RUN

‘No, no, no,’ I laugh, ‘It was only some drinks, he hasn’t even called me yet.’

‘Yes Cassie but you just wait. I’m telling you, that phone is going to be ringing pretty soon, trust me,’ Lara replies, taking a sip of water.

It was a usual Sunday afternoon. My closest friend Lara was over for lunch, happily nibbling away at her favourite cheese and cucumber sandwich. I tend to eat quite messily but I always hide it when I’m with company, however Lara doesn’t count as company. She’s more like my sister. If she’s not at my apartment, then I’m at hers. She was the only friend that stuck by me when I thought my life had fallen to pieces. Four months ago my father passed away because of a tumour in his brain. The doctors kept telling me that there was no cure, and nothing could be done to save him. They gave him six months, but I wouldn’t believe it. I fought so hard. I screamed so loud. But no one would listen. I begged and begged for the hospital to try anything and everything to make him better, but they said it was no use. I just watched him wilt away until he was nothing. I lay in bed and didn’t move for a whole month after he passed, but it was Lara who sat next to me every day, slowly pulling me out of the darkness. She made me realise I couldn’t dwell on the past, I could only changed what happens in the future. That’s when I finally got up and left the dark days behind. I started a university course in medicine so I could find a cure. My father may have lost his life to this cancer, but I will stop it happening to people in the future. The new generations deserve to not have to worry about dying from an illness that can’t be cured. They deserve to know that they will live. They will get to the end of their lives happily, without the pain of being given a time that they have left. I’m going to fix this, and I’m already part of the way there.

‘This sandwich could definitely have more cheese,’ Lara frowns.

‘Yes sorry,’ I reply, ‘I was running low.’ I was running low on everything. Since I signed up to the medical course, I’ve been doing a part time job in a small restaurant in the village. It doesn’t bring in a lot of cash, but I’m able to get by with the money my father left me. When he died my mother went back to France where she was born. It was her way of moving on. I haven’t seen her since.

My mother and I were never very close, seeing as we were completely different people. She loved people. She loved events and parties, shopping and talking to anyone she met. I’m the complete opposite. I can’t stand to be around too many people. I’d prefer to just stay at home or go on a walk through the woods. I know most of the people in our village, but my only real friend is Lara. She’s the only friend that I need.

‘I had better be off then,’ Lara smiles standing up and picking up her plate.

‘Leave your plate, I’ll clear up later,’ I insist, getting up from the table.

‘It’s just one plate, no big deal,’ she replies, taking the plate and placing it into the empty sink. ‘There, is that okay?’ She raises an eyebrow and heads towards the door. I follow her and open it, giving her a hug before she leaves.

‘Oh,’ she says, spinning back to face me from the corridor, ‘I’ll see you back here at half past eight tomorrow morning, yeah?’ I nod and she walks away as I shut the door.

Every weekday morning, Lara meets me here, then we walk to work together in the village. I took all the morning shifts at the restaurant so I could study all afternoon, and it doesn’t tend to be too busy. Lara runs her own business at the salon in the centre of town. She always loved to get people ready for parties and style their hair and paint their nails. The building was on sale for a while, and she used all the money she had to buy it, but everyone in town loves her, and it soon became very successful. I’m so proud of her. I don’t think I’d ever be able to do something like that. But right now I am too focused on my university studies to be spending every minute on a business like that.

I walk back over to the table and move my own plate into the sink, turning the tap on to fill it with warm water. I hear my phone ring from my bedroom and go to pick it up. I don’t use my phone much because there aren’t many people who ever call me, except occasionally Lara, but we usually talk in person every day. I see the name on the phone and smile, accepting the call.

‘Hey Andy,’ I say, ‘how are you?’

‘Hi Cassie, I was just thinking about those drinks we had, and I’d like to take you out again.’

‘That would be great,’ I reply, secretly beaming with happiness.

‘How about the Italian by the shops at eight, tomorrow?’

‘Yep, that’s okay with me, see you then!’ I end the call and throw my phone onto the bed, relieved. I hadn’t even thought about dating anyone since my father passed away, but Lara convinced me it was a good idea, and I’m pretty sure she was right.

I head back to the sink and finish scrubbing the plates, then place them back in the draw. I watch the water swirl around the plug hole as it slowly empties. Everything is working out. I can barely remember the last time I cried or felt sad. My life is finally coming together and it feels so great. The last drop of water finally disappears and I go to set my laptop up on the small desk by my bedroom door. It’s covered in research papers and course books, with sticky notes everywhere. After sitting down I open up a blank document and begin to write an analysis of a study I did recently. This goes towards my final grade, so it has to be good. Better than good.

An email notification pops up on the screen and I click it, confused. The message appears right in front of me, the words burning into the screen. My heart jumps and I almost stop breathing. I don’t understand why or what is happening. This doesn’t make any sense. I stare at the email, reading it over and over and over, just to make sure it’s real. It is. It really is. I have an email from her. Her, who I haven’t had any contact with for over four months. Her, who I thought I would never hear from again. I have got a message from my mother.