He hated these damn flowers, they look so gorgeous, mocking him. Keanu felt no motivation anymore, and the only person that bothered with him was his mom and Alex. The daffodils are covered in specks of blood.

He knew he was dying, and he's became more comfortable with the idea. But that was only sometimes, other times he felt crazy. He'd sob to himself late at nights in bed, only because he didn't want to die alone. There was moments where he wished he never introduced Ren to River, but he'd feel bad afterwards.

It's not their fault he was so dense, and didn't notice Ren. The question always lingers in his mind, did she ever cough up petals for him too? Or was he just alone in this cruel joke?

It was three weeks into the coughing did his mother find his book Mrs. Hinata gave him. He was surprised she didn't find it sooner, or that he hid his condition well.

"Is this some sort of joke?" His mother cried out, and the painful and heartbroken expression his mother held was worst. He felt so guilty about being in love, but what could he tell her?

The moment she held the book, he cough up more petals. Now, his mother is desperate to find the authors of the book.

"It's useless." He would tell his mom, but she didn't listen. She refused to give up on him, and it wasn't too long until Alex knew too.

"Are you serious?" Alex questioned so loudly, it seemed like a yell. At first the concept seemed so bizarre, but the more he stared at Keanu, he knew it had to be true. It all added up in the end. Keanu leaving randomly to the bathroom, his constant hoarse voice, and pale complexion.

And soon, Alex Winter was almost as desperate as his mother. Keanu remembers asking him why he cared.

He replied to Keanu, "You're my only real friend. These people at school? They talk to me because they see me five days a week. But that's it. You? You're family."

To know at least his family and Alex cared about him, he wondered if he was still worth dying for Ren Fujioka. He also wondered if she really did ever cough up the same bloody petals as he was doing at the moment.

Sometimes Keanu was comfortable with death, other times he wasn't. He wasn't too sure whether he'd be saved, but he didn't want to crush his mother's hopes. He's been selfish enough, especially after wishing River never met Ren.

"I wonder if people will miss me when I'm dead? Will people sprout out bullshit at school, like, 'oh, he was such a good kid!'?" Keanu whispered to himself, staring down at the toilet bowl in his bathroom. The petals were such a vibrant and bloody red, as they floated and mocked him.

Either way, he'd probably say "fuck you, poser!" at these people from above. None of these people were his friends other than Alex. He wasn't too sure about what River and Ren were anymore.

Stupid flowers and most importantly, stupid love.

"Should we talk to him?" Ren asked, peering at River's face as they laid next to each other.

"We should." He murmured back, running his index finger against Ren's soft face. He was so damn lucky because Ren was his. Not in a faux way, but they were really an item. The concept still makes him feel butterflies.

But River's mind drifts off, and he thinks about Keanu. Keanu was his best friend, he still is, yet they haven't talked to each other.

"He tried talking to me, River." Ren revealed a moment later, before adding on, "But I always avoided him. Stupid right? I wanted his attention, and now that I have it, all I do is turn away."

River frowned, "He looks sick, Ren. He should've seen him in the bathroom, Keanu sounded like he was coughing up a lung."

Ren didn't know what to say. She cared for Keanu deeply, but she didn't know if she loved him anymore. In fact, she wasn't too sure if she loved him to begin with. Perhaps Ren mixed platonic love with romantic love, and she only realized this now.

She thinks she loves River though.

"Do you think he's dying?" Ren asked a moment later, feeling anxiety creep up and surround her.

"I hope not. Wouldn't he tell us? But then again, we did a shitty job of telling him we were dating." River mentioned, feeling a tiny sprinkle of guilt in his heart. Keanu didn't look too good.

"I'm not sure, but we should've told him together. My mom shouldn't had been the one to break the news." Ren replied, thinking back at the moment she shared with Keanu on the couch.

"Yeah, I agree. We should've handled that better, huh? We should stop by tomorrow, see how he's doing." River suggested, playing with the dark locks of Ren's soft hair. He loved their moments like this, just talking and being in each other's embrace.

Ren was desperate for Keanu's attention and affections, but she regained it, it wasn't the same anymore. She spent more time with River, which made sense, he was her boyfriend.

But maybe she should've still tried harder to hangout with Keanu.

"I still can't believe Jennifer is going out with Neve now." Ren mumbled, thinking about the two girls holding hands down the hallway. She wondered how Keanu felt about that or if he needed someone.

She felt bad for not being there. Why did she turn the tables? Ren knew how it felt to be ignored, and yet she did the same thing to Keanu in the end. Ren didn't mean to ignore, but it was so easy getting caught up with River.

Damn, when did she turn into a hypocrite?

"I knew they wouldn't had last." River answered back, feeling the same sprinkle of guilt. But he looked a Ren, and felt a bit better.

He loved her and the small moments they shared together. River was glad she was his and he was hers. He wouldn't had have it any other way.

Author's Note:
I apologize for any grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. I'm also sorry that this chapter is horrid, but I needed to vent and write this. Also, prepare for chapter ten because it will wreck you!