"You knew?"
Catherine asked as she raised her head, seeing that Austin spoke,
"You didn't hide it that well"
"Well, I am not used to acting like I am sleeping"
Catherine replied as a bitter smile spread across her face,
"How long do you have?"
Austin asked,
"According to my calculations about a week"
She said to which Austin turned silent, he was seemingly brooding over her answer,
"Any idea about this poison?"
Austin asked, to which Catherine turned silent, her body weakly leaning against Austin, a dreading silence between the two of them,
"Are you scared?"
Austin spoke within the silence,
"I'm scared, of course, I am scared...."
Catherine spoke as her shoulders started to tremble, the fear that she was hiding in her heart finally burst out with full force as she started to shed tears, seeing so Austin used his free hand to pull her close, letting her silently sob with his shoulder, now the other side becoming wet with the tears of another girl.
The two of them stayed in the same position for some time before which Catherine finally raised her head from Austin's shoulder, her hair disheveled while her eyes a little red, with some pain Catherine started to wash away the tears away from her eyes, while she tried her best to give him a smile of assurance.
On seeing so Austin used his free hand to suddenly pat Catherine's head, making her freeze, her eyes turning to him, as he gave her an assuring smile,
"Are you okay now?"
Hearing his question Catherine subconsciously nodded her head, her fears slowly subsiding away from his touch,
'What's happening to me? why does he feel so trusting to me?'
Catherine questioned herself, not understanding why she was feeling so close to a boy she didn't know for long. Austin finally took his hand away, the small warmth on Catherine's head disappearing, he looked directly into her eyes as he spoke,
"Catherine are we friends?"
He asked to which she didn't think to nod her head, after everything he had done she had indeed started to see him as a friend especially after hearing his past she felt an innate need within her to be his friend, seeing Catherine nod the smile on Austin's face turned warmer,
"Then as a friend can you promise me something?"
Austin asked to which she once again subconsciously nodded her head,
"Then can you promise me to never give up hope?"
"Huh.....?"
A confused voice left her mouth as she looked at the kindly smiling handsome boy in front of her, unknowing her own heartbeat started to get more and more higher, as a small blush came to her face.
Austin leaned forward as he looked eye to eye with her, Catherine looking deep into his purple eyes was capable of seeing her reflection, her look of confusion filling her gaze,
"Promise me to never give up, keep fighting, don't think that your life is over, promise me that you will keep trying to live and I promise you that I will find a way to cure you"
His words resonated within the walls and within Catherine's heart, his earnest look along with the deep emotions being felt from him shook her, she could see a pain of loss within his eyes,
"I am never losing another person, I promise to help and save you, so will you promise me?"
Austin asked, his voice serious as it could be, for a second Catherine was lost before which she shook her head with a wry smile,
"Seriously, you are getting more and more mysterious to me"
She spoke but her voice was warm, much warmer than before, while her eyes glinted like the pearls of the sea, the deep fear that was within her somehow being burned out, at times knowing that there are others willing to fight your battles with you is more than enough to give a person the will to fight the fate that was approaching them.
And in this case, at the point of death and fear of loss, Austin had stood by her, when she felt that the world wasn't with her he was and this gave place to a small position for Austin within Catherine's heart, it wasn't too big and the feelings hadn't bloomed but they had definitely started to take place,
"You know what, I am not ready to die"
Catherine said, her words making Austin smile, those beautiful blue eyes that look like it was losing their hope had regained their sparkle of life, her face with a smile so beautiful that took ones breath away as she spoke,
"I promise you Austin, I will never lose my hope, so you better keep your promise"
Hearing her words a smile of relief and confidence filled Austin's face,
"You don't have to worry about that, I always keep my promises"
As he said so he once again patted Catherine's head, her maroon-colored hair being very smooth to touch, though this time his hand was pushed away by a pouting Catherine who spoke,
"You know I am older than you"
"Cough.....just by a few years"
Austin replied to which Catherine immediately retorted,
"That still doesn't give you the right to pat me!"
"Sorry, you're hair was just that soft"
He apologized, knowing that he was in the wrong but Catherine didn't take it to heart, she actually liked the pat but she by no means will ever say that out, never!
"How about this, if you manage to save me, I will allow you to pat me and a kiss"
Catherine gave out a solution to which Austin replied with sparkling eyes,
"Really?"
"Why do I feel that you are more interested in patting me?"
Catherine asked with narrowed eyes,
"Cough...just you're imagination"
Austin immediately replied, to which Catherine crossed her arms around her chest as she retorted,
"Do you know how many men will die to just get a kiss from me?"
"Sorry princess this one was ignorant!"
Austin replied with a salute which earned a chuckle from Catherine, her head leaning against his shoulder as her eyes started to close, her body losing its strength, while her mind calmed down,
"Weirdo...."
She whispered as she went into sweet sweet slumber, her heart starting to beat normally while she silently lay on his shoulder, seeing so Austin smiled wryly,
'Looks like she was more scared than she showed'
Thinking so he turned his focus towards Marlene who was sleeping with a calm face, both his sides he could feel their soft breast pressing against his body, seeing so Austin closed his eyes as he started to see how the current station was developing,
'Um...looks like a lot of unknown variables have shown up'
Seeing the current situation Austin felt that some of the plans he made wouldn't work as well as he hoped but in the end that was life, Austin had never thought that everything would go according to his plan, variables will always occur, and all he would do is adjust to it,
Finally, after getting the correct estimate of the current situation, Austin opened his eyes, they snapped to the two girls beside him,
'Get good sleep, cause you two are gonna need it'
