Chapter 4

...----------------...

Caite POV

It's Saturday today. The weather's nice, the suns out shining brightly, but, the wind's so cold...

‘It's near Christmas anyway, so I guess it's natural’

I'm out here—the balcony of my room, overlooking the beautiful view of the festival. My phone was beside me, I say on the cold balcony cobbler stone, waiting for Anita's reply.

She texted me to get ready, she invited me to the festival today. I told I'm her busy and asked why me, I thought she had a date with Shane today.

‘Guess she's busy...’

I looked at our conversation, it has been twenty minutes since I sent it. I closed the app and saw my wallpaper—it was me and Nigel. I gave a heavy sign, he didn't call last night like he always did.

‘Now, I'm really worried about you—about us Nigel... what's happening to us?’

I felt tears prick at the corner of my eyes, I sniffed as I wiped them away.

...----------------...

Nigel POV

“D*mmit! It's getting worse..”

I'm here inside the bathroom, bend down against the sink—fighting for my life. I was throwing up blood—too much blood.

It hurts. My throat hurts like hell. I couldn't stop throwing up blood.

I'm sick. And there's a cure for it, I've been taking it. But, the more I take it the more I feel my life being taken away from me. Caite doesn't know about it—this sickness of mine.

‘Finally... it's over... ’

I washed my mouth and chin, as well as the blood on the sink. I wiped my mouth with a tissue and threw it on the trash bin. I walked back my room and sat on the bed.

Beside me was the medical paper that held my sickness. It was leukemia—and I was dying. I picked up the paper and examined it, thinking all of this is just a dream once I ripped it apart. But, it's not, this is my life now.

It's hereditary in my family, specifically in my mom's part. She died of the same sickness when I was six. I saw how it destroyed my father—how it turned to something I thought he'd never do.

Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Caite, she was calling me. I answered her call and placed my phone against my ear.

“Hi, Nigel... are you okay?” her sweet voice echoed from the other line.

My lips formed a smile—a sweet smile.

“Yeah... yeah I'm fine. I'm sorry I didn't call last night.”

She just hummed and I gave a heavy sigh. I'll ask her out today, just like I planned.

“Caite, let's go on a date today. I got two tickets for the festival... let's have fun”

“Really?” she was shocked, she'd look really adorable right now.

“Yeah, I'm going to make it up to you, Caite. We'll have fun, I promise...”

“Alright, Nigel. Thank you. ”

“I'll pick you up. I'll just text you when I get there... Bye Caite... I love you.”

“Hm... Bye Nigel, take care. I love you too...”

I ended the call and walked to the bathroom. I'm going to make this the best day ever. I'll make sure Caite has so much fun, I'll definitely make it up to her.

...----------------...

Caite POV

I was laying down on my bed now. Just staring at the ceiling, thinking about Nigel.

‘I wonder what's he doing right now? Is he busy? Would he answer if I call him?’

I scrunched up my nose and decided to just call him. I picked up my phone and opened my contacts, quickly searching his name, I tapped it. I breathe a heavy sigh as I tapped the call button. I closed my eyes and waited.

It rang once, twice... then he answered. Nigel answered my call. This is the first time, I took the initiative to call him. And I'm very nervous.

“Hi, Nigel... are you okay?” I asked him, I felt my hands shake as I waited for his answer.

“Yeah... yeah I'm fine. I'm sorry I didn't call last night.” he answered, his voice was husky. It took him a moment.

I just hummed and let out a heavy sigh. I want to him. I want to know what's happening between us.

“Caite, let's go on a date today. I got two tickets for the festival... let's have fun”

“Really?” I was shocked. He probably looks handsome right now.

“Yeah, I'm going to make it up to you, Caite. We'll have fun, I promise...”

I smiled. My sweet smile. I felt my heart flutter in happiness, butterflies we're in my stomach. Me and Nigel... we're going on a date.

“Alright, Nigel. Thank you.”

I really am thankful. He's really sweet. I'd trade anything to see him right here, right now.

“I'll pick you up. I'll just text you when I get there... Bye Caite... I love you.”

My eyes widened. I didn't expect that. It was the first time, he said it to me. It. Was. The. First. Time. I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream.

“Hm... Bye Nigel, take care. I love you too...”

Nigel ended the call, and I fell back into bed. I was smiling—too much. This is going to be the best date ever! I can't wait for Nigel to get here.

I stood up. I'm going to get ready. I'm going to surprise him.

Giggling, I opened my wardrobe and took out my new floral dress. I knew it'd come in handy. I went to the bathroom and took a long beauty bath.

...----------------...

I've been waiting for an hour, now. And he's still not here. I'm wearing my new floral dress, I'm excited, but...somehow, I feel something is wrong. Something is so wrong, like today isn't going to be a good day for me. For us.

‘Where are you Nigel?’

I've already texted him, twice. He hasn't replied yet, it wasn't even read. I'm beginning to worry now, too much. I kept biting and nibbling my finger nails as I waited patiently for his answer. But, I never got anything.

I just remembered, destroying my room. Flinging everything away, breaking things. Everything felt like a blur to me, I just felt tears streamed down my cheeks as I gripped and ruffled my hair in anger, sadness and worry. I felt those emotions, those overwhelming emotions in my chest.

The last thing I remember was falling helplessly onto my bed. Crying my eyes out as I gripped the pillow—Nigel's gift for me. My favorite pillow.

...****************...

Nigel's POV

I never got to pick her up. I never got to make it up to her—to Caite. I hate myself for it, I hate the fact that I inherited this f*cking sickness. I hate the fact that I can't be with the girl I love because of it.

‘Why me? Why does it have to be me?! I want to live! I want to he with Caite, with nothing in our way!!’

I'm right here, in a hospital. Laying down on a hospital bed, a dextrose on the back of my hand. An oxygen mask on my mouth, I look helpless and sh*tty. I roamed my eyes around the room, it's white, empty and all I smell is cleaning materials—probably antiseptic.

‘How did I get here?’

The last thing I remembered was, I took a shower. I wore my clothes—which consists of a white shirt, a denim jacket—Caite's gift for me, black cargo pants and my boots.

I walked out of my room when I felt something in my chest. It felt itchy, I wanted to scratch it, so much. I couldn't breathe well, Then... I coughed up again, I wanted it to stop, I hated that fact that it's here. Inside me—this sickness and I can't get rid of it, even with the help of the most elite doctors. It's never going away, it's hereditary. I quickly covered my mouth but it didn't stop. I pulled my hand away, and saw my palm was covered in blood—so much blood.

‘Come on, remember what happened after that...’

Suddenly, it hit me. Like a strong big wave it hits me, I was coughing up blood again and... losing my balance... falling down the stairs and losing consciousness.

I felt tears in my eyes. I thought about Caite. She's the first person that came to my mind.

‘What if she knew?’

It could break her.

I didn't want that. I knew I was already late that time, but, I wanted to continue it. I wanted to make it up to her, no matter what. That not even this stupid sickness of mine, can ever hurdle us apart. But, I was wrong. It can. And it will always.

“Thank god, you're awake now... Nigel” someone spoke beside me.

That voice. I know that voice, very well. I quickly looked at the person beside me. It was my sister—my older sister, Rein.

She's two years older than me. She hasn't met Caite, yet. In truth, they haven't met yet. She was there, beside me... sitting on a hospital chair. She was relieved now, that I'm awake. But, in her eyes, I can see right through them. They're worried, sad and scared.

I'm jealous of her—so much. The fact that she's alright. That fact that I'll never get to move on. The life that she had. The life I also wanted.

Rein Mabalos, my older sister. She never got to inherit this disease in our family. She gets to live a long and healthy life, me on the other hand—I'll never get to live like that. I'll never get the chance.

I'm not mad at her, just jealous. I could never hate my sister. I love her too much to hate her.

“R-Rein?” I managed to mutter out.

She just hushed me, her index finger placed on her lips. Silencing me.

“It's okay now, Nigel. We got a doctor—a great doctor to help you fight this disease...”

I shook my head. I already knew the answer to that thing. They would always say...

“There's no cure, or we can't help you anymore.”

It's spreading fast, and it's killing me, slowly... painfully. Agonizingly. Tears fell from my eyes. As I begged her to just stop.

She kissed my forehead. It was telling me, to just trust everything. Trust the doctor. The help I would be getting and trust my sister.

Suddenly, I heard a gasp and a choked cry from someone by the door. I knew who it was, very well. It was Caite. I looked at her, shocked.

Rein was shocked too. She didn't expect to see Caite. She didn't expect I had someone.

She had tears in her eyes, her hands on her mouth. Silencing her cries of pain. I looked at her, she had it wrong. So wrong.

But, I couldn't blame her. She didn't know I had a sister. They haven't even meet yet. And that's my mistake.

I called after her, stuttering.

“C-Caite?!”

“It's not like that. You got it wrong... she's my older sister!”

She just shook her head—vigorously. She ran out the door, my sister looked at Caite and back at me. Her eyes, questioning me ‘Who is she?’

I looked down at the sheets. Tears still in my eyes.

“She's... Caite. The girl I like.”

She was shocked. Then, she hugged me, as she soothingly rubbed my back. I held onto my sister, this was the first time I ever held onto her, cling onto her like this. It's been so long, the last time was when mom died and when our father took his own life.

...****************...

Caite POV

I woke up that afternoon. It was already three thirty, my phone dinged and lit up.

‘Finally, he decided to answer back’

I grabbed my phone, opened it and saw a notification. It was a text from Anita. I felt my whole world shatter when I read it. It was Nigel, he was sent to the hospital, yesterday.

‘Caite, it's Nigel. He's in the hospital, near the new café. I don't know who's with him, but Shane told me someone brought him there. We're on our way there, we'll see you later.’

I felt stupid. I was mad at myself, so much. I couldn't believe I kept thinking about myself earlier. I didn't even bother to think if he's alright, if he's in an accident. But, I didn't want to think like that. Nigel always thought me, ‘Think positive, Caite. Positive!’

Everything was a blur, the next thing I knew I was inside a cab, yelling at the driver to bring me to the hospital near the newly opened cafè.

An hour later. I found myself talking to a nurse at the front desk of the hospital. She told me where Nigel's room was—it was room 115. I thanked her and quickly ran towards the elevator.

Twenty minutes later, I was walking on the hallway. I was now just outside his room. Then I heard something or more like someone inside.

I didn't think too much of it. I opened the door without even knocking and what I saw inside, broke my heart. Broke me. So much. Like a shattered glass, it broke me to pieces.

A girl or more of a woman was beside him. She kissed his forehead. She's beautiful, than me. Her skin was soft, unlike mine. Her hair looked soft, smooth and shiny, unlike mine that where like Bob wires. Tears we're in the corner of my eyes, I covered my mouth as I tried to silence mu cries but failed. They heard it. He heard it.

He looked at me shocked. It was clear in his eyes, the fear, shock that he was feeling. Right there, right now.

He called after me, stuttering. His voice broke as he said my name.

“C-Caite?!”

“It's not like that. You got it wrong... she's my older sister!”

I just shook my head—vigorously. I didn't want to listen. I didn't want to listen to his voice, to his lies.

I quickly ran out the door. I didn't want to see him. I didn't want to see them.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***