Loving Toby (Completed)

Chapter 29

The next day after Toby's confession was probably the hardest for Luna, telling their friends about his condition was enough to make her blood run cold wondering how Athena, Lexus and France would react.

Standing on the rooftop of Sheldon's, the memory of her first encounter with Toby felt like a distant dream now. Toby was standing on the edge of the rusting railings, with sad eyes hiding behind his lenses, looking back now, Toby looks like he has given up on everything when they first met. The realization made her heart break, wondering what would happen if she didn't act so recklessly that time.

"I really hate climbing that stair!" Athena's whining breaking her thought, as she watches the door opened widely as the three of them walked into the rooftop.

"Hey babe, what's this all about?" France eyed her suspiciously, taking a bite on his half-eaten sandwich. Calling them out there during lunch wasn't the best way to confess Toby's condition, the Student Council were particularly busy with Prom preparation, and with Toby's absence means more work for them to do. But Luna could no longer bear the weight of knowing Toby's secret alone.

"You okay Luna? You look pale," Lexus hand made its way to her forehead that caught her off guard, a soft gasped escaped her lips that stunt the three. Swallowing the growing lump on her throat, she put on a fake smile on her face that none of them bought.

How can she tell any of them that Toby's sick when she didn't even want to believe it herself? She's still fighting the reality where Toby's sick and probably dying, every minute, every hour passed since Toby told her about his sickness was pure torture to her and she doesn't want any of them to feel the same pain that she's in. But just like her, the three of them needed to know the truth.

"Luna, what's wrong?" Lexus words break the last piece of thread that was holding her in place, tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks, blurring her friends worried glances at her sudden outburst. 

"Babe? What's going on?" Athena asked worriedly as she wrapped her tiny body on her, France rubbing small circles on her back as Lexus watched her with the same worried expression on everyone's face.

"T-oby," she managed to choke the words out of her mouth, not recognizing her broken voice. Just the sound of his name breaks something inside her. Thinking Toby inside that hospital room, suffering alone and dying hurts her beyond words.

"Babe you're scaring us, what's going on? What about Toby? Did he do something? Oh my god does he already knew about your unrequited love?" on normal days Athena's rumbling would make her laugh but today it didn't give her the same effect, Lexus seems to be the one who realized it first as he grabbed her shoulder away from Athena's gripped. Luna can feel how tensed and scared Lexus by the pressure that he's using on her. It hurt her but the pain in her heart was more painful to even complain.

"Luna, what's wrong? Tell me," His eyes pleading for answers and Luna owe it to them to know the truth, and with the last of her resolve, she spoke the words that been hunting her since she left the hospital. 

"He's sick Lexus, Toby's d--ying,"

--

"I think we should go back?" Athena mumbled loud enough for them to hear, the four of them standing outside Oakwoods Medical Hospital, no one dare to take the first step inside, too scared of the reality that was waiting for them inside. 

"I swear Luna if this is one of your pranks again, I'll literally wring your neck," France words sounded more of a plea than a threat, she could see the fear swimming on his eyes. Not that she could blame him when the boy was Toby's closest friend since eight grades, if something was wrong with Toby, France should be the first to know. But now, it was no longer the case, Toby did a really good job in hiding his condition from everyone.