Chapter 406 – Beginning with a Daring Encounter

“No! I don’t want to be in the same space with you or anyone else!” He snapped at her and started walking away.

“Hm. Too bad,” she said with pursed lips as she continued to follow him while honking the car.

When Lucas couldn’t take it anymore, he stopped again and turned to her, “What do you want?”

“For starters, I’m still with your ID card. You left it behind at my place.”

“You can help me return it to Dr. Drew at your next appointment,” Lucas said, and she nodded.

“Alright. But I will feel better after I know you are not going to any bar to drink yourself into a stupor or do anything silly. Sorry, I know I shouldn’t care, but unfortunately, my dying brain is worried about you,” she said with a shrug.

“Listen, if you’re following me because you want to get back at Rachel or…” Lucas paused when he noticed the mild annoyance in her eyes.

“I’m dying, and somehow you think getting back at Rachel is the most important to me right now?” She asked incredulously, but Lucas just kept staring at her.

“There is nothing to get back at her for. She has won, don’t you get it? She has her whole life right ahead of her, and I don’t. I have limited time to make something for myself. To do something meaningful for me. I can’t make what little time I have left to be about Rachel. I can’t afford to,” she said, blinking back the tears that stung her eyes.

“Listen, I know you don’t know me or care about me, I don’t like the fact that I’m worried about you either, but I am. Maybe it’s because I see you as another victim of Rachel or something, I don’t know. But get into the damned car. If you need a drinking buddy, I’ll drink with you and listen to you swear and cuss at Rachel or whoever else. Just don’t waste your life away on her account,” Miley said, and Lucas shook his head.

“I’m not going back to alcohol. And I don’t need you or anyone to listen. Just leave me alone. That’s all I need.”

“Good. I’m glad you don’t need a drinking buddy. Will you be my drinking buddy then? I want to drink myself into a stupor and wallow in self-pity. And I want you to be my audience and listen to me cry and cuss at the universe for giving me such an unexpectedly short lifespan,” she said, and this time Lucas paused.

“Don’t you have friends?”

“I told you before, I’ve been away for years and just got back. They’re all acquaintances now, and Amy is my only friend. It would be selfish to drag her away from her job to help me. You, on the other hand, just quit, and you have all the time in the world right now. So please, can you just keep me company? I could pay you for your time if you want,” She said, and Lucas looked at her for a moment, trying to understand her.

“I don’t need your damned money,” he muttered under his breath as he got into the passenger’s seat, and her red-painted lips curved in a smile.

“Thanks. So where do you want to go?” She asked happily.

“Take me wherever you want to go,” Lucas said without looking at her.

He wasn’t sure he was making the right call by hanging out with her, but underneath her cheerful disposition, he knew that she was sad. And somehow, he couldn’t bring himself to turn her away completely. He was a sucker for sick, distressed, and helpless people.

“Is there anything else you’ve not told me?” Lucas asked as he turned to look at her.

“Like I’ve been in love with you since you were in high school?” She asked, and Lucas’ eyes rounded in shock, making her laugh out loud.

“Chill. I’m just pulling your legs,” she assured him as she combed her fingers through her long hair.

Lucas relaxed, “You followed me from the hotel?”

“Yeah. I figured it would take me just as much time to dress up as it would take you to get to the gate, so there was no need to stop you when I could easily catch up,” she said with a shrug.

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why did you follow me? Why are you doing this?”

“Well, for starters, if you leave here and anything happens to you, I’d be the last person that was with you, and I don’t want to spend what little time I have left behind bars for a crime I did not commit,” she said with an easy smile.

“Why are you always talking about your limited time?” Lucas asked with a frown, and she shrugged.

“I’m trying to be comfortable with the idea of dying. How do your patients react when you tell them they’re dying?” She asked as she turned to spare him a glance.

“Some avoid the subject as though not talking about it will make the sickness disappear. Others keep crying when they talk about it, but you are smiling while talking about it,” Lucas said, and he noticed the slight tremble of her lips.

“I have to learn how to talk about it without breaking down so that my parents won’t break down when I tell them about it. I’m all they’ve got,” she said with tears in her eyes as she turned to him.

“If I can’t be strong, how can I expect them to be when I’m gone?” She asked, and Lucas felt her sadness as tears dropped from her eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

She cleared her throat and flashed him a smile, “I told you before, don’t be. You’re going through your own hell. I’m going through mine. Life sucks. Hopefully, death won’t suck,” she said as she swiped at her tears.

“Sorry, I’m not with my handkerchief. Would have offered it,” Lucas said, and she smiled.

“Why don’t we get you something to wear? And then we can return to the hotel, so you freshen up. Unless, of course, you’d rather not,” she said, reminding Lucas that he was looking rough.

“Let’s do that.”

***********

Jade had a silly smile on her face as she walked out of her bedroom to join the others who were already waiting in front of the house. She wondered what would be going through Harry’s mind by now.

She had decided not to confess her feelings to him as Benne had suggested, but she was going to make it difficult for him to ignore her or get her out of his mind. She wanted him, and she was going to make him want her back.

“I hope I didn’t keep you guys waiting?” She asked apologetically.

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