Secret Love

Sarah's POV What is love? Is it the love that your parents give you that every night and day they would stay up late just to take care of you? Or is it where your mother tells a bedtime story before you sleep? Or maybe a guy who confess their love for you and is willing to do anything just to impress you? Or someone who is willing to let you go just because you found somebody else? To me, love is like a wind. You can feel it but you can't see it. In other words, sometimes you can know if someone loves you while others hide it from you. Why do they hide it? It's because they're afraid that the person they confess to will start avoiding them. There are some people who would fight for love, and others who would just surrender immediately. For me, I prefer fighting. My name is Sarah Stronghold and this is my love story. It was a sunny day when me and my brother John decided to play at the park. We do this every Saturday. We would play tag, hide n seek, skipping rope and many more. Call us childish but you only live once right? "Tag! You're it!" John tagged me. "That's unfair! You always tag me!" I cried and he stick his tongue out. I am the youngest member of the Stronghold family. John is the second youngest and is four years older than me. I have two elder sisters and two elder brothers. All of them have a job and their own family so we don't see them that often. I am seventeen years old while John is 21 years old. Even though we're teenagers now closing to adults, we still play like we're still little kids. John was the closest sibling to me and I love him more than the rest of my siblings. Jake is 18 years old. When the other siblings was still at home, they use to order me around, hurt me and make me do things that I don't want to do and since they're I'm the youngest one. They always lie to our parents everytime I try and point them out. John was the only person who never hurt me or make me do things that I don't want to do. He also helps me and try to protect me from the elder siblings when they're trying to hurt me. Since we were kids, me and John have each other's back but sometimes I don't tell him that the elder siblings were hurting me because I don't want them to hurt him anymore. I just kept the pain for myself, it's the least I could do to at least protect him. Of course there's also Jake whom I met at school. He was always there when I needed someone whenever John wasn't around. I sometimes play with him, then with my brother and sometimes we all play together. I stopped going to school two years ago because we didn't have enough money. Jake's family was strict but he always finds a way to escape from their big mansion. Like that one time when we were planning to play, Jake would always come to our home and his brother Paul has to always drag him back, but Jake would always escape until Paul got tired of taking Jake back to his home, so he stopped. When John turned fifteen, he started having headache. Then as the day passes, he started to have nausea and finally, he started becoming weaker until one day when we're playing, he just fell down on the ground. I didn't know what to do at that time but he said he was fine. Of course I believed him and now we're playing like little kids again, just like old times. Not having a care on what other people would say to us. Jake said he cannot play today because he has some business to do so it's only me and John. "Of course I would tag you, it's only the two of us playing." He laughed and I smiled. "True, but I'll get you!" I dashed towards my brother. Everything happened in a flash, his smile fades away and he slowly fell down to the ground. "John!" Fear strike me as I ran towards him. I knelt down beside him and shake his body. "Brother! Oi! Big brother! John! What's going on?!" My eyes started to get watery. "S-Sarah! Where are you?!" He panicked and tried looking for me as if I wasn't already beside him. "I'm here big brother, I-I-I'm here." I said while holding his hand and he smiled. "Please, don't leave me. Stay by my side forever, like we promised each other." He whispered while gripping on my hand. Suddenly, his hand fell down and his eyes went shut. "No! John! Don't do this to me! I'll go get some help!" I said and I ran away to search for people who can help me. "HELP! SOMEBODY! PLEASE, HELP ME! HELP MY BROTHER!" I screamed like a maniac but I didn't care what they would say to me. All I care was to get my brother help. I don't want to lose him, he was one of the most important person in my life. "Somebody please, help!" ----Time Skip---- We are now at the hospital. Me and my mum were sitting on a chair, she was crying and I was holding my tears back while my dad was pacing back and forth. I remember the day when I was crying so hard because our eldest brother, Mike, slapped John on the face because of me. If John was here to comfort me, he will tell me to never cry for him nor worry because he would always be by my side. So I made a promise that whatever happens to him, I will never cry and that I would be strong for him. I will do it for him. So now, I wanted to cry but was just holding back for him. After what it felt like a year, a nurse came to us and my parents stood up. I was biting my lip so he tears won't fall. "We're Strongh-hold family, we are fighters!" I said to myself while blinking the tears away. "We're very sorry but your son has a tumour on its head. From what we collected, it's been there for a year now and he's in critical condition. He would need to undergo an operation in order to save his life. The operation needs to be held in two week time and for now, we're doing the best we could to save him." I heard the nurse said and I had to bite my lip harder than before because I have no idea how long will it take for me to finally break-down. Soon, the nurse left and my mum cried on dad's chest asking 'How are we going to be able to pay for the operation?' No, this can't be happening! He'll be fine, he's just fine, he told me he'll be fine and he always keep his promise so I have nothing to worry about! "W-were Stronghold family, we are fighters!" I said once again. ----Mini time skip---- We head back home without another word, just praying in our mind that John would be fine. I went on my bed, still trying hard not to cry until I fell asleep. Well, I didn't really have enough sleep since this was the first night that John wasn't at home. The next day, I woke up and heard my mum said that Jake was here. I lazily went outside and greeted him. We told mum that we'll just be in the forest playing and she said that we have to be back before dawn. "I heard what happened to John, are you... alright?" He unsurely ask and I nod. "O-of course I'm alright! Why wouldn't I be? Ehehe." I falsely smile and I could see from his eyes that he's not buying it. "Come on Sarah, we've been friends in six years now so I'll know if you're lying or not." He said with a shrug. All of a sudden, I felt my eyes watering up but I blink them away. "Well, you see... John has a tumour on his head for a year now and he need to undergo an operation but..." I bit my lip and remembered what my parents said last night. Jake remained silent, waiting for me to talk again. "B-but we don't have enough money to pay for his operation and his operation will happen in two weeks time." I finished and I could feel myself tearing up again. "No worries, I could just pay for the operation no matter how high the price is." He suggested but I shook my head. "No, you've done enough to my family. This time, it would be our problem and as a family, we will solve this out." "I am part of your family right? So-" "No Jake, please just let us do this one." "Alright then, can I do anything to at least help you?" "I need a job. I already talked this to my mum and she said she'll allow me to have a job. Do you happen to know any job that hire someone like me?" "Hmmm, job job job job…" His eyes widen in realisation. "Ah! My father's best friend Leo, is hiring a maid for their house and I think you could do it. I could ask my dad to recommend you." "Really?! Thanks Jake!" With my excitement, I hugged him which he flinched.