REVISED:The Boy With A Touch Of Cancer (BxB)

20. Will's Mom Called Me

"Wow, your house is pretty dead," Leo commented as he pulled up in front of my house.

Mom and dad were still at work, but I doubted mom would be gone for long. "Yeah, my mom doesn't usually get home for about half an hour," I said as he took the keys out of the ignition.

He sent me a devilish grin. "So, we have the house all to our selves for half an hour?"

Oh, boy, he's very enthusiastic about this lecturing situation.

"I guess." I threw the door open and got out.

Leo followed me up the driveway to the front porch. "Your house is really nice," he commented as I unlocked the door.

"Thanks," I replied, then headed inside.

I kicked my shoes off and closed the door behind us. "You can take your shoes off if you want."

He slipped his shoes off (these ones being silver high tops) and slid them against the wall.

"You want something to drink?" I asked, wanting something to do instead of awkwardly standing here in silence.

"Oh, I want something to drink, but I don't think it comes in a can or a bottle." He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against him.

My cheeks heated as I looked into his intense quicksilver eyes. I wrapped my hand around the back of his neck. "Then kiss me, asshole," I murmured as I held my lips mere inches from his.

"Will do." He pushed me against the wall behind me and molded his lips to mine.

My whole body flushed as his lips made contact with mine. Hot lust burned through my useless, leukemia filled bloodstream.

My hands found their way into his hair, and I fisted the soft feathery waves in my hands. Leo's hands slid around my hips, and down to my ass, which he then proceeded to squeeze.
I groaned against his lips. Leo took the opportunity of my mouth opening to slip his tongue in it.

His nails dug into my pants, and I groaned. I slid my hands down from his head, feeling every lean muscle of his back as I slid my hands down to the hem of his t-shirt. I tugged at the hem of his shirt and I managed to slide it halfway up his chest when Twinkie came scrabbling around the corner.

The door unlocked then, and I pushed Leo a good foot away from me. I just barely moved out of the way before mom threw the door open. Twinkie was too busy jumping all over Leo to notice that mom was standing in the doorway with her phone to her ear, and a sleeping Lea on her hip.

Mom glanced between Leo and me with a confused look in her eyes. She mouthed "hi sweetie" before rushing past me, talking a mile a minute to whoever she was on the phone with.

I glanced at Leo who was crouching on the floor in front of Twinkie, scratching her chest. He glanced up at me and sent me the same wide-eyed look I probably had in my own eyes.

"Who is this little sweetheart?" Leo cooed to Twinkie.

"That's Twinkie. She's a greyhound."

He stood up and grinned at me. "Why don't we go up to your bedroom?" he whispered in my ear, causing my heart to pound harder in my chest.

"Uh...okay," I murmured, then took his hand and led him through the house. "We're going upstairs," I called to mom as we headed up the stairs.

Once we reached the second floor Leo glanced around at the dozens of pictures lining the hallway.

He was staring at a photo of me three months into my first chemo. My family and I were standing in front of our blindingly bright Christmas tree. All of us wore huge smiles and those cheesy ass Christmas sweaters that are always so over-the-top and ridiculous. I was also wearing a beanie so low it was practically swallowing my head, as all of my hair had fallen out by then and I didn't let anyone but my family see my bald head.

I remember that day vividly. It was the first time I was able to go home to rest after my chemo as my bloods were finally stable enough for me to go home, rather than having to stay in the hospital all week. All of us were happy (even Drew, which is unusual) as it was not only Christmas, but the chemo was finally working. Little did we know it would only stay like that for a few months before nosediving into the fucking ground.

"I love the sweaters," Leo commented with a grin after he turned back to me.

I cringed. "Yeah, they were pretty damn ugly."

He chuckled as he pulled me against him and loosely wrapped his arms around my waist.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and murmured, "I love when you do that," as I rested my forehead against his shoulder.

He wrapped his arms around my back pulling me into a tight hug, then he kissed the top of my head.

He's so sweet...

"Who's the blonde girl in the picture?" he asked after a moment.

I reluctantly lifted my head off his shoulder and glanced at the photo he was looking at.

It was from last year when Mackenzie and I had just started dating. We were in the backyard laying in the grass under the shade of an old oak tree. I was kissing the side of her head, and she was tilting her head towards the sky, her mouth open as a laugh escaped her.

The usual anger I felt whenever I saw Mackenzie wasn't there. I felt nothing actually. All I felt was the warm set of arms wrapped around me, and the steady rise and fall of Leo's chest against mine.

"Oh, that's my ex-girlfriend." I shrugged as I laid my head back down on his shoulder.

He traced a circle over and over in between my shoulder blades, his warm hand causing hot tingles to shoot down my spine

I heard mom coming up the stairs and I jumped out of Leo's arms. I backed up against the wall, putting a good amount of distance between us.

"Oh, there you are," mom said distractedly as she reached the top of the stairs.

"I was just showing Leo around," I blurted out, even though she didn't ask what we were doing.

"I can see that..." she trailed off, glancing down at the phone in her hand.

"What?" I asked nervously once she didn't say anything.

She took a deep breath. "Will's mom just called me. She wanted you to know..."

No. No. Please, do not let her say what I think she's gonna say.

"Will," she said slowly. Apology filled her eyes. "Honey, he passed away."

No. God no. Please let this be some kind of sick dream.

"What?" I asked like I hadn't heard what she said the first time.

Mom sent me an apologetic look, and that's all I needed to see to know that it was true.

"Oh, honey," mom murmured.

Tears blurred my vision as I realized that my best fucking friend is...dead.

Will passed away just kept echoing over and over in my head. I shook my head attempting to silence the words while I backed up to my bedroom.

"Sweetheart, what can I do to help?" mom asked desperately as she looked between Leo and me.

"N-nothing. Just l-leave me a-alone," I stammered, not wanting to cry like a little baby in front of Leo.

I slammed my bedroom door shut and pressed my back against the cool wood.

I stood there for a second, surreally calm before sobs wracked my body. I slid down the door onto the floor. For the first time in years, I cried. I cried like a big fucking baby on the floor of my bedroom as a huge part of my heart broke and filled with emptiness.