Caroline's Cries

Chapter 7

Caroline's POV 

Time remaining: 4 months

I was applying chapstick inside of my locker when I heard a female cough behind me. I whizzed around and was face to face with Bianca. I rolled my eyes, anticipating what rude things she would say to me this time. 

"Caroline I-" She started. 

"I know, Bianca," I interrupted, "You hate my guts. Go on, say it. I don't care anymore." 

She swallowed before slowly saying, "No. I wanted to say I'm sorry." 

I eyed her suspiciously, "For what?" 

"Your mom sent out an email to our families. I wanted to say I'm sorry about the cancer thing. I really had no idea." 

"Well maybe next time you shouldn't start picking on someone until you know the whole story." I replied, too bitterly for my liking. 

The bell rang. She stood there speechless, her mouth hung open and frozen. I grabbed my backpack and raced up to Jake so we could walk together. I didn't look behind me again. 

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Bianca's POV

I didn't know about Caroline's health problems. I didn't know anything about her, if we're being honest. But when a pretty girl shows up to the school you've been going to since 4th grade, you would get pretty intimidated too. 

I was shocked to find out. I never told anyone this, but I felt really remorseful for the way I had treated her. 

From 1st grade to 3rd grade, I was like her. I was constantly getting bullied at my school and got to a point where I had to move states and switch schools. I noticed something though, the popular girls were always the ones that would bully others. So, in order to become popular, I would treat my fellow classmates the way the mean girls treated me. Easy. It worked too. Everyone knew me as the popular queen bee. It wasn't like I regretted being popular, I had worked my way up to this. I deserved this. 

It was just that I didn't know Caroline's story. I didn't know I was bullying a cancer patient. It made me wonder how many other people I bullied without knowing their full stories, too.

"Did you see Jake today? How could he hang out with that total loser?" My best friend Sasha asked, bursting my thought bubble. 

"Uh yeah I saw him." I said, taking a sip of my pinky drink. Sasha and I would always hang out at Starbucks after school, it was our tradition. 

"Did you hear that they're like, going out now?! Like it's official. It's so rude and selfish of her." 

I nodded my head. 

"Why are you acting so weird?" She demanded, "Normally you hate her too." 

"Excuse me," I said as I rose up out of my seat and headed for the bathroom. 

I ran into a stall and slammed the door and burst into tears. It was all becoming real now. 

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Caroline's POV

I was sitting outside on a huge boulder listening to the wind. Some might say that the wind doesn't make sounds, but I beg to differ. There was emotion in the wind, but some people don't take the time to sit down and listen for it. 

I felt two big arms hug me from behind and I giggled, "Hi Jake." 

He sat across from me and I closed my eyes and listened to the wind some more. He didn't make a peep, he knew what I was doing. I opened my eyes and saw him staring at me. 

"What are you looking at?" I laughed. 

"Someone who's absolutely perfect." 

"I'm listening to the wind." I replied.

"I'll listen to the wind with you." 

He grabbed my hand and I grabbed his. We sat cross-legged on the rocky ground and listened to the sounds. It was beautiful. 

"You know what's weird?" I asked him. 

"Hm?" 

"It's weird how much faster the world goes by the closer you are to leaving it." 

"No," He shook his head, "You're not close to leaving it Caroline." 

"But I am Jake." 

"No you aren't."

"Don't be in denial. That'll make it harder and you know it." 

"But it already is hard." His blue eyes seemed filled with sadness instead of his usual happiness.

"That's why we have to make every moment count okay?" 

He nodded his head as I glanced up to the mountain above us. The mountain I never reached the top of. 

"Let's hike to the top of the mountain." I suddenly suggested. 

He nodded his head again in agreement and we walked hand in hand up to the start of the mountain. On the way to the top, we hopped over giant rocks, laughed as we watched two birds fight over a worm, pushed past branches with huge leaves, and caught each other when we stumbled. 

"We did it!" I shouted in pure delight. 

We seemed so close to the clouds, so close to the sky and Heaven. I hopped on Jake's shoulders and reached my hands up as far as they would go. The wind brushed against my fingertips, I closed my eyes and imagined me floating on a cloud, reaching the absolute top of Heaven. 

Then Jake tripped and fell over, and we stumbled and fell on the ground, laughing super hard. 

He extended a hand which I took without hesitation and pulled me up. He pulled me up so close to his face. I felt a tingling sensation overcome my body as a warm red color appeared on my face. 

He leaned down, and I leaned up, and we kissed. The wind wrapped around us as if it were cheering us on. The birds sang their songs a bit louder. It was such a touching moment, it was moments like those I would never want to forget. Never want to dispose of. Eventually we both pulled away, him looking down at me with the biggest smile, showing the dimples in his cheeks. I noticed that the happiness in his eyes had returned.

"Race you to the bottom!" I laughed, breaking the silence. 

We ran down to the bottom of the mountain, where we hugged and said our goodbyes and I ran inside eager to tell Amanda and Sarah about what happened between us. 

It truly was an unforgettable. I knew that even though I was going to have to leave him, I would always carry those moments in my heart. Even when it stops, they'll still be there.