*Formerly called Love Happened*
Mila had an ordinary life. A cute boyfriend. Parents who were still happily married. From an outsider’s perspective, Mila had everything.
Nobody knew just how restless she was.
Neither did she know about the genes t...
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Christian had caught a ride with Damian in the morning, so I drove us to the hospital after school. He'd been quiet at lunch and wasn't much better now. I wondered if his sombre mood had to do with his appointment, or if something else was bothering him. It still amazed me that Christian had been able to keep things to himself for so long. He'd known for two months, and still, he'd laughed and smiled, and acted like nothing had been wrong. God, he was so brave.
"Are you sure–" I started to ask.
"I'm fine," he said, curtly.
I sighed, not pushing him. I was aware that I was doing exactly what he hadn't wanted anyone to do – treat him differently. But I couldn't help it. If things were normal, I would have pestered him till he gave in and told me what was wrong. But things weren't normal, and I didn't want to upset him.
I found a spot in the hospital parking lot, and Christian and I walked over towards the main entrance.
Christian seemed to know exactly where he was going, and I realized that he must have spent a lot of time here. I thought back to the summer, but for the life of me, I couldn't recall ever going longer than a day without seeing him. How had I not noticed?
I felt a profound sense of sadness as I looked at the patients around us; either lying in hospital beds, sitting in wheelchairs or walking around in their green hospital gowns. It made my eyes water, thinking of Christian like that. But this was life. It happened. People got sick, and their bodies stopped functioning properly, and they died. Families and loved ones suffered. Just because I'd never had to deal with anything like this before, it hadn't meant that it wasn't still happening to others. It was.
"Hey, sweetie!" a cheery women called out as we approached the tall reception desk on the third floor. She sat behind it, where she'd been typing away at the keyboard in front of her. "Here to see Dr. Becker?"
"Yeah." Christian nodded.
"Okay, hold on a second, sweetie." She moved a few folders that had been covering the computer mouse, and clicked something on the screen a few times. "OK, you can take a seat."
"Thanks," Christian said, stepping back.
She smiled at him and then did a double take when she noticed me. "And who is this?" she asked with a mischievous smile. "No, let me guess... Mila?"
"Hi," I said, surprised.
"Oh, it's lovely to meet you. Christian talks about you all the time," she said, pleasure lighting up her eyes. He really had spent a lot of time here.
"Is that so?" I said, glancing at Christian.
"Oh yes. It can get quiet tedious just sitting around in the waiting room, and for me too when there's not much going on in this floor. Christian keeps me company, bless him."
