He looked through her balcony doors and his heart broke with every sob that escaped her perfect rosy lips. And what hurt the most was knowing that he caused her all this pain. He was the reason she was sat in the middle of her bedroom floor crying her eyes out. He hadn't meant for it to go that far. He was just comfort kissing Sara that's all, but somehow he ended up with his shirt off and his hand up hers. He had just received a heavy load of news off his girlfriend; he needed something to take his mind off it. He hadn't expected her to come looking for him. But looking back, he should have known that she would've but his feelings before her own. That's just the type of girl she was. Even though he had left her crying in the middle of the street the night before, he should've known that she would've gone looking for him the next day. He kept replaying that scene in his mind and the look on her face when she saw him and Sara on the rooftop was permanently burned onto his brain. The night before was probably the worst night of his life. It started out great; they went for a picnic in the park. It was when he was walking her home. She stopped him and he could see the tears glistening in her chocolate eyes. She had looked up at him as if trying to memorise everything about him. She had taken his hands in hers and told him that she loved him and that he was a great guy. Then, she shattered his world by telling him she couldn't be with him anymore. He took one look at her eyes which held so much emotion and knew this wasn't what she wanted. What either of them wanted. When she tried to walk away, he pulled her back, ignoring the stray tears that were falling down his face at even the thought of her leaving him. He asked her what this was really all about. But as soon as she said it, he regretted asking. She took a chance and looked into his eyes but then looked down immediately. His eyes had turned cold and were looking right through her. He let go of her hands and let his own fall limply to his sides. Why hadn't she told him before? He turned swiftly and headed back to his house, leaving her in the middle of the street. He couldn't believe it, didn't want to face up to the possibility that she could be gone. Because his girlfriend had leukaemia.

He slowly opened her balcony door knowing full well that her mom wouldn't be back for another week. She knew that it was him. She didn't even have to turn around, she could just sense him.

"Go away." She tried to make her voice sound strong and determined but the last word came out as a choked sob.

"Brie, please, just let me explain." She could hear the evident desperation in his voice, but she couldn't face being hurt again.

"No, I saw all I needed to know. Besides, if you were so desperate to explain you could have run after me." She heard him step more cautiously into her room but still she didn't turn around. Because she knew that as soon as she saw his face, she would weaken.

"I was in shock! I love you!" He begged her to turn around so that she could see how truly sorry he was.

"You can't love me. Leave me alone." She cried for him to go, so she could rebuild the walls around her heart that he had broken down when he first smiled at her. She knew that she was better off on her own, it uncomplicated things. Because she also knew that no one would be able to handle her illness and he was proof of that.

"I'm not leaving you like this.""You had no problems last night." He winced at the intentional sting in her words.

"Look, I'm sorry. But you've got to give me some time to get used to it." He saw her get up and slowly turn around to see him.

"I didn't get time! I was just expected to get on with my life." He took a deep breath, knowing that she wouldn't have been able to say this to any other person who knew about her illness. He broke out of his trance as she sighed softly.

"I'm sorry." He frowned, what was she apologising for?

"What for?"

"For dumping all this on you. I knew I shouldn't have expected you to understand. Even people in my own family treat me differently because of it. I'm sorry."

"With Sara, it was-" He started in desperation but was cut off by her quiet voice.

"I get it. With her, it's all simple. So it's okay.""What? No, I want you, I love you!" He walked closer in order to grab her hand but she pulled away.

"No, please." She begged. "Let's just go back to the way we were before I came here. That way it's better.""For who? For you?"

"For everyone!"

"Look, I told you I can deal with the leukaemia thing, so why else don't you want to be with me?"

"Because I'm scared, Troy!" She cried, crumpling in a heap on the same spot on her cream coloured carpet that she had occupied moments earlier. "It hurts, it hurts so much!"

"What hurts?" He asked softly, falling to the ground next to her. He hated to see anyone in such a state, and the fact that it was his girlfriend, the one person that he would die for any day without hesitation, the person he couldn't live without, the love of his life, just seemed to make it ten times worse.

"How I feel about you! The fact that when I'm not with you it hurts, it physically hurts! I'm better off on my own, you will be too."

"Why would you think that?" He cried.

"Because I don't want to hurt you when I die! Even if I live to be a hundred, with hospital appointments and pills and everything else, it's going to drive you to the edge and I don't want to do that to you."

"I couldn't care less if you had no hair and three heads, I would still want to be with you. You telling me this just makes me love how much you love, trust and care about me and I admire how strong you are and that you can forgive me for what I did with Sara. I can't believe that after all you've been through, you're still putting everybody else before yourself. I'll make sure that you will live to a hundred, even older, but only if you'll let me." He took her hands and looked deep into her beautiful dark eyes which were swimming with tears. She couldn't believe that he was so calm about this. Of course, he had been in shock the night before, that's why he left her like he did, but now he had had time to digest the news and here he was, willing to stick with her through whatever. She smiled weakly, and that's all he needed to pull her into a bone-crushing hug. He breathed in her unique smell and sighed contentedly, ignoring the tears that were falling down his tanned cheeks. He felt her arms squeeze him from their position around his neck and he returned the gesture. Slowly, she pulled away from him and looked into his striking cobalt eyes.

"No hair and three heads, huh?" She giggled lightly as a sheepish grin broke out on his handsome face.

"Shut up." And with that he leaned down and passionately kissed her. Because whatever happened, they would always get through it. Together.