As it turned out, that day wouldn't be the last time I ever saw snow, with it snowing practically every day over the following week, sometimes for up to hours on end. Until it had blanketed the neighbourhood in layer upon layer of crisp white snow, so much so that it ended up becoming quite the pain in the arse, with it stopping me from taking even a single step out of the house before being all but crushed by an avalanche of snow. On those days, both dad and I would simply sit in the living room, myself splayed along the floor, wrapped in a multitude of blankets and covers, and my father along the sofa as we watched movie after movie.
Sure, it wasn't the most exciting thing we could have been doing, but I wouldn't have traded those moments for anything, snow or no snow. It reminded me of when I was a child. Back when mom was still with us and we used to all huddle together and watch every single Christmas movie we could find, usually Home Alone or Elf, to mom's chagrin. I could still remember the loving look she used to give, even as she had to explain the plot of the film to me for the fifth time that hour. It felt good to relive those moments, as if Mom was still there with us.
Besides that, I spent the rest of the week with either Sam or Helen, both taking it upon themselves to continually skip school to give me company. Something that never failed to warm my heart, knowing they cared enough to risk getting in trouble to hang out with me. Especially Sam, as it turned out that his parents had found out about his little rebellion that Monday when he skipped school. Because of that, his parents started to keep him on an even tighter leash than usual, giving him a timetable that planned his day to the very minute without an ounce of free time. Yet even still, I would find him outside my door in the morning with food in hand and a massive grin on his face.
A few days into the week, as we sat outside, underneath the large oak tree along the bank. A place that was starting to become my second home. I remembered asking him what was with the change in attitude.
"I just realised how pointless it all was." He said with a faraway look in his eyes. "I mean, what does it matter if I spend less time studying? It's not as if I'm going to have any trouble getting into a good university." He said with a cocky smirk. A smirk that quickly disappeared with what he then said next, as he stared into my eyes with a penetrating gaze. "I'm never going to regret not spending a few extra hours studying. But I know I will regret not spending as much time as I can with you."
I didn't know what to say, too overcome with emotions to speak any words without devolving into a crying mess. So instead I turned to face him, wrapping my arms around him and catching him in a tight grip hug, catching him by complete surprise based on the way his body froze in my grasp. Completely natural, as I couldn't even begin to remember the last time we had ever hugged one another besides the time I told him about my illness. It was probably back when we were just children, back when our biggest worry was homework and what was for dinner.
When it came to Helen, after telling her the news it seemed she made it her goal for us to go on as many dates as was physically possible, every day meeting up with a long list of activities that she wanted to do, whether that be bowling, mini golf, laser tag and even archery. It was fair to say that my week was anything but boring. Though if I thought she was going to go easy on me just because of my condition, that thought was resoundingly dashed after just the first day, where she proceeded to absolutely thrash me in bowling, to her utmost amusement.
Back before I had started dating, if you had told me it was possible to feel such a connection with someone, to feel so at peace just by being in their presence, I would have called you a love-struck fool. However, after the month I had spent with Helen, all I could think about was how I wished we could have been together for longer. How I wish I hadn't ignored her for over a month. How I wish I had just asked her out sooner. How I wish it didn't have to end.
As if right on cue, I found myself snapping out of my thoughts and memories and brought back to the present as I felt a burning sensation deep within my chest, and a rupture of coughs burst out of my throat. Through bleary eyes, I looked around from underneath the great oak tree along the bank of the river I found myself at, looking to Sam beside me and seeing the traces of worry and sadness etched on his face as he returned my gaze. I tried to wave away his concerns and flash him a smile, yet under the onslaught of coughs, I found myself unable, stuck in a hunched-over position as tears began to leak from my eyes, as the burning pain in my chest became too much. Over the span of a week, my coughing fits had become exponentially longer and stronger, debilitating me for their entire duration.
Eventually, as the coughs finally began to die down and the only sound that could be heard in the cold winter air was that of my ragged gasps for air, I felt a warm soothing touch on my back. A touch that I had grown used to, as Sam proceeded to rub my back in a slow, circular pattern. It, of course, never helped with the physical pain I was in, feeling as if my lungs themselves were set on fire, but the amount of comfort it provided was immense, making me feel as if I wasn't going through it alone, thatI had friends and family who were always there for me.
"There you go. There you go." Sam continuously whispered, almost like a mantra. After the first few times he had witnessed my worsened coughing fits, he stopped asking whether I was alright at the end, already knowing the answer to that question.
I slowly went to sit back up, placing my hands on the cold green grass for support. As I looked at them, I noticed how pale and gaunt they appeared, looking far more skeletal than they once were and as if they shouldn't belong to someone still living.
'Though it's not as if I'm that far off from being a skeleton.' I thought with a dark chuckle.
However, it wasn't just my hands either, every inch of my body looked just as sickly and pale, partly due to how, ever since my condition had worsened, my appetite had all but disappeared. At this point, I was all but forcing myself to eat at least a single meal a day, or more accurately, my father was. This had led to my body shedding the last few scarce pounds of fat and muscle I still possessed, making every action or movement I made feel like I was wading through water.
Thankfully, Sam and Helen, seeing this, stopped doing any activities that involved a lot of exertion. Something which limited our options drastically. That was why Sam and I found ourselves sitting beneath the grand oak tree, doing nothing, simply chatting and laughing with one another. Reminiscing about even the most monotonous stories, we could remember as if they were grand adventures.
Out of nowhere, a big gust of wind blew by, sending a shiver down the base of my spine, forcing me to wrap myself tighter in my large parka-like coat. It was then, as I looked up into the sky, that I realised how late it had actually become. The sky was pitch black with only the full moon hanging brightly in the sky, thankfully stopping us from being shrouded in complete darkness. Besides the wind, the only other sound that could be heard was that of owls hooting and cats screeching in the distance.
"We should probably start heading home." Sam said suddenly, mid-stretch.
"Yeah, you're probably right. I'm so cold, I feel like I'm going to freeze to death." I replied, smirking to myself as Sam just shook his head.
"Yeah, yeah. You know that joke gets less funny each time you say it."
"You think so? I still find it so funny, I could die of laughter." Quickly, I leaned my body back, just managing to escape the slap aimed at my head. Unfortunately, in doing so, I ended up banging my head against the trunk of the tree, forcing me onto my back as I groaned in pain, cradling my head in between my hands.
"Dumbass. Stop being a baby and just grab my hand. Let's go." As I opened my eyes, a hand suddenly appeared in my vision, one I promptly took before, without warning, I found myself flung up off the floor and back onto my feet.
"You know, I've always wondered. Why the fuck are you so strong? You do the same amount of exercise as me. Meaning fuck all." I groaned, my hands placed firmly on Sam's shoulders as I steadied myself while my vision went black. Something that started happening with a lot more frequency as I began to eat less and less.
Sam merely gave a shrug in response. "Just one of life's big mysteries. Along with why I'm just so smart, attractive, tall, charismatic and amazing." He rattled off, counting on his fingers as he did so, before I gave him a slap on the back of the head in return.
"Let's go. I'm actually going to turn into an ice cube if we stay here much longer."
"You're not wrong there." And with that, we began our journey back to my house. Apparently, Sam had gotten it into his head that I needed a chaperone everywhere I went. Just in case I randomly passed out while walking, something I hadn't done even once. Yet despite that, I knew better than to argue with him, especially when it came to something about my health, and so I simply accepted his help, knowing after all he did it because he cared.