Can't Be Cured

Love isn't all chocolates and flowers and sweet romance. Well, I guess it's flowers. Flowers that grow in your lungs and take root in your heart. Flowers that fill your throat and slowly suffocate you. She loved me once. I truly believe she did. Whatever lies she'd been told changed that. She doesn't love me now. Won't even look in my direction.
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17-year-old Ezekiel Jacobson is a quiet, bad boy with a reputation for cussing people out and beating the shit out of the assholes who pick on the loser kids. He's never felt truly connected to anyone. His last ex shattered his heart and left him doubting whether everyone is that heartless or if he's just unlovable. After months of lonely sulking someone new comes through the doors. Rea is beautiful. Small with big eyes and a kind heart. They get on right away and quickly fall in love.
Ezekiel's mother disapproves and says that they can stay friends but can't date. After his mandatory break up they stay close friends. Then something changes.
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"She doesn't love me. How can she say those things and still love me"
Sitting alone in his bed Ezekiel coughs. The need to cough isn't stopping. A soft tickle starts to rise in his throat.
A petal. Soft and white.
"What's happening to me?"