Four days later:
Kenna's POV
Today is Ally's birthday. Also, the day of my third chemo.
Tyler got me a chain with a T pendant the next day.
"I got myself a K pendant," he says, pointing at his matching pendant from under his scrubs.
Mom and Danica couldn't stop talking about how happy they were for Tyler and me.
Ben congratulated me the next day.
I hadn't seen Jason, though.
I asked mom and Dani about him, but they hadn't met him since the last time I saw him.
I unlock my cell phone and click on Ally's contact.
Just as I'm about to call her, there's a soft knock on the door.
I assumed it was mom and Dani returning from the cafeteria after breakfast, but it was Tyler.
"Good morning, my beautiful girl," he says, walking up to me.
I let go of my phone and pulled him in for a hug.
"Today's going to be another tough day for my baby girl," he says while kissing my head and pulling me closer to him.
I push my face deeper into his chest.
I knew this chemo would be the most painful of all because the dosage would be increased even more.
"It's going to be alright. I'm going to be there with you, Kenny."
He pulls away and cups my face in his large hands, looking directly at me.
"I'm not going to let anything happen to my baby girl. You're going to be okay, and we'll be living a normal life even before you know it," he says with mixed emotions.
I look at him, unsure of what to say.
"I promise you, Kenny," he says, leaning in.
I don't say anything; instead, I close the gap between us and kiss him.
We were soon interrupted by a knock on the door.
Great. Just great.
Mom and Danica walk in and stop dead in their tracks when they see how close Tyler and I are.
We immediately pulled apart.
"Okay, we're really sorry. We had no idea Tyler was here," mom says, panicking.
"That's okay, Erin. Don't worry," Tyler smiles.
"Alright", mom says, relief flooding her face.
"How are things between Ben and you?" Tyler asks her.
"Yeah, it's good. We had breakfast together this morning," mom beams.
"With me thirdwheeling," Dani says, making us laugh.
"Okay, let's go, Kenny and Danica," Tyler says once the laughter dies down.
Mom gives me a hug. "I love you, baby".
"I love you too, mom," I say before walking out of my hospital room.
.
.
The chemo was horrific.
I think horrific would be an understatement.
The pain took me to a whole new level of agony.
Tyler was clutching me as close as he could. I almost thought we would diverge into one body.
He kept whispering into my ears how much he loved and adored me, as well as how strong and brave I was.
Once the chemo was done, I could barely walk. I felt giddy, and my legs felt so weak.
Tyler decided to carry me back to my hospital room because, wheelchairs, who?
Yes, he actually carried me back to my hospital room.
Bridal style, if that's what it's called.
People kept looking at us as he carried me back. Tyler didn't seem to be bothered by any of them.
Once back in my room, Tyler gently laid me on my bed and gave me numerous kisses before exiting.
.
.
.
That evening, when Tyler came over to my room and we were alone, I decided to finally call Ally and wish her.
Tyler wasn't too happy with my decision, but I managed to convince him.
"You've got me wrapped around your little finger, Kenny," he says, sitting on my bed.
I smile and manage to sit upright.
Tyler hands me my cell phone from the bedside table.
I unlock it and call Ally.
She answers on the fifth ring.
Wow.
"Hi," she says in her cool voice.
I've missed hearing this voice.
"Hey Ally. Happy birthday, it's Kenna," I say nervously as Tyler holds my free hand.
There was no response from the other side. I almost thought she had hung up.
"Oh, thanks," she says, sounding very cold.
"How was your day? I hope it was a good one," I say nervously, in an attempt to continue the conversation.
"Good" was all she replied.
"I hope you're okay, Ally. I've missed you for all these days. I tried calling you and texting you, but you-", I say in one breath, but am interrupted.
"Hold it, Kenna. I didn't answer your calls because I don't want to talk to you anymore," she yells into my right ear.
My mouth hangs open. Tyler squeezes my palm and smiles at me.
Little did he know what I had just heard.
"What? What are you even sayin-," I stutter.
"Look, alright, I figured that your test for leukemia was positive, and right enough, you texted me the next day. I don't want to have anything to do with you," she says, sounding so far away.
"Why Ally?" I was on the verge of crying now, and Tyler was getting anxious.
"Because you have a disease, and I don't like people with diseases. So yeah, stay away and never contact me after today," she says, before harshly hanging up the phone.
My phone falls from my hand onto my bed, and Tyler gives me a hug.
"What's it, Kenny? Are you okay? Answer me, babe," Tyler says, pulling me closer to him.
I began bawling my eyes out.
My best friend just said she didn't want to have any connections with me just because I'm ill.
She was someone I've known for almost all my life. But the way she spoke today, she sounded like someone I didn't know at all.
"Baby Kenny, tell me what's going on." Tyler breaks the hug and looks at me.
I told Tyler about everything she said in between waves of tears. I told him every word she said.
Every. Single. Word.
There was anger all over his face. I've never seen Tyler like this before.
"That stupid bitch has no idea how dumb she is. She let go of someone so amazing," he fumes.
I cried some more.
"People think cancer is some illness that is contagious, but it isn't. Cancer does have a treatment process where it can be cured, but people won't get that. They want to run away because they think it's incurable," he says, looking sad now.
"You are my strong girl, Kenny. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise. I'm going to make you okay. I'm going to cure you, and you'll be the Kenna you were before all this happened," he says, kissing my forehead.
I'm glad that I have Tyler.
"Promise me you won't go away like she did," I say in between tears.
"I promise you, baby. I'm here with you. Now and always. I'm going to be there with you through the worst and never abandon you. I promise you," he says, kissing me.
Once we broke apart, I felt my head go dizzy.
"Tyler, my head. I'm dizzy," I say as tears stream down my face.
"Calm down, Kenny. Please stop crying, or your stress level's going to shoot up, and it won't be good because of today's chemo. Please calm down, baby girl," he says, looking at me with concern.
My vision was blurring ahead of me as I tried to stop crying but couldn't.
Her words hurt me way too much.
"Tyler," I say as my vision fades away into nothingness.
"I'm here, Kenny. Calm down and don't cry. Please", he begs, sounding like he's about to cry.
"Tyler. I can't. I- I love-"
Tyler's POV
Was she trying to tell me that she loved me?
Her last words before she passed out were to tell me that she loved me.
Kenny would not stop crying, and that wasn't good for her as she was already weak because of the chemo.
She shouldn't have been crying this much. But she did. Because of Ally.
And I had to make sure she was okay.
I tried gently shaking her up as I monitored her vitals on the machines attached to her.
The machines around us beeped louder and quicker, indicating her rising stress levels and critical immune levels.
Oh no, this isn't a good sign.
_
A/N:
Hey guys! I'm sorry for not posting for so long.
I'm drowning in the FIFA matches. Also, my favorite team didn't qualify in the group stages, so I was upset and had writer's block.
Also, this chapter's aim was to try and spread awareness about leukemia and cancer.
A lot of people think of cancer or leukemia as a threat. They think it's contagious. Cancer isn't contagious; it doesn't spread by being around patients. It has a cure! I have literally seen people who were close to the patients move away from them because of this illness. Believe me, the patients want nothing but love and support from their loved ones.
-Carita D'Costa❤️