SM: Her Last Summer

Chapter 18: Bitter Coffee

SHAWN'S P.O.V:
My silver spoon clinked against the ceramic surface. Avery leant against the bench, waiting for me to spark conversation. I took a couple of gulps of the boiling liquid.

"I think you should go home," I suggested.

"Home?"

I swirled the coffee around in the mug, "I think you should go home Avery. I'll call you."

She sipped delicately at her coffee before giving a quick nod, "Okay."

She abandoned her cup and tiptoed to the bedroom. She returned with her few belongings and gave me a quick hug before rushing across the room.

"Avery! I will call you."

"I know," she smiled.

She slipped through the door and left me with my bitter coffee. I finished off the liquid, bringing my fist down to the bench in frustration. Cancer. How ironic. I write about tragic love songs, now it's happening. Lovely. I repeated the action with a bit more intensity, causing a ripple of vibration. I pushed myself off the bench and onto the cold surface of wall, slumping into a crouched position. I heard the cream of a door open and the soft patter of footsteps. Cameron emerged from the hallway squinting in the light.

"Dude, how are you already working out?" He yawned.

He brushed his ruffled hair back and came to a sudden halt. He gave me a quick assessment.

"Was the sex bad or something?" He asked.

I shot him a look sending a silent message to choose his next words carefully.

"What happened Shawn?"

He edged closer to me, "Is she still with that guy?"

"No, take another guess."

"She doesn't want to see you anymore?" he piped.

"She's sick," I stated.

"Sick? Like she has a cold?"

"She has cancer."

His brow furrowed as he processed the information. He fell down next to me and gave me a comforting squeeze on the shoulder.

"At least the sex wasn't bad," he croaked.

AVERY'S P.O.V:
I could barely process the fact that I had cancer let alone that I just lost my virginity. I'd walked from Shawn's apartment to meet up with Kayleigh at a local coffee shop. I caught sight of Kayleih nibbling at a croissant. I hurried over to her and was welcomed by the scent of coffee grounds and banana bread. I sat on the wooden stool beside Kayleigh who looked like she was inhaling her croissant. She jumped at my presence.

"Hey there," I smiled.

Kayleigh gave me a glare that I knew all too well, "Avery. Cut to the chase, Cam just called me and informed about the state you left him in."

"He's in a state?" I asked.

"He was having a meltdown," she replied.

I pushed the guilt away and focused on the issue at hand, "I told him the truth."

"Which is?" She questioned.

At that exact moment a worker came by to clear Kayleigh's plate. She waited impatiently for him to scurry away.

"I have cancer," I told her.

A snort erupted from Kayleigh, "Yeah. As if."

"I'm serious Kayleigh. I have cancer."