Downpour

I woke up to Baylin sliding into my bed with me. My words came out slurred since I was half asleep, "Are you okay, Bay?" I heard her muttered a 'yes' as she clung to me. I looked over at my alarm clock, it was ten in the morning. Why was she up so early? Usually, Baylin doesn't wake up until twelve in the afternoon. Any later? The person waking her up better watch their back, or she'll snap. I hugged my best friend then asked her what she wanted. " I just wanted a hug is all. We should go to the mall or beach and take pictures or something. Now, get up." She said as she moved my hair out of my face and got off my bed.

I stretched once more, grabbed clothes, and went to my shower. After I got out, I put on a white and blue floral sundress, blow-dried my hair, and put my make up on. It didn't take me that long to get ready, Baylin, on the other hand, was ready to go. I could tell by her needingly knocking on my door about a thousand times. She did this whenever we had to go to work too. We both worked at a diner as waitresses. We made pretty good tips and everyone there was really friendly.

We used Baylin's old camera as we took pictures of us on the beach together. Despite the light, the flash was still going. Picture, after picture, after picture, photos were being taken with her camera. It hurt my eyes after awhile. It was a film camera, so we couldn't look at the photos and tell if it was a good one or bad one. "You know what? I know it's your camera and all, but I want Tayden to come over and take pictures with us, do you think he'll come? " I fiddled with Baylin's camera as I took a picture of her smiling. As soon as I mentioned him coming over though, her smile had fallen. "What's wrong?" I asked as I lowered the camera.

"I was really hoping it was just going to be a girl's day, you know? Tayden's always over." Her eyes fell to the sand. "It's okay, it was just a suggestion. We can watch movies again too, if you want." Baylin nodded her head in approval, "Let's build a sand castle."

After making an awful sandcastle that probably should have been made by children, we put our thumbs up and snapped a photo of us and the sandcastle. "I bet that's going to be the best one yet." Baylin wiped the sand off her hands and asked for the camera and took a shot of me as I was looking towards the ocean. "Hey, that's not fair, I wasn't ready." I whined as I waved my hands in front of the camera.

"All great photos are unexpected ones." She replied as she angled the camera at me. "Who said that?"

"No one, I just made it up. Now growl at me!" I laughed as she took the picture without me growling. "You're unbelievable, you know that?" She nodded her head and continued taking photos.



It was getting dark outside so we headed for the house. Home was about a mile away. That's not far for us though, we've walked further.

The sand was still warm as we continued on our journey home. I liked the way it felt between my toes. Warm, soft, yet grainy. " I think we should do this more often." I told Baylin as I kicked up some sand. "I'm glad you're my best friend, and I'm happy that we live together."

"Awe, don't get soft on me now. We haven't even watched the gushy, girly, sad movies yet!" Baylin nudged me in the arm, "I love you and I'm glad we live together too." She linked arms with mine and we walked a little slower. Hearing the ocean crash against the shore was relaxing, it helped us clear our heads.

During the summer time, before we moved in, we'd stay here together and just go on walks at night. Just to listen to the ocean. We really opened up to each other on nights like these. That's how we know each other so well. What is said on the beach, stays on the beach.

We were almost home when I started to get dizzy. I didn't think much of it because I could still walk. But as I kept walking, I kept walking slower, then sideways, and grabbed ahold of Baylin's arm. "Rain? Rain?!" Was all I heard before blackness consumed me.


As I opened my eyes, it didn't register where I was. I heard beeping and snoring. The beeping was me and the snoring was Tayden in a chair. A hospital chair. I sat up and looked around the rest of the room. Baylin was sleeping on the chair which was right next to the hospital bed. Not a few feet away from the hospital bed like Tayden. Right next to it. Her fingers were laced with mine and her head was laying on the bed that I was in. I rather be on the beach than in this hospital. It smells of sanitizer, death, and awful food.

I shifted in the bed, causing Baylin's eyes to open. As she saw me, her eyes opened wider and wider. She hopped on the bed and hugged my face. "Oh my God, Tayden, she's awake!" With this, Tayden's eyes opened too and he rushed towards me. "What the hell, guys?" I tried to move my face from Baylin's grasp. You could tell she had been crying, her makeup was smeared. She was also in the outfit that she was wearing when we went to the beach.

"You had a seizure." Baylin said as she let go. I looked at Tayden and he nodded his head at me. The doctor walked into the room as Baylin said this and lowered her glasses. "Hello, Rain." I nodded at the doctor. I looked over at Tayden and motioned with my eyes to take Baylin out of the room.

"I don't want to leave, she just woke up." Baylin frowned as Tayden took her by the arm, gently. "You also haven't ate yet, I'm sure. I'll still be here when you come back, I promise. If not, I'll probably find you instead." Baylin frowned even more, if it was even possibly, then left the room with Tayden.

"I hate to be the bear of bad news, but I'm sure you know what I'm going to tell you, right, Rain?" I nodded my head again at Dr. Grissom. She was a short, thin woman with blond hair up in a bun. She looked like she has even gone home yet to sleep.

She removed her glasses from her face. She gave me a look as if she almost felt sorry for me. That's when I felt my heart from to my stomach. If that was even truly possibly, I'd be dead. But none of that matter to me right now. What mattered to me is what was going to come out of her mouth next.

"Have your headaches been getting worse?" I shrugged my arms, still waiting for her to say it. She kept stalling, telling me things that I already knew. I tuned her out. I just wanted to hear the main thing that she was going to tell me. That one, little thing. And that's when I heard it. The main, bold word. Cancer.

The beginning of summer, I was diagnosed with brain cancer. There was a tumor on my brain and they could remove it, but there was an extremely high chance that it would grow back. My parents were devastated. The only people who know are my parents, and Tayden. I had my parents keep the secret. I told them if they didn't, I would off myself sooner than I was supposed to die. The doctor, Dr. Grissom, gave me two years, tops. Tayden became more protective then before, always visting and making sure I took my medication.

The medication was just for the pain of it, the chronic migraines. Tayden would even visit me at work and see how I was doing. He'd buy food, sit at a booth, and eat all by himself. He would specifically ask for me or Baylin. He was like a guardian angel, always watching over me.

None of that is important, what's important is how I was going to fix this. Maybe I'll get surgery and have it removed, even though there's a chance it'd come back eventually or chemotherapy. At least I'd have longer with my best friend, and my family. Hell, I don't even have a boyfriend, I haven't in so long. I don't want to die all alone.

"I'll get surgery now. I'll get it removed. I just moved in with my friend, I need more time. I need more time with her and my family."

The doctor sighed and sat on my bed while placing a hand on my knee. "Rain, the only thing that we could do right now is have you start chemotherapy. That will slow down the process. But the cancer is going to stay, I'm sorry."

I stared at the wall with a blank expression on my face. You think they'd color the walls and try to make people think about happy thoughts, like sunshine. Why white? White like ghosts? Come on!

I wasn't going to cry. Not in front of her. I didn't want her feeling sorry for me. I didn't want her pity. She's not sorry. She deals with hundreds of patients like me a week, maybe even in one day. I'm not any different. She has to say sorry. She can't say 'Well, this is what's going to happen and that's that. Sucks for you, dude.'

Trying to fight them back as best as I could, one fell down my cheek. "I will have to talk to my parents about it. Thank you." Dr. Grissom got up, "If you have any questions, please notify me. I'm going to do my best to try to help, Rain. I really am. " I scoffed, "I'm sure." She left the room and shut the door. I wiped the single tear from my face and gained composure.

When Tayden and Baylin walk back in, I will tell them a lie. The lie will be fool proof and they will believe it. They have to...I have to...