Lara couldn't concentrate. Not on her assignments, not on her classes—nothing mattered anymore. The only thing that consumed her thoughts was Christine. It wasn't just jealousy; it was a gnawing, incessant need to keep Christine close, to remind her who she truly belonged to. Whenever Christine posted pictures with her new college friends or laughed in another world, it drove Lara mad. It should’ve been her by Christine’s side, sharing those moments, holding her attention.

Lara was losing grip on everything that mattered. Her studies had taken a backseat, and every spare second was spent scrolling through Christine's Instagram, looking for something—anything—to remind herself that Christine still cared. She texted Christine constantly, seeking attention, wanting her to respond instantly. But it was becoming more difficult to get through. Christine was busy. College was demanding, especially now that Christine was preparing for her exams in three months.

Christine had thrown herself into her studies. Recently, her department conducted an activity, and she and Robert had taken the responsibility to manage it. The program had been a huge success, with their efforts acknowledged by professors and peers alike. Christine and Robert were seen everywhere together—studying, laughing, bickering like old friends. They spent hours together, their cute banter turning heads across the campus. With Robert's popularity, it was no surprise when their photos began circulating all over university student pages, their camaraderie turning them into the trending "rumored couple."

Lara stumbled upon one such post while mindlessly scrolling through Instagram. There, on the screen, was Christine, laughing with Robert, her face glowing with happiness. They were tagged together—'Christine and Robert, the iconic duo!' The caption and the comments made Lara see red.

That should be me. Christine is mine, and only mine.

Without thinking, Lara fired off a string of texts to Christine.

"What's going on with you and Robert? You don't care about me anymore, do you? Am I not important to you anymore? Stop hanging out with him. I don’t like him, and I don’t like the way he looks at you!"

Christine, already overwhelmed with assignments, couldn't take it anymore. Her fingers flew across the screen, replying in anger.

"Lara, I can't deal with this right now! Robert is my friend, and you need to stop telling me who I can and can't hang out with. You're being unreasonable!"

After that fight, the silence that followed felt even heavier than the words they had exchanged. For weeks, there were no texts, no calls. Christine was buried in assignments, and Lara, though still obsessed, held back her usual barrage of messages. But the quiet was unbearable.

Then, two weeks later, Christine was finalizing the script for her podcast when her phone buzzed. It was a message from Lara.

"You don’t care about me anymore. No one wants me in their life. Even you don’t want me around. Be happy. God answered your prayers. You only have to bear me for 6 more months... or maybe even less."

Christine’s heart skipped a beat. Fear surged through her as she immediately dialed Lara’s number. After what felt like an eternity, Lara picked up on the seventh ring.

"Hey, Lara? Are you fine? What happened?" Christine's voice was laced with panic.

"Oh, finally you remembered me, Kay. I don't need your fake concern," Lara replied bitterly.

"Lara, what are you talking about? Please, just tell me what’s going on."

Lara’s voice dropped, and Christine could hear the bitterness turn into something darker, something more real. "I didn’t want to tell you this way, but whatever. I've got last-stage blood cancer, Kay. Six months. That’s what they gave me. Maybe less."

Christine's world froze. Her heartbeat quickened. "What? Lara, no… What are you saying? How is this even possible?"

"I went to the doctor last month. I kept it to myself because what’s the point? My body’s too weak for chemotherapy, and there’s no donor for a bone marrow transplant. My parents are gone, and I don’t have any biological siblings. So, yeah... six months, maybe less."

Christine’s heart shattered. She could barely process Lara’s words, her mind going numb from the overwhelming shock. The anger, the jealousy—it all dissolved in an instant. All that was left was a gut-wrenching fear of losing her best friend.

"Lara... I can’t... I can’t lose you," Christine's voice broke, but she tried to hold it together, tried to sound strong for Lara’s sake. "There must be something we can do, some treatment or option. Don’t give up like this. I won’t let you go through this alone, okay? I’m going to be there for you, every step of the way."

"Right," Lara muttered, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Now you care."

"No, Lara, don’t say that. I do care. I’ve always cared, you are my best friend." Christine’s words came out desperately, as if trying to convince not just Lara but herself that she could somehow make this right. "Please, just... just don’t give up. We’ll fight this together."

"Whatever, Kay. I’ve heard enough for today." Lara hung up without another word.

Christine stared at her phone in disbelief. She felt paralyzed, her hands trembling. When reality hit, the weight of everything crashed down on her. She tossed her phone to the side and slumped onto her bed. Hot tears poured down her cheeks. She tried to stifle her sobs, but the anguish was too much to bear.

"I can’t lose her. I won’t."

Her mind raced. She knew Lara was in pain, and she had been so wrapped up in her own world that she hadn't realized how deep it ran. But now that she knew, she couldn’t stand by.

I’ll make sure she never feels lonely. I’ll be her support system, no matter what. I’ll make her happy... somehow.

Determined but devastated, Christine cried herself to sleep, her cheeks still stained with tears. The thought of Lara’s words haunted her dreams.