CHAPTER TWO
I woke up around ten the next morning, unable to pull my weakening body out of bed before that. The first thing I did was wonder into my mother's room and not surprisingly found her still sleeping on the bed. Yesterday had been extremely hard on her, and the fact that I was putting her through this almost made me sick. I climbed up beside her and hugged her tightly.
"I'm going to do something with Kevin today." I informed her as she hugged me back, pushing the hair out of my eyes.
"Are you feeling well enough?" She asked sounding concerned.
"I'm as good as I can be, and there's no point in me sitting at home day in and day out, I might as well try to enjoy as many days as I can." I informed her, and she quickly saddened again thinking of how few days there may be left for me.
"Are you going to tell him Shay?"
"I know I have to, I just don't know how. I'll try to tell him today." I informed her.
"He deserves to know Shay, make sure you tell him soon," she told me before I climbed off her bed and headed for the shower.
"I know." I said to myself letting out a sigh.
After dressing in my favorite pair of jeans and a white t-shirt, I decided to throw my hair in a ponytail knowing straightening required too much effort, and Kevin didn't care what my hair looked like.
Just as I had finished tossing my hair up, I heard a car horn from outside, and I knew it was Kevin. I looked over my appearance one last time in the bathroom mirror. I really didn't look much different then I normally did, and all things considered, being on the path to death was one of them, I could pull off looking like any other teenage girl pretty well.
So I grabbed my purse off the counter, and made my way out of the bathroom, down the stairs and to the front door. I paused before opening it, realizing I would have to tell Kevin today, and not knowing how to do it, was breaking my heart. I didn't want this burden to fall on him because of me, I knew he would want to do everything he could, and he would probably over react, inconveniencing his entire life for me, and I honestly didn't want that for him. I knew I had to tell him, but figuring out how was proving extremely difficult for me. "I can do this", I told myself aloud as I opened the door and made my way down the driveway to my best friends car.
As soon as I got into the car, the familiar face of my best friend smiling back at me instantly brightened my day. "Hey Shay." He said, giving me a friendly kiss on the cheek.
"Hey Kev." I beamed back, not having to pretend at all. Seeing Kevin had instantly made my world feel normal again, and the sick feelings that may have been fluttering in my stomach earlier had subsided. I felt normal instantly and things were how they always had been.
"I was thinking we could head to the mall, I need you to help me pick out a new jacket, I trust your opinion a lot more than I trust mine." He informed me with a laugh.
"Sounds good, sometimes you need my feminine help." I joked back. His fashion sense was actually very good, and he was one of the best dressed boys I knew. He did have his days however, and we both knew I'd never let him live it down if he picked out an ugly winter jacket.
On the ride to the mall Kevin chatted excitedly about how much fun this summer would be, and all the things he had planned for us to do together. He had basically decided that this summer would be the best memories of our lives because we had just survived high school, and we needed to live a little. Live a little, huh, I guess that's exactly what I needed to do. Knowing life wouldn't give me much more time for things like these; I smiled and agreed with him, laughing at some of his more ridiculous ideas.
When Kevin pulled in outside the doors to his favorite store, we exited the car and headed in quickly. It was cold outside, and I was finding it hard to keep warm. Seeing me shiver violently Kevin grabbed me and rubbed my arms, pulling me in close to him. "Jeez Shay, I think your coming down with a cold or something." He chuckled pulling me through the doors with him.
"Nah, I'm just always cold." I smiled back. I was finding it so hard to tell him the truth, I didn't want anything to change, and I thought that if I acted normal that everything would stay the same. I wouldn't get deathly ill, I wouldn't eventually die, and I wouldn't lose my best friend.
We walked into the store and Kevin started grabbing jackets like a mad man. "Blue, Green? No, brown…Shay. Black?" Black matches everything," I chuckled at him.
"Yes Kevin, black is fine. However, you're not in a biker gang put the leather back," I said handing him another jacket that suited him much better.
He beamed at me, "thanks Shay. Sometimes I think you know me better than I know myself," he said walking over to the closest mirror and dragging me along. He slipped the jacket on and popped the collar like a fool.
"How do I look?" He said trying to imitate James Bond or some hot male character. I laughed and walked over, expertly refolding his collar.
"Like a tool," I said straightening the jacket. He frowned.
"Now you look handsome as always Jonas," I said smiling at him. He really was quite beautiful, but he had no idea. Kevin never thought of himself as really good looking but I always thought he was very handsome. Not to mention he was a great best friend, sensitive, always there for me when I needed him. Perfect in many ways really.
Kevin smiled at me, "so it's this one then?" he asked.
"Yup, that's the one Kev," I agreed.
Kevin bought his jacket and insisted on wearing it right away. He put it on and wore it around the mall. I laughed at him because it was like eighty degrees in there with all the people, but hey, he liked his jacket.
As we walked I glanced around the mall at some familiar faces, classmates, people I'd seen my whole life. They would all grow old, fall in love, have kids, and get married. I on the other hand would not. I glanced over at Kevin who was completely oblivious and in good spirits now that he was spending time with me. I wasn't sure if I would be able to tell him today and crush his good mood. I examined the boy in front of me. The boy I'd grown up with and the boy I loved with all my heart as the best friend in the world. Kevin would find some beautiful women who would treat him right, a girl he would marry and grow old with. He would chase his kids around the yard and laugh with them and maybe even think back every once in a while and remember the little girl he used to run around the yard with. Maybe every once and a while he would think of me. That's all I could ever ask for from him.
Ahhhh, I had to stop writing this here I was getting too emotional guys. The rest of this day will be continued in chapter three. I owe a big thanks to my sister Megan for some help on this chapter, she's amazing. Anyways, please let me know what you think, comments make my day!