One Perfect Day

Chapter 10 | Butterflies

"Do you want something of Grant's to change into?" I ask quietly.

He looks down and sighs at the blood splotches on him.

"Fuck," He whispers under his breath.

He starts to take it off before I reach out to slap him.

"What are you thinking!" I scold him.

I lower my voice, "My dad's in the other room."

He isn't the biggest fan of Blake.

Blake begins to chuckle, and I grab his arm to lead him into Grant's room. It's a mess. There are clothes on the floor, cigarettes on his dresser, and beer bottles everywhere you look. My jaw drops in shock. I didn't even know he drank or smoked, let alone in our house. On the other hand, Blake has a very different expression than I on his face.

He looks like he's remembering all the good times they used to have in his room. He doesn't look fazed by the clutter at all. Then again, he hasn't talked to Grant in four years. He probably thinks this is normal behavior for him.

It's not.

I'd never see Grant so much as light a cigarette, even before I was diagnosed. He's always been a picture of health, and I never suspected him to be hurting his body in this way. I look over to Blake, and notice him picking up a t-shirt off the ground.

"I'll give you some privacy," I say as I walk towards the door.

He walks over, and puts his hand on my shoulder. It's so heavy that it causes my knees to bend to hold myself up. I turn around to face him.

I see hope in his eyes.

What's he hoping for?

I feel myself start to get dizzy and take a seat on Grant's bed. He looks at me with confusion.

"My feet just hurt from my run last night," I tell him.

He nods. I need to take my medicine. I haven't taken it in over 24 hours and am starting to feel the effects.

"I'll be back in a second," I announce before I leave and shut the door behind me.

I lean against the door for a while, and gain my bearings. His touch makes my knees weak, and I forget how to walk. I feel my cheeks heating up while I try to wipe the stupid smile off of my face.I run upstairs and take about half a dozen pills.I wash them down with half a glass of water and take a glance at myself in the mirror.

I fix my hair and adjust my loose top. I pull up my leggings so that they fit my form better. My hip bones are protruding. They're so sharp that I'm afraid they'll puncture through my skin. I hate it. I grab a sweater, and put it on hoping that it'll cover them.

After turning the light off in the bathroom, I walk down the stairs. About halfway down, I remember that I have to show Blake the list. There's no way I'm bringing him to my room to see it. I run back up the stairs, and grab the list off the desk.

Once I get downstairs, I knock on the door.

"Come in," I hear from inside.

When I enter, Blake is wearing a pair of Nike shorts and a hoodie. He looks like a normal high schooler. Nothing like the man I saw last night.I take his dirty clothes from him and throw them in the garbage.

"Hey!" He protests.

"Do you think you're going to be able to get the blood out of that white shirt?" I question him.

He sighs and steps closer to me. He's so tall. I can feel his breath run down my scalp.

"So what's on your list?" He whispers faintly.