I'm glad I met you

Chapter 14

I knock on Kal's door. I hear it open and his mom greets me and lets me in. I fold up my cane and place it by the front door and go to Kal's room. I knock on the door to announce my presence and walk in.

"Hey."

"Hey." He lets a small cough.

I go and sit on his bed. "I thought you could use some company, seeing as how you're not feeling well."

"I'd love some company, especially if it's you."

I smile and scoot closer to him. "Yeah, I figured cuddles and kisses would cheer you up. I even brought a book to read to you."

"Oh my. I feel super special now." I can hear the playful sarcasm in his voice.

"Ok fine I won't read to you then."

"Hey now wait a minute. I like when you read to me. You already offered to anyways. You can't take it back."

I laugh. "Alright alright." I kiss him. So needy sometimes."

"Why of course. I have to keep you on your toes dear. Besides, I could give you the cold shoulder."

I grab my book out of the bag I brought. "I definitely appreciate that."

I move to sit behind him and he sits in between my legs, resting against my chest. I open the book and lay it against his chest and slowly trace my fingers over the raised bumps on the pages.

"Once long ago there lived a king. He was cruel and his people hated him. That king was me..." I continue to read to him until I feel him relax and hear his breathing slow.

I close the book and set to the side. I feel Kal flip over onto his stomach and wrap his arms around me. I trace my fingers along his back, feeling the bones of his spine and sigh. He's getting too thin again. Why isn't the medicine working anymore? I feel a tear slide down my face, then more. Soon my body shakes with silent sobs.

"Nick?" Kal sits up. "Nick what happened? What's wrong?" He cups my face.

I just lean forward and hug him, still crying. "Why isn't the medicine working anymore? Why aren't you getting better?" My voice is so cracked.

"Nick.." He sighs. "Nick, you're going to hate what I'm about to tell you. Hate it with everything in you." He rests his forehead against mine.

Panic streaks through me. "Why? Kal what aren't you telling me?" He grabs my shaking hands.

"Calm down alright." His voice is steady and calm. Soothing. "Nick, the medicine was working but I wasn't getting better. I stopped taking it. "

"Was- you're not taking it anymore? Why?"

"I'm getting to that... Just calm down and let me explain."

I take a shaky breath and nod. He continues.

"I wasn't getting better. All the medicine was doing was slowing the rate of the cancer. It wasn't fixing anything that was already damaged. It gave my body a break is all. Nick I've come to term with my death. I know I'm going to die early and I know there's no stopping it. I'm ok with it." He cups my face with one of his hands. "I need you to be too."

"What- No. Kal I'm not just gonna accept that. It's not fair." My voice is bitter. "Kal take the medicine please. I beg you.."

He kisses me. "I'm tired of dragging out my life Nick."

"You're not dragging it out-"

"But I am. Nick pleasthat.
I just hug him tightly, gripping on to him as if my life depended on it. "I don't want to live without you. I don't want you to leave me." I can't stop the tears that flood my eyes and continuously fall down my cheeks.

He doesn't say anything. He continues to hug me until I calm down. I think about what he said and I try to put myself in his situation. Would I do the same? I think I would. I think I would be scared to die and maybe want it to come quicker. I also think I'd like my last bit of time to be happy and to spend it with the ones I love, having a good time.

I pull back from the hug and wipe my eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"Making it a big deal. I'm being selfish."

"You are in no way being selfish Nick. You don't want me to go and you're scared. I'm scared too."

"Are you sure you want to stop the treatments?"

"Yes."

I nod. "Alright then." I sniff. "I'll pull back the payments." It takes everything in me not to start crying again.

I feel him hug me again and I lean into his touch. He runs his fingers through my hair.

"What do you think there is after death?"

"What?"

"Like what do you think comes next?"

I frown. "I'm not sure. I don't really believe in the afterlife. How can there be anything else after? What's the point?"

"I think-" He traces his fingers along my stomach and chest. "-that there is an afterlife. That maybe after this, there's a whole other world to live in. My mom told me stories about a ghost land. There were special people who could summon and talk to the ghosts and once a year these people summon the ghosts for the living and they spend a whole day and night visiting each other. friends and family separated by death are reunited once more."

I can't help but smile. "I'd like to think that was true."

"I think it is."

We sit there in silence for a bit, not saying a word to each other. Kal lets me mess with his hands, tracing every inch of them. I'm trying to memorize every part of him so when the time comes and he leaves me behind, I still have a memory of him. Of what he sounded like and what he felt like underneath my fingertips.

Kal's voice breaks the silence. "Nick, when I die promise me something."

I wait.

"Promise me that you won't change."

"What does that mean?"

"Don't change who you are. Don't let my death make you miserable. Continue to be the happy, funny, sarcastic, and flirtatious, and kind person I know and love so much. Keep those qualities. Keep your confidence and continue to inspire others for me yeah?"

I nod and kiss his hand.

"Promise me Nick." His voice is quiet.

"I promise."

"Thank you." I feel the warmth of his lips against mine and I melt a little.

I kiss him back, taking in his taste. I don't want him to go. I would miss him too much. Why did he have to get sick?

I rest my forehead against his. "I love you."

"I love you two."

"I love you three."

"I love you four."

I kiss him again. "I love you more."

I can hear the smile in his voice. "I love you most."

We both let out a soft chuckle but tears fall down my cheeks. He wipes my tears away once again.

"How about we do something fun."

I sniff and nod. "What do you wanna do?"

"Hmmm.. Ice cream and reading sounds pretty fun yeah?"

I laugh. "Yeah. I does."

I can hear the smile in his voice. "It's a date then."