Just another Tumor

Purple Pleather

Ethan Davidson

“You don’t have to die alone you know.” A voice from the other side of the curtain whispers. “I’ve been there. Multiple times. Hell, I pushed the love of my life away because of this second aneurism. Don’t think for a second that you’re alone.” 

“What if I want to be.” June laughs, it fills the dry room with some light.  

"That changes things I guess. If you want to be truly alone then I suggest do it now, die right at this moment. That's the only way to be alone. But I know that's not what you want." her voice changes and she's serious.

"How would you know what I want. You don't even know me." I sit up in bed and look at the glass shattered on the floor. I hear the curtain open but I continue to stare at the ground.

"I know you're angry. I know that because of the evidence on the floor. And I know angry people don't want to die. They want to stop being angry. They want justice, but you can't have justice by isolating yourself." She sits on my bed and turn to look at her. "You don't want to be alone. I'm only telling you this because it comes from a person who is nothing but alone." Her hands shake as she talks, but she doesn't grab them this time. Instead she holds it out in front of her, looking at it as if it's not hers.

"I need to clean this up before someone gets hurt." I step off the bed and start to pick up the pictures and glass.

"Too late." June whispers and I look up and see my mom standing there. Tears are still running down her face and I can't tell if she's mad or worried.

"Honey what happened?" She leans down and helps pick up the glass.

"He tried to get his pillow from his head but he didn't know his own strength. I think he does now." June explains to my mom with a small smile and a wink to me. My mom nods and we finish cleaning up. 

"The doctor said you can go home and continue life but we should watch for any changes. I think you'll need to quit at the paintball field." My says in a quick breath as if I couldn't hear the last part. I stand up and breathe.

"I'm not quitting. I need it. Normalcy and stuff." I expect her to argue with me but she just nods. 

"Get dressed we will meet you at the nurses desk." She leaves the room and I start to gather my clothes. I go into the bathroom and change. Staring at myself in the mirror. I don't know what to feel or how to react to this. Mom's gonna start treating me like a china doll because of this and Kate... f**k, who knows what she'll do. Maybe get her act together, maybe she'll get pregnant. There's no telling which will win. I come out of the bathroom and see June and her mom. June looks pissed and her mom looks like she's crying. 

"Hey, I'm leaving but I was wondering if you wanted to keep in touch?" I say smiling and walking over to them. June looks over at me, her ocean eyes look gazed over.

"Sure, give me a second." June pulls the iv's out of her arm and gets up. She walks to closet and grabs some clothes then goes into the bathroom. I must look horrified because her mom starts to talk.

"Don't mind her. She's just upset that she's not getting surgery yet. You can't blame her." Junes mom looks to the ground and wipes her tears. "So young man, I never got you name."

"Ethan Davidson. Sorry I didn't tell you earlier." I give a sympathetic smile and she returns one.

"Tumor, you wanna hang out now?" June looks over to me, she's wearing a purple leather jacket with a white t-shirt and jeans. She has bright yellow chuck Taylors that are untied. I look to her mom and she nods.

"I just gotta check in with my parents first." I walk out and over to the nurses desk. Mom and dad are signing things."Hey, um weird request but could I take the car to hang out with June?" My dad shrugs and my mom looks worried. 

"Are you sure your okay with that?" My mom asks me and places a hand on my arm.

"Yeah, two dying kids aren't going to cause any trouble." Mom looks at me and frowns.

"Let them go Amber." My dad says without looking up from the papers and I smile at my mom. Knowing that if Dad agreed that she would let me. She digs out the keys and hands them to me. I kiss her on the cheek and run back to the room. Finding June and her mom arguing. 

"June-Marie Beatle, you will not act like this to me. I am done with your attitude when I all I do is give you my best. You will take this f*****g chair whether you like it or not! You're strong, I get it but your body is different now! TAKE THE DAMN CHAIR OR STAY IN THAT HOSPITAL BED! Final answer." Junes mom is yelling at June. I look over and see a pink wheelchair. June looks over at me and blushes.

"Fine." She says to her mom through gritted teeth and slams herself down in the chair. "Tumor, let's go." She's talking to me but doesn't stop making eye contact with her mom. I walk over and start to push her out of the room. We head out of the hospital and head towards the car. I open the door and June sits inside. I put her chair in the trunk and get in the car. 

"So, what are we doing?" I look over at her and she's pulling on her hand.

"Wherever you want to be seen with me." I nod and pull out of the parking lot. I don't go out much but figure the mall will be an okay place to be. Plus they have an elevator so I know it's wheelchair friendly. I look at the clock and notice school would be out now. I pull over and take out my phone.

"Would you mind someone coming with us?" I ask June and she shrugs while staring out the window. I assume it means 'sure'. I text Kim and ask her if she wants to come. She replies instantly with 'I'm down but who the hell are you? Ethan would never go there.' I reply back with telling I'm 2 minutes from her house. We drive to Kim's and she's waiting on the step of her house. She comes rushing over and jumps in the back seat.

"Soooooo, are you Samantha?" Kim blurts out and stares at June. f**k MY LIFE! June smirks and looks at me.

"Nooooo, but I'd like to hear about her!" Both of the girls turn and look at me. Hey tumor could you please kill me right now. In this moment. Right here, right now. I plead inside my head but feel nothing. I let out a big sigh and begin with telling them how Sam asked me out. Then I picked her up from Jaydens, Kim called Sam  'Sukoshi baishunpu' which I have no idea what it means. 

"So what's her damage?" June asks me and Kim nods.

"I didn't want to ask. It seemed like something big if she's like this." I shrug an continue to drive.

"You mean, this girl asks you out, ditches you to hang out with a man w***e, then gets you to pick her up and YOU NEVER ASKED FOR AN EXPLANATION!?!?" Kim yells and I realize now it sounds completely bonkers that someone would do that. 

"No wonder you're hanging out with me, I seem f*****g normal compared to that Samantha." June says with an honest voice. The two girls continue to tell me how stupid I am for not asking more questions and how much of an i***t to continue to talk to this girl. I agree with them but there's just something about Sam that does something to me.