"What do you mean you're sick?" I asked Tori. My hands are trembling, I want to know what she means but at the same time I'm scared of what her answer will be.
"I went there to get checked. The chest pains, difficulty in breathing, the non-stop cough and all that" she replied.
"And?" I asked her.
"Turns out it wasn't just a plain chest pain" she paused, I stayed silent waiting for her to continue. My mind is trying its best to wrap around everything she's saying and to keep my sanity together.
"Diagnosis is that... I have lung cancer. Stage 4" it dropped on me like a bomb. My knees wobbled and I flopped down the couch.
"No, it has to be a mistake. I mean you're healthy, I barely hear you cough. We need to get a second opinion, there's something wrong with that diagnosis" I said unable to accept what she just said.
"I agree, but the doctor I spoke today is the other doctor who checked my new lab results" she replied and sat beside me
"And you did not tell me this in the first place?! If I wasn't at the hospital today would you even let me know?! For heaven's sake Tori! We're in this house together everyday and you didn't even dare to tell me that you got checked before with that result?!" I tried to ask her calmly but my emotions got the best of me.
"I don't want you to worry. I am going to tell you, I just don't know how First diagnosis was done a couple of weeks ago, even before we went here" she explained.
"You're so unfair!" tears gushed down from my eyes. I cannot help but cry, my heart feels broken. Tori held my hand and wrapped her arms around me.
I cried on her shoulders for who knows how long. All I can remember is that I stopped when I felt my eyes are dry. This world is so cruel to me, first my mom and now Tori? Why? Now that everything is starting to fall into the right places, suddenly it all came crashing down. I am in pain, not physically but emotionally.
I felt Tori's hand caressed my hair and back, trying to comfort me. How can she be so calm about it? Doesn't she care what I am about to go through after knowing her condition? Or am I too stupid to understand that I'm the one who needs to be strong right now?
"Tell me Brie" she said when she noticed I stopped sobbing. "Will you stay with me knowing that I can leave you any moment?" her face looks sad but her words are firm. She's a lot stronger than me, that's for sure.
"Why would I leave? I love you" I replied and hugged her tighter.
"Why do you love me?" she asked. "That model you're talking to earlier, she likes you right? Wouldn't you want to stay with someone who won't leave you?" she continued.
"You're talking like you're going to die tomorrow! Stop that!" I snarled at her. I understand that she's just stating facts, but I don't want to hear it. I still cannot accept the reality that she's sick, not just sick but dying.
She lifted my chin up and looked at me with those gorgeous green eyes. "I want to know why you love me?" she repeated.
"I don't know, I can't explain it. When I'm with you, I feel safe, I feel at peace. The first time I met you, I thought that you're just a rude asshole who I don't ever want to be with, but everything changed when I saw how you cared for Ben. I didn't admit it to myself but I was slowly falling for you. When you got engaged, that's the time I realized that I'm already in love with you" I explained. Tori just smiled and tucked a hair behind my ear.
"I've always been in love you. Ever since the day I saw you at the café, I couldn't take my eyes off of you. The time you met me, I wasn't so sure how to react so my stubbornness prevailed. I felt really stupid that day and thought of ways to make it up to you, until I saw you at the parking lot looking for your keys" she replied.
Who would've thought that even before I loved her, she's already in love with me. Maybe that explains those heartfelt glares I get from her whenever I see her.
"I want you to know that even though I am not expressive when it comes to my feelings, I love you with all my heart" I felt my heart break into pieces after hearing that, it's as if she's making her last statements for me to remember.
"Don't talk like that, we still have a lot of time to ourselves" I said softly and laid my head on her shoulders.
We both stayed silent for a while, until she asked about Levi.
"What were you two talking before we saw you?"
"Who? Levi?" I asked to make sure.
"Yeah, the model. Why is she speaking with you?"
"I told you, we just ran into each other. She just asked me how am I doing after all the incident" I replied.
"Why does she still care?" Tori said a bit annoyed.
"I don't know, are you jealous?" I teased her.
"No!" she defended and pulled her arm away from me. I hugged her tighter and said
"There's nothing to be jealous of. I'm in love with you and she knows that"
She sighed and gave me a soft smile. "I'm so lucky to have you" Tori said and lifted my chin for a kiss.
I smiled and laid my head on her chest and listened to her heartbeats. The heart that's been beating only for me, before I even knew it. I closed my heavy eyes from all the crying and slowly drifted to sleep.
*****
I was in a dark room, I cannot see anything but my bare hands. I looked around and found no sign of light. I tried to walk but my feet are too heavy, I cannot lift them. I heard someone call my name.
"Brie"
I looked around and found no one, but the voice sounds familiar.
"Brie"
I heard it again, this time the voice is much more distinct. I recognize it, it's my mom! I said to myself, then slowly her image appeared in front of me. She's smiling, the same warm smile I remember. She reached out her hand to me. I leaned towards her and tried my best to reach it.
After reaching out as far as I can, I was able to grab her hand. From the warm and soft hand, it turned into ice cold. The same feeling I got when I last held her hand after she died.
"Mom?" I called her out, my eyes traced from her hand, to her arm, neck, up to her face. To my shock, it's not my mom's hand I am holding. It's Tori's -- cold and lifeless hand.
"No, no, no!" I screamed as I felt tears roll down my eyes.
*****
"Love? Love! Wake up!" I heard a voice and someone's shaking me. I almost jumped towards Tori when I saw her.
"Hey, you're dreaming" she said, while I hug her. "Are you okay?"
I took deep breaths, still not answering her question. My arms are still tightly wrapped around her. I hope and pray that it stays a dream, I thought to myself.
************************************
AN: I know, I know, some of you guys might hate me for this. But I still hope you keep reading the book ;)
Please comment and vote!
YOU ARE READING
Two Bad Girls
RomanceBridgette "Brie" Campbell is 25 years old, has long brunette hair that reaches the back of her shoulders. Her eyes are dark brown and has fair skin. She's born in Canada, her mom is a Filipina and her dad is Canadian. Her mom died before she graduat...
