The Tree 》l.s *boyxboy* ✅

Chapter 57 ~ Goodbyes

It was a week after Mikayla's sixteenth, and Lexi's fifteenth, birthday that Harry went back into hospital. He made a whole year again without having anything too wrong with him. But now he lay in hospital, he was coughing, in pain and looking like complete hell. Even though I would never say that to him, I wouldn't even say to myself, because with all that he still looked beautiful. 

He's been in for a week now, and he hasn't been getting better, and it hasn't been the same pace either. He's decreasing and it's breaking my heart into pieces each day. I've cried a lot in the past week Harry's been in hospital. Not in front of him, I couldn't do that.

The girls are crying a lot too. They've taken some days off school every now and then just to spend them with us, and they're doing well to keep up with the class, even with the missing lessons and the fact their dad is pretty much on his death bed. 

I've taken leave from work so I could be with him, I didn't want to leave him, and I barely did. Toilet and shower breaks were the only time I spent away from him, and those times I spent crying and thinking about him. 

"Louis, dad's going to die isn't he?" Mikayla asked me as we walked back from the cafeteria.

"Yes. He will, I don't know when, but he will" I replied. My eyes begun to water and I wiped at them before tears fell. 

"Do I have cancer?" I knew Mikayla was sixteen, so she would know more about stuff like this, from school, or even her own research on this because of Harry, I just didn't expect it. 

"I don't think you do. But you could get it. Your dad... He had it when he was your age, I didn't even know, I don't even know if this is genetic" I admitted to her. "But I want you to be strong, okay? If it happens promise me you'll be strong" she nodded.

"I promise" 

We entered the room again, Lexi stood with one of her friends and next to Harry. He was smiling. It wasn't big and bright like it used to be, but he was smiling. But I swear his eyes lit up a little more when he caught sight of me.

"Hi" he said, his voice croaky. 

"Hey. Do you need a drink?" he nodded, I walked over and helped him drink from his cup. 

"Thanks" I kissed his forehead. "Lexi has something she wants to tell us" I sat on the bed next to Harry and looked at Lexi. She looked at Mikayla who smiled encouraging at her.

"Um, I don't know why I'm nervous to tell you. You told me not be ashamed of myself and all that but" she sighed and took a deep breath, she looked at her friend, who smiled back at her. A small part of me knew what she was going to say, but I didn't want to say it ruin her chance at telling us, or being wrong and making a fool out of myself. 

"What is it?" I asked curiously. 

"I think I'm gay?" she said. "I've had feelings for a while and when I met Alicia I sort of knew it..." 

"Hi Alicia" I smiled to her, she smiled back. Alicia seemed very shy, she had brown hair like Lexi, light and mostly straight. She had hazel eyes and a few freckles across her cheeks. 

"You're not surprised? Mad or anything?" Lexi asked us. I laughed and shook my head. 

"Why would we be? Sweetie, it's okay to be gay" 

"See I told you they would be fine with it" Mikayla piped up. 

After that things relaxed a little. Lexi was only fifteen, but that doesn't mean she doesn't know how she feels, whether it be a faze or not, I'll be there for her. 

When Alicia had to go Mikayla took our car and dropped her home with Lexi tagging along. Which gave Harry and I some alone time. Just to talk and be with each other.