Fight Back

Date: 7th December 2014. Weight: 7st 10lbs. Stage: Four. Estimated time of survival: Three and a half months.

Phil seems to miss nothing. He hasn't seen me for a week but seems to know that I've been sick every night since. Its like he has spies.
He called me this morning about my progress, or more accurately Infirma's progress. He's partly given up on urging me to tell Hope and Mike. He's taken to urging me to leave. I just feel like I can't though.
Looking around the classroom I'm sitting in is almost terrifying. As my eyes passed the room I felt cold. Some of these people would grow up to be famous, even president - I know it's a long shot. Then some would be cut off from their family, turn to drugs and spiral into depression. I wouldn't go either way. My tombstone would be worn by that point.
I turned to my right and saw Mike's pen moving quickly. I looked at him, what would he turn out like? Perhaps he may invent the cure for Infirma. He could marry a member of a royal family. I just knew that he wouldn't marry me. Unless he got into international waters and declared his love for my corpse. I didn't want to marry him, it was more that fact I couldn't.
"What's up with you?" Mike asked.
"Just thinking."
"About?"
"Death, drugs, marriage." I shrugged.
"Heavy stuff." he commented.
"I'm heavy."
"You're not thinking you're fat again, are you?" he groaned.
"Why?" I asked amused.
"Because your two D skinny remember,” he said and pushed me lightly. "My girlfriend is fatter than you!" he exclaimed. I laughed and looked up to see Rosie glaring at me. Shit. "I need a piss." he suddenly said.
"Charming." I commented. Mike shrugged and got up. He headed for the door and I watched him leave.
A few seconds passed and I got out my phone. Phil had text me and I got it up. But before I could reply a shadow was looming over me. I looked up expecting to see Mike. But in his place was Rosie. I could count her stupid freckles she was so close. She was glaring down at me. "What?" I asked coldly.
"You whore." she spat. I nodded briefly.
"Normally it's considered good manners to answer questions put to you.
"You can't help but get your claws into my boyfriend. You're ugly, he's not interested. So you can stop slutting around."
"If I'm so ugly why are you worried?" I asked and she opened her mouth before closing it again. "Shall we count how many people you've slept with as opposed to me? Or haven't you got long enough?"
"At least I won't die a virgin." Rosie said and laughed.
I couldn't reply to that. She was right. I would die a virgin and that hadn't occurred to me until now. That's a last request no body could fulfil for me.
I started to feel dizzy again, like my body knew all the things it wouldn't get to do. Never living, never loving.
"What are you doing, Rosie?" Mike questioned. He had came back and I never noticed. He was standing next to Rosie stiffly.
"She's just spreading her bile." I snapped.
"Are you going to let her speak to me like that?" she exclaimed.
"She talks to everyone like that, don't think she hates you more than anyone else."
"Don't be so sure." I smiled sweetly. Rosie made a noise of disgust and turned away. Mike sighed and sat down. He rested his head on the desk and I could hear him muttering under his breath. "She's a bitch." I commented lightly.
"I know." he growled.
"Dump her?" I offered.
"I can't."
"Why?"
"I haven't slept with her yet." he said and looked up to smirk.
"Let me see your work." Mr Taylor ordered. He bent down over mine and tutted loudly.
"Helena, you haven't finished." he commented.
"I never finish." I responded.
"Don't I know it." Mike chuckled, making me glare at him.
"You'll have to come back." he informed me and I groaned.
"Tough luck, Pippa." Mike said happily.
"I'll see you at three thirty." he said before walking away.
"I cant believe this." I whispered. I needed to rest after classes, this extra hour would kill me.
"Relax, haven't you ever gotten a detention before?"
"That's not the point." I muttered and looked down.

I walked inside my classroom. Inside I saw Mr Taylor at his desk. I walked inside and he looked up. "You can go when you're finished, Helena. I'm going to photocopy some things," he explained. "If you're not finished by half past four then just get back home and rest."
"Okay," I nodded. I turned to sit down and saw Mike reclined on his chair. "What are you doing here?" I asked and sat next to him.
"I didn't finish my work." he explained.
"Liar." I accused.
"Somebody crossed out my answers." he said and held up his book. I looked and smiled genuinely.
"Thanks."
"For what?"
"I don't know," I admitted. I took his pen and started to finish my work.
I finished after fifteen minutes and brushed a rat tail from my eyes. Then I looked up, Mike was looking at me curiously.
"What?" I asked.
"What did he mean by you need to rest?"
"Oh, that?"
"Yeah."
"I get tired. Sometimes when I don't get sleep I make myself ill." I said. Well, I didn’t lie. But it’s not really the truth either.
"You okay?"
"Not concerned about me?" I mocked.
"You're my friend," he shrugged. "Hey, are you going to Gabe's party?" he suddenly asked.
"I haven't been invited,"
"I'm inviting you, come with me." he said.
"As long as you don't tell your girlfriend." I teased.
"Sorry, she told me about what happened."
"I get it all the time."
"No you don't," he sighed. "You're not ugly, you're hot, Pippa."
"I doubt that," I laughed. He looked at me for a long time and breathed sharply.
"Why can't you see it?"
"Because it's not true. If I was that desirable then why have I only been kissed by one person?"
"That is one lucky man."
"It was you, Mike."
"Ha, oh yeah." he smiled fondly.
"Am I really that memorable?"
"I remember it, I just forgot because you looked different then. More ... Conventional."
"Alex was always the beautiful one." I blurted out. I don't know why I did, I think I just needed to tell someone. Someone other than Phil.
"I remember him." Mike said quietly.
"Thanks," I whispered. "Not many people do."
"They do. They just don't know if you're coping with it okay."
"Whatever." I replied.
"Do you want to go now? Get back home?" he asked and I nodded briefly. "Good," he said and we walked out. "I need to dump my girlfriend."
"Not worth it?" I questioned.
"Definitely not. She's dog ugly."
"Are you blind?! She's gorgeous."
"I meant on the inside," Mike said. "You could be as hot as Marilyn Monroe in her prime wearing only red lipstick and a pearl necklace, but if polar bears populate your heart it doesn't really matter."
"That's insightful." I remarked.
"That's me." he joked as he pulled open a door for me.
We walked outside and Mike wrapped his arm around me. But as I leant against him something shocked me. I started to get palpitations and my arm felt heavy and dead until pains shot through it, like I was being stabbed.
"Fuck." I muttered under my breath and winced. I stumbled and Mike had to catch me.
"Whoa," he exclaimed. "Careful." he told me. I let him hold me. "You okay?" he asked seriously.
"I'm fine. That was just bad." I shrugged, forgetting who I was talking to.
"Mike!" Rosie called. We both turned to see her marching towards us. She glared at me with venom and bared her teeth.
"Shit," Mike cursed and reluctantly let me go. "I'll see you later." he told me. I watched as he reached Rosie and grabbed her arm roughly.
"What are you doing?" she hissed.
"Go." he ordered and pulled her aggressively away.

Notes

Hey! What did you think? Do you hate Rosie? Are Helena's feelings changing? What about Mike's?

My parents are buying me tickets for The Isle of Wight festival. But I can't decide what day to go on! It's The Pretty Reckless vs Fall Out Boy & Kings of Leon. What do you think? :)