lots of families were crowding round their loved ones, but I hoped that David would be alone.
Cautiously, I pulled back the curtain slightly to see his face.
There were burns around his forehead and his chest, and a large cast was wrapped around his leg.
He was fast asleep, I assumed he would stay that way for a long time.
I walked closer to him and I found myself crying, what if he died? What if he died and all those feeling we had for each other disappeared.
What if we never got to tell each other how we felt..
"I'm sorry David." I whispered to him, leaning down beside him.
"We don't have to hide away anymore." I whispered, I put my hand on his cheek, rubbing my nose against his, "I loved you since the day we met. There.. I said it.." A tear ran down my face,
"I love you."
I knew the risk I was taking, but ever since that day.. Christmas Day.. the only man I ever needed or wanted was David.
I pressed my lips gently against his, how long I had waited for this. I had him now, and I was never going to let go of him, whatever the cost.
I looked back at him, pulling away and wiping my eyes.

"Since the day you met." I heard a voice.
I slowly turned around to see Joe staring right at us.
I covered my mouth, horrified at the situation. Feeling terrible.
"Joe-" I began, breaking,
He swiftly pivoted around and walked away.
I walked out of the cubical, closing the curtain behind me, needing to get to Joe.
I saw him merely sit down on his hospital bed,
"Joe.. Joe please.."

—STAMPYS POV—
An overwhelming sensation of disgust surrounded me.
I couldn't listen to her, I couldn't even look at her.
"The day you met him was on a Tuesday, the day you met him was the day we got back together.. the day you met him was the best day of my life- how- when did this happen?!" I yelled,
"I'm so sorry Joe.." she began,
"No you're not! You lied to me! You've been lying to me ever since that day! Last night you told me you loved me!"
"Please don't shout-"
"I have every right in the world to shout! Yeah?! How do you know David even likes you?! You're abusing him!" I yelled,
"He wanted it-"
"He is unconscious! You have no right to take advantage of him!"
"Joseph he loves me." Said Beth,
"How do you know that?" I asked, feeling uneasy and full of rage.
Beth pulled out her phone,
"Read them. Read them all." She said, showing me her messages.
I shook my head, my fingers were broken, I couldn't scroll.
"No.." I began, "no you read them, and see what a mess you've made of me."

I noticed a tear stream down Beth's face as I accepted the fact that her and David loved each other. That it was me that had to go.
We were over.
"You know.. to you- to you I.. I was just a chapter.. a tiny forgetful chapter.. but to me.. to me you were the whole book, the whole stupid book and I loved you! I loved you.."
I sighed, a tear running down my face,
"Look after him." I told Beth, "Tell him to take care of you. He doesn't realise what he's got."
At that I stood up, putting on my jacket.
"W-where are you going?" Asked Beth,
"New York. I'm not staying a minute longer here." I muttered, leaving.

As I walked out of the hospital into the windy world, I gazed at the road, feeling sick and dizzy again, with the sinking realisation that I had lost.
I had nobody anymore.
I had lost my best friend and my girlfriend.
I pictured them together, they'd be happy, David would take care of Beth, or at least I hoped he would.
I loved Beth more than anyone else in this world, and by giving her and David up, I was giving up my only motivation to stay alive.

I took a glance down at my phone again, rereading the doctor's diagnosis. Knowing I had less than a year to live already.
The migraines weren't coincidental, and I wasn't shivering because I was cold.
I was terminally ill.
And no one knew.
No one except me.