The Fault In Our Stars: After Augustus

Chapter Six

"So, how do you like Nicholas?" my Mom asked me, as soon as the Grady's left.

"He's nice," I answered her. We even exchanged numbers.

"He's cute, huh?" my Mom said, playfully poking my arm.

I laughed,"Much like Augustus," I replied, truthfully. I didn't want to deny it; a simple pleasure of existence.

~~~~~~~~~~

That night, I had a very peculiar dream:

"Hazel Grace!" I heard a very familiar voice say.

"Augustus? Is that you?" I shouted back.

"Yes, my love, it is me."

"Gus! I've missed you so much it hurt! Where are you? Why can't I see you?"

"I am your Guardian Angel, you cannot see me, but I'm always watching over you."

"But Gus! I love you, I love you, I love you! I want to see you!"

"I love you more, but this is how it 'ought to be."

I started crying.

"It's okay baby, you have Nicholas."

"Does it look like I want him? I want you!"

"I'm sorry that I was the grenade," those were Augustus' last words, as his voice drifted away.

"Augustus!" I desperately screamed.

Then I saw Nicholas approaching me, "I'll be your replacement for Augustus Waters," he said to me.

"No!" I cried.

And then I woke up.

It all felt so real, I still heard Gus' voice echoing in my head.

I'm sorry I was the grenade.

They say if you dream about someone that means they miss you, well I miss you too Augustus, so, so much.

I got out of bed, once I properly fixed my cannula on Philip of course, and got ready for the last day of the first week of classes.

I liked Fridays, not because it was Friday, but because tomorrow would be Saturday. I liked Saturdays, because I got to sleep in. I liked sleeping in, because it fights cancer. I did not like cancer.

~~~~~~~~~~

Classes were all finished, I went straight into my car and checked my phone before I started driving home. I had one missed call, from Nicholas. I called him back. He picked up after a couple rings.

"Hazel Lancaster!" he said, with an up beat tone.

"Just call me Hazel," I told him.

"No, I like your full name," he argued. "Wait, you don't have a middle name, right?"

Uh-oh, he better not call me 'Hazel Grace'.

"Actually, I do," I admitted.

"Even better! What is it?" he asked, excited.

"Grace," I answered, hesitantly.

"Hazel Grace Lancaster," he paused for a moment, "I like it."

I giggled, "Thanks, what about you?"

"Nope, just Nicholas Grady," he was so similar to Augustus in the biggest and smallest ways.

"I like it," I said, quoting him earlier.

He chuckled, "Thanks Lancaster."

"My pleasure Grady," I responded.

There was at least a minute of silence before any of us spoke.

"So, can I come over?" he questioned, eagerly.

"Easy there, Nicholas Grady, easy there." I replied.

"I can't come over?" he asked, upset.

"No, Nicholas, you may and will come over." I answered, putting him at ease.

"Good choice Hazel, great one, actually." he said, now as proud as ever.

"Cocky much," I said, laughing.

"It was a great choice on your part, giving a dying boy the chance to hang-out with the Hazel Grace Lancaster."

I blushed, good thing this was just a phone call, "Oh you."

"Oh me, indeed," Nicholas said, right before he hung up the phone.

This was bad, I might just be developing a crush on Nicholas Grady.