Disclaimer: I own nothing. Enjoy.

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Fortunes Fools

Chapter Eight

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"Maddie" Mum said gently from outside my bedroom door. "Honey, can I come in?" She asked softly, waiting for my reply.

Ever since I'd told Ric, I feigned illness and had taken to my bed, only seeing Cassie and Belle who had brought by my homework, and many comforting words. But he was never mentioned. Not by name. Because it all hurt too damn much.

Mum had believed it at first, but after a week and no school for me, she was beginning to become very suspicious. After all, that's what mothers do, isn't it?

"Sure Mum" I sighed finally, rolling away from the door as she pushed it open gently.

"Matilda" Mum said softly as she padded across the room, coming to sit lightly on the end of my bed. "What's wrong honey?" She asked finally "I know you're not sick, but I let it slide. I just want you to open up to me. I want you to be able to talk to me like you used to. You remember how we'd always eat ice-cream from the tub while watching Pride and Prejudice? And how we'd always hold our breath when Mr. Darcy came striding out of the water towards Lizzie, because we knew that's when she really fell in love with him?" Mum asked, rubbing my back.

I sniffled a little, because I missed those days, when everything was simple. When boys and treatment, they didn't get in the way of anything. The days when I still believed I'd live forever.

"Oh honey, why won't you let me in? Whatever it is, it can't be that bad." She said, crawling up the bed towards me.

"He hates me" I said, sobbing quietly as I curled myself into a tiny ball and hugged my pillow tightly. "And for the first time in my life, I haven't wanted him to hate me." I continued, as the tears fell steadily onto the pillow "Because I don't hate him. Not at more."

"Oh Maddie," Mum said gently as she soothed me, rubbing my back, trying to calm me down "I'm sure its not that bad…"

"Of course it is!" I screamed at no one in particular "I'm dying. And I know I'm going totally A Walk to Remember here, but I really was dealing with this fine. Cass, B and I, we were dealing. But then Ric decided to go and fall for me, didn't he?" I said bitterly, pausing my tears momentarily before they began to fall even harder.

"Ric?" Mum questioned, obviously confused by my outburst.

"Yes Ric." I snapped harshly, sitting up to face her "He's ruined everything. Then I ruined everything." I said angrily, more annoyed at myself than anyone else. I needed to vent. Wiping the tears away from my red, bloodshot eyes, I found that I just couldn't stop them from flowing. "He said he loved me. Do you have any idea how that made me feel? And at first, I didn't believe him, you know? He's been so cruel to me, he and Luke and Henry, so I thought it was just one of their jokes… like the massive one before we retire from highschool. But he kept being so nice. And then he just told me. Plain and simple, that he was in love with me! And then he kissed me. And Mum," I said, looking at her tearfully "I've never been kissed like that before. Then Henry" I said, stuttering my words "Hen…. He…. He" And I broke out into sobs again.

"Oh Darling." Mum said, pulling me into her arms and hugging me lovingly.

"Henry made me tell him." I blubbered into her chest, sobbing between every word.

"It's going to be okay honey." Mum said in her comforting voice, as I felt my body begin to shiver and shake "It's going to be okay" Mum repeated, as I cried and cried.

-

"I never thought I'd get to feel this way." I said softly, hours later, after I'd finally calmed down. "And I really was okay with that. I didn't think I'd be missing out on much." I said, looking up at Mum. "And I remembered how you used to cry yourself to sleep for months after Dad died. I didn't want to leave someone behind who felt that way." I concluded, as Mum made her 'Oh Maddie' face.

"But what about Belle and Cassie?" She said, trying to control her voice as if she were about to break into tears. "What about me?" She asked pointedly

I shrugged. "You're all strong. And you have one another. And you'll go on living your life for me. Because I won't get to live out my own, so the next time we meet I'll get to hear all the stories about everything you've done. And we'll be laughing for eternity about the stupid mistakes, and the funny moments. And we'll be crying, because of all the sad times…" I said, trailing off as Mum looked at me.

"You've obviously thought this through." Mum said a few minutes later, the tears really threatening to spill now.

I nodded in agreement. "Belle, Cassie and I, we've had a while to get used to everything. Most people are dying to live. I'm living to die." I said, which almost pushed Mum over the edge.

"And B and Cass, they've promised to do a whole heap of things for me, some of which I prefer not to disclose to you." I said, which produced a small, wry grin on my mothers face. "But falling in like, or in love," I said, sighing "that was never on the list. Not that it matters, he hates me anyway." I added painfully.

"By the sound of things" Mum said thoughtfully, "He seems to be rather in love with you."

"Oh you didn't see the look of utter disgust he gave me before storming out of Belles house." I retorted.

"Or broken-heartedness?" Mum questioned, which really made me begin to wonder. "And it appears that you're pretty smitten by him too." She continued all-knowingly.

"I know," I groaned in frustration "I don't know what to do though." I cried, throwing my arms up in the air in frustration.

"Oh I'm sure you'll think of something" Mum said, kissing my head gently before standing up from the bed. "I love you Matilda Hunter." She said, a solitary tear rolling down her cheek.

"I love you too Mum." I replied, smiling through my own tears.

-

I turned the music up on my iPod and shut my eyes tightly, hoping that the music would block any thoughts of Ric, of the play, of life… out. Sweet chords of soothing music filled my ears and before I knew it, I was crying again.

I wanna run into someones arms
Lie on a bed of roses
I wanna feel just like juliet
I wanna fall in love
I've got a feeling

Damn him to hell. Ric, he ruined everything. That first time we were Romeo and Juliet, and he looked at me. And in his eyes I saw life. And innocence, and emotion… and love. And I hated him for everything that he could feel that I couldn't. And now I hate him more, for making me feel everything I knew I couldn't. Because then I'd lose it.


Everybody wants someone to love
Somebody they can trust
Somebody they can touch
Everybody wants to give their heart away

And I did. I lost my heart. And my mind.

Everybody needs a little tenderness
To feel understood
To feel passionate
Everybody wants to be in love this way
Everybody wants to be in love this way

I clamped my eyes tighter, but didn't change the song. I let the lyrics and their meaning wash over me, and I soaked up all the pain, suffering, love and life they had to share

When Ric kissed me… it was unlike anything I've ever felt. I'd kissed other people before, but not like that. It was so clichéd, up against a wall… his body against mine causing these tingle sensations everywhere on my body. And I lost my breath as he kissed me deeper, and just wanted to live in that kiss forever.

I know I do what about you

And because of those feelings, I both loved and hated Ric Dalby.


I wanna be somebody's baby
I want to cry and still feel beautiful
Maybe I really just wanna be myself
I'm not the only one
I got a feeling

I sighed into my pillow, as the tears began to subside, and the anger, the hatred, they began to fade. I thought back over the past few weeks, wondering how on earth I'd ended up here. With Cassie and Belle, that was different. They were always the strength behind me, they knew from the start, and we'd shed out tears long ago, when we first found out. Since then, they'd always been there for me, as a shoulder to cry on, as a punching bag if I were angry, as a best friend when I needed them the most. Henry had known too. But he'd locked himself away in his own little world, cutting me from it completely, unless it was to cruelly taunt me.

Henry had given up on me before I even had a chance. And he'd been doing it ever since.


Everybody wants someone to love
Somebody they can trust
Somebody they can touch
Everybody wants to give their heart away

Romeo and Juliet. That's what had begun all this. And I couldn't help coming back to that damned play. It was the greatest love story of all time. And the greatest tragedy of all time too. And I knew all this before beginning the play. But it wasn't until now, that I truly could understand how they felt. Or how I imagined, if they'd actually lived through it, how they'd have felt.

I wanna feel like an angel
I want to fly on a beam of moonlight
I wanna see heaven from the inside
I wanna feel just like Juliet
Juliet

Suddenly, I sat up, smiling. If Romeo and Juliet was where all this had begun, this was where it would end. And by ending, it would hopefully begin everything, I thought, smiling to myself as I pulled out my mobile phone, sending a quick text message to Cass and B.

-

"You're going to declare your love to Ric… on stage… as Juliet, even thought it already happens in the play?" Cass asked slowly, trying to comprehend what I'd just told her.

"Yep." I replied, pacing up and down in my room. "I've been thinking about what Luke said, about starting at the end, and seeing how we got there. I think it could work." I said excitedly "And I think I could use it to my advantage."

"How is that?" Belle asked from her position on my bed.

"In life, and death, they swore their love." I began dramatically "Born into hate, bound my love, Romeo and Juliet swore their love could reach across time and space. That it was endless. And it is. The story I'm about to tell you is neither myth nor legend, folk tale or poem. It is real, felt by those who lived it, remember by those who survived, told by those who loved and lost, just like Romeo and Juliet. It is an epic story that is boundless, a romance that remains true on any stage. It is the story of Juliet and her one true love, Romeo." I finished, looking between Belle and Cass, both of who had tears in their eyes.

"It could most definitely work." Cass said finally, pulling me into a hug as Belle nodded in agreement.

"Okay, but we've got to make sure everything is set for the dress rehearsal. I can't do that to him, or to me on opening night." I said happily.

"You know what this means, don't you?" Belle asked as I shook my head "You're going to have to get them on side."

I groaned. I hadn't thought about that.

"B's right." Cass sighed, "He's more likely to listen to them. And, lets face it, its about the entire truth came out, and we put aside all our hate once and for all. All are punished, remember?"

"Why does she have to be so good at it?" I asked B, groaning once more.

"Good at what?" Cass asked innocently.

"Good at making everything seem to be the right thing to do." I replied.

"Because I know you." She said, hugging me again "And I know you don't want to take these ancient grudges to the grave." She said firmly.

Damn Cassie, damn her to hell.

-

"Henry" I said, knocking timidly on his door, which had a huge 'Enter Matilda Hunter and die' poster on the front of it.

Okay, so maybe there was no 'Matilda Hunter' scrawled across it, but there may as well have been. I hadn't entered his room in five years. No since he'd yelled 'I hate you' in my face and slammed the door, leaving me standing there, the tears streaming steadily down my face. Not since we found out I had the same gene that caused Dad to get sick. The same gene that had caused Dad to die.

Mentally, I prepped myself. Now was not the time to dredge up old memories Maddie, now was not the time to become a wreck. This needs to be said. You've got to have it out one final time. No Cass or B to protect you. Its sibling against sibling, brother against sister. Its all or nothing.

"Henry" I said firmly "I'm coming into your room in five seconds, and I hope for your sake you're dressed, because I wouldn't want to actually be able to prove all the rumours about you at school wrong… Okay so I'm…" I said, as the door opened slightly, which shocked me so much I stumbled back a few steps.

It meant Henry was letting me into his room. Allowing me to view a small part of his life.

I apprehensively pushed the door open and peered into the room. It was exactly the way I imagined it to be. Windows shut tightly, leaving the room in darkness, except for the faint glow of the TV, posters of half-naked females plastered on the walls, clothes thrown everywhere, a chaotic mess. To top it all off, there was this aroma that was distinctly male.

Stepping inside, I looked around once more, before my eyes landed on Henry. He was sitting in the middle of the floor, intently clocking away while playing one of his video games.

I walked over slowly and sat down on the very edge of his bed, afraid that if any more of my body came in contact with his room that I'd leave with some kind of strange infection.

Seconds ticked away, and it finally became clear that Henry was not going to make this easy for me. Not at all.

"So…" I began, as all awkward conversations do.

"Lets not get carried away with formalities," Henry said, never taking his eyes off the screen "You want help with Dalby, and there's no way in hell I'll ever give it to you. End of discussion." He said, biting his lip as the car he was controlling turned a corner.

"How did you know this was about Ric?" I asked suspiciously.

"Because females are so transparent. You wear your emotions on your selves. And while the finer specimens of the species, Cassie, for example, are a harder read, you all want the same thing in the end. To love, and be loved in return."

"Did you just quote Moulin Rouge?" I asked Henry, sitting forward, looking at him as he gave his full attention to the game.

"Maybe, I've been forced to watch a lot of chick flicks before I could get to second base." He replied, shrugging.

"Henry, I've never asked you for anything…" I began only to be cut off by him as he whirled around and spat "Well don't start now. I'm not setting my best mate up with my dying sister."

"Like it would kill you to do one decent thing." I screamed back at me.

"No, it'd kill you." He screamed back "You never got it, did you Maddie?"

"Got what?" I asked, stunned by the sudden change of his tone.

"You're dying. Just like Dad did. He left us, and sooner or later, you'll be gone too. I didn't handle Dad's death, and I'm sure as hell not going to handle yours." He said angrily.

"So what, you make my life a living hell, instead of getting close to me? You basically kill me in your own mind, to make the inevitable end easier on you?"

"It was easier than loving you then losing you again." Henry replied coldly, turning back to his game.

"I hate you Henry Hunter." I screamed, standing up and ripping the controller out of his hands. "I hate you because you made me believe you hated me. You made my life a living hell for five years, all because you're too afraid to say GOODBYE. And now you won't even help me be HAPPY for whatever time I have left in this world. You're too self centered to care." I screamed in his face.

"Do you have ANY idea how much I'm going to miss you when you're not here?" He screamed back, which shocked me even more. "Because no matter how I've acted, you're still my sister, and I still love you more than anything." He finished, falling back onto the bed behind him, his face in his hands.

"Oh Henry." I said, kneeling down infront of him.

"Maddie, you're my damn twin sister. And you're dying. And even though I'm not. That day we found out. It felt as if I were dying on the inside too." He whispered, barely audible.

"And you spent all these years blocking me out because of it." I said numbly, crawling into the space beside him.

"I didn't hate you Maddie. I hated everything that it meant." He said slowly, turning to look at me.

"Its okay Henry." I said, tears forming in my eyes "I hated everything it meant too. But you can't change it. You've got to accept it, for the both of us. There is something you change though." I said, sucking in a breath "I really need you're help with Ric."

Henry's eyes darkened for a minute, but then he turned to look at me, and they softened again, like they'd been only second before.

"Sure Sis." He said, smiling gently "Anything for you."

-

A glooming peace this morning with it brings. The sun for sorrow will not show his head.

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AN: See, Henry is so the good guy in this story. Thanks to Tess for proofing, you rock. Hope you guys liked it, more up soon.