"I'm sorry to tell you Mrs. Marquez, but your daughter is confirmed to have a brain tumor."
Brain tumor.
"The symptom of vertigo she was experiencing was not vertigo. She might has mistaken it as such. She was experiencing dizziness from the tumor. Sam goes with her losing consciousness and the most recent nosebleed and vomiting.
Mara's mother has started crying beside her. But Mara still can't wrap her head around the matter.
Brain tumor.
She heard her mother asking the daughter through tears if it's by any chances treatable.
"Yes, it is. She can definitely live normally after the treatment. Unfortunately, we don't have that treatment on the Philippines."
"I will do everything to have it treated. No matter the--"
Mara can't hear anything now. She can't believe that something as major as this could happen to her. She just wanted to graduate and live normally.
"Ra?... Mara?"
Her mother's calling her.
"Yes?" was all she could say.
"We will leave for the USA in three weeks for your treatment. I have a friend who is a doctor there who can help us and give us a place to stay there." She smiled sadly at me and held arm. "You will get over this, my love."
***************************************************
The days passed by quickly. Mara had to drop out of school for the treatment that they say would take a year.
Jane tried calling her a couple of times, she did not answer any of them. Richard went to visit, but she did not see him at all. Her mom let hin in the room, but she pretended to be upset. Same with Mark. He just stood there. Did not say anything while she pretended to be asleep.
You may think that she is being unfair. Mara thinks so too. She had in her mind that she should be enjoying her life and be with friends before leaving.
She us not feeling down. She isn't even feeling any self pity for herself. She just felt... that it's unfair. Out of all the people in the world, why her. Not that she wants others to be sick. It's just that, she is not worth the worry.
She also has been feeling dizzy more often than not. Her nosebleeds come and go every day.
She didn't want her friends to see her this helpless. She didn't want their pity. She didn't want them to look at her with sad eyes.
She is not gonna die, the doctor said since the tumor is not cancerous. She is gonna be back in a year. So, their worry wasted on her.
Her mother has not left the house since, but has been busy making phone calls to make sure all wol be ready when they leave in teo weeks. Her mother has shown respect for her decision to break everything to her friends herself, she just has not found the courage to do so.
Feeling too melodramatic, Mara decided to get up. She isn't feeling too dizzy today, nor did she have any nosebleeds for the afternoon, so getting up this evening is good for her.
She put on her all time favorite jeans, white shirt and hoody and told her mom that she will just take a walk outside. Her mom's expression looked grim but told her to call anytime she feels dizzy and let her go.
Mara missed walking outside. She loves outside walks in tge evening. Being athletic, she tends to do so every night, but has not done so for a week after the news, and may not be able to do it for a while.
Her house is near the beach so she decided to go there. The sun has long set. Her phone shows 7:35 upon checking.
She still needs to find the courage to tell her friends about her tumor and her trip to the States. Telling Richard would be difficult, but he will be easier than Jane who may want to go with her. She would appreciate that and would be happy about it but she would rather she stays here. She wants Jane to continue her life.
Her sigh was a bit loud. Looking at the stars, she wished that everything is just a dream. Which is impossible. 30 more minutes of just sitting at tyr beach, she decided to go back home.
Mark is in front of her house's gate. Standing there.
"Mark? What brought you here?"
He looked up at her. Said nothing.
There he goes again with his staring. "You need anything?"
Still no answer.
She decided that he is not worth her time and proceeded to the gate open it. She felt his hand close up on her arm and pulled her so that she is facing him now.
He moved his free hand to touch her face. A certain feeling is blooming from her stomach and is slowly creeping to her arms. She is not sure what it is but it's new to her. It's also making her heart beat faster and is making her cheeks warmer. She is quite thrilled of what's gonna happen next.
His eyes suddenly went wide. She felt his apprehension as he is looking ay her nose. She also felt it. Mara immediately snatched her arm from Mark's grasp and wiped her nose with the sleevs of her hoody. Blood. He saw her nosebleed. She tried to turn around but he caught her and held her so that she stays facing him.
His eyes are questioning her. She can see the questions running around his mind. She feels angry and weak inside having him see her like this.
"Mara? Is everything okay?"
She wants to cry. Because she is not okay. She is not feeling okay. The doctor says it's treatable but she knows that she might die. For God's sake, she is still 19 years old and she is dying. She still has not lived her life fully. She wants to live.
"Mara?"
Mark looks very concerned now because her eys started pouring tears she did not know she has been keeping.
"No, Mark!" she blurted out with a breaking voice. "I am not okay as you can see! I have a brain tumor for fuck's sake! Damn you!" She is now plain crying out loud in front of him while he is holding her shoulders. She is trying to break away but he is holding her with determination. "Don't you know how afraid I am? They say I am going to live but I am shaking with fear inside! I am just 19 years old. I want to experience everything in life Mark! I want to live! I want my life back."
Her sobs are getting harder now. She didn't know she even had such fear in her.
Mark is now hugging her. Tight. As she is grabbing his shirt while sobbing. She can't hear him talking as he is stroking her back but she just still kept on crying.