Keep Breathing |Sequel to If By Chance|

1- Back In California

Hayley's p.o.v

I can't believe a year has gone by since I was diagnosed. It's unbelievable how far the cancer has spread in a short amount of time.

I run my hand through my hair and let out a long sigh. This is honestly getting old- waiting for medication to kill spreading cancer cells that are just gonna keep spreading. All I can do is keep traveling around to see if separate treatments will miraculously work. As if.

I sit in my seat in the waiting room at California State Hospital, the best in California. They wanna to a procedure to see of it will stop the spread, but I highly doubt it. "Hayley? Hayley Miller?" I hear someone ask. I look up from my daze and see Niall Horan from 1D standing with a smile.

"Niall, hey." I smile. "What are you doing here?" He asks. I immediately freeze, he doesn't know. Nobody knows. "Hayley Miller!" The doctor announces. "Your getting treated here?" He asks in shock. "Niall, please, you have to listen to me." I state frantically.

"Meet me at the Logging Bar and Grille at 2." He states, leaving me to get my chemo. Niall came here, one of 5sos' closest friends knows I'm being treated for cancer.

______________________

I walk into the restaurant and look around until I finally see Niall's familiar figure in the very back corner booth.

I walk down and sit across from him, but he's not alone. "Harry, Zayn, hey." I smile and sit down in the empty seat next to Zayn. "Hayley, you have to give us some answers." Niall pleads. "Look, guys, whatever I tell you, you can't tell anyone, agreed?" I ask. "Done." Niall replies.

"Well, a year ago I was diagnosed with stage 2 Liver Cancer. I didn't want to hurt anyone when I die, so I cut everything off." I explain. "I am so sorry, Hayley." They all look truly sad. "How is Luke?" I ask.

"He has a new girl friend, Grace I think it is?" Zayn states. I feel a heavy pang of hurt in my chest, but I smile anyway. "Is he happy?" I ask. "Looks that way." Harry comments. "Good, he deserves to be happy." I smile.

"Your happy, even though he moved on?" Zayn asks. "All I want is for him to be happy, that's all I've ever wanted." I explain. "You are the bravest person I know." Niall smiles sadly at me.

"Are you ok now, though?" Harry asks. "Not exactly, the cancer keeps spreading. I'm already at stage 3." I frown. "Hayley, you will make it through." Zayn states. "What are you guys doing in California anyway?" I ask. "I was looking in to donating some money to the cancer hospitals today, and I saw you." Niall explains and I nod.

"The 5sos boys are here too." Harry adds. "Where are they now?" I ask warily. Niall pulls out his phone with a slight smile that falls to a frown. "On their way." He explains. My blood runs cold. They can't see me looking like this.

Skinny down to the bone, pale skin, dark circles under my eyes, my hair a now dull color from all of the chemo, my lifeless face. All the life has been sucked out of me, and their gonna see me like this? No way.

"Turn them around." I state frantically. "I can't." Niall replies worriedly. "Why?" Zayn asks. "Because their already here." Niall states. As if on cue, the door opens and four people come walking in- the same people I know and love from a year ago. Zayn hands me his hooded jacket and I thank him before slipping it on and pulling up the hood.

I keep my head down in my hands and prey they don't see us. "Hey guys!" Mikey walks up to the table beside our booth. "Who's your friend?" Ashton asks. "Her name is Crystal, yeah, Crystal, uhh, she has anxiety so... Uh yeah." Niall states quickly. "Hey Crystal." Cal's voice sounds.