Chapter 445 – Beginning with a Daring Encounter

“How are you feeling now?” Lucas asked, choosing to focus on her face, and she smiled at him.

“I feel fine. I’m sorry you had to sleep on the couch for the second night in a row,” she said apologetically, but Lucas shrugged it off dismissively.

“I’m fine. Now that your friend is here, I should be on my way now,” Lucas said as he picked up his phone to check the time.

“Isn’t it too early to leave?” Miley asked just as he saw that it was just past six in the morning. And then he clicked on a text message notification on his screen, and saw it was a text from Celsie explaining why she had missed his call and letting him know she would call back in the morning.

“It’s not too early. Take care of yourself, Miley,” Lucas said as he stood and then pocketed his phone.

“What’s your plan? Are you really not going to return to Dr. Drew’s hospital?” Miley asked without standing up, and Lucas spared her a glance, knowing she was trying to stall as usual.

“No, I’m not returning there,” Lucas said as he headed for the door.

“Why not? What are you going to do now? Get a new job? Or you no longer want to practice?” She asked quickly once his hands touched the doorknob, and Lucas cursed himself silently as he turned to look at her, knowing he was playing into her trap.

“Instead of worrying your head about me, go home and get treatment,” Lucas advised.

“Why is it important to you that I go home?” Miley asked, standing from the couch and approaching him.

“I know what you’re doing, Miley. It’s not going to work,” Lucas said just as she stopped in front of him, and she smiled at him.

“What do you think I’m doing? And what makes you believe it’s not going to work?” She asked with a pretty pout.

“Stop playing games with me, Miley. I don’t want to remain here with you this way, and I don’t want to be friends with you either. I have enough to worry about, and I don’t want to have to worry about you too,” Lucas said, and he felt a stab of guilt in his heart when hurt flickered in her eyes for a brief moment before she smiled at him.

“Alright. I’m sorry to have been such a bother. You can leave,” she said as she turned her back to him and returned to the couch, leaving Lucas standing by the door.

“Miley…”

“That’s the door, Lucas. You can use it,” she said flatly, and Lucas sighed as he opened the door and walked out of the house.

Once he shut the door behind him, Amy stepped out of the bedroom, “Don’t take it to heart. I think he cares about you a lot, and that’s what bothers him,” Amy said as she sat down on the couch beside Miley, and she looked at her.

“I thought you were sound asleep?” Miley asked, and Amy grinned.

“Nah. I woke up when you did, but pretended to be asleep when I saw you changing into such a sexy nightdress. I wanted to see if you were sneaking to the living room to make out with Dr. hottie,” Amy said with a wink, and Miley giggled.

“Why would you think such a dirty thing you slut,” Miley said, and Amy laughed.

“Because I wouldn’t put it past you. I haven’t forgotten how you tried to seduce your tutor and made the poor guy lose his job,” Amy said with a grin, and Miley laughed at the memory.

“I still don’t know who was more mortified between me and my mom who walked in on me unbuttoning my dress. I sure had an earful,” Miley said, and Amy doubled over with laughter.

“I remember how hard it was to hold back my laughter as I cleaned up the mess your mom had made after dropping the tray of cookies she was coming to serve you, while she scolded you,” Amy said amidst her laughter and raised a hand to wipe the tears that were now falling from her eyes.

“And then we had a good laugh afterwards. Those were really fun times,” Miley said with an amused smile as she gazed at Amy who had begun to feel emotional.

“What are you doing here, Amy? Aren’t you suppose to be at work?” Miley asked, and Amy sniffled as she met her gaze.

“Would you be at work if the situation was reversed?”

“I can afford to take a break from work, it’s my family’s business. But yours isn’t,” Miley pointed out, and Amy snorted.

“Don’t worry, I took a sick leave. I’m not leaving your side, so don’t even think about telling me otherwise,” Amy warned, and Miley sighed.

“Suit yourself. But I should let you know that nothing fun is going on here. You’re going to be bored shitless and…”

“Shut up, Miley. I’ve had my fair share of fun with you. I’m not here for fun,” Amy said as she moved closer to Miley and gathered her close to herself.

“How do you feel?” Amy asked as she patted Miley’s hair, and she chuckled dryly.

“How do you think I feel?” Miley asked.

“I don’t know. You tell me. I want to know how you feel. Tell me everything,” Amy said, and Miley pulled away from her so she could look into her face.

“I’ve been feeling a lot of things for the past couple of weeks, but seeing you now, I’m terrified,” Miley confessed in a shaky voice, her eyes glistening with tears.

“I don’t know what to expect. For the first time I will be in a place where I can’t even talk to you,” she said, and Amy raised a hand to her lips to stifle her sob.

“Oh, Miley!” Amy cried softly as she embraced Miley, and they clung to each other as they both cried.

After crying for sometime, Miley was the first to compose herself and then she patted Amy’s back, “Don’t be such a baby,” she said jokingly.

“How can you even joke right now?” Amy asked with a sniffle as she pulled back to look at Miley.

“That’s all I can do, else I might be forced to take my own life before the universe takes it from me,” Miley said as she wiped away Amy’s tears.

“You won’t do such a thing,” Amy said as she held on to Miley’s hand on her cheek, and Miley nodded.

“Yeah, I won’t. That’s why I have to keep doing my best to stay cheerful. You know, low-key I’m still hoping to receive a call from my doctor telling me it was all a prank or a mistake and I’m not really dying. But the call is taking so long to come,” Miley said with a crooked smile.

---