If heart ache was a physical pain, I could face it.

Part Sixteen

Tom’s POV

“Anne where are you? I’m getting worried.”Getting more worried. I’m getting more worried. I say as I finally give up and leave her a voice mail. I’d give almost anything to be able to talk to Max right now, like I always used to when I was worried or upset. He was my best mate and happens to be great with advice... Too late for that now. I begin pacing around the house my only comfort being that it has been hours since she left now, and that means she must be home soon. Right?

Sophie’s POV

“Max can we talk?” I ask, knocking on his bedroom door.

“Sure, come in.” I take a seat on the edge of his bed. Surely I’m doing the right thing.

“It’s about Charly.” I pause waiting for him to say something, but he just looks back at me expectantly. “You see, she really likes you. And I know you told her that you like her too, and that you kissed her. But she’s gotten into her head that you only did that to try and forget about Anne because she feels you’ve been avoiding her since.” I watch as he relaxes slightly, a smile appearing on his lips.

“I thought she was avoiding me, I thought she’d changed her mind.” I laugh from relief.

“That’s what I told her!”

"So she like me?" He asks eagerly.

"Yes." I smile.

“Thank you Sophie!” He jumps up and hugs me before heading for his door. “I’ll go see her now.”

Anne’s POV

“Anne?” I stand up and follow the Doctor once more into his room, this is a million times worse than the first time, and I really wish I hadn’t been so stupid and had  asked Tom to meet me here now. “You’re on your own?” The Doctor asks surprised.  I nod once, not trusting myself to speak. “Okay.” He frowns turning his head back to what I assume are my test results on his desk.  When he looks back at me there’s concern and sympathy in his eyes and I feel my stomach fall through the floor.  “Anne, I’m sorry to say this, but you have liver cancer...” He carries on talking but I hear no more, I have cancer? I didn’t think I was this ill, people die from cancer, I’m only young I have my whole life ahead of me. And what about Tom? He’s given everyone up for me, and now he might lose me too? Tears start streaming down my face and I begin to shake as I start to process everything. Cancer. I have cancer.  “Anne?” I become aware that the Doctor is trying to get my attention and turn my head up to meet look at him once more. “I know it’s a lot to take in but I’d like to take an ultrasound to see how big the cancer is and then I’d like to see you again tomorrow to discus fully our options from here. I strongly suggest that you bring someone with you tomorrow." I nod once knowing that I will bring Tom with me, I can’t do this again on my own.

 I follow the Doctor slowly into another room and lie down on a big table as he starts moving a large wand like thing over the area above my liver, not knowing what to look for on the screen anyway I keep my gaze towards the ceiling. “All done.” The Doctor replies and I turn to face him, seeing him give nothing away. “I’ll go back and have a good look at your results now, and I’d like to see you again tomorrow morning at nine, to talk about them. And remember bring someone with you. People are going to find out at some point, why not let them be there for you from as soon as possible, I’m sure they would want to be.” I nod again before turning to leave, tears running down my face, I can’t hide it from him anymore, I’m not strong enough. But how the hell am I meant to tell him?

Jess’ POV

“What are you so happy about?” I ask Sophie as she comes into the living room with a huge smile on her face.

“Wait and see!” She beams as Charly leaves the room. “Actually I’ll tell you!” She exclaims clearly excited about something. “I think by the end of the night Charly and Max are going to be a proper couple.”

“No way.” Roxie gasps.

“Yes! They spent the time in his room the other night kissing, but then thought the other didn’t want anything more to come from it. So I went to speak to Charly knowing full well she wanted more, so then I went to talk to Max;and now he’s going to talk to her now!” Sophie rushes to finish the end of her speech in one breath and I can’t help but laugh at her. She like an excited child at Christmas.

“That’s great news!” Roxie, I and all of the boys say at once.

“They’re going to make an amazing couple.” Sophie continues.

Anne’s POV

I try my hardest to compose my features before opening the door to the house but it’s impossible I just can’t stop crying. How do I tell him? Taking a deep breath to try and steady my nerves but with no such luck I open the door.

“Where have you been!? And why have you been ignoring...” Tom starts shouting but stops as he sees the state I’m in. We run towards each other and I collapse into his arms burying my face into his top and crying even harder. Silently he picks me up and carries me to our room, sitting me on his lap he pulls away so he can see my face. “Anne, baby, please tell me what’s wrong.”

“Tom I...” But I just can’t say anymore. It will hurt him too much. But then what if it’s really serious and I don’t have long left? And I need someone to be with me tomorrow. I need to tell him... Some how. “I’ve been at the hospital, and...” I stop again, unable to continue once more.

“Please stop crying honey; it breaks my heart to see you like this. What ever it is, we can fight it together, I’m not going to let anything hurt you I promise.”

“How can you say that? How can you make a promise you can’t keep?” I ask getting annoyed now, he just doesn’t understand, and that’s my fault, so I take a deep breath... “How are you meant to keep me safe when I’ve got...”

Charly’s POV

“Hey Max.” I smile nervously as he walks into my room, my heart beat picking up.

“Charly we need to talk.” Oh god, this doesn’t sound good. Sitting close to me on my bed Max turns to me smiling. “I got the wrong impression the other after the other night, I assumed you didn’t want me as a boyfriend because you assumed I was using you; but honest I’m not. “But a little birdie told me that you do want me, and Charly I’m glad, I want us to be together too.”

“Sophie.” I say narrowing my eyes, causing Max to laugh. “Wait what?” I ask realising what he’s just said to me. He wants to be my boyfriend? “You wan...” But before I can finish what I was going to ask his lips come crashing down on mine, and it’s amazing, so much better than the other night, because now I’m sure of his feelings for me.

“Does that answer your question?” Max smiles at me, and I nod my head in way of reply before leaning forward to kiss him again.

Tom’s POV

“Cancer.”

“Anne, that’s a sick joke.” I laugh shakily, refushing to believe it, as my mind wonders unwillingly back to the second result when I looked her symptoms up. Liver cancer. It can’t be true.

“I’m not joking Tom! I’ve got cancer.” Anne shouts into my chest as she hides her face in my top again. Numbly I hold her tight, not crying, not really doing anything, just think about how the girl I love has cancer. It should be me the world’s punishing not Anne!  I came onto her not the other way around! What if she dies? I swallow as a lump appears in my throat but it does not good, and soon the tears are over flowing, I have to be strong for Anne, but how can I do that when I want to lash out in anger and then curl up in a ball and just cry. I want to take her in my arms and run away. Run away from all our problems. But that’s impossible. You can’t run away from this.