The Stronger Battle {Sequel to Cancer?}

(Striking) part two

Emmi POV

I hear a knock on the door and Brock calls out "Avia, your boyfriend's here! " and Avia's annoyed reply of,

"He's not my boyfriend." Zach's footsteps and Avia's chair's whirring noise fades away. I'm getting better at walking again. The help of crutches and my prosthetic are miracles.  I strap on the prosthetic leg and snap my crutches to my arms. I steady myself as I stand and walk around my room a bit. By the time I'm finished I can smell fresh chocolate chip cookies and make my way out into the kitchen.

"Hey mom, what's up? " I ask, grabbing a cookie from the pan and biting into it.

"Avia's friend Zachary is here. Help yourself to the cookies, I have more baking. I'm gonna go see what the boys are up to. "

"Okay, " I respond, stuffing the rest of the cookie in my mouth. As mom leaves I look outside the French doors to see Avia on the swing with her head in her hands. Zach helps her back to her chair and they just sit for a minute. Soon Avia's crying and I'm becoming more concerned.  I grab a few cookies in a ziplock bag and put them in my jacket pocket. I take my crutches and move as quick as possible to my room. I silently open my window and gasp. Avia's crying and... yelling. Avia never yells anymore unless she's really upset.

"I know I shouldn't be, but I'm jealous of Emmi. She's in remission, she's recovering well and can walk better than I can. What if I don't recover? You probably shouldn't even bother with me, I'm a grenade, a ticking time bomb. Too many people care about me, the people online, my family, my friends back in Idaho, you? Maybe you should just leave and forget. Forget I ever existed, you don't need me in your life. I just make things difficult.  I don't even know why you want to hang out with me. I'm bald, I'm too skinny, I'm always tired, I can't do things my face is always puffy from the chemotherapy that they push through my veins, I have scars from the IVs and tests and surgeries and the injections. I'm so ugly. I can't even look at myself in the mirror without makeup and resist the urge to cringe. I can't stand myself Zach, I can't stand myself! It'll be easy, just press a button in your mind, poof I'm gone. You won't have to deal with me anymore. Just forget."Avia's words sting and I know she doesn't mean them, but hearing them like this really really hurts. She doesn't talk about this stuff with me. She barely talks to me anymore. I wonder if that's why. If it's because she's jealous of me, to the point where she doesn't even want to talk to me. I close my window, having heard enough of the conversation. I eat my cookies in silence, shocked by what I've heard. After a few bites of my second one, my appetite decreases. I set the cookies on my nightstand and close my door, locking it. I grab my phone and my headphones, turning on some music and plopping down on my bed. The words comfort me as I fall asleep.

Collette POV

"Emmi! Emmi, are you alright in there? Emmi? Dinner's ready!" I knock on the door again. No answer. "Emmi!"

"What?" she asks, sounding annoyed.

"It's time for dinner, pizza!" I ignore the tone of her voice.

"Not hungry. " she replies hastily.

"Are you sure, Emmi? Zach's staying for dinner. "

"I'm sure mom, leave me alone!" She snaps icily. I sigh and walk away, probably just a bad day.

Avia POV

Zach and I go back inside to get dinner. Mom hands us each a plate with pizza on it, mine accompanied by my pills.

"What do you guys want to drink?" Mom asks, sweetly.

"Coke," I respond, looking at Zach.

"Do you have sprite?" he questions.

"Of course, " Mom replies, retrieving the sodas from the fridge and handing them to us. "Why don't you guys go outside, eat by the pool." Zach and I leave the kitchen, heading for the picnic table near the pool. Soon everyone joins us, everyone but Emmi.

"Zach, I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?"

"Okay," he responds, grabbing another piece of pizza from the box now on the table.

I wheel myself back inside, setting out for Emmi's room. I arrive at her door and hear sobbing from the inside. Alarmed, I grab my key to her room and unlock the door quietly. I enter as silently as I can. Emmi is curled in the fetal position on her bed, crying.

"Emmi?" I say her name tentatively.

"Leave me alone. " she replies, letting out a sob.

"Hey, Emm. What's wrong?"

"I heard you t-t-talking to Zach, about m- me. " She sobs again.

"Oh Emmi." I reach out to touch her shoulder, but she recoils.

"From day one it's been about you Avia." she spits the words. "You were diagnosed and everyone was all over you,  you got hurt and got more attention, you got pneumonia and got more attention. I got diagnosed and you had a seizure,  you got more attention. You died for a few minutes and cane back to life and you got more attention. I had my leg amputated, and you had a blood transfusion, a simple procedure, yet you got more attention. We come here, you have a seizure at school, you meet a boy, you get the chance of getting a service dog, more attention for you. You're like a sponge Avia,  just sucking up all the attention and leaving me what little is left in the bottom of the sink. And now, today. Getting more attention from a boy. No boys will ever think I'm beautiful again. Even if I grow my hair back, even if I'm in remission forever and my face is pretty again. I can't walk right, I'll never be able to walk right. I can't dance anymore. I can't swim.  You can do all of that when you get better, you can do anything. You can get better completely. Good as new. I can't do that and then, you'll still be getting more and more attention than me. Because that's how it works. Because I'm the middle kid. You and Gavin are the favorites, you guys came first. Brock and Daxton are the youngest the cutest. And me? I am right in the middle of it I'll never get the attention that you guys receive. Sometimes I wish you'd just die already!" She stops and watches me, gauging my reaction. Tears well in my eyes as I state at her, just stare. Realization comes over her face and she goes pale as I let out a sob. "A-a-Avia, I I didn't, I didn't mean it. I'm sorry I'm so so sorry. I swear Avia I didn't mean it, I didn't mean any of it. " I shake my head and exit her room, going into mine and closing the door. I pull out my phone and text my mom.

Mom, I don't feel very well, I'm gonna go to bed now, can you send Zach home?

Sure sweetheart,
I'm sorry you don't feel well . I'll come check on you after I walk
Zachary home, okay?

Okay.

I lay down on my bed and close my eyes, letting exhaustion take over.