3
Belle's Point of View
I stared at the scotch in front of me, I want to drink it but I can't. I took a deep breath and stare at Charles who was cutting the branches
"Belle" Charles's gaze turned on me
"Hmm?" I hummed
"You okay?" I sighed, smiled, and nod
"You look pale," He said
"Just a fever" It's true I have a fever
"You didn't jog earlier, that's your morning routine" I turned my gaze on him looking confused
"We've been here for only a week and you know already my morning routine? Your kind of creeping me out" I said and reach for my phone
I opened my Snapchat and I got a lot of notifications. I opened the one convo, it was one of my classmates
Cynthia: When are you going back to school?
I didn't reply to her message because I don't know when will I come back. My phone rang and I saw Leah's name so I answered it
[Got a message from Cynthia, when will we come back?]
"Actually, I don't know"
[Belle, be strong]
"I am strong, got to go I'm going to take a nap"
One thing I hate right now is all people around me are always worried that I'm going to die at any time. Charles called me so I turned my gaze on him and he was holding arts material
"You told me to teach you how to paint, here I am I'm going to teach you now," He said and It makes me feel happy
Butterflies on my stomach
He sat beside me and when our skin touches each other I felt an electric shock. I looked at him and he was seriously staring at the materials. He caught my eyes and he smiled at me
"Am I too handsome and hot?" He asks
"You are indeed handsome and hot," I said out of nowhere
His ears and neck turn red, and my cheeks flush. Did I really say that? He licked his lower lip and he turned his gaze to the materials. canvas or cardboard, rag or paper towel, water for washing brush. He opened the paints and hand me one of the brushes
"What do you want to paint?"
"Sunset because Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn" I looked
"Sun gets tired too. But the will Moon let her rest" His words make me confused
"How old are you, Charles? I think you're not that old" I stroke the paintbrush to place small dabs of yellow, orange, and white paint all over the canvas
"I'm 21" I dampen the brush by dipping it in water and drying off the excess water with a rag or paper towel.
With a back and forth (side to side) motion, blend the colors together.
"I thought you don't know how to paint?" He asks and I nod
I make the center darker by adding dabs of red paint. Blend again using a back and forth motion. To paint the wheat, I dip a small flat brush in black paint. Make slightly curved lines starting from the bottom of the canvas. To get a tapered end, gradually apply less pressure as you go up and flick your wrist at the end.
He continues painting more wheat. To fill in the bottom, use the same technique to make shorter lines. He dips the brush in black paint. Use the brush as a stamp to make small lines at the top of the line to resemble the grains of wheat.
"This looks great for a beginner," He said and then messed up my hair
"Belle?" I heard Dad
I saw Dad walking towards us. He hands me 3 tablets and a water
"Drink your medicine, it's already 12:52 pm" I drink all my medicines
Dad left and my forehead creased when my back started to hurt. I looked at Charles and I saw his confused eyes
"Are you looking for a girlfriend?" I ask him
"No, I'm looking for work to earn money so that I can go back to school," He said
"Are you?" He added
"Huh?" I ask confused
"Are you looking for a boyfriend?" He asks
"Well, I'm not. Not at the moment" I stood up and walk towards the front door
I felt water droplets on my nape so I looked up the clouds were gray and seconds have passed and the rain starts to pour. Even the clouds can't hold it anymore, I let myself get wet by the rain.
There are mornings when you feel empty yet heavy, but you get up, smile, and carry on to see what life has in store for you. I only have two years and three months so live with it
~Flashbacks~
"Your White blood cells are pretty high and your red blood cells are going down, and your platelets are not normal. Do you have a history of cancer, Miss?" The Doctor asks. Honestly, I don't know
"You have Stage 3 Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes a large number of abnormal blood cells. Leukemia may affect red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets"
"I... I-I don't know" What if I won't survive? What will happen to me now?
"How can she survive this?" Leah asks
"The main treatment for most types of AML is chemotherapy, sometimes along with a targeted therapy drug. This might be followed by a stem cell transplant."
"I want to have family, Doc. I want to have kids; can I still have kids after the chemotherapy?" I ask
"Unfortunately, most of the treatments for AML are likely to make you infertile. So, you won't be able to become pregnant afterward. Permanent infertility is almost certain if you have intensive treatment, such as a bone marrow transplant or stem cell transplant." Tears began to pour like rain
Leah rubbed my back and whispered that it was going to be okay, but it wasn't.
"If I'll have a baby before the chemotherapy can it shorten my life?" I ask
"The survival rate for you is 68% because you're just 18 but if you'll have a baby. Yes, it will shorten your life by two years the three months" The Doctor said
I don't have that much time
AQUEENAB