Five Feet Apart (unofficial sequel)

Chapter 2:

                           Will
I am sitting at a cafe in Brazil, portable oxygen slung over my shoulder, drinking some very rich coffee. I've really enjoyed traveling over the past few months. This trip has gone well but... I can't stop thinking about Stella. The way she looked at the airport. She was somehow beautiful than before, I didn't even know that was possible. Her skin wasn't pale anymore. Her hair falling gently over her shoulders. Her lips we so plump and pink, even more kissable than before. I try to remember what they felt like on mine, when I was giving her the only breath I had. Willing her to live, hoping she'd wouldn't die in my arms. Not when I knew new lungs were waiting for her. When she could look this healthy again. I want more than anything for her to be here with me. Her hand in mine, even if coated in blue latex. Or to just hear her laugh. Or the way she says my name. I just want Stella here. 5 feet or even 6 feet away. But I'm protecting her. All it takes is the idea of her disappearing from everyone's lives to remind me not to be selfish. How it would affect Barb, or Julie, or her parents if she died. To think about how it affected her when Poe was gone.
     "Hey man, looks like our car is here. Time to hit the airport." Jason says snapping me out of my thoughts.
     "Alright!" I reply, picking up my bags from beside our table on the cafe patio. Next stop Cancun, or so it was supposed to be, now I'm not so sure. I sorta wanna take a trip back home. And I know Jason won't detest, he's really been missing Hope.
     "Hey man, what do you think about just buying ourselves tickets home, I'm not really feeling Cancun." I say as we load our bags into the trunk of our Uber.
     "What's this I'm hearing? Is the Will Newman homesick?" Jason laughs at me, shutting the trunk. We get into the car and head for the airport.
     "I don't know man. I know you're missing Hope. Just for a bit then we'll be everywhere, until you go to college of course." I say with a wink.
     "Yeah. Let's do that." He says settling into his seat, staring out the window. We arrive at the airport and get our tickets for home. We grab some food and chill at our gate, making small talk. Jason tells me about what Hope is up to.
     "She got a lifeguard job so she's kept busy while we've been gone. She's also been to every event the college has held so far for incoming freshmen. Of course she's getting anything I need. She's already got me a desk set." He laughs thinking about her. That sounds like Hope alright... As we board the plane I can't help but to think about Stella, it's all I've done since I saw her. I mean, I can miss her and still not see her right? I don't have to feel guilty for missing her... I love her.
It felt like the longest flight ever to get home. Once we landed and got our luggage I called and Uber to take Jason and I back to my place. As soon as we get home my mom comes outside to greet us.
"Will. What are you doing home?" She asks worriedly.
"I just felt like being home for a little while, taking a breather from all the traveling. I would have called but I didn't expect you to be home." I say.
"I had a migraine so I took a personal day... I'm actually glad you're home, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."
"Okay, lemme say goodbye to Jason and we'll talk while I unpack." I reply.
"Alright." She says, going back inside. I help Jason load his luggage into his car before going inside with my own. My mom helps me to get the 2 suitcases upstairs and into my room. As I start to unpack mom sits down on the office chair in front of my desk.
"So, what is it you needed to talk to me about?" I ask.
"Well... it's a new treatment." She says swiveling in the chair anxiously. I should have known it'd have something to do with CF. She takes a breath and continues. "It's at a hospital in Louisiana called Canton Bay. The treatment is a tough dose of antibiotics mixed with a drug specifically targeting B. Cepacia. It's in the second round of its trial and the first one has had great results. We've been looking into it."
"I don- wait, we? Who's we?" I ask.
"Stella and I... she's the one who found the trial and initially reached out to the doctor in charge of it." She says nervously. I sit on the edge my bed, fiddling with a tee shirt in my hands. "Say something Will."
"Stella... well... what did the doctor say." I ask even though my mind is still stuck on her name.
"She got them to save a spot for you. That girl is surprisingly persuasive." My mom replies with a smile.
"That she is." I say smiling back.
"So... what do you say?" She asks.
"Okay." I reply and with that she hugs me before leaving the room. I throw the tee shirt at the wall and flop backward on the bed. I stare up at the ceiling thinking about Stella. I'm so thankful she does those YouTube videos because it keeps her voice fresh in my mind. Maybe, if I'm really really lucky, I'll get to see her again. It's probably wishful thinking, trial or not. I refuse to put her in any sort of danger, and I'm a walking Petri dish that could destroy her new lungs.