Our Story Has A Blank
Being a teenage-girl with HIV/AIDS doesn't give you many options in life. Lydia Serene Cornell (Aisha) lives with the fact she is dying with no cure. But without much worry, she struggles with a life where she met a boy—Zack Ducati (Raven)—that loves her. The feeling is mutual as they live their life together. However, they are both dying. Dying from different yet similar diseases that will ultimately kill them together.
"A heart-warming story that will bring tears to you all." -Guild Mate
Disclaimer: I'm using [Elsword] as a place to put this into a fan base. Literally none of the characters in [Elsword] are used in the story itself. If that may occur, I own nothing of the game. All content that involves the game belongs to Kill3rCombo and KoG. Thank you.
Prologue
Lydia Serene Cornell and Zack Ducati
It hadn't been a horrible day. Just an... indecent one. I never really enjoyed the outside scenery to be honest-okay, I hated it.
But mom was being a mom as usual, and somehow (veto) got me outside of the house. I hate the outside. I know, first-world problems. But seriously, this place is Hell.
Mom said how I don't want to go because I'm a teenager but that I need fresh air. It's just her façade of saying "Oh dear Lydia, I don't want you in the house while I clean!" Moms will be moms.
And so, I'm walking in this stupid neighbourhood for God knows how long. I'll say this: I'm boooored.
I hate having to be some stupid girl with a disease. That's right:
I have Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. Better known as HIV/AIDS. But hey, there's no such thing as too much learning.
Now before you say "sex-crazed teenager on the loose with threatening disease!", let me say this: I got it from a friend, okay?
No, not through sexual contact. I'm perfectly attracted to boys. Let's start from the beginning.
She—Diana—was bleeding rapidly. She was losing a lot of blood. A lot. So my only option was to help her. But I was negligent. You see, she was born with HIV/AIDS from her parents. I don't think they meant to; just oblivious to the virus.
We were shopping together and just about to go home. Diana started walking down the street while it was red and—
You know the rest.
As I approached her, her blood shot into my eyes suddenly. I called the police after stopping some of the blood but I was called for testing in a walk-in-clinic.
I am HIV Positive.
That's why I'm here. Mom was scared I would get sick inside. So, my own mom sent me outside where I could a summer cold. Thanks, signed Lydia.
I hate having this disease. I have to go on so many pills and it's just annoying. Oh yeah, mom sent me out to go to some rehab thing. Ugh, rehab. I don't need help—okay, medically I do but other than that...
Here's how rehab works: You go to a clinic, you go into a circle with other people with different problems, and suddenly you're blood siblings. Well, how this one works that is.
I saw that wretched place and groaned when I walked in. The door was wide open with an arrow pointing downstairs to "Heaven's Base" which was just Problem Alliance Basement (let's abbreviated it to PAB because we're teenagers.)
I'm finally in the lobby after four flights of stairs. I walk into the dreaded circle described before and sit on one of the ugly chairs. The room reaks of medicine and hospital smell. Reminds me of every month.
I listen to the main guy ramble on about something I seriously don't care about. Arréter, regarder, écouter si vous plais. Non, merci. Je n'aime pas français.
You don't see much people speaking French here in California. I doubt anyone understood that anyway.
To be redundant; anyway, while the main guy-Jason I think his name was-talked about being an amputee, this guy was staring at me. No not like "Stare~~~~~~~~~", it was more like he was checking me out. I stared back at him and soon enough, it became what I just said.
"Stare~~~~~~~" Ow, my eyes hurt. He grinned, and blinked while looking away. As he looked back, I tapped the corner of my eyes and did a thumbs up. He rolled his eyes and shrugged.
Jason finally finished talking nonsense and called on people to explain something about their lives.
"My eyes are very weak because of how I was born without much vision. I'm going blind to get rid of any more problem that could come from the stupid things." A boy had said. His name was Ryan I think, "At least it's better than the constant headaches."
As it came on my turn, I stood up and smiled—but failed. I looked like a demonic child from below Hell. Below it.
"My name is Lydia and I was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS a few years ago. No, I am not a street hooker nor will I ever be. I was infected through blood by my friend who was infected from a negligent doctor with needles. I'm clean as long as you don't take my blood. Thanks." Everyone nodded their heads and Ryan smiled and told me to stand up again.
"We'll support you in every way, Lydia. This disease will not make anymore people in their stigma as long as someone as strong as you can—" I got bored and just sat down and tuned out.
A few people had went up beside me until finally, Mr. Stare was up. Now, I would be being modest to say he was just hot. He was the hottest meat you could ever taste. Like steak with a side of mash potatoes and barbeque sauce cooked to perfectio-I could be a great poet.
"My name is Zack Ducati. I am an amputee from having a cancer in my thigh. I'm surviving pretty well with a prosthetic leg but it doesn't feel natural to me. Still, better than cancer, right?" A few nods answered him, "I can live without a leg but not with a disease."
I guess we're the same then. I would do anything to trade HIV/AIDS with a lost leg, hand and even arm for all I care. I would most likely live longer like the rest of these people. I would die in a few years. No use hiding it. My parents know and the doctors know.
I'm gonna die and there's no going back.
The stupid rehabilitation group ended about an hour later and mom said she would bring me home. I wait outside but no car came. If you didn't know, I absolutely hated waiting.
"That was a nice introduction you gave." Out of nowhere, Zack had come, "Really got me inspired."
"Thanks. You were pretty nice there too. When did you lose your leg? I mean, had it amputated. And why?"
"A few months ago, after the year of cancer. I always missed walking like normal peo-" He paused himself for the 'normal people' to not come, "I mean, the healthy people. But hey, you don't always get what you want. Anyway, the cancer was starting to spread—rapidly. So it was either cutting the thing off or producing colon cancer." His grin grew wider somehow, "But make life what you want it to be, not what it is now."
I already started to like this boy's attitude. He made every struggle turn into something empowering for his benefit. I could never do that. I always knew that I could never be cured. My mother and father spent almost all their savings on medical pills in hopes of slowing down the Human Immunodeficiency virus. It worked for a bit but it never went away. I still feel it like it was a deadly monster in my system. Oh wait, it is.
"What was your name?"
"Lydia."
"I meant full name, including your sub/middle name." Zack kept the smile on. I feel like just calling it his signature smile. Maybe it's his way of saying 'life is what you make it' or whatever he had said before.
"Oh, uh. I don't usually share it but Lydia Serene Cornell." Mom must have loved to name me after an adjective and a way to summarize ideas and notes.
"May I ask why you have HIV/AIDS and how you are coping with it?" I nod my head and began.
"I got it through an accident my friend got into. She got it through childbirth and I got it through blood transfer through body parts. Anyway, there's no cure for the stupid disease. I'm only here today because my mom and dad spent a huge load of money on medication that could keep me alive. The virus is killing my immune system as we speak so I am dying as we speak. I can't even leave until my mother comes and brings me home."
"Very well, Lydia Serene. Mind if you and I keep each other company until your mother arrives to pick you up? Also, you must feel very grateful to your family to do that for you."
I nodded my head again, "They're the whole reason we're speaking now. They were willing to spend their whole life worth of money even though there's no chance of me living." I just keep glancing around for a red van but it never came. Soon, Zack had pulled out a book that looked rather romantic.
"That looks quite ambiguous. The title seems off putting, however, with the art."
"I know what you mean. It's quite an enjoyable read actually. '1000 Stories of Us' was very touching for me. I read it at least as much of the title. Not the type of books I read usually but it remind me of... never-mind." He shakes his head and shrugs whatever he had on his mind off.
"Sounds quite interesting. Care if I take a gander and call you later about it as a discussion."
"Of course but what about my number? You haven't retrieved it yet."
"Seeing as how you got this when you were 16," I flip to the back and show him the page, "you wrote your cell phone number on it already."
"How observant. I look forward to our chat, Lydia Serene."
And just like that, mom pulled in front of me. I open the car door and climb in, waving farewell to Zack. He maintains that smile of his, like it never leaves his face. It's that grin that made us do the staring contest, discuss about books, it was his smile that made me tell him his name. I really want to call him.
He waves to me and my mom and we return the gesture. Mom looks through the mirror up front at grins at me.
"So, did you get it?"
"If you mean a sexually transmitted disease, had one since a year-ago." Mom rolls her eyes and sighs.
"You know what I mean."
"Yeah, I got his number. I'll call him after I read this book he gave me."
Now what to do without a cell phone...
A/N: Damn... I wrote this in an hour man. I haven't read over it yet so please tell me any errors you see. This is just a prologue telling a short preview of what is to come. So basically, Lydia Serene Cornell and Zack Ducati love each other even if they are both dying. The Fault In Our Stars (DO NOT OWN. JOHN GREEN OWNS.) much? xD I'll use my own character names but put it in Elsword. Just imagine this:
Zack: Raven
Lydia: Aisha
Jason: Elsword
Ryan: Chung
There might be more later. I guess if this was gonna act as a real story, perhaps I should acknowledgements? Nah, it uses too many words qwq.
