Through sickness and in health

24

Monday

"Maybe we should wait until tomorrow" I sigh as I park. It's nearly been 24 hours since we found out the news. Everyone cried last night, Jason was in his room, eyes been acting like a robot. No emotions. When I came to check on him he seemed content watching outerbanks and hanging out with max.
"Why? I've already missed loads of days because of the surgery. I'm still working on assignments from then I can't fall even further behind" he says, he passes me my bag and throws his over his shoulder. As usual he's wearing a beanie, today it's a black beanie with a black hoodie and some dark dirty green cargo pants. His hair is growing back really well, the doctor said with the chemo there's a chance it might fall out but it's less likely to.

"I'm just saying you haven't had much time to process this. Maybe you need some time to think-"
"I have cancer" Jason says, he looks into space for a moment. Pressing his lips into a line before he nods.
"See all good" he says walking over to the guys. I sigh shaking my head and walking over to the group where I spot Katie and Abbie.
"Why is she talking to lily?" I whisper to Abbie.
"They're lab partners" she shrugs biting her carrot sticks, I take one and lean my head on her shoulder. I missed my girls, there's way too many boys around me at the minute.
"Lexie" lily smiles spotting me. I roll my eyes taking another bite out of my carrot stick.
"How's Jason doing? I heard he was in hospital yesterday, poor thing" she pouts

"How did you-"
"Everyone knows. You know how fast things travel, someone saw him there and told someone else. I'd hate for it to make its way back to coach" she smiles. She's enjoying this.
"Finding humour in seeing someone at the hospital? How low can you sink? You think someone being at the hospital is funny?" I shout, her cheeks go bright red as everyone crowds around and shakes their heads at her.
"Parker!" A loud voice shouts from across the hall. I spot Jason in the crowd with all his teammates. Then I spot him. Henry, the only one in the group smiling. Oh he must be loving this.

'Yeah I had a great conversation with Lockwood. He went out to blow off some steam and just by luck I saw him" Jason sighs

It was him. He saw him yesterday, Henry was threatened by Jason's amazing pitching so he saw he was at the hospital and spread it so coach would hear and he wouldn't be able to get back on the team and steal his spot back.

Does he know about Jason's cancer?

Or the tumour?

Jason wouldn't tell him, he's the last person he wanted to know.

I watch as Jason walks off with coach probably to his office. It's a surprise when he takes him into the guidance councillors office and walks out after.

The bell rings, everyone goes back to it as normal but I don't miss the subject they're now talking about.

Jason Parker is sick. But everyone just doesn't know what's wrong with him.

*~*

"Yo Parker you coming to practice?" I hear his shout from across the room. I follow his eyes to where Jason's standing at his locker where the rest of the guys are grabbing their stuff to head to practice. Henry is making this ten times harder on Jason. However Jason sees his game from a mile away so he just stands there smirking with his arms crossed. He says something to the group hes with, being the whole baseball team. Everyone breaks out laughing looking at Henry, as they all walk off to practice they look at Henry and laugh even more. Making Henry look like a complete idiot because they just made a joke about him and he's completely oblivious.
"Have fun warming my spot on the team. I'll collect it later" Jason says patting Henry on the shoulder as he walks past him and out the school.

"Dudes just dug himself into a deep ass hole" Katie says at my side snapping me back.
"Fuck him Henry needs to be put in his place. He thinks he got that spot because he's better? No he got it because Jason isn't allowed to play" I say, I don't usually get pissed off over these situations. There's plenty of guys at school that are jealous of Jason. He's popular, all the girls want him, and he's fucking amazing at baseball. People just don't realise how hard he's worked to get where he is.

"I'll see you later he's not cleared to drive" I smile hugging Katie and Abbie. They nod hugging me back before I walk out the school. When I reach my car I don't see Jason waiting for me as he usually does. I take out my phone about to call him when i hear his voice. He's leaning against the wall with his phone to his ear. When he hangs up he sighs, he slides his back down the wall until he sits on the floor leaning his head against the wall. I run over to him in a few seconds.
"Babe" I whisper, his eyes snap open. His gaze softening when he sees me.
"Are you okay? Does your head hurt? Are you-"
"Dads back" he mumbles. My whole body relaxes hearing that. I'm relieved it isn't his head hurting or anything to do with the cancer but I feel terrible. This is the last thing he needs.

"He's at the house. Said he's given us time. Given me time to recover, now he's demanding answers. He wants to know why I needed surgery and he wants to speak to me" he sighs, he lifts his knees to his chest and leans his head against his knees.
"You've been carrying this on your shoulders for years. You never got closure. Fuck Jay he went and started a whole new family but managed to keep in touch with your sister and still be the father she needed to her. What your thinking. What your telling me now. You need to tell him that. Make him listen to what he's put you through, he's been a shit father and you need to express how you feel to him to get closure" I sit next to him.
"I'm sorry. I know I've been distant recently" he sighs pulling his head up.
"I love you. Im always here" I smile kissing him.

"You need to go back to therapy though" I whisper. He shakes his head squeezing his eyes shut. He doesn't want to hear it but he needs to.
"You've been through so much. Your still going through a lot. You haven't taken in the news yet, you haven't processed it. It's all going to build up. We know how that goes jay. Babe you need to face the facts and you need to get help. Your not okay, your bottling it all up again" I whisper
"Let's go" he says standing up and offering me his hand. I can't tell if I got through to him or not so I just take his hand and walk over to my car.

The whole ride back to his house he's silent as he leans his head against the window.