CHAPTER-2: The Meeting

"Jon! Come on man! Please! I really need your help." Seth, Peter's counselor begged Jonathan. "No! No! Nope!" He reciprocated. "It'll be a new experience for you. The perfect inspiration for your next piece." Seth tried. Jon thought for a moment considering it. "My answer is still..." Seth waited expectantly. "NOPE! You can fuck off now." Jon turned his attention back to his "meaningful" painting which made no sense to Seth.

"Jon, it's at least better than sitting here with an art block."

"I do not have art block!" Saying that he messed up a stroke on the extremely complex painting. His face contorted to that of horror. Irritated he tore the sheet of the easel and ripped it and turned to Seth who had his eyebrow raised. "Come again."

"Peter, one of my patients, he's going through the fourth stage of lung cancer. He does his best to plaster a fake smile infront of his parents but is pretty gloomy on the inside. I've tried to liven him up but I guess he doesn't like me because of my "profession"." Seth explained.

"Nice." Jon said, sarcasm laced in his tone. Seth only glared making Jon instantly shut up. "I thought it would be better if he spend his time with a stranger. A change of people around him. Maybe he could open up and that might help him a lot."

"So you're asking me?" Jon questioned.

"Yeah. Your a fun guy!" Seth said in attempt of flattery. "Oh ho ho! So now I'm the fun guy. I thought I was oh sooo boring you'd rather productively spend your time rotting away." He snapped back. Seth ran a hand over his face. "Just come with me. You just have to stay by his side, have him smile. It's not like you don't like meeting new people."

Jon grumbled something under his breath and then said 'fine' and went into his house to change.

°•°•°•°•°•°

"Is this the guy you were talking about?" Rupert, Peter's dad, asked Seth. "Yea. He's Jonathan Seamers and he'll be the one looking after Peter's mental condition instead of me." Jon smiled awkwardly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Seamers." Madeline, Peter's mum, said extending her arm out. Jon shook it, "Please, just call me Jonathan or Jon." Madeline nodded. "I'm Madeline and he's Rupert." Jon smiled at their friendliness. "So umm...who is this Peter?" "He's our son." Rupert spoke up. "Oh ya, I know that." He laughed nervously. "I meant where his room was?" "It's the door at that turning point in the corridor. Room 231." Seth replied. "Ah thanks. So I'll get going then."

Peter was just casually scrolling through the social media when the guy came in. He was surprised at first and Jon stood at the door like a deer caught in the headlights. "I think you've got the wrong room." Peter said eyeing the man suspiciously. "Funny. It's the right one actually." Peter quirked his brow. He took in the features of the man as he entered. Jet black hair, tied in a very small ponytail, the loose hair strands falling over his face. He had high cheekbones and a square jaw. He had silver-grey eyes that stood out. Very good looking enough to make Peter feel extremely self-conscious. Jon pulled the stool closer to the bed and sat. Neither of them knew what to say. They just stared at random objects in the room. Jon was thinking how to start the conversation. Maybe a-- wow that window looks great or that cup is very well made or it's cold in here can I turn down the A/C?

"Seth send you, right?" It was more of a statement. "Why would you assume that?" Jon asked. "I heard that he was going to call someone to keep me "company"." Jon didn't say anything. Again after a minute of silence, he spoke, "How about we get to know each other?" Peter at first wanted to say 'no' but he decided to go along.

"What's your name?" Jon asked even though he knew.

"Peter. Peter Parker." Jon choked. The surname was new.

"Why Peter Parker?"

"Pops thought it'd be funny." Jon snorted and then mumbled a 'sorry'.

"What's your name?" It was now Peter's turn.

"Jonathan Seamers. Just call me Jon." Peter nodded, "Age?"

"Twenty-three..."

Peter looked at him in disbelief, "You look older."

"Yea yea get that told a lot."

Peter grinned at that. "Yours?" Jon asked. "Same."

"What do you do?" Jon simply asked cause he couldn't come up with a better question. Peter gave him the 'really' look to which he just shrugged. "I lie on the hospital bed all day long."

"Besides that?"

"Besides that nothing."

Jon made an 'oh' with his mouth.

"What about you?" Peter asked in a monotonous tune. He was so bored. He'd rather sleep.

"I'm an artist." This piqued an interest for Peter. "What do you paint?" Seeing that Peter was now sitting upright and attentive Jon felt a bit encouraged, "I do abstract art." "Oh." Peter slumped back down into the bed. "I also paint portraits, sceneries, animals, etc."

"You do?" His focus again on Jon. Jon nodded his head. "You sell them?"

"Yea. Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

"Just asking. What sells the most?"

"The abstract paintings." Jon says with a sigh.

"Isn't that good?" Peter asked confused.

"It is. It's actually more popular than what I really like to draw. I just do abstract cause it sells."

"Ah! I see." Silence again.

"So what you're just gonna stay in this bed the whole two months and waste your life away?" Jon asked.

"I don't know." Peter sunk more into the bed.

"Don't you have anything you'd like to do?" Jon urged. He had a feeling that maybe the guy would open up a bit.

The said guy hesitated for a bit. He coughed uncomfortably and there was a tint of red on his face. "I do." He mumbled, embarrassed.

Jon looked at him with judging eyes. He kept looking in Peter's direction. His eyes were averted and he was fidgeting with his fingers. "Oh fuck it!" He fumbled for his diary under the pillows. Once he grabbed it, he dumped it in Jon's hand and then covered himself with the sheets. "Aw! Aren't you cute." Jon said sarcastically but he was very amused. "Just shut up!" Peter retorted.

Jon chuckled at the response. He opened the diary. Most of the pages were blank but flipping through it, in the middle, he saw some scribbles.

"My Bucket List! Interesting! Very interesting." Jon said teasingly which made Peter pull the sheets more closer to his head.

He read the rest with great intrigue.

My Bucket List

1) Eat IceCream

2) Jump into a Ball Pit

3) Visit the Amusement Park

4) Stuff myself with junk food

5) Sleepover at friend's

6) Go to the zoo

7) See the Planetarium

8) Learn fishing

9) Go to the beach

10) Find my STAR

Jon was briefly confused. The whole thing looked like a kid's wishlist. "This is your bucket list..."

"Got any problem?" Peter asked irritated. "No. Just confused." He replied honestly. Peter sighed and sat up straight, "I was sick most my life. So my whole childhood was inside the four walls of the house. I regret it. I should have at least stepped out in the lawn but I didn't do that. I was too afraid because I was too weak. I'd cough up blood at the slightest exertion on my body. So yah! You can expect it to be childish."

"Oh. You never had ice cream?" Peter rolled his eyes, "Of course I did! Mum always bought it for me. I just wanted to go out on my own and buy it." The tint on his cheeks grew even more red.

Jon's heart squeezed. Someone protect this man. He's too pure.

Jon saw that the last point was crossed out. "Why'd you cross out the last one?"

"Because it's obvious I won't be able to find my star." He replied instantaneously. Jon was stunned for a moment. "What does that mean? Find your star?"

"You ask too many questions." Peter replied nonchalantly. "It's cause you're being all too mysterious. Just answer the question." Jon said impatiently. Peter scrunched up his nose in disapproval. "Star is like the love of your life, your soulmate, the one who'd never leave you no matter what."

"Oh. Deep." Peter felt his eye twitch. He was getting annoyed by this stranger who randomly struck a conversation with him. "So the label star, is it only applicable to your lover or--"

"Yes only my lover which I have zero chances of getting in these remaining days of my diminishing life! And now imma just take that diary." He said plucking the diary from his hands.

"Do you even have friends though?" Now it was Peter's turn to look at him with judgmental eyes. Instant regret flushed through Jon. Saying 'sorry' he instantly shut up. There was silence for a pretty long time until Peter spoke up. "I wrote the bucket list just for my self satisfaction. I don't expect it to be fulfilled. If maybe at least one was, I'd be very happy." There was a sad smile on his face. Peter's words stung at Jonathan's heart. He grabbed Peter's hand, "I'll help you check out everything from the bucket list." Peter saw determination in Jon's eyes. He pulled his hand away, "You're weird. Don't say stuff you won't do. I don't need false hope." He said reprimanded.

"I am weird. That's why I said something like that." Jon had a smile on his face that reached his eyes. "I mean it. And guess what I'll help you even with the tenth one." Peter eyes held bafflement and Jonathan's are sparkling, full with color. A heavy blush formed on Peter's face and he turned away, "You better mean it."