Chapter 2

"We don't think you have very much longer to live."

"What do you mean?!" I asked hysterically, "Not long to live? Is this some kind of sick joke?"

"All the signs point to a terminal illness..."

"But you don't know that it is. So how can you be sure I'm going to die?"

"We can't, but-"

"Doc, can you please leave us for a few minutes?" my dad interrupted, "You too Rocky."

They did as they were asked, Rocky sobbing her eyes out as she left.

"Oh Cece," My mum cried, wrapping her arms around me, making me want to cry too, "My baby. My poor, poor baby."

"Mum, I'm scared," I confessed, "What if I really don't have long to live?"

"We will do everything we can..."

"But it might not be enough!" I felt a tear run down my face and drip off the end of my nose, "What about dance?"

"Obviously you can't do that..." Dad said.

"I have to!" I raised my voice, "I have the main part in the Nationals dance!"

"I'm sure Rocky can take it..."

"But I want to do it!"

"Cece, you're not well enough to dance..."

"Dance is my life, mum!" I shouted, suddenly more angry than scared, "You heard the doctor, I don't have long to live-"

"We don't know for sure-"

"But he's probably right! If I'm going to die... I want to spend the time I have left dancing."

My parents looked at eachother worriedly before my dad sighed, "You can still dance Cece," he said finally, "But there is no way I'm letting you take the lead role. It's far too demanding!"

"I'm fine," I protested, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and standing up. Almost immediately, I felt dizzy, and collapsed back down on the bed.

"See what we mean?" mum said, "You're far too weak."

"Then what am I meant to do? Nationals are coming up soon!"

"Have you ever considered something a little less dangerous? Like ballroom?"

"No way!" I sighed, "I'll find a way to be in nationals somehow. I just can't miss it, I simply can't."

"I understand," mum said with a frown on her face, "We love you Cece, you know that right? We just want what's best for you for the future."

"I've just been told I'm probably going to die, mum. I have no future."

"You don't know that, there are plenty of options out there to help you."

"But what if they don't work?" I was back to sadness again, and more tears fell from my eyes, "Why do bad things always have to happen when everything is going right?"

"I don't know Cece," mum replied sadly, "I really don't know."

.

"Cece!" Miss Nancy ran up to me, arms open, "Oh Cece, I heard... about what the doctors said..." It had been a few days since I'd fainted, and the doctors had finally agreed to discharge me from the hospital, as I was improving greatly.
"What did the doctors say Miss?" Clarice, an annoying, nosy girl questioned, her pointy nose in the air. We'd never cared for eachother, in fact, she was probably my biggest competition. Now that I couldn't take on the role, she would probably be the one doing it.

"None of your business," I snapped.

"Now Cece..." Miss Nancy began, but instead sighed, "So you won't be taking the lead in Nationals."

"I want to!" I protested.

"I know you do, and we all want you to as well, but your health comes first Cece."

I looked down, "I know, I just-"

"If it makes you feel any better," she interrupted, "You can choose who plays your role in Nationals."

My head shot straight back up, "It's not my role anymore."

"Cece..."

"No, forget it..." I replied, determined that I wouldn't cry even though I could already feel the tears welling up in my eyes, "Rocky can. She deserves it."

Miss nodded, "Are you still going to be competing. I mean, don't feel pressured-"

"Of course I am," I forced a smile, "Can't get rid of me that easily."

"Okay hon. Have a think about what you want to do," she gave me a reassuring smile back, squeezing my shoulder gently before going over to talk to the rest of the class. I had been advised to sit out until I felt a little stronger, and so I made my way over to the too small plastic chair that had been put in the corner of the room for me. As I sat down, my phone beeped. It was my boyfriend, James. I gave a small smile, which then turned into a look of panic as I realised I hadn't told him.

Hey baby, want to meet up? Xxx

He'd sent, and I knew sooner or later he'd find out.

"Uh, miss?" I called out, "I need to go take care of something."
"Sure, no problem Cece, do whatever you need to do," Miss nodded, and I flashed her a grateful smile, before sending a quick text to James.

Sure, I need to tell you something anyway. Meet me at Crusty's in 15 mins xxx

.

"Hey gorgeous," James grinned as I approached him. He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before sitting down opposite me.

"Hey..." I fiddled with the end of my t-shirt nervously.

"Something wrong babe?" he frowned, noticing my odd behaviour, "You look like something's on your mind."

"Yeah, actually," I replied, "I need to, uh, tell you something."

"Sure, what's up?" he asked.

"The other day, in dance class, I fainted..."

"Oh, yeah, I heard about that," he said nonchalantly, taking a chip from the basket that was in front of us. Deuce, one of my closest friends, worked at Crusty's, and so we got a lot of our food pretty cheap, "So?"

"So I was taken to hospital..." I began, slightly thrown off by his casual reaction to me fainting, "They told me that I might not have long to live... that I'm ill but they don't know what's wrong with me, other than the fact it's probably terminal."

There was a long, silent pause.

"James?" I asked hesitently.

"I can't do this, Ce," he finally said, standing up.

"What do you mean?" I could feel the tears start to well up in my eyes, "What do you mean you can't do this?"

"I mean, I can't deal looking after some sick girl," he shook his head, "You're already high maintinence, but if you're terminally ill..."

His words made me feel sick to my stomach, "So what are you saying? That you want to break up with me because I might die and it's too much effort for you to look after me?"

"Yeah, sorry," he said, without a trace of remorse, "See you around. Maybe not."

With that he left. A salty tear ran down my cheek, and that was enough to set me off into a crying fit.

"Cece?" Deuce ran out from behind the counter, "Cece, what happened?" He already knew about what the doctor said, in fact, he was one of the first people I told.

"J-James," I sobbed, "He t-told me that he d-didn't want to be with m-me because I'm i-ill!"

"Oh CeCe," he wrapped his arms around me in a friendly hug, "He's not worth it anyway, trust me. Any guy who dumps a girl just because they might be terminally ill is a jerk."

"T-Thanks Deuce," I smiled weakly up at him, "I'm lucky to have a f-friend like you."

"No problem," he replied, "Now how about some pizza, on me?"

.

A/N: Sorry about any mistakes, my spellcheck's messed up so it underlines every single word in red. So annoying! Anyway, hope you liked it :D