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"Being rich isn't about how much you have... It's about how much you give."

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SORROW HUNG IN the atmosphere like heavy veins in a rainforest. Everywhere they went, it felt like the world was still and grey, not accepting any light or happiness into it.

Wilford... he was too late. Too stubborn. Too thickheaded.

Five months later, and... the doctors said it had already gone into its worse stage.

It, you ask?

It was the same disease Ana lost her love to...

Oh, the dreaded, dreaded cancer. The demon that sucked the souls of millions.

And now poor, innocent and upbeat little Wilford was no more. His voice didn't have that slur to it; the spring in his step had faltered.

Soon, he would die.

..

"Dark, your phone's gone crazy the past days. Frickin' check it, it's drivin' me crazy."

Dark groaned, plopping down onto his bed. His face was buried in the dark-beige blankets. "I'm too tired," he mumbled, not even bothering to take off his suit jacket and tie.

"Check it, dude," he said, throwing Dark's phone towards him. It bonked him on the head, only making him groan again. Michael sighed and rolled his eyes.

"I'm getting take out. Want anything?"

Dark took his phone in hand and rolled over, sitting up. "Anything will do right now," he mumbled.

Michael opened the dorm room door, lazily smiling. "Hope you don't mind coffee," he joked, lightening up the mood. He got Dark to crack a smile as he left the room, the door shutting with a satisfying click.

..

"Keep trying, Wilford. Giving up now... don't do that."

The male sighed. "Fine..."

He leaned against Ana as he dialed in Dark's number, his skin crawling with the tension of waiting. Wiford's heart crashed back down again at the sound of the familiar female voice coming through the speaker.

"Please leave a message after the beep--"

A sigh left his lips. Yet another call missed...

..

Dark unlocked his phone, sighing as he looked at the screen. The red dot at the corner of his phone app caught his eye, and he opened it. He checked his voicemail box, listening to the female's droning voice.

"You have... 14 voicemails and... 20 missed calls."

He frowned at his phone. Dark went to the oldest voicemail, tapping on it and listening.

"Hey, Darki-doo! How's Source goin' for ya? Things here are pretty swell—give me a call when ya can, please!"

Dark's heart swelled at the words, and then a pang came after. He hasn't seen his friend in so long. Shame came over him as he saw the date it was recorded. He tapped on the next one.

"We've published our first story for the school paper, Dark! I wish you were here. I miss you, buddy. Call me when you can!"

Dark slumped, biting his lip. He had ignored his closest friend for so long... practically cast him aside... He felt a plethora of guilt pump through his tired veins.

He went through all of them, now tapping on the second most-recent voicemail. Tears were glazed over his eyes at this point, making his vision a bit blurry. He quietly sniffed, listening. He didn't like what he heard.

"Dark... It's been a while. Sorry to bother you..."

Wilford rarely apologized to Dark... That's when the male knew something was up.

"Please... I-I miss you so much and I need you..." There was a sniff through the speaker. "I'm dying, Dark. I'm fucking dying and time's not in my damn favor..."

The message ended.

..

"Try calling him again."

"Why should I if he won't answer..."

"Will, if you don't call him, I will."

Wilford sighed and obeyed Ana, sluggishly pressing the call button to his friend's number. It was answered within seconds.

"Wilford—Wilford, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," Dark spluttered from the other end of the line.

Wilford's breath hitched as he gasped, eyes widening. He looked over at Ana with excitement, and the woman nodded to encourage him. 

"D-Dark, it's been so long!" Wilford piped, the enthusiasm in his voice slightly returning. His heart fluttered.

"I-I know... God, this is all my fault. I'm so sorry, Will."

"Sorry? Why...?"

Ana picked up on the solemn atmosphere, patting Wilford's shoulder as she gave the male some privacy.

There was a light sniffle from Dark, making the male's eyes widen. He's rarely saw or heard his friend cry.

"Dark...?"

There was another light sniffle. Dark wiped at his eyes, clutching the phone in his hand. "What's... wrong with you?" he said.

Wilford hesitated, his heart sinking. Tears came to his eyes. "It'd be too late..."

"Please, don't say that... what do you mean you're... you're..."

Tears slipped out of Wilford's eyes as he looked down at the floor. "The fact I'm dying?"

Dark stayed silent, gulping. They shared a lengthy silence, filled with merely white noise and both of their little sniffles. Both the male's hearts ached, grieving and sorrowful. Dark ran his hand over his face, pulling his knees up to his chest, breath hitching as he heard Wilford's voice again. The once hyper male's voice was quiet as he named what cancer was strangling him, bringing him closer to his death bed with each passing breath. This made Dark's breath hitch.

"I... I can help you," Dark shakily exhaled. His friend's brows furrowed in confusion.

"That's what they all say."

"Will, our company just made a new medicine... I-it could save you. It's being tested."

Wilford sadly chuckled, closing his eyes. "I don't want any damn medicine," he said quietly. "I want you."

Dark's eyes slightly widened, his heart beating as he shakily inhaled. Words wouldn't come out of his mouth. For once in his life, Dark Edward was speechless.

"I-I..."

And he stuttered, too. But Wilford paid no mind to that at the moment.

"Please... come over, Dark. I can pay for everything, just... please, I want to see you again. I miss you so much."

Dark sniffled, a tear falling from his eye. "I'm booking a flight right now, Will..."

And he was. Searching for any flight that could get him to Wilford.

"P... please hurry, though, Dark..." Wilford whispered, his voice almost hard to distinguish through the line. Dark made a small hum of questioning, finding a flight. It would take him two days to get to his destination.

"I've only a week left..."

Any questions? Place em here!

--this book is ending soon.

like... soon. There might be only a chapter or two left.--

Thanks for reading and have a fantastic day/night!

-aya