Daniels Perspective:

Rhys was definitely strange, he was so different to all the other people in my class. He gave me a feeling I never felt before, he gave me relief like no other. Why is it that, for 4 years I felt nothing, for 4 years I was waiting for death to just engulf me. So why was Rhys an exception?

The next day in school was different, I felt different, I felt happy. I must have looked happy because when I walked into the class everyone looked at me in surprise. I set my stuff down when, "Daniel! Good morning!" I looked up and noticed it was Rhys.

"G-good morning." I said quietly. Rhys sat down and organized his desk and I did so too. I could feel the whole class just staring at us two, probably wondering: Daniel can actually speak!? I chose to ignore all of them and just looked outside the window when, "Hey! I can feel the whole class staring at us two." Rhys whispered in my ear. I was caught by surprise and ended up falling off my chair, from then, all I remember is darkness and waking up to Rhys beside me.

"Where am I?" I questioned.

"You're in hospital, you collapsed in school when I startled you. I’m so sorry, but are you ok?”

"Yes, I believe so my head is just a bit sore.” Rhys looked different he looked mortified. 

"Oh I’m so sorry!”

“No, no I’m fine so it’s ok. Just stop apologising, are you ok?”

“I am absolutely wonderful! How just how could I not apologise, let’s see why don’t you come over to my house for dinner, and then we can count us as even.” Rhys was definitely not fine something was off, I know I just fainted but he looked more worried than that. He looked scared.

“If that will really make you feel better then, ok.” After we talked for a while the nurse came in and said I was able to leave. Apparently they couldn’t get in contact with my Father. I wasn’t too disappointed he would never check up on me, unless I was on my death bed, although my Father is like that he is still an awesome Father. 

Me and Rhys walked out of the hospital when Rhys stopped and said that he had to call his Mother, to inform her that I was coming over. I didn’t bother call my Father, I just gave him an email to say I was over at friends house. I know when I get back home he’ll make a big fuss about it, but what can I do. He always did make a big fuss about what’s going on and when I ask why he always said that, ‘that’s the duty of a Father.’

“Aren’t you going to call you’re Father?” Rhys asked, snapping me out of my daydream.

“No it’ll be fine, he won’t mind that much where I am.”

“If you say so, well let’s get going!” We walked and talked and walked and talked when we finally arrived at his house, it looked really similar to my house and then I realised it was on the same street as my house.

“You live really close to me.”

“I do? Really?! That’s cool, I never noticed anyone around my age around this area.”

“That’s because I don’t go out or should I say people around.”

“Oh yeah.” We stood there in silence for a while when I decided to break the awkward silence.

“Shall we go in?”

“Y-yeah.” We walked into his and it was oddly familiar to me, it smelt nice, it felt nice, it felt as if it would have been my second home. 

“You’re house is nice, it’s feels nice, it doesn’t feel like one of those houses I feel awkward to walk into. I feel like it’s my new home, weird isn’t it.”

“I’m not sure, I’d feel that if I’ve been to the house before but in your case...” Rhys looked really confused, and I don’t blame him to be honest. This is only the second day I met Rhys and great I just made him scared of me. Why is this bothering me so much?"Let’s go to my room, dinner won’t be for a while, because it’s still 4:00.”

“ Oh ok, If it’s not too much hassle.”

“Hassle? I’m the one that caused this so no matter what it’s all my fault. And please, please let me take the blame.”

“Ok, but just so you know it’s not your fault, but did the nurse say anything about why I collapsed?” Rhys started fidgeting his hand, and started to look worried, “Hey, what’s wrong?” I reached to touch his shoulder when he pulled away, and fell on my shoulder crying.

“Whaaa? Wait are you ok? What’s wrong? Come on...” I was so confused why was he crying? Did I say something? Was it something I did?

“I-I-I di-did th-this to y-you.”

“Did what? Hey c’mon you’re worrying me.”

“I-I’m so s-sorry.” By now I could barely make out what he was saying.

“What the hell are you sorry for?!”I screamed at him. I couldn’t take it anymore, I was worried for his sake and for my sake. I took a deep breath and said, “Sorry I lost it there, take two deep breaths and breathe out slowly.”He did exactly what I said and finally calmed down,”Now what’s wrong?”

“When you collapsed in the classroom, you were taken to the schools nurse but for some reason you had to be taken to the hospital. The nurse wouldn’t tell me what was wrong with you, all she said was ‘take good care of him’ ‘him’ as in you. I was so confused as to why. So I was to go with you to the hospital, they tried to contact you’re Father but they couldn’t get through to him, so instead they told me what was wrong with you, so that I could tell you later, but, but,” he started to cry again when he finally calmed downed and continued, “ they said that you had a very serious condition called coronary heart disease, and that it was really rare that could be cured...” I zoned out as soon as he said the name of my disease, it was the exact same disease my Mother was killed by. I fell to the ground and for some reason started crying. It wasn’t the fact that I had this disease, I think it was because my Mother fell to her death from this disease. “ I’m so sorry, I didn’t know if I should tell you or not, but in the end I told you. I’m so sorry”

“Don’t be sorry, I knew this was going to happen from the start. So it’s not too much shock to me, it’s just this was the disease my Mother died from. She fought it for 30 years, so I’m definitely going to fight it longer than her.” 

“Fight it?”

“Yes, fight it. I’m not going to cure myself.” 

“Why? You have a slight chance you can live through it. Why won’t you cure yourself?”

“I can’t. I mustn’t.” 

“But you must. You could get cured.”

“I DON’T WANT TO GET CURED.” That’s when I saw Rhys’ face, if I stayed with him any longer I was just going to harm him. I have to cut ties with him or else he will show me that face again. And for some reason to see that face again is worse than facing death. “Just leave me alone.” I turned around buckets of tears rolling down my eyes, I reached for the door knob when he caught my hands and turned me around. I tried to put my hands over my face but he was just far too strong.

“If you want me to leave you alone then, why are you so upset?”

“I’m not upset!” I protested. He pulled me in towards him and pulled me into a hug. I didn’t pull away from him, he felt familiar, he smelt familiar, he was warm. I placed my arms over his waist, and pulled him in tighter. I didn’t know what to do other than cry, I cried into his chest, we stayed like this for about 10 minutes when he let me go. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think about what I was doing.”

“It’s ok, I think I should go home for today.”

“Y-yeah.” I left his house and walked home. What was that? I thought, he felt so nice. I could feel my face burning up so I ran home into my room and locked the doors.