Chapter 5

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It's been a week, since Nigel saw Caite. Two weeks of not seeing each other, no calls, no text, no anything.

Caite was in her room, it was a Sunday morning, faint tear stains we're visible on her pale cheeks. She checked her phone from her study table, opening it to see... nothing.

No calls. No text. No anything from Nigel.

She closed her eyes as tears spilled once, again. She hugged herself, crying silently.

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Nigel POV

It's been a week, since I saw Caite. I didn't call. I was scared. But, it hurt. It was agony, two weeks of not seeing each other, no calls, no text, no anything.

That's right. I'm a coward. I can't even try to defend myself. I can't even try to prove myself. I... I... won't be able to see her, anymore.

Suddenly, my sister tapped on the shoulder.

“You didn't tell me who she really was, Nigel”

I sighed. I knew this was coming. But, not this quickly. Not so soon.

“She's... she's Caite. The girl I like... My girlfriend.”

She looked at me, sadly.

“She must, be awfully worried about you... Nigel, why didn't you tell you had a girlfriend? Or you really weren't going to tell me...”

I shook my head. It's not like that. I really, badly wanted my sister to meet the girl I love.

“It's not like that. I was planning to, I really am. It's just... it was supposed to be at our family dinner, but, I guess fate has other plans...”

She gripped my hand.

“I'm sorry, now... Fate really is cruel. But, you shouldn't let it stop you from being with Caite. Fight for her, Nigel. Like you do with this sickness of yours.”

She gave me a reassuring smile. I smiled back. She's right. My sisters right. I shouldn't let this stupid sickness of mine bring me down. I have to fight for Caite.

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Caite POV

I was still crying, silently. I don't know how long I've been crying, it hurts. It really hurts. I couldn't let it go, she's beautiful unlike me.

‘I just can't believe Nigel would do this to me. He only told me once, he loved me... now, it's like this. Was he just playing with me!’

Suddenly, my phone rang. I didn't want to answer but then, I saw it was Anita calling.

“Hello?”

“Caite?! Where are you?! It's been two weeks! What's wrong with you and Nigel?! Shane won't freakin' tell me anything!!”

“I... I... saw him, with another girl at a hospital Anita. He's just playing with me”

“Wait! Hold up, a girl?! He's with a girl at a hospital?!”

I hummed, too tired to answer. Suddenly, she burst out laughing at me.

My eyebrows knitted in confusion, annoyance and embarrassment.

‘What is she laughing at?!’

“Anita!! Why are you laughing?! It's not funny. Nigel's with another girl and I'm crying here!! You're best friend is crying here!!”

“I'm sorry!... I'm sorry! It's just funny, how you haven't met his sister yet.”

“How is that funny?! Wait! Did you just say his sister?!”

She hummed from the other line. I am so stupid. I am definitely so stupid. I face palmed myself, I can't believe I mistook his sister as his other girl.

‘Seriously, Caite?! What is wrong with you?!’

Anita told me a few more things. Like how Nigel's sister was nice, understanding and supportive when it comes to what Nigel wants and needs.

I just can't believe I haven't met his sister yet. But, more importantly, our meeting is so not good.

‘I mean, like seriously, we met at a hospital. I mistook his sister as his other girl. so stupid of me!!’

Anita hanged up the call. I stood up and went to the bathroom, I'm going to see him today. I'm going to fix this. Fix us.

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Hospital

Nigel POV

His thin pale fingers folded the paper crane again and again, transforming the ordinary scrap into a beautiful crane. He smiled down at the newly finished bird and set it to the side with the others before picking up another piece of paper and starting once, again.

A small sigh escaped his lips as he continued the tedious task, with only one goal in mind: his wish. Legends dating as fast as time itself said that if you could fold a thousand cranes, you could get one wish from the Gods.

His wish was to live. To live this he got old, so he could spend the rest of his life with his family and the girl he loves.

“Aren't you too old for that?”

A soft sweet voice called out, from his hospital door. He knew who it belonged to. Very much.

He stopped in his tracks, he slowly gulped and looked at the door. There she was. Leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed on her front.

“C-Caite?!”

She smiled sweetly, loving at him. Only to him. She sat beside him on the hospital bed and gripped his fingers.

“I'm sorry, Nigel. I should've listened to your explanation instead. I shouldn't have run away like that. I'm really sorry, Nigel. I love you”

She had tears on the brink of her eyes. I wiped them away, as they tried to escape her eyes.

“I'm sorry too... it's not your fault. It's mine, I didn't tell you about my sister...”

Caite shook her head. Now, fully crying.

“I'm not mad at you. Just dissapointed that you didn't tell me you had a sister... And, last week, I mistook her as you're other girl”

Caite giggled but then her expression changed. It was sad. So sad.

“Why didn't you tell me about your sickness?”

I fell silent. I was stunned by the question she asked me. I don't want to tell her, why. I didn't want to break her. So much.

But, I can't escape it. I won't ran away anymore. I'll face it. For my sister. For my friends. For me. For Caite. For us.

“I... I didn't want to break you. I thought I could fight this. I knew I could... But, it keeps getting worse, Caite.”

Caite looked at me, she was sad. So sad. I wiped her tears away.

“I won't say don't worry. Because, it's hard not to. Instead, I'll say I'll fight this sickness of mine. For you, for us. I'll survive this, I promise.”

“You promise?”

I nodded my head and kissed her forehead. She was warm. So warm.

“I promise.”

Caite hummed as she rested her head against mine.

“Nigel...”

“Hmm.. What is it?”

“Promise me, you'll survive this, alright.”

“I already did, baby”

“No. Not like that. Promise me, seal with a kiss.”

I smiled at her cuteness. I couldn't help but laugh, but, it was what I wanted. I have always wanted.

I cupped her cheeks as she looked at me.

“Caite Falchion, I promise you that I'll fight this sickness of mine. For us. For our future.”

Caite smiled at me. Sweetly. The sweetest smile I've ever seen. I leaned closer as our lips met.

I sealed my promise with a kiss. A kiss I've been wanting to have with her. It may not have been romantic, the way I wanted her to have it. But, it was worth it. It was all worth it.

“Alright. Lovebirds, are you done now?”

We quickly broke apart. Standing by the door we're Anita, Shane, and my sister Rein.

“It's a good you two made up, now…”

I smiled at my sister. She's really supportive.

“Caite, she's Rein. My older sister.”

I introduced Caite to my sister and quickly they became friends. It really was hilarious and embarrassing to be mistaken as another girl. But, at least all is well, now.

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Caite POV

I'm here now. Standing outside the hospital building where Nigel is. Anita also told me about his sickness. It was leukemia. She found out about it from Shane—through his drunken state, he accidentally spilled it out.

I'm not mad at him, though just dissapointed. I'm sure he had his reasons of not telling me.

I breathe a sigh as I entered the hospital. I walked towards the front desk and asked the female nurse where Nigel's room was.

She pointed towards a direction and I thanked her. I walked away and followed the directions she gave me.

Now, here I am again. Standing outside his door. But, it was different now. I'm going to fix this. Fix us.

I slowly opened the door. And, there he was, sitting on his hospital bed, carefully folding a piece of paper into a crane. His making a thousand paper cranes.

The legend which said could grant one wish if you could fold a thousand paper cranes.

His thin pale fingers folded the paper crane again and again, transforming the ordinary scrap into a beautiful crane. He smiled down at the newly finished bird and set it to the side with the others before picking up another piece of paper and starting once, again.

A small sigh escaped his lips as he continued the tedious task, with only one goal in mind: his wish. Legends dating as fast as time itself said that if you could fold a thousand cranes, you could get one wish from the Gods.

“Aren't you too old for that?”

He stopped in his tracks, he slowly gulped and looked at the door. He saw me. I was leaning against the door frame with my arms crossed on my front.

“C-Caite?!”

I smiled sweetly, loving at him. Only to him. I sat down beside him on the hospital bed and gripped his fingers.

“I'm sorry, Nigel. I should've listened to your explanation instead. I shouldn't have run away like that. I'm really sorry, Nigel. I love you”

Tears we're on the brink of my eyes. He wiped them away, as they tried to escape my eyes.

“I'm sorry too... it's not your fault. It's mine, I didn't tell you about my sister...”

I shook my head. Now, fully crying.

“I'm not mad at you. Just dissapointed that you didn't tell me you had a sister... And, last week, I mistook her as you're other girl”

I giggled but then my expression changed. It was sad. So sad.

“Why didn't you tell me about your sickness?”

Nigel fell silent. He was stunned by the question I asked him. I want to know the answer. I really want to. So much.

“I... I didn't want to break you. I thought I could fight this. I knew I could... But, it keeps getting worse, Caite.”

I looked at him, sad. So sad. Nigel wiped my tears away.

“I won't say don't worry. Because, it's hard not to. Instead, I'll say I'll fight this sickness of mine. For you, for us. I'll survive this, I promise.”

“You promise?”

Nigel nodded his head and kissed mu forehead. He was lukewarm. So much.

“I promise.”

I hummed as I rested my head against his.

“Nigel...”

“Hmm.. What is it?”

“Promise me, you'll survive this, alright.”

“I already did, baby”

“No. Not like that. Promise me, seal with a kiss.”

He smiled at me. He couldn't help but laugh, but, it was what I wanted. I have always wanted.

Nigel cupped my cheeks as I looked at him.

“Caite Falchion, I promise you that I'll fight this sickness of mine. For us. For our future.”

I smiled at him. Sweetly. The sweetest smile I've ever smiled. He leaned closer as our lips met.

Nigel sealed his promise with a kiss. A kiss I've been wanting to have with him. It may not have been romantic, the way I wanted to have it. But, it was worth it. It was all worth it.

“Alright. Lovebirds, are you done now?”

We quickly broke apart. Standing by the door we're Anita, Shane, and my sister Rein.

“It's a good you two made up, now…”

I smiled at them.

“Caite, she's Rein. My older sister.”

Nigel introduced me to his sister and quickly we became friends. It really was hilarious and embarrassing to be mistaken as another girl. But, at least all is well, now.

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