Austin looked nervous as they took a few tests. Never had he looked so nervous and I just smiled. He looked up at me and I smiled even wider.
"Relax Austin, it’s just a few tests" I said, and he sighed.
"You are dying Essie, I can’t relax" he said and looked at me.
"It will be okay" I said and he shook his head with a sigh.
"I just can’t believe you managed to keep all this a secret" he said.
"I didn’t want to hurt anyone" I said.
"And you don’t think anyone would be hurt knowing you lied?" he asked.
"I didn’t lie Austin, I just didn’t say anything" I said and bit my lip. I looked down on my legs and felt guilty.
"But you kept the truth" he said.

My tumor was bigger than ever and they really tried to make me not sing at the ERSA. There was a chance that something could happen.
"I don’t care, I am going to sing" I said and they just sighed. They couldn’t change my mind and they knew it.
"What are you going to wear at the ERSA?" Austin asked and looked at me.
"A white dress, black heels and a necklace with a black feather" I answered him and he gave me a weak smile.
"Essie, would you do me the honors of going with me?" he asked. I looked at him and his begging eyes made me sigh a little, and then I nodded.
"Okay" I answered him.

- - -

Austin’s POV

I was back at the hotel and my hands trembled. My whole fucking body trembled with fear and shock. Essie was dying. She was slowly withering away and dying. She was… dying. The frames of her tumor was still stuck on my mind and I felt like crying. But I couldn’t. No tears came to my eyes and I felt a dreadful pressure in my chest.
"Austin, what the… Are you okay?" Tino asked when he saw me. I shook my head and looked at him, and he saw that I was just sad.
"What happened?" he asked. I just stared at him. What was I going to say? that Essie had cancer, and would die any day?
"You saw Essie, didn’t you?" Aaron asked and showed up beside Tino. I looked at him and then I nodded. Tino’s face dropped and he looked at me.
"What happened?" he asked again.
"She called me, and I met up with her… And she told me the truth" I said. Now everyone was gathered in the lounge and they all looked at me.
"The truth?" they asked.
"About a year ago she found out she was sick, and… all the drugs was not what we thought" I said.
"Did she really make you believe that?" Alan asked and sighed. The others didn’t believe me either.
"What kind of sickness would she have that causes so much pain?" Tino asked.
"She found out she had a tumor on her vocal cord, and instead of removing it and losing her voice she kept it… having it growing every day, causing pain" I said and looked at them. They just stared at me.
"She got cancer?" Alan whispered and stared at me, and I just nodded slowly.

- - -

I was watching out over Piccadilly Circus when I saw a few familiar faces before me. I just stared at Mike, Vic and Jaime. Tony was walking behind them with Alex and Jack and behind them I saw Zack and Rian. I just stared at them and wondered if I should say something. Should I saw hi? Jack laughed at something Tony said and Alex turned his head when he saw that I was staring. He smiled and waved a little. He didn’t recognize e at all. Until i saw that he stopped and turned around again, and just stared at me. I looked back and smiled a little, and he just stared.
"Alex, are you coming or not?" someone called, and he hesitated. He waled up to me and stood before me.
"Is it really you?" he asked.
"Hi Alex" I said.
"So you really are coming to the ERSA" he said.
"Yes I am" I said.
"Alex?" Jack called.
"Are you waiting for someone?" Alex asked and looked around. And just like that Austin appeared and he kissed my cheek.
"Hello love" he said and then he saw Alex.
"Hi Austin" Alex said, a bit surprised.
"Hey, I can see you already met Essie" he said and gave him a quick hug.
"I have to go but… I guess I’ll see you tonight" he said.
"See you" I said and smiled.
"Alex, where the fuck did you go?" I heard Jack ask.
"That was Essie" he said and I saw that they all turned around and stared, and Austin waved at them before he took my hand and had me walk into Piccadilly with him.