Page 58 of Beyond the Fame

“I’m not done fucking you in this room.”

“We’ve got plenty of time for that.” She holds out her hand. I take it and stand. “Come on. I’ve never been skinny dipping before.”

I have once in Santa Monica with Mylan and Rey when we were teenagers.

“I’d rather not get arrested for public indecency. Or get our pictures taken.”

“So, let’s borrow some of Mylan’s bodyguards he hired for this weekend.”

“You noticed them? They were supposed to blend in.”

“I saw them move in a couple times when someone got too close to Mylan and Lana, then they backed off when Mylan gave them a hand signal.”

Jensen laughs and shakes his head. “I think having them out there will draw more attention to us.”

“True. But, also, do you seriously think the paparazzi are going to be out there right now? They’ve got to sleep sometime.”

“I mean, technically, they’re not allowed on the property unless they’re a guest. I’m pretty sure they’ve either been sneaking in or they’re paying people to snap shots of us all.” He purses his lips. “You know what? Fuck it. Let’s go. If we get caught, then it’ll be a fun story to tell.”

I squeal. Actually squeal. “It’s like we’re going on an adventure. We’re spies, trying to slip past the enemy that is the paparazzi. Mission: Don’t get caught!”

A wave of nostalgia washes over me. For the first time since I stopped letting my imagination run wild, I'm excited.

I’m excited about letting loose and having fun. To feel like a kid again. To live.

Chapter 14 – Rebecca

Age 17

It's been three months since Tyler was diagnosed with stage four Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. It spread fast. Too fast. None of the treatments are working and the doctors don’t know why. They’re giving him only a few more months to live.

It's Christmas break and Tyler and Lana moved back to Silo Springs to live out the rest of his days. Lana is taking next semester off college to be with him and to mourn. Since I don’t turn eighteen until the summer, I asked my parents if I could also take time off school, but they said no. I don’t understand. I’m his sister. I love him just as much as Lana, if not more.

Any time I try to bring up Tyler’s diagnosis, they dismiss me like I'm some dumb kid. I want to know what’s going on, but they’re not including me. They won’t let me go to the appointments. Lana has been the only one to tell me anything. She's been there to console me, but she ends up getting sadder and I have to console her instead.

Why is this happening?

Why did it have to be him?

He deserves to live in this world more than anyone. He had dreams of helping others. It should have been me.

I've been praying every night for God to let me switch places with him. I’ve never been religious. My parents never took us to church, but we sure have been going more these past three months.

Are they praying for the same thing? Do they want it to be me?

Christmas is tomorrow morning, and Mom has been in the kitchen all day preparing the big meal. Everyone will be here. Lana’s grandparents, Ginger's parents, my grandparents who I never see because they live all the way on the West Coast in Oregon. They're staying a while. Weeks. Months. Until...

“Why the long face?” Tyler asks, entering the room. “Are you a horse? Neighhhhh.”

He’s wearing a baseball cap because his hair is starting to fall out from the treatments that aren’t working. He's pale. So unlike him. He's always been tan from being out in the sun—either from sports, working in the yard, or out at the cliffs with Lana.

I stick out my tongue, and he laughs... then he coughs. A lot. He has to hold himself up by the table in the dining room where I'm cleaning up for tomorrow.

I drop the stack of papers I've been filing and rush over to him.

He holds up his hand. “I’m fine.”

Tears prick my eyes, and I turn before he sees them fall.

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