❝ She's a mess of gorgeous chaos, and you can see it in her eyes. ❞

-

Hiding the truth isn't always easy. It does not necessarily goes as planned. Taking the fact in consideration that Ethan has known Aira practically his whole life, makes the hiding thing impossible for her. They can read each other without the need of any explanation by the other - just like an open book.

This leaves with ultimately no secrets between them but Aira was successful in masking something she needed to. But not until now, when he stood in front of her holding the white envelope which held her secret safely. Tears trickled down her face as she realised he knows what is happening. He was holding onto the secret she thought she could be capable of keeping and now all she could do was be afraid — afraid of rejection, afraid to be left alone.

The white envelope contained her medical reports. Something she was scared to show Ethan. She knew he would see them and she also knew he would leave her.

Bone cancer.

The envelope had her health reports which stated in bold letters that she was suffering from osteosarcoma — a common type of bone cancer which is in it's malignant state of stage three. Her survival chances are less. She will be suffering. He will have to see her suffer and that's the part that killed him a bit from inside.

No one wants to see anybody suffering, specially people they truly love. You'll have to be a sadistic devil to enjoy someone suffer to the point they lose their hopes.

"What are the chances of your survival?" The silence was broken by him as he asked the question which was stuck in his mind the moment he read her reports.

"Less," she replied in a monotone, wishing he would have never found out about that ugly report.

"Why aren't you taking chemotherapy? Why didn't you tell me about all this?" He ran his hand through his hair and let out a frustrated sigh. He was beyond frustrated, not exactly knowing why at the first place. Maybe frustrated with the fact that she hid such a serious health condition or the fact that he failed to read her.

"Do you think I'm stupid enough to not take something that gives me hope of survival?" She replied being sarcastic, "Of course I do take my chemotherapies. In fact I've been taking them since the past one month, but looks like nothing works or maybe nothing will ever work."

With that, she felt her heart break. She finally stood there in front of him with no secrets to hold. Running away from problems is easy so everyone tends to choose that, but actually facing those are harder than it seems. Confessing wasn't the toughest part of it though, what was the most feared part was him leaving her alone. She knew he wouldn't do anything like that but her insecurity got the most in her. She feared he would leave her after knowing she didn't have enough time for him — for herself.

"You can leave if you wish to, I'm not going to hold onto you and make you suffer with me." Her words came out with no emotions attached to them, but only she knew how difficult it was for her to not show them at the moment.

His eyebrows furrowed and anger replaced the frustration and sadness, "What do you mean by that? Leave you? That's not why I chose to be your friend, to leave you when you need support. Leaving you was not why I promised to be there for you till I exist."

♡

"You promise you'll be there for me when I need help in my mathematics homework?" Aira fluttered her eyes as she innocently stared at the eight year old math geek in front of her.

"I promise. I love maths." Ethan spoke as he adjusted his bulky square shaped black frame spectacles which gave him the perfect nerdy look.

"You're such a math freak." She rolled her eyes at his studious nature.

"Whatever. Remember this math freak is helping you to get good grades, you idiot!" He stated as her cheeks held the pink tint of embarrassment that reminded her of how bad she is at studies.

A sudden thought passed in her head that made her teary eyes and she stared at him on the verge of crying, "Ethan? What if you leave me after helping me in studies? I can't lose you."

His eyes darted towards her as he let out a small chuckle, "I'll never leave you, stupid! I'll promise to be there for you."

Her frown turned into a bright smile, "Really? You promise?"

"I promise to be there for you till I exist."

♡

A fit of laughter escaped through her mouth as she wiped tears from her eyes. These tears showed joy - joy of him remembering the childish promise they made which made her stomach flutter realising he cared.

"That was for a stupid math homework. This is different. Will you stay with me in the lowest point of my life? Are you willing to be there to support me while I'm dying a bit daily?" Her voice sounded plain, void any emotions. She was dead serious and she needed something to cure her insecurities.

Nodding his head positively, his lips curved in a beautiful smile "I promise. Till I exist."

She grinned as soon as those words slip through his mouth. She needed no more reassurance now. She found a kind of strength - a strength to fight. Wiping her remaining tears, she ran straight into his arms and gave him one of the tightest hugs to ever exist as he held her like she was his prized possession.

In that moment he realised she was such a mess - a mess of gorgeous chaos - and he was ready to do anything for that girl in his arms.

-

Author's Note:

I'm neither a doctor nor a medical student, so please do forgive me if I make any kind of mistake related to the medical terms addressed in future.