Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 87766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87766 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Cancer.
I feel a stir next to me, and there’s a knocking sound in the distance. I open my eyes, blinking until everything comes into focus. I see Ren’s back as she gets up, hearing the knocking too.
“I’ll get it, and I’ll get you more water.”
I nod, pinching my nose, remembering waking up late morning as the bad news flooded my mind all over again, and Ren, hearing my sobs, coming in and trying to comfort me.
I sit up just as Ren walks back in with water. “Um… you have a visitor,” she hesitates, and for a second I think its Luke, surprising me and skipping class after all, but I see his worried face, dark hair, and blue eyes, and relief washes over me.
“Josh,” I whisper, and he all but runs to my side, scooping me up before sitting us down. I wrap my arms around his neck as he brushes my messy strands behind my ear, and I notice the clock in the corner; it’s just past one. I missed class today, and shouldn’t he be in school?
“I’ll leave you two alone,” Ren backs out of the room, closing the door behind her.
“Shouldn’t you be in school?” I hiccup.
“I got your message right after first period. I had them get me a sub.”
I bury my face in his chest. “You just came here, without even knowing why.”
“Luci,” he coos, and his arms trace a soothing pattern on my back while his mouth rests against my hair. “You said you needed me. I don’t need a reason why.”
I bawl.
He slowly starts rocking us back and forth, and when I calm down enough, I tell him my horrible news.
“Oh, Luci,” he whispers. I can’t see his face, but I can feel it fall, hurting for me. “Your Mom said it seems minuscule. That could be a decent scenario. Don’t loose hope. Never lose hope.”
“I want to call him - to talk to him. To ask how his test went this morning, even though they won’t know anything yet.” I pick my head up, wincing at my tearstain on his shirt. “I’m scared to show him how upset I am. I can’t imagine what he’s going through and what he’s feeling.”
He offers a soft smile as his thumbs brush under my eyes, wiping the wetness away.
“Don’t jump to conclusions yet,” he strokes my hair. “I’m sure he’d love to hear from you, even if you talk about something else entirely.”
“I want to go home.”
“Then that’s where I’ll take you,” he immediately offers, grabbing my hands before sliding me off of his lap.
Chapter 4
-Josh-
Luci grabs a large duffel bag from under her bed and starts throwing clothes into it. I can’t help but look around her room, trying to come up with something that will take her mind off of her pain.
A loud thump causes me to look back at her, and she’s crouched over, crying again. I slide my arms around her slender waist, yelling at myself for how much I’m enjoying holding her this close at a time like this.
Always so selfish!
“I can’t go home,” I barely make out her mumbled words.
“What? Why?” I pull back, grabbing her face so she looks at me.
“I can’t have you drive me,” she starts shaking her head in my hands, and I can’t help my thumbs as they caress her soft cheeks. Even crying she’s beautiful.
“Of course you can,” I whisper.
“But-”
“For once, Luci,” I try not to upset her. “Just listen to me and don’t argue.”
“How will I get back?”
“I’ll drive you back on Sunday, or Monday, or later tonight if all it is you want is to just see him for a little bit,” I make sure she understands.
“You would do that?” She swallows her shock.
“I would do anything for you.” I let her go, bending down to pick up her bag. “Anything else you need?”
“Yeah,” she sniffs. “That pile of clothes over there.”
I grab the t-shirts and other items she points to. Her bras and underwear don’t go unnoticed, but I try to ignore them as I shove the items into her bag before zipping it up. She throws a couple of things into her popup hamper before reaching for it.
“This too?” I beat her to it.
“Yeah.”
“I got it,” I easily grab the basket and walk out of her room, waiting for her to shut the door.
“Ren!” She shouts, and her roommate pokes her head out of her room. “I’m leaving.”
“Okay,” Ren hesitates, looking from Luci to me, and I can’t tell if she hates me or not, not that that matters right now.
“Josh is going to take me home, so my car will be here.”
“What should I tell… people… if they come by?” She eyes Luci.
“You can tell Luke that I went home.”
“I’ll take this out and bring the car around,” I offer, not wanting to hear about her boyfriend. As if I didn’t hate the guy already. Which, by the way, why isn’t he here? Then again, if he were I may not be, so actually, maybe I don’t hate him so much after all.