Things don't always go to plan. Cassie wasn't at school for the next week and even though this girl hadn't meant a thing to me two weeks ago, now that she was gone I was completely lost. Not even Jack could fill this empty hole that her absence had caused. Jack had finally broken up with Sarah, not that he had told me it was just painfully obvious. He was no longer ironing his jeans, well, he wasn't washing them either. To be perfectly honest he wasn't washing anything. His new method of selecting clothes to wear for the day was to pick up a shirt and some jeans, sniff them and then put on whichever ones didn't smell like the rear end of a pig. 

We were sitting on the bench by the indoor pool on a tuesday, when neither of us had classes when I heard a familar voice calling my name from across the pool.

''Nick!'' Cassie was stood there waving. Her voice echoed across the room, breaking through the dull buzz of the air conditioning and making my heart beat almost 100x faster than it's normal rate. 

Being the gentleman I am of course, I got up and walked over to her. She looked so pale, so thin. I almost didn't want to breathe in fear of knocking her over. 

''Were you at the hospital all this time?'' I asked.

''No.'' She shook her head a little, looking at the floor, failing to hide the fact that she was upset.

''I was at my parents house. My mother's been having an affair with one of her interns so she's leaving us but she wanted to see me one last time.''

I didn't know what to say. She had cancer and her mother was leaving her, her entire world was crumbling and falling to her feet and she was too weak and frail to pick it back up. 

''Do they not know about the tumour?'' 

''Of course they know. My mum's reason for leaving was just an excuse for running away when I need her most, typical really.''

''Oh, right.''

''Yeah.''

''Are you getting any treatment?''

''Yes, I'm getting chemo starting from next week.''

''That's good.''

''Nick, you don't have to care.''

''But I do, of course I care, what the fuck are you talking about?''

''Don't worry alright. I'm tired, sorry. Sorry.''

''That's okay.''

She laughed. It was the sort of laugh that meant 'You were meant to say sorry too but don't worry about it' so I didn't worry about it. 

Cassie left to go and un-pack so I went and sat back in my seat under the air con next to Jack whom presumably was asleep because he wasn't saying anything. Although, I couldn't actually see underneath the flap of grease that was his fringe. 

I was sat on the same flimsy looking chair for almost a further 82 minutes exactly until Jack woke up. 

''Sorry man'' He said. ''I've been on these pills, they're meant to be making me better Nick but I honestly feel like I'm half fucking dead already.'' 

I was about to ask what pills he was taking and what for when what could only be described as the embodiment of Satan itself walked into the room. 

The Dean of the university stood on the other side of the pool to us, glaring into our souls. 

''Boys, What is your business here? Are you not meant to be in class?''

Technically. yes. We were. Both me and Jack had a class scheduled, Biology in fact but we were not obliged to go to any of our classes, The Dean knew this. 

''Well?'

His eyes bore into us.

At the moment of truth as he began sauntering towards our resting place, an angel swooped in through the glass double doors, saving our souls.

''Cassie!'' The dean pivited on his heel and greeted her with the warmest smile.