Fight

Chapter Eight-Take Care

I grin like a lunatic when I realize that I am the one to bring her to her first concert, not Samuel.

"Why are you smiling?" Lyla asks, bringing me away from my thoughts. I turn to her and lean over so our shoulders are rubbing against each other.

"I'm just happy that I am the one to accompany you to your first concert." I tell her honestly, however I leave out the part about Sam. I don't want to bring him into this night; plus I can tell our behavior towards each other bothers Lyla.

Lyla blushes, her cheeks pink against her pale skin. I chuckle.

Until the concert started, Lyla and I maintained a simple conversation. She is so easy to talk to, always asking follow-up questions and really getting into some of the topics.

She is very curious about my fighting. She asked about how I first came to being a fighter, however she sensed my hesitance and diverted the conversation. I want to tell Lyla everything. I want to tell her my deepest and darkest secrets and it scares me. I am not oblivious to the fact that we meet exactly a week ago, but already she has her hooks deep in me. No matter what, I am not going to be able to say goodbye.

I know that I decided to end whatever relationship we have after this concert, but I just can't. I have this unexplainable desire to protect her, to draw her near and not let any one, or any sickness, harm her.

Once the concert started, Lyla jumped to her feet and danced and sang to every song that they played. I mostly watched her, awestruck by how beautiful she is. She swayed her hips and bounced on the balls of her feet. She was so deeply invested in every song, I could tell she was thoroughly enjoying herself.

When she concert was over, I decided I wasn't ready to end the night. I led her down the street to a dairy queen.

Lyla laughs as we enter the ice cream shop, shaking her head. I will never forget the night she quoted Grown Ups and declared her need to get chocolate wasted.

She orders the same as before, a double chocolate chip cookie dough Blizzard while I get the Butterfinger Blizzard. We sit at a table made for two and devour our ice cream, as she talks about the concert.

"It was amazing, Matthew. I can never repay you." She says with a contented sigh, leaning back in her chair as she takes a few bites of her ice cream.

"You don't have to repay me, Lyla. I had a wonderful time as well."

"I have to. It must have easily costed a thousand dollars just to get those seats. And with all the food and drinks... I have to do something. Perhaps after my...." Her eyebrows come together as she lifts her beautiful eyes to meet mine. I can a see despair settling in them and I wish she would tell me exactly what is wrong. "Perhaps after, I will treat you."

I smile at her, knowing that she will follow through with plans she is already setting up in her mind. But she doesn't need to worry about money... She has no idea how much I have accumulated over the years.

"After... Am I not allowed to see you during?" I ask, reaching over to run my fingers softly against her knuckles.

"I just don't think you'll want to." She shrugs slightly and I can't help but frown. Why wouldn't I want to see her? Doesn't she see that she has me wrapped around her little finger?

"Of course I'll want to. Why, pray tell, wouldn't I want to see you?" I bite the inside of my cheek, silently hoping that she will tell me the truth. It's eating me up inside.

Lyla looks down at our hands and withdraws hers to continue eating her ice cream. Letting out a sigh, I lean back and watch as she finishes off her Blizzard. Once she is done, I gather our trash and head to the bin to throw it all away. I try to loosen my jaw, for I know I am clenching.

The fact that she won't tell me is making me a little aggravated.

"I-I have Leukemia." Her words cause my blood to run cold, my fingers growing numb as one of the cups fall from my grasp. I slowly turn to look at her, my eyes wide with horror. Please tell me this is a joke...

I feel an ache in my chest as I look into her beautiful eyes, the abrupt thought of never seeing them again flashes through my mind.

Why her? Why does she have to have cancer? She is good and sweet and smart. She has so much to offer the world... Whereas I don't. Why her, and not me?

Why is everything unfair?

"No." I mutter, shaking my head. "You can't. Look at you, you're beautiful and perfect and you can't have Leukemia." I ramble, watching as tears well in her eyes.

Lyla runs a hand through her hair and lets out a stuttering breath. "Such awful timing, that we'd find each other the day I was diagnosed." I flinch, remember back to how rude I was to her, and seeing the trouble in her eyes. She was just told she has Leukemia, and I was mean to her. "Now, I have another person to say goodbye to."

I bring my eyes back to her face and I instantly reach out to pull her into my arms. "Don't say that. Do. Not. Say. That. There will be no goodbyes. You are going to fight this. We're going to fight. Together." I lean back and cup her cheeks in my hands, rubbing her wet skin with the pad of my thumb, brushing her tears away.

"Are you sure you want this?"

No matter what I was thinking prior to this concert, there is no way I am letting her go now. She needs support and I am going to protect her through this process. I'm not going to say goodbye, I'm not going to leave her alone. I will be there for her, in whatever way she needs.

I will take care of her.

"Baby, I have never been more sure."

Before another would could be said, I lean down capture her warm lips with my own. I have never felt such adrenaline, holding her close to me as we kiss with so much passion and pain. She cries as she clings to me and I can't help but kiss away her tears.

She is mine, now. And I take care of what is mine.