Sorry. I didn't have a choice.

Arya:

After a few hours of playing in the sea, we went back home and Amara and I promised to catch up later on.

In the car, the boys were belting out a rendition of whatever was playing on the radio and I laughed, thinking of the best way to tell them about my sickness.

'Hey guys! Guess what? I'm dying! And, here's the best bit, I knew when I was fourteen and didn't tell you!'

Now that conversation will go down well.

"-Ree? Hey, Ree? You okay?"

I blinked and found a hand waving in front of my face. I slapped it away and laughed- an ugly, forced sound that I'm sure fooled no one. "Yeah, yeah... I'm fine. I have to, uh, I have to tell you something when we- when we get home."

"Damn... could you be anymore cryptic?" Ethan snorted, but he seemed a little wary.

My knee bounced up and down and I breathed out shakily between my fingers. Bile crawled up my throat and I swallowed it back down.

We pulled up in the drive. My heartbeat echoed in my ears as I slowly unlocked the door. I stepped in and went to the living room.

'There's no going back after this.' I thought as the boys took a seat.

"What's up, Arya? You're scaring me." Nick laughed nervously.

"Um, well- the- er, the thing is, um-" I tried to start, but didn't get much further as Zack's ringtone cut through my rambling.

His eyes widened. "It's the hospital." He pressed the answer button and held the phone up to his ear. "Hello? Yes, I am Issac Valencio.... What?... Really? Oh my God.... I- yes! Thank you so much!"

"Everything okay?" Caleb asked.

Zack looked up, his eyes sparkling with happiness. "My mum woke up!" We cheered and congratulated Issac.

"Bring out the good wine! We shall drink until we are drunk!" Ethan declared and the boys hollered out a 'yes!' In reply.

"This is the best news we've received all week!" Nick said, popping open the bottle and pouring himself a generous glass.

The atmosphere changed from anxious and worried to happy and light. There's no way I could tell my secret now-

"I propose a toast!" Ethan cried out, already slightly tipsy. "To- to Zack's mother's health! And- and to all the men and women we've known and lost. And finally, to Arya's good health! I'm very happy that we found her!"

"Cheers!" The boys yelled and I tried very hard to not cry.

A horrible knot formed in my stomach. It grew bigger and bigger with every tick of the clock. My heart pounded and blood roared in my ears. "Guys, I really really have to tell you something."

Sensing the anxiety in my tone, the boys sobered up and became more sombre. Even Caleb- who had been singing 'Oh Christmas Tree' in a very off-key tone.

Once again, the Fates decided to curse me and send another little interruption.

This one came in the form of one Lucas Mantennii.

'I KNEW we should've taken away his spare key!' I thought furiously, at the idiot in question sauntered up to us.

"Hey guys, I'm, uh, I'm guessing Arya told you huh?" He asked.

NO! I mouthed, shaking my head frantically.

"I'll take your silence as a yes." Lucas sighed and I made an inhumane noise at the back of my throat. He ignored it and carried on. "I researched the best hospitals and I found one-"

"Woah, woah, woah, hospital? For who?" Issac asked.

"For Arya of course- oh. Oh no." He slowly turned to look at me, horrified realisation dawning across his features. "Y-you didn't tell them-?"

"No, no I didn't!" In a furious burst of emotion, I turned to the boys and let it out. "I was diagnosed with leukaemia when I was fourteen, defeated it when I was twenty. Lucas helped me during this time to find proper treatment. It came back just little over a year ago. Apparently I can't be cured now. The doctor says that I've only got a few months left." I rounded on Lucas. "I wasn't going to tell them because Zack's mother just woke up from the hospital. Thanks a lot!"

Lucas opened and closed his mouth, looking remorseful.

"You...knew?" Kit asked, very slowly. He looked at me and a tear traced a silvery path down his cheek. "You- you told him before- before you told us?"

I stayed silent.

"This... seems like a family matter so I'm gonna..." Lucas backed away and left. In a weird way, I was grateful he told the boys. I highly doubted that I would have enough courage to tell them.

"Why- why wouldn't you tell us?" Nick asked, genuine confusion in his tone. Something clicked in his brain. "Is this the secret you wanted to tell us? And the- the secret you mentioned when you were drunk?"

I gave a tiny nod.

This seemed to anger them more.

"Six years... you've had six years to tell us?!" Ethan scoffed darkly and rose. "Why didn't you?"

"I- I don't- I mean, I was- I was going to-"

"You only have a few months left! When were you going to tell us? At your funeral?" He choked up on the last words and pressed the heel of his palms to his eyes.

"Is that why you broke our friendship?" Kit asked in a small voice.

I closed my eyes. "Yes."

"I- I genuinely don't know what to say..." he whispered. Abruptly he got up and grabbed his keys. "I need a- I need some time."

The boys gave me one last look full of an emotion I couldn't identify before leaving.

"Wait!" I cried out pathetically.

Caleb stopped and looked at me. "You lied to us, Arya... this is- this is big. We- we need some time."

They left.

I broke down. I felt like a coward. A useless, pathetic coward.

Maybe if I'd plucked up the courage a few years ago, I wouldn't be in this position.

But I stayed silent.

And that cost a huge price.

A familiar pain blossomed in my chest. I clutched at it tightly, feeling my lungs constrict as they tried to suck in more air. I curled up and rocked myself, trying to focus on something- anything!- than the scene that took place moments prior.

Something wet and sticky made its way down my face from my nose. I touched it and through blurry tears saw it was blood.

'Not this again...' I thought, blindly reaching for my phone. I dialled 9-9- but my hands shook so badly I dropped my phone. I convulsed and gagged, vommiting clumps of blood.

My phone lit up. My sister's name flashed across the screen. I barely had the strength to breathe, and yet I managed to answer it.

Then, the world tilted sideways and everything cut to black.

End.

1. Thoughts on the boys' reactions?

2. Thoughts on the way the news was broken?

I hope you guys liked it!

Stay safe and thanks for reading :)