Chapter 14

I walk up the steps to the stage in front of assembly. Somehow Tom, Paola and Tony managed to convince me to do a talk. As I take the first step I remember that I have terrible stage fright. My legs feel like they can no longer hold my weight and I don't know where to look. I stand at the podium. No one knows what I'm going to say besides a few. I look out and spot Paola who gives me a thumbs up, I smile and look down to the speech I had prepared. The words all jumble into one and I can't read anything. My hands sweat and shake, I can feel my throat start to close up as someone yells from the crowd.
"ONE TIT!" screams Julianna and everyone laughs.
I look up, their ugly faces judging me.
"Actually," my voice trembles, "When I was in lower high school, around the age of fourteen, I experienced something a lot of you probably wouldn't even think about. I was sent to hospital and had to undergo surgery. 'We got all of it,' said the doctor," my voice breaks and I pause, "but, they hadn't planned to take as much as they had to. Cancer, is a scary thing. It can happen to anyone, no one is exempt, I found that out when I was fourteen, and one in three women will be diagnosed before the age of 85 and one in two men will be diagnosed. Breast cancer is the 3rd most common cancer in Australia. So many women go through emotional pain and suffering," I pause before I start to go into a rant, "I'm not up here to tell you off, or to lecture you about judging and bullying people. I only agreed to come up here to inform you of the dangers and risks. No one is perfect, we all have flaws and our own struggles. But we should work together to be more united as a school."
I stop, the room is silent, "Thank you," I say before walking off stage.

I sit by myself at lunch, I just need breathing room. I really don't care what people think anymore, and my secret is no longer a secret and I guess that's okay. I close my eyes and think of what's happened in such a short space of time. But I don't regret it. A body falls down next to me and I feel a hand around my waist. I open my eyes and see Tom, he kisses me on my forehead. I rest my head on his chest, I could lie like this forever. Paola comes and sits next to me.
"I'm so proud of you," she says.
"Me to," adds Tom kissing the top of my head.
I have amazing friends.
"As long as you guys are here, I will be able to kick whatever comes my way square in the balls," I smile as Tom shuffles uncomfortably.
Now I am ready to really live.

A/N: So thats for the patience, its been ages since I've had a change to write. This ending is a little sudden I think but it kind of just panned out that way. I hope you enjoyed reading and thanks for the reviews. I'm starting a new story now called Passionfruit so check it out if you like :) Thanks