Hey guys! So, I really really love this story...like, with an odd flaming passion, so, please review and let me know that you still want to keep it going :) I love you guys and thank you for all the support(reviews/PM's) Please Enjoy the third chapter of "Arms Of An Angel"...
A Special Thanks To My Beta Reader-SomeoneNamedLiz
ARMS OF AN ANGEL-CHAPTER 3
"We put on a fake smile to hide the pain, yet, we wish someone would look closely enough and see how broken we really are inside."
ELI'S PERSPECTIVE
"Cancer?" I asked, taken aback and completely in shock from her reason as to why she is constantly sick or in pain.
She gulped nervously, tears coursing down her face as she leaned her two hands on both sides of the sink while asking through gritted teeth, "Did I have to repeat what I just said? It was hard enough to say it once."
"B-but, why didn't you tell me?" I whispered, tears quickly forming in my eyes.
Clare turned around, her lips slightly parted, taking in every breath she could as I could hear her heart thumping loudly when I whispered, "You could've gotten hurt with me Clare, you were in pain and you didn't tell me...I thought we tell each other everything."
"Not this Eli, you shouldn't know. You should-I just-,forget I-," I placed my two hands on the sides of her face, causing her to glare into my eyes as I asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"
She gulped nervously and whispered through heaving sobs, "It's not something that should get in b-between our relationship. Well, whatever we had or I don't know, I'm just-, I was trying so hard to have a normal date and I couldn't do it Eli. I couldn't be normal or fit in, just for one night."
Clare doesn't need to 'fit in' or 'be normal' she was born to stand out...
"Y-you skipped Chemo didn't you?" I asked and repeated it loudly after she didn't answer me.
A lone tear ran down my face as she quickly turned away from me, facing the mirror, gently stroking her fingers down the image before her and whispered, "I just wanted to have a good time with you. I didn't want this to get in between us Eli...but, it did. I got in the way of having a good time together so, I'm just...I'm gunna' go now, good luck with your life."
When she was grabbing her books nervously, she continued to struggle and hiss in pain.
"Clare, stop-, let me help you," I begged while getting on my knees as she struggled to stand on her feet with the heavy books in her hands. Her lips were parted; heaving breaths escaped her trembling lips.
"Stop it Eli, I can do-," I cut her off and screamed, "No you can't Clare! Okay? No, you can't, you can't do this alone! You need someone and no matter how much you don't want the help from me, you're going to get it! I don't care if you don't want to be my girlfriend or my friend...but, this," I pointed between me and her and whispered, "We're a team now."
I gulped nervously, my voice cracking as she fell to her knees and her head glaring down at the tiled floor beneath us.
After a minute, she whispered firmly, "I don't want your pity, Eli."
"This isn't pity Clare! You're my best friend and this is a best friend caring about their best friend! It's bad enough you kept this secret from me when we tell each other everything! You were the first person I ran to when I heard about Julia. I told you all about my hoarding problem... why wouldn't you come to me?" I whispered as her eyes wandered the room cautiously.
"I'm scared Eli, that's why...I was scared that when I told you I would lose you and I can't-," she stopped talking the second I pulled her into a tight hug, cradling her trembling body on the bathroom floor.
I leaned my back against one of the stalls and stroked my fingers through her curly, cinnamon scented hair while whispering, "Clare, I'm never, ever going to leave you. You were and you'll always be my special girl."
As a response, Clare wrapped her arms around my waist and gripped onto me tighter.
"I'll take care of you," I whispered lowly, tears streaming down my face. Those exact tears, my tears, dripped lazily onto Clare's beautiful face. After a few moments of silence, I finally realized that my best friend, the girl that I've been hopelessly in love with for four years, was slowly dying before my eyes...
CLARE'S PERSPECTIVE
My eyes fluttered open slowly as I rubbed my eyes to glance around my surroundings.
"Slow down," I heard Eli whisper, placing a caring hand over my stomach, preventing me from leaning up when I quickly rose from my what seemed like a bed. I groaned, and Eli ordered, "Here, drink this."
I shakily took the glass of water from his hand and drank it slowly.
When I was done, I handed it back to him and I asked, "H-how did I get back home? What happened?"
"Well, after the little chat we had, I noticed you fell asleep so I packed all of your stuff up and carried you to Morty. When I realized Morty wasn't starting, I decided to carry you back to my place..."
I laughed lightly, covering my face and mumbling through tightly clenched hands, "I'm so sorry Eli."
When the bed shook up and down lightly, I peered through my hands and saw Eli, who was propped up beside me, his eyes wandering the room as if he was searching for the right words to say.
"You know, when I carried you back here...all I did was cry and when you were lying on my bed, tossing and turning, all I did was hold onto your hand as tight as I could. Can I just ask you one thing Clare, actually two?" He asked, hope in his voice.
I was nervous as to what he would ask, but I nodded nonetheless.
"One...since we're going to be spending lots of time together, and by that I mean, going to your chemotherapy sessions, eating correctly, hanging out, going to movies, helping you with homework, being attached to the hip and keeping you in as less pain as possible...Uh, what type of cancer..is it?" He asked, his green eyes filled with curiosity.
My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I whispered plainly, "Breast."
Eli could hear my heart thump loudly against my chest as I said this, not because the word itself made any boy laugh, but because Eli wasn't saying anything. He was just sitting beside me, his arms lying limply on his thighs and his face with a blank expression across it.
Whenever I mentioned the word, it made me nervous because it makes me think that one day, I can be on my death bed with no hair and no right breast...just, living on the air from a machine.
A tear flowed down my face just thinking about what's going to be happening to me one day...any day...
"If I could dry your tears, I would," Eli whispered while placing his thumb over my tear and continued, "If I could take the pain, I would." His hand trailed to the side of my waist, gripping onto me loosely, afraid that he'll hurt me as he whispered, "But, all I have are eyes to cry with you, arms for you to run to and a promise...that you'll never have to bear the pain alone because I'm right here."
I smiled and said, "That's the best thing anyone has ever said to me."
"Just know that, I'm not going anywhere...no matter what," he whispered while lying down on the bed as I crawled into his chest.
Eli wrapped his arm around me, his hand lying limply on the side of my shoulder as he asked against my ear, "Is this okay?" I nodded, snuggling into his warm body as I asked shyly, "Eli, what was your other question?"
"It's not a question really..." he whispered against my ear, making me shudder in ecstasy.
"Oh," I mouthed lowly.
Even though I wasn't looking, I could feel him smirking as he whispered, "I'm just letting you know that, you're my girlfriend..."
END OF CHAPTER 3
So, reviews?
I know it was short...but, that was done purposely.
8 REVIEWS=NEXT CHAPTER ;)
Love you guys,
Cliffhanger Girl
3
