Problems of adults

Chapter 34 : Back To School

When Jane arrived at school, she could feel all the eyes on her. She was feeling like a monster just because she needed an oxygen bag to breath and crutches to walk. Well, she probably traumatized all of them by having a heart attack during the Winter dance, but they didn't have to look at her like that. But she forgot all of them when she saw Max at her locker. She approached her with a smile, but she felt a bit embarrassed about something and preferred clarifying it:

- 'I, I have to wear a belt now for the oxygen bag, I'm sorry..."

- "Oh no, Jane, don't apologize for that. I know you won't use it against me, don't feel bad for needing it," Max said.

Jane pinched her lips together and nodded. The redhead smiled to her before wrapping her arms around her girlfriend's waist for a tight hug, making smile her girlfriend. The two girls were quickly joined by all their friends, wanting to see Jane too, as they didn't see her after her heart attack. They struggled to force Max to let her go, but they still managed to take her in their arms, happy to see her. But that amount of love was quickly cut by Alban and his friends approaching them.

- "Look at that, almost dead and still coming here to pollute our air!"

- "Leave her alone!" Lucas intervened.

- "Shut up nigga! Take your shit face somewhere else! Like in Africa!"

- "You must have so much insecurities to say things like that."

- "Repeat that, asshole!"

The blonde teen quickly approached Lucas with his nostrils dilated, his fists closed, and his chest forward, like if he was trying to impress him. But it didn't work. Lucas stayed stoic. He was tired to be scared of those hateful people. He was ready to face them now, he trained for that. But Alban didn't punch him as the headmaster was in the hall too. The man angrily looked at him, dissuading Alban to do something. Alban angrily looked at Lucas before walking away with his lapdogs. Gabrielle placed her hand on her boyfriend's shoulder and warmly smiled to him to tell him she was proud of him.

- "Not as brave as he likes to make out," Beverly stated.

They all agreed. They separated to go to their first class. 

At lunch, the group met as usual at their table. Jane had a prepared meal. Sadly, it was just vegetables. She opened her box and saw the sad green beans with some carrots. She really wanted to die right now. The others were talking about their Christmas holidays while Jane was taking a bite of her green beans. She threw her fork in her box and gave up; she couldn't stand the taste of those beans. Her friends noticed and all looked at her with sad expressions.

- "Vegetables?" Bev asked with a small smile.

- "Yeah. It's disgusting."

- "Maybe they are not well cooked."

- "You can't cook well vegetables."

- "Oh, okay, I take that as a challenge," Max smirked.

- "If you managed to make Jane like vegetables, I dye my hair in green," Dustin said.

- "Deal. I'll find a recipe."

The two friends shook hands. They kept eating their meal while Max was trying to convince Jane to finish her box, even if she wasn't liking it. Jane clenched her jaw but listened to her girlfriend; she didn't want to pass out like when she was working at the store. So, she ate her beans and carrots, thinking she was going to vomit at every bite. At the end of the meal, Max and Jane decided to walk just together to their lockers, Max's arms wrapped around Jane's left arm.

- "You had your first appointment for your heart?" the redhead asked.

- "Yeah."

- "How was it?"

- "(sighs) Well, it's not better, but the chances that something like that could happen were negative."

- "...Does it mean that nothing changed or..."

- "I lost, uh, 5% of capacity of my heart, and 7% of capacity of my lungs. I don't feel the difference personally, and I'm not sure to have understood what it meant, but I guess it's a bit worse."

Max didn't say anything, but she felt her heart breaking in pieces. She wanted to hug Jane, but she knew that Jane would take that as pity, and Jane hated pity. Max barely had the strength to smile, and Jane noticed that it embarrassed her. Luckily, Clara approached them, especially to welcome Jane. The girls hugged, making smile wider the redhead. Clara kissed Jane's cheek.

- "Don't worry, I'm not trying to steal her from you", Clara said.

- "I'm not worried," Max chuckled.

- "She didn't like when we kissed anyway," Jane added.

- "That's not true! Stop saying that!" Clara answered. "I told you it wasn't that bad."

- "Which is worse than saying it was actually bad. But it's fine, Max never complained, for now."

- "Of course, you keep your best kisses for her," Clara smirked.

- "So, you admit that it wasn't a good kiss, right?"

- "(gently hits her arm) Stop that," she chuckled. "You're an idiot."

- "I fully agree," Max intervened.

- "And I guess this is the best moment to take that off!"

Jane moved her hand to her right ear and took off her hearing aid. Max playfully rolled her eyes while Clara chuckled before walking away. Jane put back her hearing aid while Max leaned to kiss her. The redhead was happy to see Jane like that, she seemed to accept her new condition without losing hope. Even Max was constantly worried now. 

But Jane wasn't accepting it at all, she knew her life could end at any moment and that finishing the year was an utopia, but Max's year didn't have to be ruined because of her, so Jane tried to smile the best she could, even if her heart was hurt and sad.