Chapter 1: The Revelation

<3rd Person's POV>

'JOHN: Sera, I'm sorry.'

He can clearly remember it. The memory is still fresh in his mind. The confession. Those 3 words. They clearly express how sorry he really is. It felt like it just happened a while ago.

'SERA: (tears falling from her eyes) John, you liar! How could you do this to me?! You BETRAYED me!!'

He can clearly remember the hurt & betrayal expression befalling on her face. He really didn't mean to hurt her like that.

'JOHN: (guilt and hurt) I'm really sorry, Sera. For keeping this from you. (tears falling down his face) I never wanted to hurt you---'

'SLAP!'

The stinging sensation from when she slapped him, he can still remember how it felt. Even though he can't feel it any longer. She was clearly angry---no. Furious w/ him. All her hopes are now crushed. By a single. Lie.

'SERA: You said that we'll be cripples together! It's all nothing but crap!! I thought that you were a cripple, and I admire you for being strong everyday despite the odds against you. It was all nothing but a SINGLE LIE!!! And you made me look like a fool!!!'

'JOHN: (trying to reach out to her) Sera, let me explai---'

'SERA: (slapping his hand away) You know what?! I don't want to hear your reasoning! I don't want to see your face EVER AGAIN!!!'

After that, Sera ran away from him. Shock, hurt, and most of all, guilt are clearly evident on his face.

'JOHN: (trying to run to her) Sera, wait! Please, let me explai--- (clutching his chest) Ugh! (falling on his knees)'

He tried running towards her but for some reason, his chest aches really bad. So bad that his body feels like on fire.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

JOHN: (confused) 'Are (Huh)? What is that sound?'

His senses are getting stronger. The sound is getting louder. He realize that it was the beeping sound that is making all the noise.

Opening his eyes, his vision is a blur. However, after a minute of adjusting his eyes, he can now see the white ceiling. Looking around the room, he can see white walls around the room. A heart monitor was placed beside him. Realization hit him like a cannon ball hit him on his chest. He is at the hospital.

JOHN: (confused) 'How on earth did I end up in the hospital? What happe---'

Memories came flooding in his head after asking himself.

JOHN: (eyes narrowed) 'Right. I fainted after having an intense attack. (sadness and guilt overtaken him) Sera...'

???: I see you're awake, John.

Wanting to know the source of the voice, he saw a woman in her mid-40s entering the room. She has a natural dark grey hair tied up in a bun with her forehead clearly showing, burnt golden eyes, and had a tired look on her face. She is wearing a black sleeveless shirt, black leggings, and black doll shoes with a white long lab coat. Just judging from her outfit, you can tell that she's clearly a doctor.

JOHN: (tries to sit up) Aunt Athena? (clutches his chest) Ugh!

ATHENA: (helps him sit up) You shouldn't push yourself like that. (replaces his IV drops)

JOHN: (no longer clutching his chest) Auntie, how long was I unconscious?

ATHENA: Hmm? You're not gonna ask as to how you ended up here?

JOHN: Nah. I already know.

ATHENA: I see. *sigh* You were unconscious for 15 hours straight. Luckily for you, I was the one who found you lying on the cold ground like that. Why were you in the alley, by the way?

The alley. That's where those b@$+@®ds hurt Seraphina, his best friend. That's also where he used his ability when he rescued her. What they did to her... It was absolutely disgusting. He finally snapped when they tried to do IT to her. Not wanting to answer her question, he looks at the other way, guilt consuming him.

JOHN: I don't wanna talk about it.

ATHENA: (looks at him w/ sadness in her eyes) ...

JOHN: (changes the topic) Anyway, Auntie, how's my condition?

ATHENA: (sad) John, your condition has gotten even worse than before. I know you know that you have a lung cancer. The cancer cells are spreading really fast. (voice broke) I'm... sorry, John. There's nothing I can do, even with my ability. It's beyond what I and the doctors can do. You already have Stage 4 cancer. You only have a month left to live.

JOHN: (shock) 'I will... die? Then that means, I won't be with Sera for long. (determination in his eyes) Then I just need to apologize to Sera and tell her the truth. And even confess to her as well. But, it won't be easy considering that she hates me now... Like I'll give up! She's extremely important to me.' Auntie, does dad knows about this?

ATHENA: Yes. I already informed him about your condition via phone call. He'll be on his way here in Wellston. (facing the door) And speaking of which, here he comes.

And as if on cue, the door opens, revealing a very concerned and frantic William, the father of John who is an exact carbon copy save for the eyes and that he has a longer face.

WILLIAM: (worried & frantic) John! (hugs the life out of him)

JOHN: (tries to pry him off) D-Dad. Can't b-breath.

WILLIAM: (releases him) Sorry.

JOHN: (sadness and guilt washes all over him) Dad, I'm sorry that I can't be with you any longer. I'm nothing more than a burden to you, especially since I had this sickness since birth.

WILLIAM: John, don't say that! You're not a burden to me! Yes, it's true that you won't be with me for long but you were never a burden to me! Even if your ability developed late, even if you're being a jerk to everyone, even if you pretend to be a cripple, you will always be my son. (tears streaming down his face) From now on, I'm going to take care of you until you die.

JOHN: (tears falling from his eyes) Dad... Thank you. But what about your work?

WILLIAM: You don't have to worry about that. I told my boss that I won't be able to work for a month just so I could be with you. Luckily, he agreed and he wants to say sorry that you have to live this way. It's a good thing that he's very kind, even though he knows that I'm a cripple.

John just hugs his father with him returning it. Athena, who went outside just so the father and son could have a privacy, comes back in with a nurse who is pushing a cart with trays of food for the patients. The nurse then puts a small table in front of the sick boy, puts his food which consists of nothing more than porridge and bread with a glass of water.

[A/N: Sorry. I don't know much about hospital food so this is what I can think of.]

ATHENA: (looks at the nurse) You may go now, Mary. I'll take things from here.

The nurse, now named Mary, just nods and goes out of the room pushing the cart but not before saying sorry to John that they can't do anything, who only gives her a sad smile and says that it's fine. Yes. The entire hospital, not just Athena and Mary, knows John for he is a regular patient of their hospital after he was transferred from New Bostin and that he is the nephew of Doctor Athena, who is actually the current executive director of the hospital and one of the best doctors and surgeons of the entire country, possibly the whole world, and not just in Wellston.

John just eats his meal who complains that hospital food are always bland.

ATHENA: (chuckles) Well what would you expect from hospital food? Steak?

The 3 just laugh about it. How they wish that everything will be alright. But they would be lying to themselves if they think that nothing's wrong.

ATHENA: John, may I excuse William for a few minutes? I need to talk to him.

JOHN: (swallows his food) Sure.

The 2 adults then goes out of the room with John, resuming his meal.

[Outside John's room...]

<William's POV>

Athena & I went outside the room. I wonder what she wants to talk about?

ATHENA: *sighs* Will, I'll be frank with you. It's about my sister.

This catches my attention. "Aphrodite?" What would she want to tell me about my ex-wife? If you guys are wondering, yes. Her sister, older twin to be exact, is my wife. Her parents named those two after two Greek goddesses due to their love of Greek mythology. They both find their names cool.

Her family are well know hotshots in the country. My mother-in-law, Susan, is a famous fashion designer. Her designs are famous all over the world and a lot of fashionistas wanted her to be their designer. Father-in-law, Theodore, is a famous businessman and neurosurgeon who is the CEO of Wellston Hospital, the hospital which my son is currently admitted. But enough about my in-laws' backgrounds.

"What about her?"

ATHENA: (looks at me with a serious expression) She... She's alive.

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To be continued...

Next chapter: Avoidance