How To Love ✓

10.

Amara

"He's not all that bad," Cotton blurted out and I laughed.

"What?" he raised an eyebrow at me.

I shook my head. "Nothing," I responded, hoping to let the topic go, and laid back on my bed.

"I'm not saying that I would befriend the guy. He seemed chill, but he was only looking at you like you guys.... have something going on. Did he really sleep on this bed?" he pointed to where I was laying.

"Only because we fell asleep whilst watching a movie. He was actually waiting for Sylvia, but I think she came in late last night. Before I knew it, I fell asleep, but I didn't know I fell asleep on his chest. That's all," I explained, though it was a bit of a lie.

"And nothing's going on between you two?" he inquired, looking at me deeply, waiting for an answer.

Is anything going on between Lucien and I?

"Not that I know of," I spoke with an uneasy tone. 

"Not that you know of? Mars, please tell me you aren't with him," he begged and I'm mentally strangling him for pressing the topic further.

"To me there's nothing going on. I don't know what his intentions are though," I sighed, passing a hand along my face.

"Could we just change the subject, please?"

He nodded and flipped through the movie section on Netflix. "What do you want to do today?"

"I don't know. I need to make a quick stop at the pharmacy first. Then......maybe we can go to a park or something, then get dinner at a restaurant?" I suggested and looked at the clock. How is it already 1:30pm?

I texted Sylvia and told her that I'd be out for the rest of the day, and she responded and said that she would see me tomorrow.

I took a long, relaxing shower while Cotton sat patiently on the bed. I got dressed in a pink pleated skirt, a grey long-sleeved shirt and my Mary Janes. I took a dose of medicine, a shot of nebulizer and strapped the tank on my back.

Seeing as he came with his car, I smiled as we didn't have to foot it today.

As promised, we stopped at the pharmacy, and I used the prescription paper to get all the meds I ran out of and the ones that I needed to stock up on. We drove around looking for the park and talked about our futures.

"So, Cee, what are you doing after university?" I asked, a bit curious. We were best friends but there was never really a conversation where we talked about long term things.

"You never told me what you wanted to be since we could talk."

"That's because I was never sure," he simply said. "I couldn't have a sure answer when I kept changing interests and passions."

I scoffed. "You were the smartest kid in high school.... well smartest guy because you couldn't top me," I flipped my hair, causing him to laugh. I continued, "you're an all-rounder. Got good grades, a clean slate, only ever had about two to three serious relationships but.... no one will ever decline you. If I was the owner of the company you applied to work for, I'd say, "you're hired!" just at the sight of your handsome face," I wiggle my eyebrows playfully.

"Oh, so I am handsome? Wow Mars, first and last compliment you're ever going to give me," he turned his head to look at me once in a while.

I raised my hands over my head in defense. Hey, you better take it Mister."

He nodded, sending me a soft smile. "I will. So, what about you?"

I leaned back into the passenger seat and stared out of the window and towards the moving cars. "Wherever cancer takes me."

"You can't just wait for the rest of your life Mars. Still hold a goal in your mind. Get up and chase that dream. Don't let cancer beat you at something," he sounded so optimistic. I'm grateful that one of us was, we balanced each other perfectly.

 "Maybe living a few years more sounds like a bad idea."

"Don't think negative you hear me kid? Your family loves you too much to see you waste your time all because of your sucky lungs. Travel the world. If you have to buy three other oxygen tanks in order to survive, girl you go ahead!" he spoke in a high-pitched, girly tone, earning a giggle from me.

"You always know what to say Cee," I pinched his cheek playfully and rest my head against his shoulder. "What would I do without a best friend like you?"

"Probably die, but you're already getting there," he shrugged, and I rolled my eyes.

"And I love you kid," he added, placing a hand over mines.

"I love you too," I replied. If only I knew that he meant more to those 3 words.

We walked around the park and found a picnic table. We caught up on everything that we missed out in each other's lives and even helped a cute little four-year-old girl fly her small kite. Cotton's phone started ringing so he walked on ahead to answer it, leaving me with the little girl.

She pointed to my nose. "What's that?" she asked in her baby voice, playing with her pigtails.

"This is a cannula. It helps me breathe," I smiled widely at her cuteness.

"Will it help me bweathe?" she batted her eyelashes timidly.

I nodded and took one small breath before placing them in her nose. She sniffed for a moment and started giggling. "It tickles," she continued to giggle, coming to an abrupt stop when a woman's voice called on from behind.

"Emira what are you doing? I'm so sorry," the lady apologized and handed me back the cannula before I placed it in my nose again.

"No, it's okay. She's a doll," I smiled in reassurance.

She takes the little girl by her chubby hand and said to her, "Say your goodbyes to the beautiful girl Emira."

"Bye pwetty girl!" she giggled again and walked off with her mother in the other direction.

I turned my head over to Cotton who was now walking over to me. "That was my mom, she wants me home. Says it's an emergency," he fumbled upon his words and helped me up. I nodded understandingly and we made our way back to the campus. He parked in the parking lot and walked me to my dorm room. The door was locked meaning that Sylvia really wasn't back yet. I fished out the keys and turned the lock.

"I hope everyone's okay," I whispered. He smiled sadly and embraced me warmly. "Don't sweat. I'm sure it's something minor," he said, his voice muffled in my hair. I pulled away and kissed his cheek softly.

"Call me when you get there?"

He nodded once more. "Call me when you're about to sleep."

"I will. I had a good day with you Cee. I really missed you."

"Me too Mars. See you later."

I waved goodbye and watched him disappear down the hallway.

***

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