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

Part Eighteen

Max’s POV

“W-what?” I stutter. Not believing what he said, partly because I thought he just said it get to me, but mainly because I didn’t want to believe it.

“She’s dying.” Tom says quietly this time, tears falling down his checks, and after everything I want to reach out and hold him, tell him everything will be okay and try and make him feel better. He was my best mate and I hate seeing him like this because I know exactly how he’s feeling. I lost her once, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

But I can’t.

Because at the same time, I still hate him for what he did, and how he could be so thoughtless I’ll never know.

“Come in.” I say while stepping aside to let him into the house. I never thought I’d see him here again, and I certainly never thought I’d be the one letting him in.

He begins walking towards the living room and I follow behind, an awkward silence hanging in the air around us.

“Sit down.” I say and position myself on the chair opposite him. “What’s wrong with her?” I whisper, not wanting to here the answer but at the same time knowing I need to.

“Liver cancer.” He says, but I barely hear it. Shit cancer. I swallow the lump appearing in my throat and look across at Tom to find I’m looking into the eyes of a broken man; and I realise this is how I must have looked through other people’s eyes recently. Trying my hardest to leave the past in the past, but knowing I will never truly be able to I speak my next words knowing I’m going to live to regret them.

“Tom move back in.” I sigh looking down at the floor.

“What?” He asks looking at me confused. “We can’t do that to you Max.”

“It’s not for you okay. I don’t want to do anything for you. But Anne needs you and you need your old friends support if you’re going to be able to keep strong for her. She needs her friends around her too.” Tom wordlessly nods once, and to be honest I don’t know how I’m going to cope, but Anne doesn’t deserve to die, and as hard as it’s going to be for me, I want to help her, and so will everyone else. “How serious is it?” I instantly regret asking, the look on Tom’s face makes my stomach plummet even further and I hadn’t thought that was possible. He swallows once, looking at the floor and playing with his fingers, and I know then that this isn’t going to be good.

“Um...” Tom starts; obviously struggling to tell me what I really don’t want to hear. “She... She needs to have a transplant. Without is she only... She only has a month left.” He barely manages to get out, and he’s not the only one crying now. I’m finding it heard to believe that in a month she could be gone forever.

“Tom she’ll have a transplant. She’ll be alright.” I try to say with confidence, but my shaking voice ruins my attempt. Why I’m even trying to be strong for him I don’t know. I guess it’s because even after everything he was my best mate, and I can’t stand to see him  like this; even if I can’t forgive him for what he did. But how I can still hate him and not hate Anne I’ll never know, I guess that’s just what love does to you.

He just ignores my comment and to be honest I don’t blame him, how could I convince him when I didn’t even believe what I was saying?”

Roxie’s POV

Siva unconsciously wraps his arms tighter around me as I try and get out of bed without waking him up. I slowly move one of his arms from around my waist before trying to move away from him.

“Where are you going?” He mumbles sleepily as I wake him.

“I’m just getting a drink.” I whisper. “Go back to sleep.” I continue as I finally get out of bed; I laugh quietly to myself as his breathing deepens again and he’s back asleep before I’ve even made it out of the room.