Gwendalynn: The Girl With Cancer

Gwendalynn | 29

When I kept lying...

APRIL - 2012

"Hey, Kyle!" a guy on the football team, Callum, called to me.

I swiftly turned from talking to a girl in my History class. "Hey, what's up?"

We did that usual handshake that all guys do these days.

"Nothin. Nice job at the game last week."

"Thanks."

"My girlfriend wanted to watch it so of course I had to," he smirked. "But nice last kick. Oh! And, uh, are you goin' to the bonfire tonight?"

"Yeah, I think so. Ryan and Noah are goin', right?"

"Yeah, hey I heard you have a girlfriend too. Maybe you should bring her."

I cleared my throat awkwardly, taken aback at his knowledge of Gwen. I wasn't sure if I was comfortable with it. "How do you know I have a girlfriend?"

"The guys told me about your birthday party. Heard she's hot!"

I clenched my fists, knowing Gwen was not herself at the party and that she had been wearing the same wig she wore at the Halloween party. Maybe it was the fact that I've seen her without hair and I'm used to it that way, but how they didn't see that her 'hair' was a wig is beyond me.

I was about to answer rudely, but someone else had beat me to it.

"Who's hot?" Callum's girlfriend, Daisy, questioned. Her arms were crossed and she cocked her head higher to look at Callum's face.

Busted.

His eyes were wide as he tried to figure out what to say, and then slowly turned to his girlfriend.

"Uh, my mom," he blurted out. "She's gotten ill." He looked down at Daisy, hoping she'd fall for his ridiculous save.

"Mmm, yeah, I bet." She nodded, giving him a very sarcastic voice. She then turned to me, smiling. "Hi, Kyle. Are we gonna see you at the bonfire tonight?"

I nodded, stuffing my hands in my pockets. "Yeah."

"Great. I'm not sure if Callum, here, will since his mum apparently has a fever and might need some help getting better."

Callum suddenly took a strange interest in his dirty Nike's. I could tell he wanted more than anything to be alone at the moment, knowing he's about to feel the wrath of his girlfriend.

"Bye, Kyle."

"Bye, guys." I waved to them as they left down the hall.

...

"I can come over. Help you out. I'm sure you're mom has work tonight."

"No, I'm okay, I promise, Gwen."

"Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't want to give it to you."

Gwen laughed. "I've got cancer. I'm sure a cold won't do me much."

Her statement ruined my mood slightly. I ignored her comment. "It's fine, Gwen. I'm sure it'll go away by tomorrow."

"Okay. I hope you feel better soon."

"I love you."

"Love you too."

"Bye."

I hung up the phone and started my car. Lying to Gwen was a bit mean, I'll admit, but I know that if she knew I was going to a bonfire instead of hanging out with her, she'd be even more upset. I had to lie, it wasn't exactly easy but it was necessary.