I step out from behind the bathroom door. “What are you not telling me?”
They both freeze.
Camila’s eyes widen, shocked that I’ve caught them, but they quickly turn sympathetic. The sort of sadness etched on her face has my stomach turning in unease.
“I-I didn’t know you were here,” she murmurs.
“Clearly. Is it something about Nate?” When they both stand there, faces ashen, I know it’s bad. I lower my voice and ask the question I’ve been dreading. “Does he have a girlfriend?”
She vehemently shakes her head. “God no, it’s nothing like that.”
I turn toward Leo when it’s clear Camila still doesn’t want to speak up. “You going to tell me what’s going on?”
He smiles sadly. “It’s not for me to say.”
Frustrated, I throw my hands up. “I don’t like secrets.”
Camila takes a deep breath, the air shuddering slightly as it releases from her lips. “Can we talk about this tomorrow?”
“If you want me to have a terrible time celebrating my graduation, sure. I’ll be thinking about whatever you two are whispering about all night.”
Leo shoots Camila a pleading look, and it only takes a moment for her to relent.
“Let’s take a walk.”
Lacing our fingers together, her quiet demeanor doesn’t ease my apprehension as she walks away from the bar, pushing open the exit door.
She sits on an uneven piece of rotted wood that borders a garden full of dead flowers and closes her eyes for a moment. A lonely tear trails down her cheek as she regulates her breathing, causing every part of me to go on high alert.
“Camila, why are you crying?” I whisper.
Her big brown eyes, heavy with tears, glance up at me through her wet eyelashes, torment swimming through them. “I’m sorry I’m telling you this now. I never wanted to ruin your day.” Her voice cracks. “You worked so hard to get here. Youdeserved to have the happiest night celebrating with your closest friends.”
I sit next to her, my stomach twisting in knots. “You’re scaring me, Camila.”
She turns, her mouth opens and closes, and I sense she’s building the courage to talk. She takes a deep breath and finally lets the words loose, spilling out of her mouth, ones I never expected to hear in my life.“I have stage three ovarian cancer.”
“What?” My stomach dips as I cover my mouth, a loud sob ripping through me. “No. This can’t be true.”
She nods, solemnly, as she attempts to hold back the next onslaught of tears. Her lip quivers. “I knew I had to tell you in person, and I was going to tomorrow. I’m sorry, Leo’s big mouth brought it up today.”
“No, Camila.” My voice cracks, ringing louder through the alley than I mean it to. “Who the hell cares about a damn graduation when my best friend has cancer? That exceeds everything else.”
My friend has cancer.
I take her into my arms, both of us holding on for dear life, not saying a word. Whatever’s left of my already broken heart shatters for my best friend.
After a few minutes, Camila’s body starts to shake, her tears soak into my dress, and the pain I feel multiplies, realizing there’s not a lot I can do to help her at this moment.
Rubbing her back, attempting to soothe her while she lets everything she’s probably been holding in, is the best I can do. That, and hold back my own emotions so I can be here for her.
“I’m having surgery next week.” Her voice shakes. “Could you come? Mom already booked your ticket in case you could.”
“Of course.” I start my new job next week, but I couldn’t care less about it now. I’d go homeless without a job before missing this.
“You’ll be okay if you see my brother?”
Definitely not.
