Sickness And In Love

Small Talk

JUGHEAD POV

The next day, Archie missed school and came to hang out with me. We sat on the roof of the hospital and I told him everything. About the kiss, my lungs, and everything else.

"Dang man, that's rough. I think we need something." Archie said and reached into his backpack. He pulled a beer and then opened it.

"Archie, are you crazy?! I just told you that I have Stage 3 Emphysema!"

"Yeah, well...you only live and die once."

"That is true." I said and took it from his hand. I took a sip and saw the nice view...there are so many things that I wanted to do.

"So Jughead, What did Betty say about this?"

"I told her last night...she said that it didn't change the way she felt about me. But she's up in my business constantly because of this. Have you told, Veronica?" I asked.

"Actually Jughead, I need to tell you something. I went to the doctor yesterday...I have Stage 1 Leukemia again. We're gonna keep going to fight it again, but I have a lower chance of survival than I did last time. I was so close to surviving."

"You will...but right now, you're just gonna have to fight the same battle. Then, I guess I'll be seeing a lot more of you." I smiled and took a sip of beer. Archie took it from my hand and took another sip. We laughed and joked for awhile.

Later that night, I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. It was harder to breathe...even with the oxygen tube. I then felt it...mucus. I put my toothbrush to the side and puked in the sink. There was a lot of it...but it wasn't throw up...it was a sink full of mucus. I washed it down and then I sighed. I grabbed my pills and took my 8 pills before bed. I looked at myself truly in the mirror...I was much more pale and a lot skinnier. My lungs felt like there were 100 knives stabbing into them. Then to top it off...my fingertips were officially blue due to lack of oxygen. I looked over my life now...how I really was going to die in 3-years. I punched the mirror and it shattered into tiny pieces. I then broke into sobs and buried my face into my hands. My crying didn't make it any better. My lungs hurt twice as much now.

I walked slowly to my bed and got my pajamas on. I laid in bed and took off my oxygen tube and put on my mask. I hated this so much.