Three years ago, Logan and my life changed drastically. I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and his family passed away in a horrifying car accident. He became the only surviving member of his family while I became the dying member. We had been enduring pain since then, fighting battles within ourselves. The conclusion is that we managed to survive for three years. Three entire years.

Six days to go and this would all end. Logan would turn eighteen and albeit there would be consequences, at least he wouldn't fall prey to his diabolical uncle. All our plans would come to fruition. Logan and I clawed our way to exist for three years and we had to continue doing it for merely six days. Six more days.

"See, this is how you solve." My dad showed me the newspaper, snapping me out of my thoughts. We both were sitting on the floor right next to each other. "You jumbled up these numbers."

"Oh cool, thanks dad," I mumbled and concentrated on the sudoku puzzle. I never got it right without the help of my dad. My dad stroked my hair as I tried to figure out the answer. I didn't realize that I was chewing my lip subconsciously until I could taste the metallic blood.

"Hot cocoa." Mum placed the two steaming mugs in front of us and smiled. "You got the puzzle?"

"No maa, puzzle's still left. I'm done with the sudoku." I grabbed the mug, the rich smell of warm chocolate tingling my sensations. Mum plopped down beside me "You can help me with this puzzle."

"Won't your smart dad help you in this?" she said mischievously and wore her glasses.

"Dad has solved the sudoku, let's see if the mum can solve the puzzle," my dad teased and then both of them continued to talk and laugh, always playfully asking for my opinions. This was the typical Sunday environment after breakfast ever since my dad was home. At one end, Shaun and Gemma were furiously playing video games. Gemma had difficulty keeping up with the speed, but she soon learned and became better at it than me. However, Shaun was the best. He always won.

"Shaun, Gemma, your hot drinks are on the table," mum announced and my siblings who were extremely engrossed in the game merely nodded. "Drink it before it gets cold! I won't heat it again!"

Shaun nodded again, but this time Gemma stopped playing abruptly. She turned around, disrupting the game and replied quietly, "Okay maa."

My mum had a look of satisfaction and approval. I wondered whether she knew that Gemma was scared of her? It was impossible to not notice Gemma's wide eyes, her stiff back whenever mum talked or the way she accepted each order from mum submissively. My mum brushed me away each time I approached to her about this. Maybe they both were used to this kind of relationship because Gemma never complained about mum either.

Shaun frowned because of the disturbance in the game, but resumed when Gemma started pressing the buttons again. When I would be gone, dad would probably go abroad- back to his old job and Shaun would be at France for his internship. My mum and Gemma would be alone at home and I prayed inwardly for peace and love between them. Mum did love Gemma equally, but her tough parenting specially directed to my sister would lead to big argument when she would finally burst. After all, Gemma's bottle of emotions would soon overflow.

My mum and dad carried on with their bantering and there was no love lost between them. They were still the same as they were twenty-five years ago, irrevocably in love. A pang of envy hit me as I quickly shook it away in disgust, how despicable I was to get envious of my own parents' love?

"Did grandpa say anything today?" my dad asked Shaun.

"I didn't check up on him today, I'll go to the station in the evening. Even when I go, he tells me to piss off," Shaun said casually while simultaneously trying to overtake Gemma in the racing game and we all laughed.

Word had immediately got around that grandpa was in jail for kidnapping Logan. Everyone in the town including my family already knew that grandpa was innocent. In the beginning, we all panicked and rushed to grandpa who roared at us, "Leave me all you fools! At least, let me be at peace behind the bars!"

Neither my family or grandpa blamed Logan for this. Partly because my family (except for Shaun) didn't know that my grandpa was actually helping in hiding him, they just thought that Logan had run away. Grandpa was caught in this mess because the apartment belonged to him and he was renting it out illegally to Logan. Also, there was evidence that Logan worked at the flower shop since people had seen him.

I didn't inform Logan about this. Grandpa strongly advised me not to before he was put in jail. We both agreed upon the fact that Logan would abort this mission instantly and turn himself to his abominable uncle if he came to know that my grandpa was arrested.

Initially, it was difficult to go about normally. Grandpa was in jail and according to what my parents were aware of- the likeable Logan had disappeared. It was grandpa's nonchalance that had driven everyone to almost take this matter as a joke and relentlessly move ahead.

I got up and sneaked in the kitchen. There were leftovers from yesterday night's dinner and today's breakfast. It would be sufficient for Logan for today's meals. I peeped out of the kitchen and saw my parents immersed in their conversation. I hurriedly stuffed food in the boxes.

Shaun usually covered the vanishing of food for me by telling our mum that he ate it all after working out in the gym. My mum seemed to be buying it so I couldn't get caught. After placing all the boxes in my large tote bag, I emerged out.

"Maa, I'm going out for a walk!" I hurriedly slipped my feet into my white sneakers. Without waiting for my mum's reply, I swung the door open and climbed on my bicycle. I started pedalling it on the street and towards the ocean, the familiar brick and mortar houses and short trees passing by in a blur.

As I was manoeuvring down the road, I could see the sliver of the ocean. It slowly began to enlarge once I was nearing it. The water sparkled under the mighty sun, the sun's rays dancing on the surface. The sky wasn't clear though, several dim grey clouds had gathered. The inner clairvoyant in me indicated that there would be a summer storm soon, not that I found myself reliable, but I had read it in the weather report too.

I sauntered towards the solitary lighthouse, basking in the warmth of the sun. The partial shade of the gloomy clouds above prevented the sun to glow harshly. The light rays kissed my skin through my translucent frock. 

The slim strip of land was rocky and wet as I trod on warily. Once I arrived, I clambered up the stairs with every ounce of energy left and passed the lemony walls of the lighthouse. Logan had always insisted to give him a call so he could help me, but I wanted to do this alone. There was something serene yet thrilling about dodging the debris and outsmarting my disease. It was some sort of adventure that I wanted to embark alone even though it left me breathless and exhausted. It was worth it since I felt accomplished.

Logan opened the door when I knocked thrice (our secret code) and dragged a stool hastily for me to sit. As usual, I was panting and scarlet. He lectured me fervently like my mum, repeating that I was being stupid by over-exerting myself. I smiled weakly and he gave me an incredulous look, walking in the kitchen to fetch water for me.

Once I was settled comfortably on the bed (the stool made my butt ache), I retrieved the boxes of food and he gladly took it.

"What do you do up here? Is everything alright?" I asked and he shrugged, placing the chicken pieces on his plate.

"It's not bad here. The internet does not work most of the time--- "

"That's because your phone sucks! It doesn't even work at the shop. You steal Wi-Fi from your neighbour Logan," I jeered, unable to hold my tongue and he glared at me. I threw my hands up, surrendering, "Okay, okay. I'm sorry."

His eyes softened. "Then the books you lent me are nice, I read them most of the time. It's been long that I have read fiction properly," he said wistfully. Placing the plate piled with food on one stool and sitting on another, he glanced at the small window. "From here you can see the most beautiful view of the ocean. The water glitters Joy, it does! I haven't been so free in my life like now . . . Is it bad that I'm enjoying this?"

"No, it isn't bad," I assured him softly, but guilt was swimming in the blue and green pools of his eyes. He would be completely devastated if he came to know that my grandpa was in jail right now. I couldn't do that to him, so I smiled dotingly and said, "You deserve a mini vacation, Logan. You deserve it."

There was silence for a while, his eyes vacant as he stared at the window. The floral curtains flittered sporadically, revealing a quick glimpse of the magnificent ocean. There was something peculiar about Logan, he looked older than his age. Perhaps he always did look old, but I never noticed or it was simply because of the stubble on his jaw.

"After this is all over Joy, I want to take you somewhere. Anywhere you want--- "

"That's sweet of you, but you have your jobs to do," I reminded him softly. "And there's nowhere I want to be Logan, but here. Right here with you and my family and my friends . . . I'm blessed to live in such a wonderful town, I truly am."

"There's nothing you want to do? A bucket list?" he suggested randomly and I giggled.

"The last time I tried to fulfill my bucket list, thanks to Jamal and my school friends, I totally screwed up. Shoplifting, vandalism, underage drinking . . . It hurt not only me, but also my town people. I can't do crimes by giving the excuse of cancer," I explained.

"As far as I know, crimes aren't the only things to be put on a bucket list," Logan said as a matter of fact and poked at the chicken, inspecting whether to heat it or directly eat it.

"Well true, but I have lived my life Logan. I'm happy, I really am. I have a mum who cooks me delicious meals every day, a dad who solves sudoku puzzles with me, a sister who clings to me and questions me about girls and boys, a brother who's ready to sacrifice everything if I say one word. Then there's you Logan . . . You make me forget about all things wrong with me and I feel normal with you, alive, more alive when I'm with you--- "

"I get you," he interrupted, his voice faltering and swallowed hard. He looked sad as he struggled to hide it. The repentance of my words hit me, I had hurt him unknowingly by boasting about my marvellous family.

"I'm sorry--- "

"No, no, Joy, don't be," he emphasized and smiled fully, his eyes now twinkling. "I love your family too and I don't mind hearing about them. Sometimes, it's-it's hard to not think of my own . . . " he trailed off and then shook his head. "You continue, I want to hear more."

I wasn't going to utter any word, but the desperation etched on his face to tell something and deflect the topic from his own family made me say, "I was saying, you know, how people think that truly living their life is all about partying or getting high. It's not. People think living their life is about doing wild and crazy things, but sometimes, it's simply about loving people and letting them love you."

Logan nodded slowly and then got up, finally deciding to heat the chicken before eating.