My body throbs and aches. Although the person carrying me was being gentle as to cradling me, it still didn’t make a difference for my physical state. I want to cry, I could cry, I wouldn’t be surprise if I’m already am.

“Hang on a little longer Maria.” The voice spoke. He knows my name. That has to be good right? “Maria, who did this to you?” I couldn’t form words if I wanted to. I didn’t want to speak their names, only for the sake they could be anywhere. “Maria, please talk to me. We’re almost to the hospital.” I let my head loll to the side. I wasn’t exactly sure if I wanted to go to the hospital, only for the reason they may keep my admitted to the hospital. That and they’ll just remind me that my life is literally hanging on a strand. Or worse, they’ll tell me it’s spread and that my life is
cut shorter than I thought.

“N-no.” I whispered. “No.” It came out as a soft purr. “No!” I said with more confidence this time.

“Maria, you have to go. You’re in pretty bad shape and I-I-I don’t know if you’ll make it at my rate I’m running.” His voice hushed. I still haven’t taken the time to figure out who this man is. How he knows me. How he found me.

Part of me didn’t really care. At least someone was willing to help me. The other part wanted to make this man put me down and to let me die.

I just groaned and opened my eyes.

The sky was fading to a deep blue/purple shade. A few stars were already lighting up the sky and street lights were finally coming to life.

It was going on night time.

The man carrying me had small subtle around his chin. The dark brown eyes seemed all too familiar, but from whom.

I squinted my eyes a little tighter and stared at the man’s eyes. When he looked down on me, he gave a small smile and I gasped.

“Gerald?”

“Jack, don’t intimidate Maria now.” Gerald scolds at his son. We had just gotten out of school and I decided to stay over at Jack’s house, which I’m now starting to regret.

“Don’t worry dad, she’s a toughie.” He took a fist and roughed my hair that literally took me an hour to maintain. I shove Jack off of me and laughed as he hit the carpet.

“What I miss?” Alex asked as he walked in, blushing as he met my eyes. Be any more obvious Gaskarth.

“Jack’s being a bitch.” I mumbled as I cross my arms over my chest.

“Am not!” He yelled from the carpet, defending himself.

“It is if you made me chase after you for three miles while you ran with my backpack you bitch.” I retorted, pointing to my backpack that is still in his other hand, now cushioning his head. Jack rolled his eyes and stood up.

“That was mean Jack.” Alex said.

“Oh, first my dad now you too? ‘Is this Everyone Gang Up On Jack Day’ or some shit.”

“Language!” His dad yelled. I snickered. “You too!” He pointed his finger at me.

“Hey, from what I heard, bitch means female dog, so in no place was I insulting Jack.” I said, putting my hands up.

His dad just laughed.

“Don’t stay up too late.” Was all he said.

---

-Alex POV-
“I’m worried.” Jack called from his bunk.

“Why?” I pulled my phone away from my face to stare out into his open bunk.
“I called my dad three times and he still isn’t answering.” He sighs and I see him attempt calling him again.

“Maybe he’s busy?” I suggested.

“Yeah. Maybe. I don’t know. We’re near Baltimore anyway. It’s got me thinking, I wonder how Ma-”

“Don’t say her fucking name.” I snap. I could feel the blood coursing through my veins as I gripped the sheets below me.

I hate her. I seriously fucking hate her. Her name irritates me. I hate what she did to us. I hate how she just betrayed us, all of us, and then expects things to be all peachy again.

“Alex-”

“No Jack. She hurt us. Most of all, she hurt me.” I said, trying to keep the tears at Bay. “I loved her. And Jack, she hurt me. She really did and I just don’t know. I don’t care what happens to her, she could be dying for all I care and I still wouldn’t forgive her.” Jack snorted.

“You’re bluffing man, you’re bluffing. I know you still care for her.”

“Since when were you in charge of my feelings?”

“Since you first laid eyes on Lisa.”

“It hurts.” I moaned as they put me on a stretcher. My body felt like a thousand pounds and I just wanted to sleep. I don’t care if I never wake up. I just want to sleep, maybe if I die, I can not only be at peace, but with my favorite person, Tom.

Ever since he died, something inside all of us - Alex, his parents, me and Cassadee - changed. And ever since I found out about my….illness, I’ve been looking forward to seeing Tom again.

“Maria Malona!” The doctor yells as they push me down the hallway. “Stomach is bleeding. Puncture wound possibly, cuts to the thighs, cuts on the backs of the arms.” I shielded my eyes from the bright lights that came from the hospital.

“Maria Malona!” Another doctor yelled. “Stage two……cancer? This can’t be right, she seems too healthy.” My heart leaped. Maybe that’s a sign the cancer is gone. Maybe it’s hope that I can live a little longer, that I have a life ahead of me.
As they wheeled me in to the emergency room, I held a smile on my face as they put a mask over my face.

I clinged on to the last bit of hope I had.

I would stare at these hospital walls and I will not return because of my cancer. I will come here, only to treat cuts. I will come here with my head held high. I would come here with hope.
So as I closed my eyes, I dreamed of a happier, cancer free time.

“Maria!” Cassadee yelled as Rian chased her with a crab in a bucket. The beach. Summertime. My best friends. Nothing made me happier but lying on this towel with Alex next to me, soaking up the sun while we watched our friends be total idiots. This was something no one could ever take from me.

Friendship.

What more could a girl as for?

What more could a girl ask for?

Notes