Opposites Attract
Secrets
Alex looked at Lily. Lilly looked at Alex. Lily and Alex were looking at each other. Lily didn't want to fall in love, but nothing in her crazy life made sense and she lost all feeling in her thumbs.
***
Alex leaned down again and Lily let her eyes flutter closed as she felt his warm breath wash over her lips. Their lips were about to touch when they heard a sound, "Lily? You lunch hour is almost up!" They jumped apart as if electrocuted just in time for the screen door to open and Lucy to walk out.
Taking one look at the un-eaten food and the two of them looking flushed, Lucy smirked before heading back inside. "You guys better get back" she said before disappearing inside, mumbling something about hormones and her wasted effort on her lawn manicuring.
Lily and Alex looked at each other, before bursting out laughing. Alex clutched Lily to his side as they walked back inside, their giggles subsiding. Neither one mentioned the kiss as they drove back to school. Awkward moment averted.
***
The bell rang after school, everyone but Lily got up and headed for the door. Lily stayed seated as continued to scribbled words. She arrived slightly late to her next class after lunch. The whole class already started writing the English test. Lily was good at English, but even she needed time to organize her analysis of Hamlet's pusedo-insanity towards Claudius.
"Lily, I know you're a good student and you haven't been late too often but it wouldn't be fair to give you extra time, you arrived late on your own fault."
"I know Mr. Kemp, I'm sorry."
"You can have 3 minutes," he said smiling.
"Thanks" she said gratefully. After a few minutes of writing, Lily finished, she handed it to the teacher and he smiled.
"Great, I expect a high score."
Lily smiled, as she picked up her bag, she hoped Lucy wasn't waiting too long for her. Leaving the classroom she was met with a strange sight. There was Alex leaning against the walk to the left of the door. There were a few people around but no major crowds, and yet this seemed like breaking the rules. He looked absolutely depressed.
"Hey, Lily, can we talk?"
Lily sighed, she really need to do some work," Alex.... I don't know,"
"Please Lily, we never got to talk at lunch, and well something happened, I need to talk to someone, I need you."
Lily, let out a huge breath of air, "Okay." She couldn't say no to him, especially when he looked like that.
***
The two of them sat on rubber swings of an empty park. Alex looked at Lily, whatever he saw in her eyes, gave him courage to speak.
"I've never brought you to me house, Lily because it is not going to well."
"What do you-"
"Please let me finish. My family well, we aren't so close right now, see something happened to my dad who was like my rock, the most amazing guy in the world, he got sick a few months ago, like really sick. We weren't sure what it was, and after some tests and MRI scans, the doctors noticed a tumor."
Lily gasped, but Alex continued to speak. "My dad, well he's very religious, and he was really accepting, and he was ready to go to a palliative care home, but we convinced him to at least try to fight it. So he lives in the hospital and after a few operations and under going any kind of treatment possible, he's still slowly dying. This tumor, this cancer," he said disgustedly. "It just won't fucking die. There isn't much the doctors can do, So instead I'll lose- my father might- he might have to-" it was then that Alex broke off with a sob, and buried his face in his hands.
Lily sat patiently, she had never seen Alex like this, so vulnerable, so sad. After a few moments he spoke again,"God, I don't know what to do, I'm helpless. Every time I visit, I have to see it eating away at him, his life, his joy. My brother and I barely talk anymore, my mom she can barely look at us. This tumor, it's tearing us apart. And I just want to fucking die, just to forget."
Lily in astonishment froze after hear his last sentence, fortunately, she quickly over came her shock . She ripped herself from the swing and kneeled in front of Alex. She gently took his hands from his face and kept them in her hands. She gazed intensely into his eyes. She spoke fiercely, each word packed with comfort.
"Alex, you listen to me, you are my best friend and I will not let this tear you up. I know you're feeling tired and broken but the last thing you need to do is lie down and let it break you. You need to be strong for your dad so he's not alone, for your mom to support her and for your brother so he knows who to look up to. It may seem hopeless now but you'll be stronger for it in the future, you got to be strong, trust me I know."
"How? How the fuck would you know?" Alex snapped, he hated this fake understanding, he thought Lily would know better.
Lily ignored his remark, she understood his anger, "I know," Lily whispered, "because my dad died from cancer, as well."
***
Alex leaned down again and Lily let her eyes flutter closed as she felt his warm breath wash over her lips. Their lips were about to touch when they heard a sound, "Lily? You lunch hour is almost up!" They jumped apart as if electrocuted just in time for the screen door to open and Lucy to walk out.
Taking one look at the un-eaten food and the two of them looking flushed, Lucy smirked before heading back inside. "You guys better get back" she said before disappearing inside, mumbling something about hormones and her wasted effort on her lawn manicuring.
Lily and Alex looked at each other, before bursting out laughing. Alex clutched Lily to his side as they walked back inside, their giggles subsiding. Neither one mentioned the kiss as they drove back to school. Awkward moment averted.
***
The bell rang after school, everyone but Lily got up and headed for the door. Lily stayed seated as continued to scribbled words. She arrived slightly late to her next class after lunch. The whole class already started writing the English test. Lily was good at English, but even she needed time to organize her analysis of Hamlet's pusedo-insanity towards Claudius.
"Lily, I know you're a good student and you haven't been late too often but it wouldn't be fair to give you extra time, you arrived late on your own fault."
"I know Mr. Kemp, I'm sorry."
"You can have 3 minutes," he said smiling.
"Thanks" she said gratefully. After a few minutes of writing, Lily finished, she handed it to the teacher and he smiled.
"Great, I expect a high score."
Lily smiled, as she picked up her bag, she hoped Lucy wasn't waiting too long for her. Leaving the classroom she was met with a strange sight. There was Alex leaning against the walk to the left of the door. There were a few people around but no major crowds, and yet this seemed like breaking the rules. He looked absolutely depressed.
"Hey, Lily, can we talk?"
Lily sighed, she really need to do some work," Alex.... I don't know,"
"Please Lily, we never got to talk at lunch, and well something happened, I need to talk to someone, I need you."
Lily, let out a huge breath of air, "Okay." She couldn't say no to him, especially when he looked like that.
***
The two of them sat on rubber swings of an empty park. Alex looked at Lily, whatever he saw in her eyes, gave him courage to speak.
"I've never brought you to me house, Lily because it is not going to well."
"What do you-"
"Please let me finish. My family well, we aren't so close right now, see something happened to my dad who was like my rock, the most amazing guy in the world, he got sick a few months ago, like really sick. We weren't sure what it was, and after some tests and MRI scans, the doctors noticed a tumor."
Lily gasped, but Alex continued to speak. "My dad, well he's very religious, and he was really accepting, and he was ready to go to a palliative care home, but we convinced him to at least try to fight it. So he lives in the hospital and after a few operations and under going any kind of treatment possible, he's still slowly dying. This tumor, this cancer," he said disgustedly. "It just won't fucking die. There isn't much the doctors can do, So instead I'll lose- my father might- he might have to-" it was then that Alex broke off with a sob, and buried his face in his hands.
Lily sat patiently, she had never seen Alex like this, so vulnerable, so sad. After a few moments he spoke again,"God, I don't know what to do, I'm helpless. Every time I visit, I have to see it eating away at him, his life, his joy. My brother and I barely talk anymore, my mom she can barely look at us. This tumor, it's tearing us apart. And I just want to fucking die, just to forget."
Lily in astonishment froze after hear his last sentence, fortunately, she quickly over came her shock . She ripped herself from the swing and kneeled in front of Alex. She gently took his hands from his face and kept them in her hands. She gazed intensely into his eyes. She spoke fiercely, each word packed with comfort.
"Alex, you listen to me, you are my best friend and I will not let this tear you up. I know you're feeling tired and broken but the last thing you need to do is lie down and let it break you. You need to be strong for your dad so he's not alone, for your mom to support her and for your brother so he knows who to look up to. It may seem hopeless now but you'll be stronger for it in the future, you got to be strong, trust me I know."
"How? How the fuck would you know?" Alex snapped, he hated this fake understanding, he thought Lily would know better.
Lily ignored his remark, she understood his anger, "I know," Lily whispered, "because my dad died from cancer, as well."