CHAPTER 7: GOODBYE, DIANA
PART 1
With heads down, gathered around the dining table, no one could speak. Sadness and discomfort were palpable. Somehow, Diana knew that something had been wrong in her head lately. The constant migraines and dizziness were getting worse, and her appetite wasn’t the same, but she hadn’t given it the importance it deserved.
"Why has this happened?" she asked, staring at the floor.
"Because of the accident," her mother, sitting to her right, replied.
"And now what… what happens?"
"They’ll have to operate on you," Dalia informed her, taking her hand. "I spoke with your brother, and the money we’ve been saving for his studies will be used to pay for your operation and the trip."
"But, Mom…"
"No, sister!" Zedd interrupted, holding back tears. "Don’t say anything. You could die if you don’t get the surgery. How could I live knowing we had the money to help you and didn’t use it for my studies instead?"
"When is the trip?" Diana asked after exchanging a knowing smile with her brother, realizing he was doing his best to stay strong and not cry.
"We’re leaving in two days."
"But I won’t be able to say goodbye to my friends," she replied to her mother, surprised.
"I’m sorry, Diana."
"It’s okay, Mom," she reassured her after a long sigh, smiling. "Well then, we better get everything ready for the trip!"
Her family was doing everything possible to take care of her and handle the situation in the best way, so Diana wasn’t about to be the weak one. On the contrary, she needed to be the strongest, knowing it would only make things worse if they saw her down.
However, the next morning, all the fear and anguish overwhelmed her, and she had no one to talk to. Tears streamed down her face like an open faucet, and no matter how much she cried, the pain didn’t go away; in fact, it only grew. At that moment, strangely enough, she longed to confide in one person—Mike. But after four missed calls and a fifth that went to voicemail, she sadly realized that her friend didn’t want to hear from her.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
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With swollen eyes and a face marred by insomnia, she dialed another number on her phone.
"Hello, do you have time to meet now? Okay, see you in an hour." Hanging up the phone, her eyes filled with tears once again.
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At the agreed time, Diana arrived at the café where she had arranged to meet Emily, the second person she wanted to talk to and the one who would never fail her, no matter the circumstances. Her irreplaceable best friend.
“So, you’re leaving?” Emily asked, as Diana nodded. “And you’re not coming back?”
“I don’t know. We’ve spent all the savings we had. My mom found a good public school for my brother, so I think we’ll be gone for a long time. Plus, it all depends on how the operation goes.”
“I can give you the money…”
“No, Emily. Not for this.” Diana interrupted, calmly raising her hand in a gesture of refusal. “My family is making the effort, and…”
“I understand.” Emily nodded, knowing she couldn’t disrespect the effort Diana’s family was making for her, even though she wanted to help with all her heart. “Have you been able to say goodbye to the others?”
“By ‘the others,’ do you mean Mike? I’ve called him several times, but he’s not answering.”
“He must be busy. He told me he had to work with his dad on a project they’re doing together.”
“You think so? He’s been so distant since the trip.”
Diana knew Emily was just making excuses for Mike’s behavior and wasn’t being truthful. Emily had a habit of tearing napkins into tiny pieces when she was nervous, exactly what she was doing at that moment.
“Come on, girl!” Emily shouted, glancing at her watch and slamming her hand on the table, drawing the attention of the other customers. “Diana, promise me we won’t lose touch.”
“That will never happen; we’ll stay friends even after we’re dead.”
“Thank you for being my friend, Diana.” Emily stood up and hugged her warmly and affectionately. “Now… I’ve got to go. I forgot I had something to do. Can we meet this afternoon at the school gym at four?”
“I need to finish packing…”
“Pleeease, so I can say goodbye to you properly,” Emily begged, putting on her jacket.
“But the school gym is closed.”
“Who do you think you’re talking to?”
“Alright. At four, right?”
“I’ll be calling your mom every 20 minutes to check on how the operation’s going.” Hugging her once more in a rush, Emily said goodbye to her friend and quickly darted out of the café. “I love you so much, Diana.”
“I love you too, Emily.”
Diana was surprised by her friend’s behavior. She hadn’t expected her to cry or get upset, but… maybe Emily wanted to buy her something for when they saw each other later that afternoon, or maybe she was just in a hurry. What mattered was that they would see each other one more time before she left the country, and that comforted her.