The Light That Shine Bright In The Dark

Chapter 7

I walked towards Hannah a frown plastered on my lips when she turned around to look at me with a somber expression.

I haven't seen Hannah for a week since she didn't come to school for the whole week. However, this Friday I decided to break into her house with the mental note of strangling her after confirming her health. I was mad at her for not contacting me and not answering my calls.

I dropped my bag onto the floor staring at Hannah who sat by her window gazing outside.

"Hey. You didn't come to school since last Friday. Is everything okay?" I breathed out looking at her tired sad eyes. She gulped and nodded not looking me in the eye. I knew something was wrong because Hannah wasn't a moody person. If everything was okay by now Hannah could be talking non stop since she was talkative and joyous person.

I sat next to her on the edge of the bed and stayed silent. If silence was what she needed then she should have it. I stayed by her side to let her know that I was there no matter what.

"Row, go home. You need to rest. Don't waste your time on me." She said coldly making a cold shiver run down my spine.

I held her shoulder and forced her to look at me. My heart broke when I saw the tears she was forcing behind her eyelids. One blink and tears would stream down her face. Without muttering anything, I hugged her tightly and she erupted into tears. Her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

"It's going to be ok." I ran my hands up and down her back trying to soothe her. I sucked in motivational words and to top it all, I didn't know why she was crying.

"It's never going to be ok Row, never." She bursted into tears again making me tear up a little too. I hushed her as I rubbed the tiny tear that formed on the corner of my eyes.
Hannah and I were close friends for a period of seven years. We shared a unique bond, did lots of stupid stuffs together. We broke into people's house, fooled many watchmen and did many things our parents were unknown to.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" I asked after she stopped crying. She looked at me unsure and nervous.

"I fear that you will never look at me with the same eyes as you do now." She quivered.

"No matter what Annah, you know I will never leave your side. No matter what you are going to tell me, I will stick by your side. You remember the promise I made to you? Am not breaking it. I will be there on your wedding to insult you. Am going to spoil your kids too." I was trying to lighten up the mood but Hannah broke into tears hugging herself.

"I wish that too. I wish to see you in that wedding dress tripping on it because as usual you are clumsy," she chuckled, tears brimming in her eyes. "but I guess not all wishes reach the sky, some are lost on the way. Our wish will be documented in our books, our mind." She buried her head in between her knees crying. To say I was confused would be understatement.

"You know I understand nothing." I admitted shaking from fear and anxiety. Hannah lifted her head to stare into my deep brown eyes that were coated by fear.

She held my hand in between her hands looking through into me as if my soul was transparent to her eyes.

"I can't hide something from you and I know that you know. It's hard for me to tell you this but I will tell you maybe not now." I shook my head still not convinced. I needed to know what was bothering her now or I would have sleepless night.

"I ain't going without knowing what the matter with you is. I need to know it now." I stubbornly pressured her into telling me everything.

"Ok if that's what you want here it's. Am suffering from leukaemia. The doctor said my end is near. It's my last stage." She carelessly threw the harsh words on my face buffling me. My breath hitched in my throat and for a moment I thought all this was a nightmare.

"Tell me that you are kidding me. Tell me all this is a prank. Come on start laughing that you got me." I shook her body back and forth realizing how thin she has grown. Nothing. Nothing came out of her; no smile nor words. My hand fell lifeless beside me. I was numb. What was more painful than hearing your best friend's end was nearing. I regretted pushing the words out of her mouth, it would have been better to live in the darkness of the unknown.

"Go home Row. Take rest and don't worry about me because that's the least I need now. My doc said I make a memory out of this few days and you know that would be impossible without you." That's when my mind registered everything. I broke down into tears hugging Hannah and crying my heart out like a baby. I knew I had to be strong for her but my heart was too weak.
I didn't want to leave her in the fear that she might disappear into dust without my knowledge.

I shook my head, "am not going to leave you. Please lemme stay with you." I pleaded tearing up all over again.

"This is what I was scared of. I was scared of you making me your job and looking at me as a frail. I don't need anyone to take care of me because I can do that myself. I want you to act as if nothing happened. I still want you to bother me or pull my hair to annoy me. Am still your bestfriend Annah and this small creature inside my blood robbing my life shouldn't change that. You go home. Your parents must be waiting for you. I promise I will call you first thing in the morning." She pushed me. I wasn't sure if I wanted to leave her. Hell I was sure that I could never act like everything was the same. Never. The fact was that I was losing my friend to time.

I stood up rubbing my wet cheeks and walked towards the door and stopped when Hannah called out to me.

"Don't be scared. I ain't dying without writing you a will." She joked chuckling to herself.
I couldn't control myself so without saying a word, I closed the door after stepping out. My knees come crushing down to the ground, my mind replaying everything as I cried all the tears that I had left in my eyes.