DYING

CHAPTER 2

MANUEL's P.O.V

"And so that is how you solve a simultaneous equation" the algebraic teacher concluded, and I heaved a sigh of relief I do like algebraic but I go to a stage where everything became meaningless to me and that stage is not what I'll share now… you'll find out later.

" so any questions before I take my leave?" The teacher asked, although he probably knew what the response would be. No one likes the subject, so no questions even if you don't understand a thing.

I managed to suppress a chuckle as I saw the teacher's face before taking his leave. He was certainly disappointed at us and angry at himself, for wasting his effort.

The class gradually became noisy since there was no teacher, and I use that opportunity to take a quick glance at Natasha, my ex, and my brother Miguel… I really envied Miguel a lot he had everything he wanted, including my girlfriend. Well, Natasha dumped me when I go to that stage of my life. Don't worry you'll get to find out a bad stage later back to my quick glance Natasha was looking so beautiful. She was skinny, and had blonde hair. She always wore light make up, but I bet she was still beautiful without make up.

As for my brother, he was everyone's favorite except my dad we look alike same hair same height, same skin tone, and same body built but we were two different people for starters he is Miguel, I'm Manuel…. He is the popular one why I'm just me…. Confused??… Well, for the fact that we look alike, doesn't mean people can't differentiates us. Everyone knows Miguel to be the bossy one and kind of a flirt, while I'm quiet, mostly because of the state of my life I just got into.

I managed to take away my gaze from the couple and it rested on the girl I had bumped into earlier she is certainly a newbie, so why was she acting like we've met before? Or could it be she missed took me for my brother?…. Whatever…

Anyway, she's cute and that's all I brought out my phone plugged in my ear phone and played 'too good at goodbyes' it was kind of my favorite song since I go to the stage.

KIM JI AH.

" snap out of it" I cautioned myself for the seventh time. What the hell is wrong with me? I have been staring at rude jerk's twin for a while now and it's kind of annoying, especially when he nearly caught me staring…. I need a distraction. My gaze traveled around class and it's rested on rude jerk. The girl beside him looked a lot like Little witch. Speaking of little witch, where was she anyway?

" Hey…. Ji ah wanna do something fun?" troy asked he was sitting beside me.

I turned , swiftly "yeah….sure" I needed something to distract me.

" How about we play a game it's called uhmmm. I don't think I remember what it's called, but you sing and I sing like a song battle" Troy said.

oh…..I know the game but I have forgotten the name as well that's if it's even has a name. I'm actually a very good singer but I don't think it's proper to show off on my first day….you'll only end up staring at him' My inner mind whispered, and I ended up agreeing to the game.

MIGUEL's P.O.V

All attention was shifted to Troy and the new girl who was doing some kind of song battle. They both had a nice voices but the new girl was rocking the songs.

Who knew beauty, sassiness and voice could be bottled up in one person?

I couldn't take my eyes off her. She was way too devilish. You could use the same angelic but not me.

All of a sudden she sang 'too good at goodbyes' and my eyes immediately landed on Manuel. I stared at him without blinking. The song was actually Manuel's favorites. And it breaks my heart whenever I listen to it. I didn't realize a tear had slide down my face until Natasha announced "Hey… you're crying" troy, and the new girl stopped singing and stared at me.

"Capture this moment….. Miguel cries" a classmate shouted and soon everyone started bringing out their phones and pointed it out my direction I touched my face. I had thoughts a tear had slide down, but I was wrong. My face was flooding with tears.

" get that away from my face" I yelled angrily and grabbed someone's phone and smashed it on the floor. The rest quickly hid their phones.

"Oh… so the mighty rude jerk can cry" I had the new girl's voice and turned to stare at her. She was smirking.

"Oh…. So miss sassy finds this amusing" I said, and wiped my face. Her smirk was quickly replaced by a frown.

" the name is Kim Ji ah…. Not miss sassy." she snapped.

" and the name is Miguel not rude jerk" I snapped back, mimicking her.

"Whatever" she rolled her eyes and looked away.

A teacher then walked in, and everyone sat still.

" good day class….. Manuel report to the principal's office… the rest of you can sit and listen to the lecture" the teacher said I turned to stare at Manuel and watched as he stood up and dragged himself out of the class… He doesn't got much time left.

MANUEL's P.O.V

" our son is dying….. and there's no way I would let him spend his last days been stressed out" I heard Dad's voice.

I was standing outside the principal's office and had the impulsion to knock, but thought otherwise, when I heard my parents voice.

"He's so stubborn… I told him not to come to school, but he wouldn't listen" mom said, her voice breaking… she was crying…

OK I think I should explain now five years ago I got diagnosed with cancer and didn't notice on time so it has gotten worse before I started treatments, chemotherapy, radio therapy, and even gene therapy.

Position emission tomography(PET) radio, active sugar was injected in one of my vein to find cancerous tumors.

Enough of the lectures… Main detail is that I have lung cancer and I'm dying. A week ago my doctor made it clear that I have less than a year to live and I told him specifically not to inform my parents because I didn't want them to worry like they were doing now, but Miguel is aware so I'm guessing he spilled the beans.

Physically, you wouldn't know I'm suffering from cancer. I had full hair and wasn't looking malnourished. My doctor said my case was special and that was why I didn't have those symptoms but he made it clear that I will certainly experience those symptoms before my departure. So you get it now? Why everything seems meaningless? Not everyone in my school knows but Natasha does and she dumped me for that.

" that's so serious, I will issue a permission slip so he can go home" the principal said, and I finally knocked.

" please come in"

I open the door and walked in head down. I couldn't face my parents, their gloomy faces was my weakness.

" Manuel, I am issuing you a permission slip so you can go home" the principal said, but I immediately declined.

" thank you for your concern, but I won't be going home till school is over for the day" I said sternly.

Mom let out a sigh and continued sobbing.

" why didn't you inform us of what the doctor said?" Dad asked rather calmly.

" I'm sorry, but I didn't want you guys to think too much" I replied, head still down the office became silent except for Mom's sobs.

I used the quiet time to think of what I will do with my life with the remaining time I had.

I usually attend a cancer, social club after school and most of the members were told to write a bucket list. i.e things you want to do before leaving the world. I had never taken it serious, but now that I have just a few time left I guess I should make one.

"Very well then you can return to class" The principal said, I thanked him, stared at my parents once more, and drag my feet out of the office.

My demise will really affect my parents. I really wish they could be a way to prevent my death even if it was for their sake.

I return to class, and all eyes rested on me as though I were an animal in the zoo even the teacher kept staring at me as I walk to my seat. He had a look of sympathy. Does he know I was sick or what?…

Whatever, I brought out a note and drafted out a few things that came to my mind.

# go to Korea and visit the popular Incheon …( it has always been my dream so why not make it a bucket list?)

# get my brother to love me like he used to. (We were buddies when younger, but we just drifted apart)

# kiss, a girl of my dreams, and make her mine for the few months I have left.

# surprise my parents and let them know how much I love them.

Then close my eyes and never open them again….. arrrggg…