Seven Days

Chapter Twelve

Nine p.m. that same day

As Cameron and I walk towards the living room, I see my mom and dad. I also notice that Dr. Benson has left. I actually haven’t gone down since Dr. Benson told me about my soon and very much awaited death. Cameron and I had hung out in my room after that until I decided that we should spend the rest of the night with my parents.

“Mom, Dad,” I say so Mom and Dad would acknowledge my presence.

Mom’s reading a book as she sits down on the family couch while Dad’s standing up as he looks at some old pictures of us on the wall, but when they both heard my voice, they both turn their heads to face me.

“Yes, honey?” they say in unison.

I look at Cameron who is behind me and then I turn to look at my parents again. “Uh, mom, can Cameron eat dinner and stay the night with us tonight?” I ask my parents.

Mom and Dad exchange their looks with each other. I roll my eyes and say, “Don’t worry. He’s not gonna sleep in my room. He’s sleeping in the guest room.”

My mom stands up and says to me as she puts a part of my hair behind my ear, “Okay, honey, but why?”

I just look at my mom and smile. I say to her as I feel water collect in my eyes, “Mom, I..., I’m dying soon. Too soon, Mom. Too soon for a teenager like me.” I pause for a little bit as I wipe the tear that escaped my eye. “Mom, I’d really like it if all the people I love are here. Not somewhere else. You know, before I..., yeah.” I can’t say that cruel three letter word again. It’s too painful, and I really don’t know why.

Before I know it, my mom hugs me tight and I just suddenly break down crying. I hug her back. Then in a few seconds, I break free from her hug. I smile at her again as she looks at me like I’m about to die. (Wait, that’s funny. I really am about to die.)

“Mom, let’s not cry anymore, okay?” I say with a big grin on my face. A big fake one, and I’m guessing Cameron knows that it’s fake. I’m hurting too much inside to give even my mom a real smile; so I stop smiling.

“Yeah, honey,” Dad says. Mom and I both look at him. He’s smiling. It’s a real smile. I can tell. “We should all be smiling.”

“Mr. Chase is right. We should be smiling,” Cameron says with a smile. His smile looks so beautiful. He’s beautiful. He’s perfect. I don’t deserve him. “For Al.”

 I start smiling again. I can’t help it. Everybody I love is right here. They’re all standing right in front of me. They’re smiling, too. I love them so much. I would really hate to leave them, but I guess I don’t have a choice anymore.

“Okay, then it’s settled. Nobody’s going to frown in this house tonight!” I say with that big smile still on my face.

“And whoever frowns... is gonna get a consequence. Understood?” says my mother. Well, now, this is gonna be exciting.

“Yes, ma’am!” we all exclaim in unison.

I really hope this day lasts. I don’t wanna leave yet.

Eleven p.m.

After we ate our dinner, we all decided to play Twenty Questions.

“Well, Mrs. Chase, how ‘bout you?” asks Cameron to my mom. He’s asking about my mom’s first kiss. This is pretty hilarious. I’m laughing like there’s no tomorrow, and maybe there won’t be any more for me.

“Hmm..., isn’t that too personal to ask, boy?” says Mom to Cameron. I stop laughing for a while or at least I try to control my laughter for a while. “But anyways, my first kiss was on a boat ride with my first boyfriend. There, happy?”

I suddenly burst out laughing again. “Was it sweet, Mom?” I manage to say under all the laughing. I control my laughter and start to breath normally again.

“Well, it wasn’t every woman’s dream. That’s what I’ll tell you,” she says as she crosses her arms.

My eyes start getting bigger. This is intriguing. “Well, why is that, my dear mother?” I say.

“A bird pooped on my head after the kiss, honey,” she says with a blank expression.

I laugh out loud again. I never thought my mom’s and dad’s teenage lives were so intriguing and funny.

I wish I could live long enough to tell my kids about my teenage life, but no, I guess not. Life is cruel and unfair, and we just have to live with it.

One a.m. of day seven

As Cameron and I say good night to my parents, we both go up the stairs, and as we reached my room, I say to him with a smile, “Hey, good night.”

He smiles at me and then comes closer to me. I back up a few steps until I felt the door behind me, but he’s still coming closer. Now, he’s close to me. Too close that our bodies are almost touching. He pushes his hand against the wall and then tells me that he loves me.

“I love you, too, Cameron. So much,” I say to him.

He suddenly hugs me. He says, “I wish I could’ve been the one who’s dying.”

Then a tear escapes my eye. I can’t believe he said that. I tell him as I hug him back, “If you were the one dying, you would’ve been killing me inside, too. It’s better this way, Cameron. Just remember that you’ll always be my John.” I pause. I can’t go on, but I have to tell him this. I want him to live normally. I continue with a smile, “Forever and always. You’ll be here with me. I’ll be there with you. I love you, you big dummy. Remember that. No matter what happens. I’ll be with you.” I break free from our hug.

He says while trying to hold back his tears, “I love you so much, Al.” He sobs and then shakes his head. “I don’t want you to go.”

“Me too, but I have to. God’s calling me home,” I say. Ouch, I think I hurt my heart when I said that, and my smile faded away because of those words I let out.

A tear escapes his eye. I reach my hand to his face and then cup it. I wipe his tear away with my thumb as I hear him say, “Life is cruel.”

“I know, but it’s also a gift from God. Spend it wisely. Don’t spend it crying over me. Please? I want you to live normally, Cameron,” I pause as I catch a breath. “Every time you cry, it kills me. It’s like stabbing me with a knife. Please stop. I don’t want to see you cry before I die, Cameron. I want you to be happy, and I want you to be strong. Okay?”

“Okay, if that’s what you want. I will be,” he says with a smile.

“Perfect,” I say as a smile takes over my face.

“So are you,” he tells me. His cute, boyish smile isn’t gone yet. That’s good.

 “So I guess I’ll see you in the morning,” I say as I turn the doorknob of my bedroom door, but before I know it, I’m pulled into a kiss. Cameron’s kissing me. I can’t believe it. He’s actually kissing me.

The moment I felt his lips on mine, sparks started flying again. Now, fireworks are everywhere. My problems have disappeared. The whole world is gone. It’s like I’m sucked up into a world where it’s only him and me. It’s like I wasn’t dying anymore. It’s just so magical.

So I pull out of the kiss and start to speak up, but I keep on stuttering. I can’t form sentences. Heck, I can’t even form words because of that magical kiss. I manage to say in between tripping over my tongue, “See you in the morning. Bye.” Then I quickly open my door, get inside my room, and close the door again.

Now, I’m leaning on the door, thinking about that kiss because it was more magical than the first one. I still feel my lips tingling. I can still feel his lips, and I don’t know why but I keep on smiling like an idiot. Whatever, I just surely know that this is one feeling I will never forget, dead or not.