[Chapter twenty-six]

I tap my fingers on the table of Pizza Palace as Megan and I sit in silence.

How am I going to tell her?

"Nev?" Megan snaps me out of my thoughts.

"Huh?" I look up from the table and find a small frown etched on her face as she stares at me with furrowed brows.

"What's wrong?" She questions. "You've been off the whole day today."

"I—" I stop and look around. "Can we go somewhere else? Somewhere more private?"

She nods.

We get up and walk out of Pizza Palace.

We go to an abandoned playground we found a couple years back when I first moved here.

We sit down on the swings.

"So?" Megan stares at me expectantly.

I purse my lips.

"I have—" I cut myself off, chickening out. "I have a crush on Noah."

She immediately grins, squealing. "I knew it!"

"Last night, I was at his house, he told me he was falling for me. I kissed him." I explain.

"Oh my gosh, really?!" She screams. "Wait, how come you were acting like nothing happened between you this morning?"

"I panicked and started running away. He tried to stop me and he accidentally pulled my hood off."

Megan's eyes widen. "He's seen your face?"

I nod. "So has Dylan, but thats not the point."

"Dylan—"

"Shush." I cut her off. "Long story short, I told him it was a mistake and that I don't like him."

Megan stares at me blankly before she reaches over and slaps the back of my head.

"Ow! What was that for?" I slap her hand away.

"What was that for?! Because you're an idiot!" She yells. "Why would you do that?!"

"Because I can't be with him." I bite my lip nervously.

"Why not?" She questions in exasperation.

"Because...I'm dying."

Her nose scrunches up as she pulls my hood off, her eyes searching my face for any sign of a lie.

"Wha—Nevaeh, what're you talking about?"

"I—" this is it. There's not turning back now. "I have cancer."

Her eyes widen, immediately getting glassy. "No."

I bite my lip, looking down. "Yes."

"How long?"

I look at her. "What?"

"How long, Nevaeh?" She repeats. "How long have you known?"

"T-Two years." I look down again.

"Two years?!" She abruptly gets up off the swing. "You've known for two damn years and you didn't tell me?!"

She's crying by now.

My eyes get watery and my throat starts closing up as a tear rolls down my cheek.

"I-I didn't know how." I whisper, hastily wiping my eyes.

All of a sudden, I'm pulled off the swing and crushed in a tight hug.

"I understand." Megan whispers in my ear, hugging me tightly.

"I feel so bad about doing that to Noah, but he's lost too many people already, he doesn't need to lose another person." More tears roll down my face.

"Nevaeh, it doesn't make a difference if you're dating or not. You're an important part of his life and he loves you." She tells me.

"I know, but it'll hurt less if he moves on."

"No, Vaeh." She shakes her head. "It's going to hurt just as much."

"I just want him to move on. He needs someone who can love him and care for him through thick and thin. I'm not that person. I'm not going to live past nineteen."

"Nineteen?!" Megan pulls away from me. "You have two years?!"

She starts sobbing and pulls me into another hug.

"I love you, Nevaeh. So, so much." She whispers.

Almost immediately, I start sobbing, too. "I love you, too, Megan."

*~*

I know it's short and I'm sorry. But get ready for some drama in the next chapter.

Also, go follow my shared account LeeAndVirgil if you haven't already. It would mean a lot. We have two books on there. 'Paris & Sage' and 'Guns & Cookies'.

-Lee🦄