forever + always

Chapter 12

Can an alarm be anymore annoying? I rip my alarm clock out of my wall throwing it. I hear it shatter and I cringe. I guess I need to buy a new alarm clock.

I groan, pushing the covers off my body. I sit up stretching my limbs just as my phone dings. I lean over look at my brightly lit screen. Jake's name flashed. I smile a little, opening up the text message.

Jake: Can't wait to see you later. I'll pick you up from your school?"

Oh yeah I almost forgot that I was seeing him today. That might help me take my mind of everything today.

Me: Can't wait. That sounds great thanks :)

I close my messages, plugging my phone into my dock, blasting my music. I grab my grey jeans with a rip on the right knee with my a black tank top with a black cardigan that had knitted red maroon roses and skulls all over it.

I quickly pull it on. I check the time on my phone, cause well as you know my alarm clock isn't working at this moment.

Sh**, I only have ten minutes to finish getting ready before Rachel picks me up. I rush to my bathroom turning the light on.

I apply some concealer under my eyes to cover up the bags. I do my eyeliner with it's usual wing. I apply some mascara and some chapstick. I brush through the tangles in my hair, letting it fall to my waist. I run to my closet again to pull on my black suede ankle boots. I grab my bag and rush out of the room with my phone in my hand.

I get downstairs right as I hear a car honk, letting me know that Rachel is here. Wow, great timing on my part. Yay me. I walk outside, letting the autumn breeze blow my hair from my face. I close the door behind me, locking it.

I slide into the passenger seat of Rachel's car. I look over to her, to see her in a daze. She was staring out of the windshield with a blank face.

"Hey, you ok?" She only blinked.

I decided to leave it alone. If she wants to tell me about it she will.

Rachel pulls out of my driveway, heading to school. We were quiet the whole way there, the only sound in the car was the whispers on the radio. When we arrived at school we parted ways, I told her I'd see her in Music.

I head to the Library. I have this book report due Monday and I need to finish the next few paragraphs now or I never will.

I sit at one of the tables in the back, where I won't be bothered by anyone. I pull out my papers and a pen to write with. I plug in my headphones, pressing shuffle to my music.

I was deep into my book report when someone sat down in front of me, making me jump. I hear a guy's deep laugh through my music. I pull out my headphones, looking up to see Stan looking at me with amusment.

"What?" I cock an eyebrow his direction.

"I startled you, huh?" Stan curled his lips into his mouth, obviously trying not to laugh.

I roll my eyes even though he was right. "I was deep into my work, of course I jumped I wasn't expecting anyone to find me back here."

I stop my music, shoving my phone into my bag.

"What are you working on?" Stan asks, moving his chair around the table so he's next to me.

"A book report on To Kill A Mockingbird for my English class. I'm almost done with it." I glance at him to see him staring at me.

"You're doing homework early?" He asks sounding almost shocked.

I laugh quietly. "Yeah, I like to get it off my list of things to stress over, so I can have a weekend to relax, or do whatever I like instead of worrying about school. I'm guessing you don't do your homework before it's due?" I nudge his arm with my elbow.

He smiles shyly at me. "Yes...I don't like homework. So, I wait to the lastest time to do it."

"Ah, so like most teenagers." I joke, poking his side.

"Ha. Ha." He say sarcasticly. Sticking his toungue out at me.

I laugh at his childish act. He smiles at me with this unknown glint in this eye. Making the air around get tense. I shift in my seat awkwardly.

I clear my throat, avoiding his gaze. I could still feel his peircing gaze burning a hole in the top of my head.

"So....uhm. I better get going. I told Rachel I'd meet her before the bell rings. I'll see you at lunch." I quickly shove my stuff into my bag, throwing it over my shoulder. He nods waving me off.

I didn't really lie, I really am going to see her, I need to see if she is ok. But I needed to get out of there. It was getting too weird.

I see Rachel sitting next to Evan with her head on his shoulder. I could see her shoulders shaking as she cried, Evan rubbing her back in the process. You see, Rachel never cries so this has to be something big. I walk over there quickly standing in front of her. She looks up at me surprised, trying to wipe her eyes. I just shake my head bringing her into a hug. I don't say a word I just let her cry on my shoulder as I hold her. I'm not one of the people who force people to tell me what's wrong. I used to be but then I realized that when they're ready to talk they'll talk. But in this case, I need to know. She never cries. 

I pull away a few minutes later looking her in the eye. She wipes under her eyes getting rid of the tears still forming. I squeez her shoulder giving her a reasuring smile. I look over at Evan who had a worried look on his face. She obviously told him because he's looking at her like a china doll that migt break at any moment. I walk over to him, pulling him off to the side.

"You know what happened?" I state the obvious.

He looks down at the ground and nods. Evan sighs. "You know her cousin Caleb?" He looks at me sadly.

I nod. Caleb is Rachel's cousin who lived with them until they he was fifteen and Rachel and us were thirteen. They were so close. And still are. She's always considered him like a brother, they're unsepreable. Now the question is, what happened.

"Yeah of course, what happened?" I ask, my flickering to Rachel who still has tears running down her face. 

"He was diagnosed with lukemia last night. They're trying chemo, but they don't think he's going to last long. Maybe till about January at the latest." Evan's eyes trailed to his girlfriend, his eyes softening.

I felt a tear run down my cheek, I brush it away. Caleb, was close to all of us. But this has to be the hardest on Rachel.

I turn to face her. Evan is back over there holding her against his chest. Which looks like it's for her, but also for him, for he's also teary eyed.

I join my friends lean against the wall, tears streaming down my face. As if he could detect my tears from across the school, Stan's standing right in front of me with a concern look on his face. I bite my lip as he pulls me into a hug. I let myself break down, crying into his shirt. Caleb was close to the three of us. He was like family. He was always there when we were feeling low, and needed a laugh. He was always happy, always had a smile on that cheery face of his. And to think that he's only got a little time to live, strikes a pit of blackness inside me.

Stan rubs circles into my back, as I grip his sweater. I feel him rest his chin on the top of my head, but I barely feel it. I barely feel anything at this moment but saddness. I pull away from Stan moving to Rachel, pulling her away from Evan. Holding onto her for dear life. As she does the same back to me.

We're loosing someone that we all loved.

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A/N

Hey guys. I didn't plan on the ending being the way it was. And I apoligize if it was too sad for some people.

But I wanted to put some reality into this story. I wanted to show that anything can really happen, no matter how sad that thing is. And cancer is affecting a lot of people, and families.

My heart goes out to all the families that are going through the struggle of watching their family member get sick.

Love you all

-Kitty