Don't Give Up On Me

Twenty Nine.

"You stupid jerk! I can't believe this! What made you think this was okay?!" I yelled at Zacky in anger.

"The fact that you said, 'Hey babe, let's play a round of Call of Duty, I'm bored'," he says calmly. "Just because you suck at the game doesn't mean you have to scream at me."

"You cheated! You hardly ever play, and you beat my high score, on your first try. What the fuck is that?"

"Like good ol' Charlie Sheen would say, I'm winning, Andi."

"Oh God, the jokes have gotten worse. Ironic jokes are terrible," I groan, throwing my controller down on the sofa cushion and moving away from him.

"You're such a bitch, I don't even know why I call you my girlfriend," he says jokingly.

"You're such an asshole, I don't even know why I call you my boyfriend," I retort back just as playfully. He and I share sly smiles before I move back closer to him and kiss him briefly.

"I guess I forgive you for winning this round..." I murmur quietly. He rolls his eyes. "Okay, fine, I'm sorry for the verbal assault. Its not my fault you can't handle it."

"That's as good as it'll get," he mutters, sighing. "But you're forgiven, my dear."

"My dear? What are you, a 30 year old man?"

"I figured the 'babe' card was a little played out, so I tried the next best thing."

"Yeah, well, as far as Pet Names/Terms of Affection go, you need some work."

He laughs as my phone starts to ring. "Are you going to answer it or continue listening to whatever your ringtone is?"

"Andi? Thank God, I was about to hang up," my mother's voice drifts into my ear. She sounded as if she had been crying before, but stopped shortly before this call. "Am I interrupting anything?"

"No, no. Have you been crying, Mom?" I ask, muting the television before sitting back down.

"I was hoping you hadn't noticed," she sighs.

"Que malo, Mama?" I ask, slipping into Spanish, otherwise she would have beat around what she orginally called me for.

She sighs again. "Its your grandfather, Andi. He's gotten sicker. The chemotherapy hasn't worked like the doctors thought it would, and its spread even more. He's in Hospice Care now; he doesn't have much time."

I felt myself grow colder, my hand covering my shocked open mouth. "I'm so sorry, Andi. I was hoping my first call to you after you arrived back in California would be good news."

"Mom, I need to be there. I have to-"

"You can't. Mija, I wish you could, but you can't. You've got school, first of all, and second, I don't want you to see this. Its hard enough knowing what's going to happen...."

As soon as the first tear fell, I felt Zacky pull me into his chest comfortingly. "So, what will happen? Is this just a waiting game now?"

"Unfortunately, yes, pretty much. I'm sorry that I upset you, Andria.."

"Its okay, I know it wasn't your intention. I'll, um, call you later, though, okay? I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, mi hija."

I hung up the phone with a heavy sigh and stare straight ahead, trying to process the information I was just given.

"Andi?" I look up at him and bite my lip to stop the sob that threatened to come out. "What's-"

"My grandfather is dying in the hospital," was all I managed to say before I lost it completely, clinging to him as I cried. I knew that his chances of living were slim to none, but I still had that hope that he would be able to fight through it. It was wishful thinking, obviously, but I honestly thought he'd be okay. Now he was in a care center that assisted him into death, and I couldn't even properly say goodbye.