IS IT TRUE?

As Kimberly fainted, Ian carried her in his arms and ran out of the school premises. He placed her in the backseat of his car, put her bicycle behind, and got into the driver's seat. He began driving to the hospital. On his way, he called Wendy and told her everything that happened, asking her to inform her parents that he was taking Kimberly to the hospital.

"Ian, please take her to my family's hospital," Wendy suggested. "My family doctor will be there to attend to her. I will be arriving soon with my parents."

"Okay, I will do just that," Ian replied.

He quickly took her to the hospital, and as Wendy had said, the family doctor promptly attended to her. Ian waited outside until Wendy and her parents eventually arrived.

"What happened?" they asked Ian.

"Well," Ian began. "We were at the rooftop of our school building, and afterward, we decided to go down. We ran down the stairs, and suddenly she became short of breath and eventually passed out. I don't know what is going on, and I'm so afraid. I've never seen her like this before."

"Don't worry, she will be fine," her father assured. "Let's just wait for the doctor."

When the doctor came out of her ward, he said, "I would like to speak with Kim's parents alone."

"What is the problem, doctor?" Ian asked anxiously. "Please, whatever it is, I would also like to know."

"Why not just tell us what the problem is?" Kim's father added. "You can tell all of us."

"In that case, all of you should come to my office," the doctor suggested.

Kim's father and mother, along with Wendy and Ian, gathered in the doctor's office. Inside, the doctor began, "I am sorry to inform you all that Kim has cancer of the blood."

Ian's eyes widened at first. "Cancer of the blood? Is it leukemia?"

"Yes," the doctor replied. "She has leukemia."

"No! That is not possible," Ian refused to accept. "She never had any symptoms. She has been very healthy and okay. How can she suddenly have leukemia?"

"Just calm down," the doctor said to him. "Sometimes it happens that way. Unfortunately, you never saw the symptoms. Or she may have experienced it but kept it to herself."

"Perhaps," the doctor continued, "you did not see when she had one or two episodes or one or two struggles, as she probably saw it as just something normal and never bothered to talk about it."

"Oh no! This is very serious," Kim's mom replied. "So, is she going to begin chemotherapy or something? What are we going to do? What's the way forward?"

"I'm sorry, I have even more bad news," the doctor replied.

Ian placed his hands on his chest as his heart began to race. The doctor said, "She has two more months left to live."

"That is a lie!" Ian snapped as he got up. "You cannot tell me that. What do you mean she has two months left? Kim is not going to die. She's going to live for a very long time."

"Listen, you need to get a hold of yourself, Ian. Calm down and let the doctor tell us the way forward." Kim's mom was already crying, while her dad was quiet.

Wendy said to the doctor, "There has to be something. Just tell us the solution, okay? You're just telling us the problem."

The doctor said, "Listen, if you want her to undergo chemotherapy, it's fine. We'll do it. But the stage she is in, she has just two months left to live."

"I demand to get a second opinion," Ian said. "Let's go to another doctor. There are much better doctors and much better hospitals. We'll take her to a specialist, no matter what. She will not die. I do not believe you. Kim cannot die."

"Calm down," the doctor said. "I understand your frustration, but there's no need to take it out on me. I have arranged for a specialist to come and look into her case just for you to feel at ease.

However, I need you to prepare your mind. He's going to tell you exactly what I have told you. If you still have doubts, you can take her to a much better hospital and carry out whatever tests you want. The earlier you start preparing your mind, the better. I am really sorry about this."

After the doctor spoke to them, they all got up and left his office, while Ian ran into Kim's ward to be with her. He sat by her bedside and held her hand. Her eyes were open, and she was lying on her back. She turned and stared at him.

"Ian, I feel so weak and tired. What is wrong with me? Has the doctor told you what happened? Did he explain why I fainted?"

Ian kissed her hands and kept looking at her until he broke down and began to cry.

She was surprised. "What is the problem? Why are you crying, Ian?" she asked.

He refused to say what the problem was. She became even more anxious and struggled to sit upright. "Look at me, Ian. What is it?"

Ian lowered his face as he continued to cry. However, Kim held his cheeks and lifted his face, so he could look at her.

"Come on, Ian, tell me what is going on. Why are you crying? I can't bear to see you like this. Please say something."

Ian wanted to tell her what the problem was, but he couldn't bring himself to. In the end, all he could say was, "This cannot be happening. This cannot happen, Kim."

She pulled him closer and hugged him, "Oh, Ian, I am so sorry. What happened? What is the problem? Listen, no matter what it is, you can tell me. Please stop crying."

She also began to cry. She thought something terrible was going to happen to Ian. At this moment, her parents and Wendy all came into the room, and she saw that both her mom and Wendy were crying too, while her dad had a sad expression on his face.

"What is the problem?" she asked them. "Please, somebody should tell me what is going on."

Her mom went to sit by the other side of the bed and stroked her hair. "I am so sorry, darling. The doctor has said that you have leukemia."

"What!"

Her mom nodded, "Yes, you have leukemia, Kim. I am so sorry."

"Is that why you all look so sad? Come on, I am not the first person to have leukemia. Listen, Ian, don't worry. I will get treatment, okay? No matter what, I will get well for our sake.

Don't be sad, I'll get better. People survive leukemia. I have heard of people who survive after going through chemotherapy. You all shouldn't look so sad. Be optimistic, I will get better, okay? Please don't cry, Mom, Wendy. I can't bear to see you all so sad."

"Sorry, baby," her mom cried. "I wish I didn't have to tell you this, but the doctor said you have just two months left to live."

Kim's expression changed to a shocked one, "What! No, no, that cannot be true. Are you all joking with me or what? That's a lie."

She looked at Ian, who was still crying, and looked at her father, "Dad, tell me, is it true? Do I really have only two months left?"

Her father couldn't say a word in reply; he turned and left the room.

She held Ian's hands and cried, "Ian, tell me it's not true, please. This cannot be happening to me. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I want to live.

Mom, please help me. Ian needs me. Ian, do something. Please don't give up. I still have a long life ahead of me. What about our plans? What about our dreams for the future?

Ian, you promised me we would go to college together and spend the rest of our lives together. Please, don't let me die. I don't want to die."

Unable to see her breakdown, her mom and Wendy ran out of the room while Ian hugged her, as they both broke down in tears.