"Stop!" I laughed, I can't deal with all of these cheesy jokes.!
Zack raised his eyes. What beautiful eyes, they melted my soul. Okay. Now I was sounding like a cheesy fry. Wow! There rubbing off on me.!
Will gave us a willing look. "Baby." He pointed at me. "Your eyes are as blue as the ocean, and I'm lost at sea.!"
I shook my head, than reached over the table to William. "Nice try, but my eyes are green."
Everyone cracked, when Audrey came to the table. "I'm riding home with you Connor." My eyes scraped her then Zackary.. what the- how did she know that we'd been at IceCreamLand?
"I have to take Riley to work." Zack stated.
"Fine. I'll go with you. I just have to make it for dinner, last night your dad's going to be in." Audrey cocked her head at me. "You won't mind ridding with me would you?"
I shook my head without saying a word. Yes. Yes I would. "Good. See you later." As she skipped off... Great.. This ought to be perfect.!
***
"You've never held hands while driving with Lexi.!" Audrey facted. "Nor have you none the silly jokes."
In my head I just rolled my eyes. Was she really going off about what Zack did with me, and not Lexi? Pretty Lame. But.. if you think about it.. it was kinda cute.. to know that he didn't do silly little, random things with Lexi.. made my day.
Zackary just took a quick glimpse at me and winked. Gosh.! That never got old. Who knew one little wink to the eye could leave me blushing for hours.! Crazy right?
"OHmigosh.! You really love her.!" Audrey grabbed my shoulder. "No way! You're in love with Riley!.. but why?!?" Her grib was on my already purple bruise, and I couldn't help but to tighten my hand on Zack's.
Audrey pushed down on my shoulder, sending more pain, I gritted my teeth, bringing blood. I couldn't take this anymore. I turned to Audrey, and talked through my teeth. "Audrey. You're hurting me." I took a deep breath, not wanting to sound like my skin was burning off.. but I know tomorrow.. I'll have a black hand print.
"Audrey. Let go of Riley., and stop spazing out about how I feel." Zack demanded to her. I couldn't help but smile in my head. Audrey said that he loved me.. and he didn't say other wise... YIPPYKIYA!^#@*!! I had a little dance party in my head.
***
We got out of the truck meeting in front of it. I stared into his deep gaze.. Zackary put his arms around me and kissed my nose. He looked up to the sky, still holding me. "Is there a rainbow today?" He said with a smirk.
I looked in the sky. What in the world was he talking about? It hasn't even rained today, how in the world could there be a rainbow? "Zack? What are you talking about?"
He leaned down with the most whitest teeth shining into a smile. "Oh, because I just found my treasure!"
I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I fell for it.. this was the time for me to put my head in the palm of my hand. 'But instead I just laughed, hugging him.
Zack let go of my hold to only kiss me again. His hands went to my shoulders, went it hit my left I flinched. He looked at my shoulder than glanced back to me. "Did she really hurt you?"
Yes. "No." I faked a smile. "I'm fine." Lie. Lie. Lie. Gosh I hate lieing.!
"Okay." He gave a wiry smile. "I'll come and pick you up after work." As he gave me one last kiss and walked to his truck.
"Hey. Do you happen to have a band-aid?" I gotta get him back somehow.!
He gave me worried look holding the truck door open. "Why, are you okay?" Zack asked, how Audrey listened to each word we said.
"Oh no, it's just that..." I paused for dramatic affect. "I scraped my knees falling for you." I smirked as Audrey rolled her eyes.
Zack laughed. "Ohh... now I know how you feel.."
"Ahh.. so you don't have a band-aid?" I asked giving him a wink before going into the store.
%%%%%%%%%----------Zack.
"So I've heard you met Connor's girlfriend, Riley?" Audrey asked dad.
Dad nodded his head. "Yes. She's... different.."
"I think he can do better, not saying he should go back to Lexi or anything.. but Riley.. is how do I say it.. not right in the head? She always looks like she's in pain nowadays, and she has a job.. I mean what teenager has to work? Is her family really that poor? And she doesn't seem Connor's.. type.. how can I forget-" Audrey got cut off, I was already about to blow.. but I didn't think dad would say anything..
"Riley's perfect." I didn't even hear him studder.! "In-fact.. I was going to invite her over for two nights dinner.. but I knew she'd have work.. so.. I invited you instead.
BURNNN!!! Dad liked Riley.! I don't know how? He seemed like he hated her when he first met her.. what changed his mind?
"What?" Audrey's face was white.. "I thought.. you didn't like any of his girlfriends.. what made you like her.!" I thought she was going to cry.
Dad smiled. "Oh. She told me a sweet poem.. which.. I took to heart." He looked around the room. "Where's Jay? He should be here by now."
I stared.. she must of told him after I left.. "Dad? What was the poem about?"
Dad looked at me before saying. "A cup."
Okay. Now I'm confused. She told him a poem.. about a cup.. that he.. my father.. took to heart.. "Where's my father? What have you've done to him?" I questioned.
Dad laughed. "It was about a broken cup, that they tried to put the pieces back together... but didn't put the pieces back together right, or used the right glue."
"A cup.! A broken CUP.!" Audrey yelled. "Mr. Connor.. how can you like a person for just telling you a stupid little poem about a stupid cup.!"
Looking up with a look of feeling.. "Because my cup is broken.. but with all the pieces.. and the right glue.. I can fix my cup.. so it won't leak, it'll be like before.. just with some cracks." Dad closed his eyes. "I'm going to bed, when Jay get's here.. tell him dinner's off.. I'm feeling a little sick." As he got up to go to his bedroom.
"Can you believe him!" Audrey's eyes flamed with maddness.
I laughed. "Yes. I agree with him." I smiled.. dad approves of Riley.. "I don't know what she told him.. but whatever it was.. it's working."
@@@@@-------Riley
My head was in pain, along with my whole body. I was getting tired of my body screaming out for help, it was starting to be an everyday thing, with little more 'pain' with it.. I mean.. first headaches.. then bruising.. now it was getting harder to breath.. How much more could get worst? Oh. Right. Me dieing.
***
"Hey Riley, Matt needs help in the back." John stated.
I walked into the back, to see Matt unloading the food truck. "Mind if I help?" I asked.
"Nah, go right ahead, grab a box or two." Matt smiled.
I remember when we used to play around in the store.. running knocking everything in sight over. We used to be the best of friends.
I started to grab boxes, only to give my body more pain than it was already going through, making it harder to breath.
Matt's hand landed on my left shoulder making me yell. Matt quickly removed his hand and gave me a pleading look asking if I was alright. "I'm fine.. You scared me." I laughed, covering my pain. "You know you can't sneak up on me."
Matt laughed with me. "Remember when I scared you so bad that you p-"
"That's enough! Let's get to work.. no time to talk about.. messes." I said while grabbing boxes.
Right when I went to pick up the second box, my grib held off, making me fall to the ground, with boxes of food. I closed my eyes how I heard Matt yelling, I couldn't even move, more less feel my body. Not again!
***
I awoke to be in my bed. I looked around, with pain.. all through my body.. all I remember is.. being at work., with Matt. I sat up, with a rush of pain. How did I get home?
My bedroom door opened, Dr. Workman stepped into the room with water and a pate of food. "How are you feeling?" She asked.
"Pain." I asked truthful. "How did I get here? I remember.. helping put up boxes.. then.."
"The hospital got a call, and when I found out it were you, I came." Dr. Workman sat the food and water on my night stand. "Your friend told me what had happened.. and asked what was going on.. why you blacked out, your headaches.." She took a breath.
No.. she couldn't of told them! I would of shook my head if I weren't in so much pain. "You told them..." I closed my eyes..
"You're right. I told them about how..I needed to take you home." I glared into Dr. Workman's eyes. She didn't tell?
"You didn't tell them I had..."
"No. I didn't. 'But you need to take it easy. You can't go around lifting 40pounds like it's nothing. Your body is fighting against your body.. tearing down your cells, breaking down everything, until it's nothing.. you can't live life like you have been." She sat on my bed. "The more you fight the pain, the more you tell yourself it's fine, the more you try and act like your alright.. every-time your mind, your telling it to give up. The more you tell your body to work, to not hurt., the more it'll break down.. you're killing yourself more, making it faster." Dr. Workman closed her eyes. "I told your boss that you couldn't work."
"What?" I don't know if I should scream or cry? "I have to work! I can't just stay home, without food, power, water, or-"
"You'll be getting a check every month, to help you." Dr. Workman stood up and got into her pocket and pulled out a bottle of medicine. "Take one everyday, it'll help with the pain." She pointed to the food. "Eat. It'll help." As she started for the door.
"Wait." I called. The question still running through my head, the same one I had when I first found out I had cancer. "How long have I've had.. leukemia?" I closed my eyes, and waited for the answer.
"I tested, because I too wondered the same thing.. In your blood cells, one dated older than the rest.. you've had it for five years, not sure why you didn't show anything before.. but you're the youngest girl in this city.. and the one who'd lived longest with cancer., that's why you have to stay low.. rest as much as you can, because you're getting worst, I can see it, and everyone else can too.. you're ageing.. you're losing weight.."
I heaved out a breath. She's right. I'm stupid to think that people can't see it.. because it's clear.. I'm sick.. not in a good way either.. I hate this. I hate feeling bad for lieing.. I hate looking at the people I care about and see that their worried, and I can't tell them why. I hate this feeling like I'm a monster.. while I'm killing myself.. I'm killing everyone else that's around me..
%%%%%--------Zack
I met Riley at the park, she was wearing a blue sun-dress. She stood by the opening.. she looked amazing. "Hey, beautiful." I called. Riley beamed her eyes at me. I hated to leave her.. but I had to.. if only she could go with me.
"Hey." She smiled meeting me.
I kissed her on the forehead. She smiled with her white teeth. "So you're leaving tomorrow?" I nodded my head.. this was going to be the last time I saw Riley for the next two months. She put her arms around me. "I'll be waiting for you right here."
I glared down to the most beautiful girl, her eyes gazing back to me. How'd I get so lucky to have someone like her? "Did you ever think that when you met me, that you'd soon be with me?"
Riley's face blazed, she was blushing. She was so darn cute. "No." She let go of me and started walking. I fallowed, as she went on talking. "When we started talking.. I tried so hard to not to talk to you, I thought of a million ways to stay away.. but there was alway's one, that made me want to." She looked at the ground.
"What was that one?" I asked.
Riley turned to face me. "I was attached." She sat down where she was. "From the day I met you.. I fell, I don't know if it was your voice, smile, eyes, or just the fact that I felt safe with you. I've never felt as safe with anyone as I do with you."
I smiled and went and sat in front o her. I took Riley's hands and put them in mine. "I wish you could come with me.."
"I can't. I gotta figure something's out."
"Okay. I understand, but whatever you do.." I stopped. Riley smiled and kissed my cheek.
"I promise you no matter what happens, when you come back, I'll be here. Waiting."