If I Die Young
Chapter 4
*Brian’s P.O.V.*
“Where’s Sophy?” I asked Dad a bit later. I haven’t seen her for a while and was wondering where she ran off to.
“She went to bed, I thought she told you guys she was heading up,” he said, frowning.
I shook my head. “She just randomly disappeared.”
“Well, she was pretty tired.”
I gave him a confused look as I checked my phone for the time. “It’s barely going to be nine. She always stays up late with us>“
There was something in his eyes that told me he was holding something back from me. “I’m sure she’ll be up early and ready to hang out with you guys tomorrow.”
“Dad… What’s going on?” I asked quietly, keeping my eyes focused on his.
He sighed, looking at the ground. “She doesn’t want me saying anything, Brian. I’m sure she’ll tell you in her own time.”
I was beginning to get worried. “What aren’t you telling me?”
He hesitated, before caving in. “You might want to sit down.” Just by him saying that and the grim look on his face, I knew this was bad.
After Dad finished explaining everything to me, I felt hurt and betrayed that I wasn’t informed my sister had cancer. But, most of all, I was worried sick. Who knew if the cancer would come back or not? Who knew if she’d be able to fight off the disease if it did come back. Who knew?
I snuck up to her room after I let the news sink in. Seeing her sleep so peacefully made me wonder how she went through all of that pain just recently. It made me feel guilty that I wasn’t here for her during that time. Sure, I didn’t know, but I still felt guilty.
I stroked her now short hair as I tried to figure out how we were going to deal with this. I was sure she had already started to adapt to the situation, but she was going to be treated like a glass doll once everyone else found out. Of course she wasn’t going to like that one bit.
“Oh, my little Sophy. Why did you keep this from me?” I murmured, kissing her forehead and heading back down stairs.
*Sophia’s P.O.V.*
“I woke up the next morning and didn’t really feel like getting out of bed. My body was achy and tired, bit I knew they weren’t going to let me sleep all day.
When I got down stairs, everyone was already up and about to get breakfast. Mom was busy at work making breakfast. I knew she was happy to have full use of her kitchen again. These guys were like black holes when it came to their stomachs.
“Hey, Soph! You better grab a plate before these bottomless pits eat everything,” Val said, handing me a plate.
Before I could do anything else, I was being pulled into a hug. “I love you so much,” Brian whispered into my hair.
“I love you, too,” I said, confused. When I pulled away, it looked like he was about to cry. “Why are you-” I stopped myself, realizing he knew. “Who told you?”
“Dad.”
I knew I couldn’t be mad at him for telling Brian. It was going to come out sooner or later. I’m just glad I wasn’t the person to have to tell him.
“Please don’t walk on egg shells around me now. I’m still the same person, just a few minor different things.”
“What are we whispering about over here?” Jimmy asked, sliding across the counter to us.
“James! What have I told you about that?” Mom scolded, waving her spatula at him.
“Sorry, Suzy,” he said, smiling impishly, before getting down. “So? What are we talking about?”
“Just what we’re going to do today,” Brian said, shrugging.
Jimmy gave him a blank look, obviously knowing he was lying. That man always knew when someone was lying. It was kind of cool, but creepy at the same time.
“Fine, don’t tell me, I see how you are.”
Brian and I both rolled our eyes as our tall friend sulked away. We knew he would be fine in less than a few seconds.
“What do you want to eat, Missy?” Brian asked, leading me to the plates piled with food.
By the time we were done with breakfast, I was ready for a nap. Too much food, not enough room…
“You guys wanna have a beach day?” Johnny asked, and Mom gave him a stern look. “Not that kind of beach day, Suzy,” he said, laughing slightly.
“A beach day sounds good,” Matt said, agreeing with him.
“Gives us a chance to get the ghost over there tan again,” Johnny said, nodding towards me. I glared at him and he just laughed.
“Yeah, well, while we’re at that, we can always pot you in some soil and see if you’ll grow a bit more! The sunshine and a little water should do you some good, too” I threw back, smirking as everyone laughed.
“She’s gotten even more feisty,” he pouted, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Gotta love our Sophy,” Jimmy laughed, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
When they said laughter was the best medicine, they were so right. It was good to have the guys home again…
“Where’s Sophy?” I asked Dad a bit later. I haven’t seen her for a while and was wondering where she ran off to.
“She went to bed, I thought she told you guys she was heading up,” he said, frowning.
I shook my head. “She just randomly disappeared.”
“Well, she was pretty tired.”
I gave him a confused look as I checked my phone for the time. “It’s barely going to be nine. She always stays up late with us>“
There was something in his eyes that told me he was holding something back from me. “I’m sure she’ll be up early and ready to hang out with you guys tomorrow.”
“Dad… What’s going on?” I asked quietly, keeping my eyes focused on his.
He sighed, looking at the ground. “She doesn’t want me saying anything, Brian. I’m sure she’ll tell you in her own time.”
I was beginning to get worried. “What aren’t you telling me?”
He hesitated, before caving in. “You might want to sit down.” Just by him saying that and the grim look on his face, I knew this was bad.
After Dad finished explaining everything to me, I felt hurt and betrayed that I wasn’t informed my sister had cancer. But, most of all, I was worried sick. Who knew if the cancer would come back or not? Who knew if she’d be able to fight off the disease if it did come back. Who knew?
I snuck up to her room after I let the news sink in. Seeing her sleep so peacefully made me wonder how she went through all of that pain just recently. It made me feel guilty that I wasn’t here for her during that time. Sure, I didn’t know, but I still felt guilty.
I stroked her now short hair as I tried to figure out how we were going to deal with this. I was sure she had already started to adapt to the situation, but she was going to be treated like a glass doll once everyone else found out. Of course she wasn’t going to like that one bit.
“Oh, my little Sophy. Why did you keep this from me?” I murmured, kissing her forehead and heading back down stairs.
*Sophia’s P.O.V.*
“I woke up the next morning and didn’t really feel like getting out of bed. My body was achy and tired, bit I knew they weren’t going to let me sleep all day.
When I got down stairs, everyone was already up and about to get breakfast. Mom was busy at work making breakfast. I knew she was happy to have full use of her kitchen again. These guys were like black holes when it came to their stomachs.
“Hey, Soph! You better grab a plate before these bottomless pits eat everything,” Val said, handing me a plate.
Before I could do anything else, I was being pulled into a hug. “I love you so much,” Brian whispered into my hair.
“I love you, too,” I said, confused. When I pulled away, it looked like he was about to cry. “Why are you-” I stopped myself, realizing he knew. “Who told you?”
“Dad.”
I knew I couldn’t be mad at him for telling Brian. It was going to come out sooner or later. I’m just glad I wasn’t the person to have to tell him.
“Please don’t walk on egg shells around me now. I’m still the same person, just a few minor different things.”
“What are we whispering about over here?” Jimmy asked, sliding across the counter to us.
“James! What have I told you about that?” Mom scolded, waving her spatula at him.
“Sorry, Suzy,” he said, smiling impishly, before getting down. “So? What are we talking about?”
“Just what we’re going to do today,” Brian said, shrugging.
Jimmy gave him a blank look, obviously knowing he was lying. That man always knew when someone was lying. It was kind of cool, but creepy at the same time.
“Fine, don’t tell me, I see how you are.”
Brian and I both rolled our eyes as our tall friend sulked away. We knew he would be fine in less than a few seconds.
“What do you want to eat, Missy?” Brian asked, leading me to the plates piled with food.
By the time we were done with breakfast, I was ready for a nap. Too much food, not enough room…
“You guys wanna have a beach day?” Johnny asked, and Mom gave him a stern look. “Not that kind of beach day, Suzy,” he said, laughing slightly.
“A beach day sounds good,” Matt said, agreeing with him.
“Gives us a chance to get the ghost over there tan again,” Johnny said, nodding towards me. I glared at him and he just laughed.
“Yeah, well, while we’re at that, we can always pot you in some soil and see if you’ll grow a bit more! The sunshine and a little water should do you some good, too” I threw back, smirking as everyone laughed.
“She’s gotten even more feisty,” he pouted, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Gotta love our Sophy,” Jimmy laughed, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
When they said laughter was the best medicine, they were so right. It was good to have the guys home again…