CHAPTER 41: The Shocking Truth

GABRIEL’s P.O.V.

“Gab... What are you doing?” Erevell asked me, panicking. I could feel the tension as well, but I tried my best to conceal it from showing to her. I would be lying if I denied that there is something fluttering inside of my stomach right at this certain moment where in we are too close to one another.

“I love you. I hope I made you happy by fulfilling your list, Erevell. Please fight for us,” I stated, before I planted a kiss on her forehead.

I know that she is currently crying, so I made an effort to wipe away the tears streaming down on her cheeks.

“Please don’t cry. You’ve been a very good friend to me. You don’t deserve to suffer in pain. I promise that I’ll do everything that I can to help you out, okay? Let me be your shelter this time, Erevell.”

“But Gab... What if I didn’t recover from this disease? What if I...” she trailed off, not wanting to say the next word in her mind.

“No, no, no... Don’t say that. You will recover, okay? We’ll do anything to make that happen.”

She nodded before I hugged her once again. I know that she’s just tired, that is why she’s saying that. So after enjoying the day, I took her back to the hospital, before I decided to take a rest inside of the comfort of our home. Mom was there, and she just eyeing me in a way that she badly wanted to tease me about Erevell. Well, she knew that I already apologized to my friend, and everything between the two of us are running smooth. She was the one who even helped me get the sunflowers for Erevell.

I laid down on my bed, smiling. After a short time of staring blankly at the ceiling and thinking more things that I can give to my friend to make her feel worthy, I already drowned into a deep sleep. But I guess it wasn’t even been a few hours when Mom came into my room, waking me up like some emergency just happened.

“Son! Gabriel! Wake up! Something happened to Erevell. Her Mom called me because she can’t contact you. Hurry, you need to see her!” Mom stated, and I quickly regain my consciousness.

Just like what happened before, I just found myself running towards the pavilion of the hospital, rushing towards my best friend’s room. I feel nervous, just by the tone of my mother’s voice earlier, it sounded like this is something of a big deal... And knowing the disease cancer... It can be a traitor sometimes. As I reached her room, I found Erevell’s mother outside, waiting for the doctor’s to tell her what’s going on while praying for her daughter’s life.

“I heard what happened... Where is she? Is she alright?” I asked, catching my breath while talking to Erevell’s Mom.

After I asked her, she began crying, the uncontrollable tears streaming down to her face. She looked like she doesn’t know what to say to me as well, as if nothing is certain yet about Erevell’s case.

“It’s happening, Gab... I always knew how things are going to end up soon,” she stated, making me more nervous than before. My hands began trembling, as her words keep on echoing inside of my head.

“W-What... Do you mean?” I asked, stuttering out of worry and confusion.

Her Mom looked at me with tears in her eyes, brows furrowed as if asking me about my own question. She looked so confused, as well as me. It was as if she thought I already knew everything about Erevell, one thing that I wasn’t even sure of.

“Didn’t she... Tell you?” she asked me.

“Tell me what?”

“She promised me that she’s going to tell you earlier... But I guess... She never did,” she whispered, still in tears.

“She never told me anything about her condition earlier... All I know is just... She’s sick, and that’s all,” I lengthy explained.

She was about to say something when a doctor came towards us, before looking at Erevell’s Mom.i decided to shut up, waiting for the findings as well. I could sense that Erevell lied to me again... But this time, it was one of a big deal. It wasn’t like before. I feel nervous, although my very first concern is the sympathetic look plastered upon the doctor’s face, as if he was about to deliver a bad news.

“Mrs. Smith... Your daughter...” he trailed off, hesitating to tell us the truth.

“How is she?” her Mom asked him, trembling.

“I’m sorry, but just like what I’ve said before, we have to be prepared. Her body is starting to reject the medications... And she might...”

“I already accepted that,” her Mom mumbled, crying.

“I’m very sorry, Mrs. Smith.”

“Wait... I don’t understand... What is happening?!” I complained.

“She only have a few weeks left, Gabriel...” her Mom trailed off, admitting to me the shocking truth behind Erevell’s secret.

Those words, it completely shattered my heart into thousands of pieces. I feel my world crushed down, as her words kept on ringing inside of my head over and over again after hearing the whole and inevitable truth. As everything becomes clear to my side, I began to realize some things that I never did before. Some things that I haven’t given much importance not until this day comes.

Now I get it. I finally realized why I don’t want to lose her. It’s because I love her, more than just a friend, more than just anyone. I love her with all of my heart. Now that she’s dying, the cruel world and reality had made me realized that. We only got a few weeks left together, but I am still waiting for a miracle. A miracle stating that there is still hope, and that she would be alive for how many years.

I don’t know why, but maybe the people are right. We can only see the value of things to us once we started losing them. Erevell has been there through the ups and downs of my life... When I got brokenhearted because of Claire... When I chose to risk everything and stay with her. She’s been there, while I, I never even got the chance to stay with her during her hardest times. Now loving a dying person wouldn’t even be enough for me to make it up for everything. Loving her... I guess it will be worth all the pain.