Her Secret

By jamesy__

1.2M 35.3K 6.6K

• • • • • Watching from afar has become my new way of life. Watching my friends be happy, watching my peers... More

Authors Note
zero | prologue
one | hospitals
two | senior year
three | here we go again
four | old and new
five | night out
six | buckle up
seven | grief and panic
eight | apologies and awkward dinners
nine | eyeopeners
ten | roadtrip?
eleven | roadtrip.
twelve | the tattoo
thirteen | bonfires
fourteen | nature adventures
fifteen | time
sixteen | strangers
eighteen | be there
nineteen | he's here
twenty | anger
twenty one | imperfect
twenty two | sorry
twenty three | it's a surprise
twenty four | be happy
twenty five | love it away
twenty six | happy vs. content
twenty seven | one step forward, two steps back
twenty eight | hope(less?)
twenty nine | good and bad
thirty | man on a misson
thirty one | the news
epilouge
bonus chapter #1 - kids?
bonus chapter #2 - forever

seventeen | a millisecond

31.7K 1K 182
By jamesy__

A/N: I recommend listening to Sam Smith's Pray for this chapter! Enjoy and show your support!

----

I'm not sure why waiting for Dylan to come pick me up felt like no time at all, but then again it feels like time is non-existent to me right now.

Dylan had tried to ask me about what happened and threatened to kick Zach's ass many times but I barely heard him.

The car ride felt like a millisecond. The lecture from my parents felt like a millisecond. And the time I've spent looking at myself in the mirror of my room has felt like a millisecond.

All that is going through my head right now is my hair. My hair that is at my shoulders. My hair that is such a dark and pretty colour. My hair that I love so much. My hair that I want to keep growing and maybe dye a darker colour.

My hair that I'm about to shave off.

Chemo starts tomorrow. Chemo means no hair.

My mom said something about my doctor needing to stop my cancer from spreading into my nervous system and into my brain.

I need to shave my head.

I stole Dylan's shaver and have been holding it for a millisecond. It's been running for a millisecond. And I've been staring at it for a millisecond.

A millisecond is all I have right now.

My hand, on its own accord, begins shaving my hair off.

I'm at the deepest pit of my mind, watching my hair fall to the ground around me. I'm crouched down and sobbing over the unfairness of this situation as my face emotionlessly watches my head get shaved.

I am numb.

A millisecond passes and my head is shaved. I am completely bald again and I don't feel a thing.

I am numb.

A millisecond passes and I run my shaky hand over my bald head.

I am numb.

A millisecond passes and I smash my mirror with my hands.

I am numb.

A millisecond passes and I let out a strangled sound as I run into my room to find a hat.

I am numb.

A millisecond passes and I knock my furniture down because I can't find a beanie.

I am numb.

A millisecond passes and Dylan runs into my room and hugs me from behind, shouting words that I can't hear as he hold my arms to my chest.

I am numb.

A millisecond passes and I see my dad find my beanie and place it on my head as tears gather in his eyes.

I am numb.

A millisecond passes and I see my dad comforting my seemingly sobbing mother as Dylan places himself in front of me and shakes my body in an attempt to wake me up.

I am numb.

And then everything turns black.

----

Dylan's P.O.V 

Seeing not only my twin, but my best friend struggle so much eats away at me. She's all I can ever think and worry about. Sending her on that trip almost broke my parents and I.

Hell I think it did a bit. But I know she needed it. And I know she needed it to end on a better note.

Her panic attack today served to prove my point. Seeing the numb expression on her face and she tore through her room with bloodied arms is an image that will never leave my head.

I have just finished cleaning her wounds up and am now sitting beside her bed as she sleeps.

I'm beginning to have a headache over the thoughts that have been running through my head.

You should have called her more on the trip.

You should have checked on her after mom and dad gave her shit.

You should have known your shaver was missing.

You should have been a better brother. A better twin.

The last thought almost makes a sob tear out of me as I bite down on my lip to keep it at bay.

I know she struggles and I know she has no hope left so I try to have some for her.

Chemo has caused her to hit her lowest point. Nobody fully understands except for her, but seeing her go through it was a hell of an experience. One I wish never happened. But it's happening again.

I see Leena begin to stir so I hop up to go grab some water for when she wakes up. She always wants water when she wakes up.

As I make my way back into her room I notice she's gone. My heart stops as my brain stirs up the worst possible scenario.

Did she leave?

No. She would never.

Just as I'm about to scream her name I hear the doorbell ring. I run to the door in hopes that it's her or someone who knows something about her.

I open the door to a piece of shit whose ass I need to kick just as a song begins to play on the piano that breaks my heart.

----

Leena's P.O.V

I open my eyes just as I hear Dylan leave my room. No doubt to grab me some water.

This isn't the first time.

I know I have to leave the room before he comes back if I have any hope of leaving this bed before tomorrow and there's really only one thing I want to do right now.

Well beside talk to Zach. Something I'll probably never do again.

I walk up the piano and let the words to Sam Smith's Pray  poor out of me.

I'm young and I'm foolish, I've made bad decisions
I block out the news, turn my back on religion
Don't have no degree, I'm somewhat naive
I've made it this far on my own
But lately, that shit ain't been gettin' me higher
I lift up my head and the world is on fire
There's dread in my heart and fear in my bones
And I just don't know what to say


As I sing I see the my memories of my life before cancer zoom past me. I see my friends and I at the town fair. I see Zaina and I running away from Noah and Daniel so we can try and hit on guys. I see the four of us cuddled up on the couch binge watching The Office. I see myself happy. 

I see Dylan and I growing up. I see us learning to ride a bike together. I see our first day of school. I see Dylan pushing a boy that tried to play with me in the first grade. I see myself happy.

I see Zach and I's road trip. I see us sky diving and I see us kissing. I see myself blissfully ignorant of my fate.

Maybe I'll pray, pray
Maybe I'll pray
I have never believed in you, no
But I'm gonna pray


The tears start streaming down my face as I sing and play the song. A sob almost tears out of me as I begin to imagine the future I may never have. I see myself going off to college. I see myself in my first apartment, at my first day of work, walking down the aisle. I see a me that doesn't exist.

You won't find me in church (no) reading the Bible (no)
I am still here and I'm still your disciple
I'm down on my knees, I'm beggin' you, please
I'm broken, alone, and afraid
I'm not a saint, I'm more of a sinner
I don't wanna lose, but I fear for the winners
When I try to explain, the words run away
That's why I am stood here today


I see a future that no matter how hard I try to fight for, rests in the hands of fate. I'll never get a say in if I live or die. I don't get to fight. I don't want to fight. I don't want false hope. I want real hope. I want a real chance. I want a real life.

And I'm gonna pray (Lord), pray (Lord), maybe I'll pray
Pray for a glimmer of hope


Just as I finish the song I tilt my head down and try to calm myself down and stop my tears. I feel eyes on me and I don't want to see the sadness and despair on my families eyes. I can't see anymore of that.

I look up as I wipe my tears while saying "I'm fine guys. Sorry about earl-"

I abruptly stop my sentence when I see whose standing in front of my piano.

My heartbroken mother.

My helpless father.

My devastated twin brother.

And my dejected Zach.

"Zach?"

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