White Roses Red by Anna Huscha (best business books of all time TXT) 📕

hair that was pulled up into a messy pony tail, and light tan skin.

"Really?" Kara asked, a disappointed tone. Jenn, was a cheerleader, the head. Kara sighed, annoyed that, if true, he was living the normal life of a jock.

She spent ten minutes talking with them before biting her lip and taking the chance of looking back at him. His eyes were glued to her, leaning on his arm, he seemed like he was zoning out. Not interested in what his friends were telling him. He seemed to snap back to reality once he saw her look back at him.

A barely noticeable smile on his face, she lost her breath once she saw it. He winked softly at her before getting up from his seat. She had to bite her lips to contain her excitement.

She turned back and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Hey" She heard a deep voice, she jumped and looked up, there in the flesh with less than four feet between them stood Mike.

"Hi" Kara said hesitantly, he chuckled.

"Seat taken?" He asked, she shook her head no.

"It's yours if you want it" Kara swallowed, composing herself, as to not look like a complete fool, or that she liked him.

"Thanks" Mike took a seat next to her, Sara and Hailey talking to themselves but paying attention to them.

"What's up?" Mike asked, she wanted to just scream out happily, that he was talking with her but she kept control.

"My dick" Kara said jokingly, he laughed which caused her to smile.

"Mines hiding, anyways, that's cool" Mike spoke, he had quickly gotten away from the topic of dicks, seeming to be uncomfortable.

"I'm Mike" Mike formally introduced, she smiled.

"I'm Kara" Kara said lightly, he nodded.

"That's a different name... pretty cool" Mike said, nodding. She shifted and nodded.

"Thank you" Kara said, smiling at him, he bit the inside of his lip.

"No problem" Mike said, at a loss for words, he normally knew what to say but in her presence, it was harder than he thought.

"I was bored with what my friends were talking about... you guys seemed more interesting" Mike said as he turned, looking over at Hailey, she waved like a little girl.

"Heeey, I'm Hailey. Born and raised" Hailey said mock-obnoxiously.

"Haha, I'm Mike" Mike said, glancing at Sara.

"And you are?" Mike asked without a hesitation, Sara eyed him.

"Sara" Sara said before wiggling on the grass, crawling towards Hailey and sitting next to her. Kara watched Mike, trying to learn of anything new about him. He didn't watch Sara crawl, instead, he shifted his gaze and met Kara's, smiling.

Kara sat Indian style and played with the grass beneath her legs.

After that day, they started talking more, Kara learned easily what made him tick, what he liked, what he hated, how he was protective, how he in fact couldn't stand cheerleaders and their peppy ways. He hated any prep girl for that matter. She learned, after a month of being with him, that he had a crush on her. Her suspicions her confirmed when one night, right in front of her friends. He surprised her by poking her shoulder.

"Hey, Kara?" Mike asked, she looked up at him.

"Yeah?" Kara asked, Mike leaned and softly placed his lips upon hers, accepting that she might smack him. He was okay with that but to his advantage, she kissed him back.

Breaking the kiss, he smiled widely. Hailey and Sara couldn't stop smiling themselves.

"I like you" Mike said softly, Kara couldn't keep her happiness to herself and so let it radiate off of her.

"I like you too" Kara announced, Mike smiled.

"Will you be mine?" Mike asked, looking up into her eye, her eyes widened as if he had asked her to marry him.

"Yes, of course" Kara said excitedly.

He smiled at the memory, biting his lip before turning into a parking lot, turning the car off, he got out and helped Kara get out.

"Where are we?" Kara asked, Mike chuckled.

"It's a surprise, close your eyes and no peeking!" Mike instructed her, she nodded then covered her eyes happily. Mike opened the car door and pulled out a small box, slipping it into his pocket before pulling out a white, dyed rose and gently holding it in his hand. He started to direct her towards the garden, making sure she wouldn't trip or hit anything.

"Not peeking, right?" Mike asked jokingly, she giggled and nodded.

"I'm not peeking, I promise" Kara reassured him, he smiled.

"Good" Mike said before opening the door to a green house, leading her in and towards the back, she could feel mist falling down around her, she was confused.

"That's cold but enjoyable" She said with a smile, he chuckled.

"It's pretty to see but keep your eyes closed still" Mike instructed before holding her still in front of a bush. He smiled before taking his hands off of her.

"Open your eyes, now" Mike said, Kara took her hands away from her face and opened her eyes, inhaling sharply.

"Oh my gosh" Kara said, reaching out to feel the roses.

"This is your bush" Mike explained, Kara looked up at him.

"Mine?" Kara asked, Mike nodded, she squealed in excitement and hugged him tight.

"This is the greatest, thank you so much!" Kara said happily, she was a grateful person, but she loved roses.

"Like it?" Mike asked, she nodded before he held his hand out, holding in front of her eyes, a white rose.

Kara's eyes watered as she took it, smelling it deeply.

"Aw baby" Kara said with a smile, kissing him softly, she turned and started playing around with the bush. She hadn't noticed him pull a small box out of his pocket, nor did she notice him kneel down on his right knee.

"Kara?" Mike asked, she turned and as she did, her eyes welled up.

"Will you marry me?" Mike asked, tears streamed down her face, falling. She nodded, that is all she could do was nod.

"Yes" She whispered as he jumped up and hugged her tight, lifting her off the ground.

The Truth of Reality

After his proposal, he sat with her explaining how he would spend hours after the sun had fallen, taking care of her roses. She cried when she realized all the names she had called him, what she had accused him of; when all he was really doing was giving her the best surprise she could ever ask for. He laughed it off, saying he would have done the same thing and that it was alright.

A month later, he started to collapse at work, needing to hold onto tables and walls to keep him supported as dizziness washed over him. He was scared, he knew he was sick, but as for how sick... that was unanswered.

Late into a Thursday in August, laughing with his coworkers, the smile from his lips quickly faded as he held his head.

"You okay?" A coworker asked, he went to answer but before he could, he quickly collapsed to the floor, blacking out completely.

An hour later, he came through, laying on softened, sky blue sheets on a moveable bed. The bed had him in a half-laying, half-sitting position. An I.V. tube slipped into his arm, tape holding it in place, he groaned and rubbing his face with his free hand.

"Ahh, there he is" His doctor said from the foot of his bed, his clipboard in hand as he scribbled something onto the paper. The man had a gentle way of speaking as he moved to left side of the bed; examining Mike.

"What happened?" Mike asked, he was watching the doctor. He had graying hair, combed over to the right with an old face, one to show that time had taken its toll on him but his demeanor showed he wasn't ready to settle down and take the beating from time.

"You collapsed at work, my friend" The doctor said with a happy but realistic tone, showing him this was serious.

"Why?" Mike asked, the doctor stroked his bearded chin, the whiskers were as white as show.

"Well... we did tests, your files show that your cancer has grown, to your bones" The doctor explained, Mike looked down at his hands, which were rested on his stomach.

"What can I do?" Mike asked, hopelessly. The doctor took a deep breath.

"We can do more chemotherapy, like we did when you first found out but we're not sure that'll even help." The doctor spoke, he knew how Mike was.

"I refuse to live like that" Mike said, just like he did them years ago.

"I know... it's tough, my beautiful late wife had cancer, bless her soul" The doctor said, he took a seat on the edge of the bed.

"How long do I have?" Mike asked, the doctor looked at him. Mike was to attend his own wedding in three months, now he didn't even know if he was going to live to see one month.

"I don't know... these kinds of things aren't definite. You can have a few weeks, a few months, even some years. It could take you out tomorrow for all we know but don't live like that, wondering whether or not you'll go to sleep and wake the next day. Your body will tell you and show you when it has had enough. Just keep fighting" The doctor instructed, Mike nodded, it was harsh but it was the truth. Nothing was going to change the fact that he indeed had only some time left to do what he had to do.

And he knew exactly what he had to do.

"May I go home?" Mike asked, the doctor nodded.

"Go, live it up while you can" The doctor said with a smile, Mike nodded.

"I have a wedding to reschedule!" Mike exclaimed, he dressed himself in his normal clothes and rushed out of the hospital, talking to nobody and thinking of nothing but his soon-to-be-bride. He had to do this all before his clock struck.

Once home, he went to where his wife sat at the table, yanking her up gently, he crashed his lips to hers and kissed her passionately.

She was shocked but kissed back, leading her to the bedroom, he threw her onto the bed and climbed in above her.

Without hesitation or a second thought, he made love to her so passionately and loving, like nothing else mattered.

"I love you" Mike whispered to his love, she smiled and nuzzled him gently on the chest.

"I love you too" Kara said softly,