Witty Profiles

xxHelloLovelyxx

1. xxHelloLovelyxx
   posted a quote
   February 28, 2013 5:34pm UTC
   in his arms
   Chapter 54
   I threw myself from the horse, thudding against the ground pretty hard. But if I was in any pain, I didn’t notice it. I was too focused on Anthony.
   I slid to my knees beside his pulsating body. His eyes were open but blank and his tongue was bleeding from being clenched between his teeth. He gurgled, sounding like he was being choked or drowned.
   I noticed someone was screaming.
   The trainer wasn’t beside me anymore, but even if she was, she wouldn’t have been much help. I was alone as I watched him shudder beneath me. His movements became slower and less intense.
   And as my breath grew faint I noticed I was the one who was screaming.
   The trainer returned to the yard to inform me she’d dialed the ambulance and they were on their way.
   But I wouldn’t leave him, I wouldn’t take my hand off of his. Even when the EMTs did show up, I wouldn’t let our touch break. I couldn’t stand losing him.
   I was told I wasn’t allowed in the ambulance with him, so I called Morgan. My hands shook and my breathing was jagged and stuttered, so it was a miracle that she even understood me.
   I greeted Anthony’s mother in the waiting room. The doctors told me that he was unconscious, so I wasn’t allowed to be with him. They were still running tests on him to see what happened.
   I paced back and forth, unable to stand still or even stop crying. Morgan and Aidan tried to comfort me, but I couldn’t even be touched.
   Eventually, a female nurse came back into the waiting room. “He’s suffered a seizure,” she told me and his mother, leading us down a few corridors. “He’s conscious, but not exactly responsive. He’s not speaking.”
   “Is he going to be okay?” I breathed.
   “Well, we’d have to run more tests to determine that there are no long term side effects.”
   “Oh my god,” I exhaled.
   “Now, there’s a few things that could occur because of a seizure. He could have long term migraines, memory loss, lack of concentration, or paralysis.”
   “Does he have any of those?” his mother asked.
   “We don’t know yet.”
   She brought us into an unfamiliar hospital room where I found him, laying on the cot. His eyes were dull and tired.
   I forced a smile to choke down the tears. “Hi, Anthony,” I murmured through sobs.
   He furrowed his brow at me. “Do I know you?”
   idk about posting two chapters tonight. what do you think?
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2. xxHelloLovelyxx
   posted a quote
   February 27, 2013 8:53pm UTC
   in his arms
   Chapter 53
   I was silent the entire car ride. I was still angry at Anthony for making me get up and ready.
   “We’re gunna have a good day today, right?” he asked me, placing his hand face up between the two of us as we rode to the lessons.
   When I only nodded my head and refused to place my hand on top of his, he reached over and took my hand anyways. A quirky grin found its way to his mouth, and then to mine as well.
   As he focused back to the road, I noticed him blinking hard and squinting. That scared me. “Are you okay?” He didn’t respond to me. “Anthony?” I repeated. When he didn’t respond a second time, I panicked. “Anthony!” I yelped, and his head turned to me.
   “Why are you yelling?”
   My chest relaxed. “Well, you weren’t responding to me.”
   “Were you even saying anything?” I nodded my head. “Oh, sorry.”
   “Are you okay?”
   He bobbed his head. “Yeah, I just have this massive headache.”
   “Maybe…” I stammered. “Maybe I should drive.”
   He gritted his teeth. “No. I’m fine.”
   I didn’t want to make him any more upset than he already was, so I left it at that.
   We pulled into the parking lot of the farm and we both left the car. Anthony approached me and slung his arm over my shoulder, but not affectionately. Like he was leaning against me for support. Like if I wasn’t there, he would’ve collapsed.
   We checked ourselves in and signed a few papers before meeting a young, female trainer and her horses, Star and Dakota.
   Star was pure white with a long, bushy tail. She was a little scrawny, but that was okay, because Anthony and I were too. Dakota was a caramel color with a platinum mane and tail and chocolate covered hooves. Dakota was the horse with the most energy, so I offered to take her.
   Anthony allowed me to have the first turn. The trainer showed me how to adjust the saddle and board the horse. She instructed me on how to get comfortable and keep balance, and how to control the horse. As Dakota began picking up speed, I squealed faintly, giggling. My bright eyes glanced up to Anthony, who still stood in the barn. He was smiling as well.
   I still rode Dakota while the trainer offered to help Anthony on his horse. I watched him as he took his first step, and his legs caved beneath him, and he fell to the dirt.
   I felt my breath shorten. I wanted to get down, I wanted to help him. But I had no idea how to stop.
   Instead the trainer went to assist him back to his feet. “Are you okay?” she asked him.
   Something came out of his mouth, but it wasn’t English. It was incomprehensible gibberish.
   So the trainer laughed shortly, clearly feeling somewhat uncomfortable. “Are you okay?” she repeated.
   This time, he only stared at her for about five seconds. And suddenly, his body was in the dirt again as he convulsed and jerked around uncontrollably.
   *preparing myself for the death threats*
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3. xxHelloLovelyxx
   posted a quote
   February 27, 2013 4:57pm UTC
   in his arms
   Chapter 52
   I didn’t leave my room for three days.
   I’d never lost someone close to me; I didn’t know how to cope.
   It wasn’t until Anthony opened the bedroom door and came inside that I even spoke to someone since I found out Billy died.
   “Come on, Kail,” he said.
   “What?”
   “Get up. We have those horseback riding lessons today.”
   I only rolled my eyes at him and flopped over on the bed. I was shocked that he wasn’t coming to comfort me.
   “Kaitlyn,” he sighed.
   “Would you stop?” I demanded, angry now. “You’ve never lost someone close to you. You don’t know what this feels like.”
   I heard his footsteps across the floor. “No, I don’t. I don’t think I ever claimed to know.”
   “Then just leave me alone,” I growled through gritted teeth.
   He took a seat on the queen sized bed we shared. “Kaitlyn, he’s gone. And it’s okay to feel sad and to mourn him, but life does go on. The world doesn’t just stop when someone dies.”
   “I’m not done mourning.”
   “Kaitlyn, death is a part of life. It happens every day. And I know it sucks. It sucks a lot. But what is sitting here moping going to do to help you?”
   I pinched my eyes shut. “Anthony, I just want to be alone.”
   “I know you do,” he murmured, putting a hand on my back. “But I’m not leaving. I love you too much.”
   I felt a silent tear stream down my face.
   “I know the only thing you want to do right now is lay here alone. But honestly, that does nothing. If anything, it makes you more upset. I know you don’t want to, but I promise you, Kail, if you come horseback riding with me, I won’t let you regret this.”
   I rolled over again to face his eyes. “If I feel like this now, what if I lose you?”
   His face grew hard. “Don’t think about that now.”
   “How can I not? You mean more to me than anyone’s ever meant to me before. I can’t lose you.”
   “You’re not going to,” he promised, taking my hand in his. “Not today.”
   So I took his hand, and his advice, and I stood from the bed.
   Billy is based off of a real person. His name is Connor, and he's an eighth grader in my school system. His father is the assistant super intendent, and because it's a small town, everybody knows him. They have a big walk for him every year called "Walk for Connor." But his little sister is in my little sister's basketball league. Last night, his sister and my sister played against each other in the championships, and he went (in a wheel chair with medical supplies, obviously.) But my sister went up to him an said, "Hi, Connor," and though he'd never met her before, he smiled back and said, "Hello." My sister's team won, the score was 8-7, so in the moment, I was so happy she won. But I saw Connor with his sister and he was congratulating her like she had one, and suddenly, I'd wished we'd lost. I cried a lot last night. idk.
   We love you, Connor. Keep fighting buddy. This is for you <3
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4. xxHelloLovelyxx
   posted a quote
   February 26, 2013 7:41pm UTC
   in his arms
   Chapter 51
   My eyes found his. He was grinning. “Damn, it’s almost here.”
   “What?”
   “The surgery. It’s so weird. I remember when I was first being diagnosed, and now they’re giving me surgery on it.”
   I nodded my head. “Yeah.”
   “It’s been a long road.”
   “I bet.”
   I felt his fingers intertwine with mine. “Glad I got to take the trip with you.” I shook my hand loose from his, and he frowned at me. “What?”
   “Nothing.”
   “Don’t do that. Tell me.”
   My face hardened to keep myself from crying. “Sorry I’m not super excited about the fact that you’re going in to have a life threating operation done.”
   “Hey,” he hummed, pulling my face to his. “Hey, I’ll be alright.”
   “You can’t predict the future.”
   He shook his head. “No, I can’t.”
   “So you can’t say that you’re going to be okay.”
   He bowed his head. “There’s no way I’m going to die. They’re got the best doctors working with me. Would you look on the bright side, Kail?”
   “What bright side?”
   “I’m getting treatment. I’m going to be better. After all this, I’m going to be better.”
   “I hope so.”
   He smiled, nudging me. “So, what else do you need to do for your list that we can do this weekend?”
   I glanced down on it and breathed deeply before I said, “Horseback riding.”
   “What?”
   I pointed to the bullet. “Take horseback riding lessons.”
   * * *
   I slid down the hospital aisles that I knew too well and found the familiar door. I held the newspaper in my hand and tried to turn the doorknob, but found it locked for the second time that week.
   There was a doctor passing in the hallways, so I pulled her aside. “Excuse me, but do you know if the little boy from this room switched rooms?”
   She checked the room number. “Do you know his name?”
   “Billy? He was twelve, he had red hair—“
   “Oh, that little boy? The one who needed the lung transplant?”
   My heart skipped a beat. Maybe he’d gotten it. “Yes, that’s him.”
   Her face sort of sagged slightly. “I’m sorry, miss, but that little boy passed away earlier this week.”
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5. xxHelloLovelyxx
   posted a quote
   February 26, 2013 4:19pm UTC
   in his arms
   Chapter 50
   3. Make a difference in someone’s life.
   The thud of heavy paper on the table in front of me startled me slightly, and the smell of newsprint blew into my face. I flinched backwards, almost spilling my water.
   Morgan stood above me. “Read this,” she demanded, placing her hand over the newspaper.
   Anthony ventured into the kitchen from the den. “Read what?”
   I glanced up to her warily before exchanging my water for the paper. The first headline that I saw was;
   HORRIFIC CRASH INJURES FANS AT DAYTONA.
   I creased my brow. “Well, the car crash is sad, but kind of irrelevant, Morgan.”
   She rolled her eyes and sighed heavily, shrugging a hip. “No, Kail, in the bottom corner.” She placed her finger over another, smaller headline. I had to brush her aside in order to read it.
   ‘THE READING TREE’ FOUNDERS TELL THEIR STORY.
   My eyes widened as I read the article headline over again. Anthony stood over my shoulder now.
   “Is that our interview?” Anthony asked suddenly, standing up straight.
   “It sure is,” Morgan said coolly from the counter.
   My eyes flickered up to Anthony’s. “Did we actually make the front page?”
   “No, you didn’t,” Morgan told us. “The headline did. The rest of the article is on page 3.”
   Anthony’s eyes found mine. “I’d still consider it as making the front page.”
   We flipped open to page 3 to find the rest of our article. We must’ve read it five times over and over again, indulging in the fact that we had made the newspaper.
   “Does Ben know?” I asked.
   “I called him this morning,” Morgan said. “As soon as I read it. He said he’d already seen it, and he was so proud of the both of you.”
   “I have to show Billy,” I hummed to Anthony. “I can’t wait to read this with him.”
   Anthony smirked down on me. “You really love that kid.”
   I grinned, my eyes tracing the paper over and over again. “He’s like a little brother to me now.”
   He pulled out the chair beside me. “Well, you made the front page of the newspaper. Cross it off your bucket list.”
   So I did. I found the list in my room and dragged the pen across another number.
   22. Make the front page of the newspaper.
   “You can’t have much more left on there,” Anthony told me.
   I shook my head. “No, I don’t. There’re three bullets left.”
   “Well, we need plans for the weekend. It’s the last weekend before my surgery.”
   His words shook me. He needed brain surgery in order to remove the tumor. And I knew I should’ve been excited, and I knew that he was excited, but I wasn’t. I wasn’t even close.
   I was so incredibly nervous that he wasn’t going to make it through the surgery. I was so scared that I was going to lose someone who meant everything to me.
   I couldn’t lose him.
   Can I just say real quick that I f.cking hate the police officers in my town.
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6. xxHelloLovelyxx
   posted a quote
   February 25, 2013 7:34pm UTC
   in his arms
   Chapter 49
   I turned the doorknob of the small hospital room. On days that Anthony was unable to visit me, I visited Billy. He managed to keep my mind off things. He was the only patient I visited anymore. I always brought our book, but we never managed to read it together.
   I opened the door and found four other people crowded around Billy’s bed. A large, bald man sat on the chair closest to his bed, and a thin, blond woman next to him. Two young children, a boy and a girl, played on the floor beside them.
   Billy’s face lit up. “Hi, Kaitlyn.”
   Both adults looked up to me with lively faces. “You’re Kaitlyn?” the woman asked.
   My eyes met hers and I nodded. “Yes.”
   Her face beamed a smile as she stood from her chair. “Oh, it’s a pleasure to meet you!” she squealed, pulling me into a hug. “We’re Billy’s parents.”
   “Oh!” I exhaled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too.”
   “We’ve heard so much about you. I mean, wow. You’re an amazing human being, I have to say.”
   “Oh,” I sighed, feeling color behind my cheeks, “I mean, I’m just getting by.”
   “No,” his father said from the chair. “No, you’re doing so much more than that.”
   I shrugged my shoulders. “I mean, I don’t think so.”
   “This charity, the book drive?” his mother started. “What made you want to do that?”
   I shrugged slightly, looking down to my hands. “Well, it wasn’t my idea. I met a soldier over the summer, and it was his idea. Not all the books are going to children in hospitals; some are going overseas to soldiers with nothing to do at camp.”
   “Well, I mean, Billy is so thankful that he met you.” His mother was smiling back to Billy now.
   I grinned at him, too. “And I’m so thankful I met him. He’s my only friend in the hospital now.”
   Billy’s eyes were locked on mine. “I love it when she comes to talk to me.”
   “I do too, Billy.” I laughed shortly. “Seeing you is the highlight of my day.”
   “Mine too.” I noticed his voice was hoarse.
   His mother looked back to me. “Billy hasn’t stopped talking about you. He’s mesmerized by you and all the work you’ve done.”
   I shrugged. “I really haven’t done that much.”
   His mother shook her head. “You’re too humble.”
   I smirked lightly. “When I was really sick, my husband would come in to my hospital room or lay on my bed with me and just read or talk. It was so easy to get lost in his voice, and to forget about everything else.” I glanced up to Billy. “I just thought someone else deserved that feeling.”
   “It’s not just that,” Billy told me. “You care, too.” He coughed once.
   “Yeah,” I coughed, on the verge of tears. “Yeah, Billy, I do care. I care a lot.”
   “You’ve really changed him,” his mother told me. “You’ve given him something to look forward to, something to smile about.” She looked back to me, her eyes glassy. “And as his mother, I’m not sure I could ever repay you.”
   You only get one chapter tonight because you guys actually suck at giving feedback. You want two chapters tomorrow night? Yeah? Prove it.
   & I went driving with my best b.tch through the city jamming out to "F.cking Problems" and "Mercy" with the base cranking, flipped off some lame-a.ss hoes, and flirted with a hella cute guy. I'd call this a successful Monday, wouldn't you?
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7. xxHelloLovelyxx
   posted a quote
   February 24, 2013 9:26pm UTC
   in his arms
   Chapter 48
   “Do you think anyone really cares?” Billy asked, interrupting me between chapters. I noticed he did that a lot. He’d rather listen to my life philosophies than the story.
   My eyes found his. “Cares about what?”
   “Me being sick.”
   I shut the book and placed it on the table. “Of course people care.”
   “I feel like people only act like they care. Or they only do it for the attention.”
   “What do you mean?”
   “Like when girls come to visit me. I feel like they only do it so they can post pictures on Facebook just to say that they hung out with the kid who’s in the hospital.”
   “Girls come to visit you?” I murmured, smiling. He nodded, only making eye contact for a split second. “That’s sweet.”
   He shrugged. “I guess.”
   I contemplated my next question for a moment. “Why are you in here, anyways?”
   “Collapsing lung,” he told me. “I’ve had it ever since I was little.”
   “What are they treating you with?”
   “Different medicines that work with my lungs. And a breathing tube,” he said, pointing to the tube.
   “Can it be cured?”
   “No.”
   My heart dropped instantly. I didn’t know what to say to that. What do you say to a child who knows they’re doomed? How do you help them? He was only twelve.
   “I’m getting a lung transplant, though,” he announced.
   A slight relief took a bit of pressure off my chest. “Well, that’s good. When?”
   “Early January, they’re assuming.”
   “Early January?” I breathed. “That’s three months.”
   He nodded. “Well, I’m fourth on the list for people who need a transplant. That’s just an assumption.”
   “So it could be sooner,” I offered.
   “Or later.”
   I took a deep breath before saying, “Hopefully sooner.”
   I had to make myself think like that. I couldn’t let myself love someone else who was so incredibly close to death.
   How unfortunate it is, to love something death can touch.
   Good news: The lab report is done. I give it an A-.
   Other news: I'll be writing more of my next story tonight. Holla ~
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8. xxHelloLovelyxx
   posted a quote
   February 24, 2013 5:57pm UTC
   in his arms
   Chapter 47
   Anthony sat in the cafeteria with me in the seat by the window. Even though he wasn’t a patient at the hospital anymore, or at least for the next few weeks, he still came to have lunch with me.
   I was envious of him. Since he wasn’t on chemotherapy, he was allowed to eat anything he d.mn well pleased. And I was sitting here, gulping down nuts and vegetables. He was humble about it and never ate anything I couldn’t in front of me, despite the fact that I told him he could’ve if he wanted to.
   In the lighting of the café, I noticed slight peach fuzz lining his chin. “Are you growing a beard?” I questioned.
   He grinned widely, rubbing a coarse hand over the chocolate hairs on his chin. “I was considering it.”
   I widened my eyes and giggled at him. “You’re ridiculous.”
   He stretched his arms behind his head, still smiling. “I love hair. I missed this.” He drew his fingers through his now lengthy locks.
   I prodded a blueberry with my spoon. “I miss that.”
   His smile instantly vanished. His eyes were locked on me. “Well, if it makes you sad, I’ll stop,” he offered.
   I spun to face him again. “Anthony,” I sighed.
   “Kaitlyn,” he moaned back. He leaned forward and moved himself closer to me, smiling again.
   “Would you stop making every decision off of what I want? It’s your life. Do what you want.”
   “Don’t you get it, Kail?” he breathed, sitting back again. He grinned to the ceiling.
   “Get what?”
   He rolled his head to show me his smile. “You’re the reason I’m even living anymore.”
   Before I could even react, a voice interrupted my thoughts. “Hello,” a man said from behind me, so I spun quickly. He wasn’t looking at me, or talking to me, rather to Anthony. “Are you Anthony Thompson?”
   Anthony wiped the smile off his face and sat forward. “Yes.”
   “And you must be Kaitlyn…?” the man said to me. He held a notepad, and the man behind him held a camera.
   I nodded, my eyes darting back and forth between the both of them. “Kaitlyn Thompson, yes.”
   “Oh, we didn’t realize you were siblings.”
   “Not siblings,” I corrected. “Married.”
   Both men looked to the other before back to us with smiles. “We understand you’re the founders of The Reading Tree?” he asked, beaming a grin at us.
   “No,” Anthony answered quickly. “No, that was Benjamin Garcia.”
   They exchanged glances. “Well, co-founders.”
   “Why does it matter?”
   “We’d like to interview you about the charity.”
   I saw Anthony glance over at me before back to the men. “What for?”
   They smiled. “Well, the public loves this stuff. Wouldn’t you like more recognition?”
   “We’re not in it for the fame,” Anthony told them.
   “So are you denying the interview?”
   Anthony looked to me. “What do you think?”
   I smiled at him, and then back to the reporters. “I think if they have questions, they deserve answers.”
   So I have a lab report due tomorrow that I had all vacation to do and it's not even started. Hopefully between now and the time I post the second chapter tonight it'll be done.
   Oh and sorry for the boringness. The next chapter is like this too ):
   But I've written 4 chapters of my next story today, and I'm currently working on Chapter 8. It's not as good as this one. Sorry if you hate it ~
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9. xxHelloLovelyxx
   posted a quote
   February 23, 2013 8:07pm UTC
   in his arms
   Chapter 46
   “There are more books in the storage room,” Anthony told me. We’d collected over 3 carfulls of books from one small town that I’d never heard of. Ben told us to start small, and see if we were supported.
   After the collecting period ended, he’d labeled it a success.
   Anthony was so good with public speaking. At the middle school we started with, he managed to get the kids very enthused by it. And it’s tough talking to a group of haughty, uninterested adolescents.
   I, of course, was not aiding him in bringing the boxes inside, rather sifting through them. I was trying to find books that little kids would like, because those are the people I would be reading to.
   He sighed heavily as he slammed another box against the ground. “Are you planning on helping?”
   “No.”
   He laughed shortly. “Find any books worth reading?”
   “Well, they’re all used,” I murmured, picking up a worn book, “and falling apart. But that doesn’t matter to me. What matters is the book itself.”
   He sat crisscrossed on the ground beside me. “So, have you found anything?”
   I glanced at the pile beside me. “A few. The more mature books will go to the soldiers.”
   “Do you have the list of kids and room numbers you’ll be reading to?”
   “Yup,” I hummed, spinning around to pick up the piece of paper that sat behind me. “Right here.”
   The list consisted of ten children under the age of 12 who were undergoing some kind of treatment at the hospital. There were four boys and six girls.
   “When will you start?”
   “As soon as I’m ready,” I told him. “As soon as I’m strong enough.”
   “You’re getting stronger,” he told me, pressing his fingers to my cheek. “A little more every day.” I only smiled up at him. “You know,” he hummed, “I can’t wait for the day when we’re both healthy. When we’re living normal lives.”
   I shied away from his words. I wondered how in touch with reality he was. I wonder if he realized just how slim the chances of a normal life were for us.
   * * *
   I knocked gently against the door of another hospital room. The boy behind these doors would be my last visit for the day. A twelve year old named William, but he liked to be called Billy.
   I opened the door slightly and found him laying on the bed. He was a pale boy with round cheeks and a freckled face.
   “Hi,” I greeted with a smile. “I’m Kaitlyn.”
   “I know,” he smiled. “I’m Billy.”
   “How are you today?” I asked him. As I started getting closer to him, I noticed a tube that was stuck into his throat.
   “I’m good, how are you?”
   I grinned at him. “I’m very good.”
   I sat down in the chair to begin reading to him, but he interrupted me before I could.
   “Do you think you’ll ever get cured?”
   My eyes flashed up to his. “What?”
   “Do you think your cancer will ever go away?”
   I smiled at him. “I hope so.”
   “I hope so too.” He frowned slightly. “I hate cancer. All it does is destroy people. And destroy lives.”
   Normally, I would’ve agreed with this boy. But if it weren’t for cancer, I would’ve never met Anthony.
   So, in a sick and twisted way, cancer saved me.
   Told you it was bad lol oops.
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10. xxHelloLovelyxx
    posted a quote
    February 23, 2013 4:07pm UTC
    in his arms
    Chapter 45
    20. Read 100 books.
    I heard the door to my hospital room unlock, and I pried my eyes open to find Nurse Martin standing in the doorway. She smiled down at me. “Kaitlyn, you have a visitor.”
    I rubbed my eyes, still waking up, and sat up halfway on my bed, supporting myself with my arm.
    She flicked up the light switch and stepped to the side, allowing Ben into the room.
    I was instantly awake and bright eyed at the sight of him, a large smile taking shape on my face. “Hi,” I croaked, my throat still raw from the mixture of constant vomiting and just waking up.
    “Hello, Kaitlyn,” he greeted, standing across from me. “How are you?”
    “Well,” I shrugged, glancing myself over. “I’m… yeah.”
    He bowed his head, a faint smile on his face, while Nurse Martin closed the door to leave us alone. “So, I’m here because I believe Anthony talked to you about a charity I wanted to run.”
    “Yup,” I nodded. “He did.”
    He grinned. “Awesome. Well, I just wanted to make sure you were okay with this.”
    “Of course! Just tell me what I need to do and—“
    “You don’t need to worry about anything other than getting better right now,” he told me. “Anthony and I are taking care of the legal stuff together, we’ll handle advertising, spreading the word, etcetera. My wife wants to help as well.”
    I bobbed my head to everything he said. “Well,” I hummed lowly after he was finished, “what would you need me for when I’m able to help?”
    “Well,” he hummed, holding out his hands, “I was thinking we’d have you as our, well, for lack of a better word, our icon.”
    I furrowed my brow. “What does that mean?”
    “I was thinking, like, you’re the person who goes to schools and announces the fund raiser during the assembly. You’re the person that people see when they hear the name, ‘The Reading Tree.’”
    “‘The Reading Tree?’” I murmured, smiling.
    He grinned at me. “Anthony and I decided it would be a good name.”
    “Why don’t you have Anthony do the speaking part?” I suggested. “I’m not good with public speaking. Or, speaking in general.”
    He grimaced slightly. “Well, what would you do?”
    I contemplated his second for a moment before responding; “Let me read to the kids. I know that there are some kids, even in this hospital, who are too little or too sick to read themselves. I’ll go to their rooms, even if it’s just once. They’ll love it.”
    He nodded his head, a smile growing across his face. And I knew he approved.
    Stay tuned later tonight for another, slightly more interesting but still boring chapter. Sorry. The next like six are super boring. Like it's really bad.
    *I don't notify, please don't ask.*
    
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11. xxHelloLovelyxx
    posted a quote
    February 22, 2013 8:21pm UTC
    in his arms
    Chapter 44
    1. Meet the love of my life.
    “How did Aidan propose to you?”
    Morgan smiled gently as she sent a glare to Aidan. “With a freaking ring pop,” she hissed. Aidan flashed white teeth and averted her stare, laughing shortly. “He’s a real romantic,” she added, and he shrugged.
    “When did you first meet?” Anthony asked, leaning against the doorframe. We sat inside their sitting area in their cottage, just off of the porch that overlooked the water.
    “In Walgreens,” Aidan answered quickly, attempting to redeem himself.
    “Oh my God,” Morgan moaned. “I was in pajamas with my hair pulled back and no makeup on.”
    “Tell them what you were buying,” Aidan encouraged.
    “I was buying a pregnancy test!” she blurted, laughing out loud.
    “A pregnancy test?” I gasped, smiling widely. “Why were you buying a pregnancy test?”
    She furrowed her brow at me. “To take it out to lunch, Kail. Why else would I be buying a pregnancy test?”
    “No way,” I hummed, sitting back in the chair.
    “So what even started the conversation?” Anthony asked, still wide-eyed, open-mouthed, and laughing.
    “I told her I liked her pajama pants. They were Batman,” Aidan said, smiling up at Morgan.
    She rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “I cannot believe he actually remembers that.”
    He smirked. “You need to give me a little more credit.”
    “I do,” she murmured, leaning down so they were face to face. He brushed his nose against hers, and she giggled slightly.
    Anthony looked to me. “Wanna head back over to our place?”
    Morgan and Aidan looked up to us instantly. “Why?” she asked.
    Anthony shrugged coolly. “Well, it’s one of our last nights here. I assumed you’d want to spend it alone.”
    After exchanging glances with her husband, Morgan murmured, “Well, we don’t mind company.”
    “No, really,” I assured, standing. “We’ll go.”
    “I mean, if you want to,” Morgan shrugged.
    I smiled at her. “See you tomorrow morning.”
    We crossed the dock to our cottage and flicked the lights on. I felt Anthony’s fingers grip my bony waist as he hummed, “We have a whole night to ourselves. What’do you wanna do?”
    I smirked up at him. “Well, we could finish the book.”
    * * *
    We laid beneath the stars as I listened to Anthony recite the last page of the book.
    “I look down at myself, stained by color,” he crooned. “No. Not stained. Celebrated. And it occurs to me that perhaps souls are like prisms. Prisms that allow us to see clearly into the soul of another and, at the same time, recognize our own glorious light.”
    Only one chapter tonight because it's late. Last chapter of the honeymoon ):
    & I yelled at an old woman at Nashoba tonight. B.tch tried to cut me in line and then get wise with me. Lol, no, go home to your vibrator you lonely miserable wh.re.
    *I don't notify, please don't ask.*
    
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12. xxHelloLovelyxx
    posted a quote
    February 21, 2013 8:40pm UTC
    in his arms
    Chapter 43
    14. Swim with dolphins.
    As Anthony finished another chapter, he sighed heavily, tossing the book to the sand. He stretched his hands and placed them underneath his head. We had been on the beach for over an hour reading that stupid book we’d gotten addicted to. Anthony read it aloud until it grew too dark to read.
    So we laid together beneath the dark sky. The stars glimmered endlessly in the black space, forever engraved in their positions. As my eyes drifted around, grazing the heavens, I murmured, “Do you believe in a God?”
    His head rolled over so he was looking at me. “What?”
    “Do you believe in a God?” I repeated, sitting up. “Like, do you believe in someone watching over you?”
    He turned his head again so he was looking at the sky. “I don’t see how it matters.”
    I played with the sand in my hands. “I guess it doesn’t. I mean, I’d just like to know where I’m going when I die.”
    He pinched his eyes shut. “Kaitlyn,” he muttered.
    “Stop,” I moaned.
    “No, you stop,” he countered, quickly and confidently.
    “Anthony, this is a possibility. I could die. Nothing is guaranteed. Three months from now, who knows? I could be six feet beneath the ground.”
    “Kaitlyn, we’re on our honeymoon. There’s a time and—“
    “Who knows how much time we have left?” I interrupted. “You need to stop hiding behind your fears and step out to face reality. I’m sick, Anthony. We’re both sick. We are both potentially dead. It’s time you start realizing that.”
    “Shh,” he soothed gently, taking my hand in his. He pulled me closer to him and into his chest, rubbing my back smoothly. I rested my head on his chest while he pressed his lips to my ear. “Another time, Kail,” he murmured. “We’ll talk about this another time.”
    We fell asleep like that together; his hand on my back and my head on his chest with our toes buried in the cool sand.
    * * *
    6. Sleep on a beach.
    I crossed another number out while Anthony bit into an apple, standing across the kitchen from me. “How much more do you have on that list, anyways?” he asked, a mouth full of fruit.
    I counted the number of bullets left uncrossed out. “Seven.”
    “Wow, we blew through that list,” he huffed. “Read to me what you have left.”
    I scanned the list quickly and decided mentally that I would not tell him what Number 25 was for the sake of keeping him calm. “Make the front page of a newspaper, read 100 books, take horseback riding lessons…” He nodded while my eyes skimmed the top part of the paper. “Huh,” I breathed, smiling.
    “What?”
    “I could’ve crossed off Number One a long time ago.”
    “What’s Number One?”
    My eyes were brought up to his as a smile crossed my lips. “Meet the love of my life.”
    Okso I'll be posting 2 chapters a day for a while because I feel like you guys just want this story to be over. Completely understand.
    & my grandparents live in a wicked rural part of NC. Like, they live like Honey Boo Boo out there. Redneckland, I like to call it. But honestly, I'm so happy to be home (:
    Oh by the way there's only one chapter left of the honeymoon. ):
    *I don't notify, please don't ask.*
    
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13. xxHelloLovelyxx
    posted a quote
    February 15, 2013 8:35pm UTC
    in his arms
    Chapter 42
    10. Carve my name into a tree.
    “Kail! Are you ready yet?”
    “I’m getting there!” I called back, gliding my shorts over my thin legs. Anthony waited for me in the doorway of the cottage while Morgan and Aidan sat in the car.
    As I passed him, Anthony blinked his eyes hard once or twice before rubbing them. “Are you alright?” I murmured to him. “You look tired.”
    He seemed dazed. It took a second for his eyes to find mine before he nodded. “Yeah, my vision’s just, blurry. This happened all the time before I started chemo, it’s just, yeah. The tumor.”
    “Are you sure?” I pursued. “We don’t have to go today.”
    “No, really, I’m fine. I’m not tired or anything.”
    My eyes glanced over him warily. “If you’re sure.”
    He rubbed his eyes again. “I promise I’m okay.”
    I was still unsure about his health, but he followed me to the car anyways. “Are you ready to swim with dolphins?” Morgan asked, clearly excited.
    “I couldn’t sleep last night, that’s how excited I was,” I answered.
    This was our fifth day in San Salvador. We’d gone out to dinner once, but this was our first time doing something during the day.
    “To be completely honest, I’m petrified of dolphins,” Anthony admitted.
    Everyone’s eyes flashed up to him. “What?” Morgan laughed.
    “Why are you coming, then?” I asked him.
    He shrugged, blushing. An embarrassed smirk crossed his lips. “If it’ll make you happy,” he told me.
    “Why the hell are you afraid of dolphins? They’re so sweet,” Morgan offered.
    “They’re creepy,” he snorted back.
    When we got to the pool, the four of us were assigned a trainer and a lifejacket. I didn’t bother to remember our trainer’s name, but the dolphin he cared for was a boy named Taz.
    We were prepped before we were sent to sit on a low platform, our legs dangling into the shallow pool. Taz swam his way up to us, greeted us, and we greeted him, each of us awarding him with a back rub. He seemed to always be smiling. It wasn’t long before he was off into the water, twirling about. I thought he was showing off to us, and the trainer told us that could’ve very well been the case.
    We each had a separate turn in the water with him. I was the last one to go. I persuaded Anthony to at least come into the water and watch.
    Taz and I danced in the water together, spinning and gliding, but he was clearly better than I. He allowed me to hold on to his dorsal fin while he dragged me along the pool.
    And when all was over, I leaned in to allow Taz to give me a gentle peck on my lips.
    I felt someone slide beside me, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me closer to their body. “Hey, you’re a married woman now,” Anthony hummed to me. “No more kissing men you’ve only just met.”
    With that, he pulled his face to mine, and proposed a gentle kiss on my mouth.
    Sorry, Taz, I thought to myself, but he kisses better than you.
    So we started our road trip to North Carolina today. We stopped in the adorable town of Cranbury, New Jersey. We're leaving early tomorrow morning, but I love it so much here. I promise I'll be back (:
    & I'm sorry this chapter is so bad. It was really forced.
    I won't be responding to comments - I need to get to bed. I'll be up early and in Washington DC by noon! Can't wait!
    *I don't notify, please don't ask.*
    
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14. xxHelloLovelyxx
    posted a quote
    February 14, 2013 8:58pm UTC
    in his arms
    Chapter 41
    His eyes moved back to the water, glistening underneath the light of the stars.
    The ocean was beautiful and mystifying, almost spellbinding. Its smell was somewhat addictive, like you couldn’t get enough of it. Like you could bathe in its presence forever, let it consume you until the world ends.
    As I gazed out across this spectacular work that was the ocean, I realized it had the same effects Anthony did on me.
    He brought his face back from the image of bliss that sat in front of us. His eyes twinkled in the gleaming moonlight. I saw happiness swaying in them; there was nothing I loved more than seeing him happy.
    He stood, brushing the sand from his body. He offered his hand down to me to help me stand up, and I took it. As I stood, he pulled his body around mine. I allowed myself to be immersed in him, lost in his eyes.
    His arms tightened around my frail physique. The warmth of his skin felt like paradise against mine. In his arms, I was loved. I had someone to love me. I had someone who cared, and suddenly, I wasn’t worthless. I had meaning, purpose. In his arms, I was important. He made me feel special.
    His eyes flicked up and down my body once before he grinned and hummed, “Want to go inside?”
    I giggled, rolling my head quickly. “Sure.”
    He took me by the hand, and he led me inside the small cottage. This would be our house for sixteen days. We would be like an actual married couple for sixteen days. We would be alone; we would have privacy. It was beginning to hit me, how real this all was.
    He shut the door behind him as we entered the bedroom. The king sized bed almost glared me in the face. This would be the first time we shared a bed, the first time we slept beside one another.
    Our bodies were interwoven underneath the thin sheets. His breath trembled as he panted against my neck. He was warm, he emanated warmth. He emanated love.
    His hands stretched the length of my bare body as our tangled clothes rested on the ground beside the bed we laid in. The simplicity of his touch against my skin was enough to send my heart in overdrive in my chest.
    My fingers were tousled in his short hair, which had begun to grow back. I loved the smell of his hair. I hadn’t smelled it before that night.
    His kiss landed gentle on my lips. It was beautiful. His kisses were beautiful. We revolved over each other, moving gracefully. The beat of his heart in his chest was like a drum, and we were dancers to the beat.
    He pulled his face from mine, but kept our eyes locked. His stare wasn’t menacing, purely striving off the strength of the love he felt for me. I couldn’t look away from him; I didn’t want to look away from him.
    I fell asleep with his arms around me. It was peaceful, tranquil. His arms were weak themselves, but they made me feel so strong.
    * * *
    The sunlight poured in through the window of the bedroom. I felt its warmth on my face as I opened my eyes, waking for the first time as Mrs. Kaitlyn Thompson.
    I rolled my head over to face Anthony, who was still topless.
    He shot me a mischievous smile. “Good morning, Mrs. Thompson,” he greeted.
    I felt my stomach flutter with the way he said my name.
    Happy Valentine's Day you ratchets.
    I wore pink pants to school in honor of the holiday because I'm awesome.
    How'd you like the poetic chapter? Hm? Pree boring, right? lol oops.
    & I'm going on vacation, might not be able to post until Sunday night. But it's okay because the next chapter's really bad anyways and you don't want it.
    *I don't notify, please don't ask.*
    
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15. xxHelloLovelyxx
    posted a quote
    February 13, 2013 8:41pm UTC
    in his arms
    Chapter 40
    The sun was beginning to set, but only a little bit. Anthony hung inside on a wicker chair in a very windowed room. He tossed a tennis ball into the air to catch it again.
    “Want to go visit Morgan and Aidan?” I asked him.
    He shook his head and tossed the ball again.
    “Why not?”
    “It’s their first night as a married couple,” he told me. “They probably want some privacy.” I leaned against the doorway between the entrance of the cottage and the porch. I watched a smile cross his face. “It’s our first night as a married couple, too.”
    I smiled slightly, feeling butterflies in my stomach. We were married. “So, what do you want to do?”
    He shrugged. “Grab the book.”
    So I scampered to my suitcase in the bedroom, just down the hall from the kitchen. As I entered the bedroom, the large bed in the middle of the bedroom still scared me.
    I picked up Stained and skipped back into the little sitting area that Anthony waited in. I handed him the book. He stood from the chair and laid out the blanket he was sitting on across the floor and laid across it, and I laid beside him, snuggling tight into his chest.
    Before he began reading, he kissed my hair gently and murmured, “I love you, Mrs. Thompson.”
    The way he said my new name sent chills down my spine. “I love you too,” I purred.
    I heard him laugh shortly before he turned open the book. “Chapter One. I’m the first to arrive again. I lock my bike out back and plunk down on the chipped cement steps that led into the kitchen. Joe’s the only one with a key.”
    * * *
    I found him sitting beneath the sky, bathing himself in the white moonlight. In my sweatshirt and shorts, I followed his footsteps in the sand as it sunk between my toes. I sat down beside him, but he wasn’t startled, like he knew I was coming. He didn’t say anything to me, rather kept his eyes on the twinkling in the distance.
    “We should carve our initials into this tree,” I offered, hitting a palm tree with the front of my hand. My eyes scanned it up and down quickly.
    He grinned at me. “Go get a knife.”
    I skipped back inside the house and found the knife block and pulled one from it. I spent a while debating which one should be used, but ultimately decided and made my way back to him.
    I didn’t use my maiden name. I carved my initials as ‘KT,’ and he did as ‘AT.’
    “There,” I hummed after we finished. I brushed the remaining shavings from the tree and sat back on my knees to admire it. “Now our names are forever engraved on this tree.” I pressed my hands to the engraving. “That means we’ll be together forever.”
    His face was so close to mine I could feel the heat from is breath as he murmured, “Until death do us part.”
    So tomorrow's Valentine's Day so you guys will get a romantical poetic chapter about se x. I hope you enjoy it.
    My brother lost in the semifinals for his rec basketball so I won't be seeing much of that ref anymore. But it's okay because I got his number (;
    & I might go to Juvi so if I don't post for a while, that's where I am. Juvenile Detention. lolol.
    *I don't notify, please don't ask.*
    
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16. xxHelloLovelyxx
    posted a quote
    February 12, 2013 8:21pm UTC
    in his arms
    Chapter 39
    18. Get married.
    The beach was breathtakingly sublime.
    The beach here wasn’t like the beach on the lake. The beach on the lake was murky and muddy. The water was tainted and sticky.
    The beach here wasn’t like the beach on the Cape. The beach on the Cape was filled with golden sand and the water outstretched to a deep blue, and it appeared menacing.
    The beach here was completely new. The sands were white and pure, untouched by man. The waves in the sand were created by the lapping of the crystal blue water. The water itself was enough to make you lose your breath. It was peaceful, serene. It was perfect.
    “My gosh,” Morgan breathed. “Anthony, I mean, wow. Your uncle didn’t have to do this.”
    He shrugged. “I mean, he offered.”
    The houses weren’t exactly houses, rather small cottages. They were both only one bedroomed, with one bed. I felt my heart skip a beat as I scanned the bed. This would be the first time Anthony and I laid in the same bed together.
    The beaches we had were private, even from each other. Large shrubbery separated each beach for confidentiality; however, there was a dock that extended over the water that connected our houses.
    Anthony and I migrated out to the dock. Our feet dangled over the water, and I kicked it gently with my toes. I was still overwhelmed by the beauty.
    “We have sixteen days here,” he told me, his eyes scanning the horizon. “We go back when you need to start another dose of chemo.”
    I sat back, letting my unexposed body bathe in the foreign sunlight. It felt so warm against my skin.
    Anthony glanced over at me, smirking. “What are you doing?”
    “Sunbathing,” I hummed, laying back on the snug wooden dock. I casted a shadow over my eyes with my hand to look up at him. “Try it.”
    He snorted and laid back. He closed his eyes as he got comfortable. “Okay, now what?” he hummed.
    “We just lay here.”
    He rolled his head to look at me. “That’s boring.”
    “Just tan, Jesus Christ. It’s relaxing.”
    “We have sixteen days to relax,” he sighed. “This is our first day as a married couple. Can’t we do something a little more romantic?”
    I rolled myself over so I was laying on top of him. I rested my chin on his chest. “So, what did you want to do?” I teased.
    “Get a room!” I heard Morgan call from the porch of their cottage. She and Aidan burst into laughter as I rolled off Anthony, slightly embarrassed. He sat up with me.
    He cupped my cheek in his hand and, smiling, brought our faces together. I heard Morgan calling from her porch, but we ignored her. It was like our lips couldn’t be separated, like they were bound together by something unspoken. Not that I wanted to pull away.
    If I could’ve kissed Anthony Thompson for the sixteen days we were in the Bahamas, I wouldn’t have had a single complaint.
    Feedback please, my lovelies.
    *I don't notify, please don't ask.*
    
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17. xxHelloLovelyxx
    posted a quote
    February 11, 2013 7:37pm UTC
    in his arms
    Chapter 38
    Morgan changed into her reception dress, and I changed back into my bridesmaid dress just after the ceremony. We sat in the hotel room together.
    “I can’t believe you knew about this.”
    “Well believe it, sistah.”
    I rolled my eyes. “And you never told me. Or let me pick my dress, or plan anything.”
    “You liked the dress, didn’t you?”
    I grinned, thinking of it. “Of course I did.”
    She twisted her lips into a snarled smile. “See?”
    I laughed shortly, sitting back on the bed. “This is so weird! I can’t believe I’m married.”
    She chuckled at me. “Cross 18 off your bucket list.”
    My eyes met hers. They were flooded with happiness. “Thank you,” I murmured.
    Her smile brightened. “No problem, kiddo.”
    “No, I mean it,” I insisted. “Thank you so much. For everything. For being there, for being a mom. I needed that. I needed someone to be there for me and to do these things. And I know I don’t tell you this all the time, but I love you, Morgan. Thank you.”
    Her eyes were suddenly overwhelmed with tears. She seemed slightly awestruck. “Aw, Kail, of course. I love you too, and I want the best for you. I want you to be happy.”
    “I am happy,” I assured her. “Thank you.”
    She giggled shortly, wiping her eyes. “Oh, come here!” she told me, and pulled me into a hug. She consumed me, squeezing me tightly. Tears spilled from my eyes into her auburn curls.
    She stepped away and wiped my eyes. “Come on, now, it’s time to rejoin the party.”
    So we walked out together, hand in hand, but then separated when we met our husbands. Husband. Anthony was my husband.
    We watched as Aidan and Morgan danced around the ballroom, partying and drinking and enjoying themselves. Anthony and I shared laughs and congratulations, and apparently I was the only one at the wedding that wasn’t aware that I was getting married. Even Ben and his wife knew.
    There were many of Anthony’s friends from back home arriving now, including Alex and his girlfriend.
    “When we get home, you should pack,” Anthony murmured into my ear.
    “Pack for what?”
    He chuckled. “Our honeymoon.”
    I looked back to him, wide-eyed and in shock. “Honeymoon? We’re not going on a honeymoon.”
    “Yeah we are, with Morgan and Aidan.”
    “Where?” I breathed.
    “San Salvador. We’re each getting our own beach houses. It was funded by an uncle of mine; he owns a house down there.”
    My jaw dropped, in utter shock. There was a lot going on in my head at that point.
    “I can’t believe you never told me,” I muttered at him.
    “Hey,” he purred, pulling me closer to him. “I love surprises, remember?”
    Eventually, it was time for the first dance. Anthony and I made our way to the center of the floor, Morgan and Aidan by our side. And the song ‘At Last’ came on, lowly at first. My breath caught in my throat. “You remembered?” I murmured, and he smiled in return.
    Anthony pulled me closer to him while Morgan and Aidan whirled around us. We only stood in the middle, his head on my shoulder. And in his arms, I had purpose. I wasn’t worthless anymore. He filled the vacancy in my chest with an infinite love.
    He completed me.
    Sorry this is so boring meh.
    By the way, their honeymoon is my most favorite part of the story (: I can't wait to post it!
    *I don't notify, please don't ask.*
    
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18. xxHelloLovelyxx
    posted a quote
    February 10, 2013 7:27pm UTC
    in his arms
    Chapter 37
    I felt my breath get caught in my throat. I was freezing up, almost unable to speak.
    I felt like I did the first time we were introduced to each other.
    “Anthony,” I hissed lowly. “What are you doing?”
    He only smiled in return at me, playing with the box in his hands.
    “Look, Kaitlyn,” he began, looking to the floor, “Ever since I met you, I felt something special about you. I don’t know, you’re just different. And we’ve been through so much together in the short time we’ve known each other. I feel like everything I do, I do it with you. And if I’m not doing it with you, I want to be. You’re always on my mind. My life basically revolves around you now, and I love that. I love having someone to look forward to seeing, and someone who looks forward to seeing me. I love having someone to call at midnight when I can’t sleep. I love everything about you. Your compassion, your depth, your smile.” He flashed a grin at me, unlike one I’d ever seen before. I felt the color rising to my cheeks. “I love the fact that you never put yourself above anyone else, although I wish you’d realize that sometimes you deserve to be put first. I wish you would see yourself as I saw you. No one’s perfect, but you’re the closest thing. I love you, Kaitlyn.”
    I felt my heart skip a beat. That was the first time he’d told me he loved me.
    He opened the box, revealing a silver ring.
    There was a large square in the center decorated with multiple stones across it and along the sides as well. It was breathtaking. I covered my mouth with my shaking hands, feeling tears roll down my cheeks.
    “Will you marry me?”
    It took me a while to respond before I broke into laughter. “Yes! Yes!”
    He grinned widely, taking one of my hands from my face to slip the heavy ring onto my finger. I stared at it in admiration for a few seconds. I felt him press his lips to mine, and I clasped his head in my shaking fingers, only to be torn from the kiss by several bridesmaids who forced me down the aisle. I was shoved into a room off the lobby where Morgan stood, holding a plain white silk dress.
    “Hurry up!” she urged. “Get changed!”
    They had already gotten me a dress. Morgan ripped the necklace off of me and forced me into the v-neck dress. There were no designs on it, only elastic just below the chest. It hugged my thin body nicely, and I thought it made me look too skinny, but I hadn’t time to complain.
    As the music started and the bridesmaids began down the aisle, I overlooked the ring again. This was Anthony’s promise to me, together forever. Until death do us part.
    Morgan and I walked arm and arm down the aisle together since our father was not there to be with us. “Do you ever wish Dad was here?” I asked her gently.
    “He doesn’t deserve to be here,” she told me with a smile.
    Anthony seemed to stop breathing when he saw me. A half smile was spread across his lips as I was placed into his arms. He held my hands in his and kissed my fingers.
    I don’t think either of us were paying attention to what the Justice of the Peace was saying, we were both consumed by each other’s eyes and drowning in love.
    “I do,” Anthony murmured finally, bringing me back to reality.
    “Do you, Mrs. Kaitlyn—“
    “I do,” I told him. I wanted to say it before I forgot what to say. This obtained a chuckle from the people behind us, as well as the Justice.
    “Well, I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Martinez, and Mr. and Mrs. Thompson. You may kiss your brides.”
    I grinned widely, biting my lip as Anthony’s face moved closer to mine.
    I was his now, and he was mine.
    He was actually mine.
    (:
    *I don't notify, please don't ask.*
    
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19. xxHelloLovelyxx
    posted a quote
    February 9, 2013 7:41pm UTC
    in his arms
    Chapter 36
    Morgan, for the first time in her entire life, felt and looked absolutely beautiful.
    It was slightly indescribable; the feelings of watching your sister prepare to be married. She was my best friend, and I wanted her to be happy. But, in a way, I knew I was losing her.
    She allowed her hair to, over time, renew the auburn color it naturally expressed. She let it fall in native imperfect curls around her face and just below shoulder length. She decided today she would not wear much, if any makeup.
    She held true to that, only wearing glimmering pink lip gloss. She allowed earrings and a necklace that matched mine to hang from her body.
    Her dress was a spaghetti strap with floral lace patterns and beads at the top, and a silky texture from the lower chest down. It was slightly folded over to give off the impression that she was thinner than she actually was. She wore a thin veil that hung to the middle of her back.
    My face was decorated with more eye shadow than I was used to and a smidge of eyeliner. My lips were coated in a very pale grey-purple color that twinkled in the lighting. I felt awkward in my heels, I couldn’t walk right even without them.
    Morgan sent the bridesmaids out to mingle with people already at the wedding. Anthony wasn’t too familiar with everyone, so I hung by him, and then when Ben and his wife came in, we went over to talk to them.
    Benjamin smiled widely at me, greeting me with a gentle peck on the cheek, and his wife, whose name I had yet to learn, welcomed me with wide eyes, open smile, and outstretched arms.
    She was stick thin, but her hugs seemed to consume you. “Ah! I’m so excited to see you!”
    “It’s nice to see you again too!” I beamed. We all talked for just a short amount of time before I was dragged out of the conversation by another person, and another person.
    After talking to nine or ten different people, Anthony and I finally found some time to us before the wedding actually started. We stood around a large table decorated with fruit. “So, I talked to Ben for a little while.”
    “How is he?”
    “He was wondering if we wanted to participate in a charity.”
    My eyes snapped up from the strawberry I was eating. “What kind?”
    “A book drive. For little kids in hospitals, and for soldiers overseas.”
    My eyes went wide and a smile broke out on my face. “Oh my God, Anthony, that would be amazing!”
    He grinned. “Yeah, I liked it too. We’ll call him.”
    Everyone began taking seats on either side of the isle in the large ballroom. I sat next to Anthony, holding his hand in the front row, and my mother was beside him. His hands seemed clammy tonight, and I wondered why.
    After everyone was silent, nothing happened. No music, no Morgan. Nothing.
    Aidan cleared his throat, and suddenly everyone looked to him. “I have a friend who has a slight announcement to make before we proceed with the ceremony.” He winked to someone in my general direction.
    I felt Anthony’s grip break from mine as my head snapped around to look at him as he got down on one knee and pulled a small box from his pocket.
    Thank you, Nemo. I had to shovel your remnants off the back porch today. That took 2 hours.
    I just got in from sledding, so hello hot chocolate <3
    Oh and by the way I started writing my next short story. It's a lot worse than this one oops.
    *I don't notify, please don't ask.*
    
    👍 this is good · read the comments · 107 points
20. xxHelloLovelyxx
    posted a quote
    February 8, 2013 7:40pm UTC
    in his arms
    Chapter 35
    He spent the entire day with me. We never left my room.
    We never left my bed, actually. We remained curled up in the same position, my head on his chest while he recited the remaining chapters of Swimming to Chicago aloud.
    It was bittersweet when the book ended. I found a way to grow attached, to fall in love with the characters I was hearing about. But, then again, it was my ninety-ninth book done.
    He sighed heavily as he leaned back against the headboard of the bed. “How was that one?”
    “Better.”
    He chuckled shortly. “So much freaking better. The last book really sucked.”
    “The last book was awful.”
    “I didn’t realize how bad it was until I read a book like this. Like, I had nothing to compare it to.”
    “I know what you mean.” I kept my head on his chest, facing his feet, not his eyes.
    I felt his skeletal fingers trace along my bare scalp. The feeling of them made me shudder. He was so cold, so incredibly close to death that he needed a phenomenon to pull him away from it. His entire body was decrepit from the chemotherapy that didn’t help him anyways. Just the thought of that made me want to break down again, but for his sake, I held my composure.
    “We should go out and get another one,” he offered.
    “Another book?” I breathed, sitting up. “Right now?”
    He smiled a goofy smile, one I hadn’t seen in a long while. “Why not?”
    I shrugged slightly, twisting my lips into a half-smile. “Well, okay.”
    We left my room and found Morgan and Aidan around the table. “What are you doing?” I asked her, and her eyes found mine.
    “Eleventh hour wedding stuff.” I saw her flash Anthony a devious grin. I glanced up to him; his cheeks were red from blushing. Before I could ask, Morgan cut in. “Any last minute invitations?”
    “What about Ben?” Anthony offered.
    “Ben who?” she and I asked in unison.
    “The soldier,” he told us, his eyes darting back and forth between the two of us.
    Morgan didn’t object, so I offered to call him. I hit his voicemail while Anthony and I were headed towards the bookstore. He didn’t answer, so I left him a message. As Anthony and I browsed through the books, I felt my phone vibrating, with an incoming call from his wife.
    “Hello?”
    “Hi!” she giggled. “I was so happy to see you called!”
    “Hi, well, I understand this is last minute, but my sister is getting married this weekend. We were wondering if you would like to come.”
    “Well,” she breathed, “that is a little last minute. I mean, could you email me the details?”
    “Of course. It’s formalwear.”
    “Oh, perfect! I know just what to wear. Well, wait, wasn’t that dress stained—?” I heard her ask herself, but the rest of the conversation became blurry.
    As soon as she said the word ‘stained,’ my eyes fell on the book Stained by Jennifer Richard Jacobson. I picked it up and examined it, captivated.
    Anthony saw me looking at it. “Do you want that one? This is a big decision, it’s number 100.”
    I was sort of breathless as I looked back into his eyes. “This one. We have to get this one.”
    Preparing myself for 3 freaking feet of snow by sunrise. We're already at 5 inches here, what about you? (:
    & I think you guys will like the next chapter. Just saying.
    *I don't notify, please don't ask.*
    
    👍 this is good · read the comments · 92 points

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