The Diary

Ari

I sat in between two people. One old woman, and one Best Buy employee. I took out my book. I called it my book, not a diary or notebook, because everything I've ever went through was in that book. On the outside, it was just a small, brown leathered, notebook. Inside, was my life story. I had my songs, poetry, and thoughts in that very book.

"Stop number one, Madison Street!" Announced the bus driver.

I got up and exited the bus. I was tired after a long day of studying in the library, I still had the long walk from Madison St. to my neighborhood. I couldn't even think straight, it was hard being gone from school so long. I started my long walk home, passing the shops I know I could never afford. That's L.A. for you.

Harry

It is about midnight and I'm tired as hell, I can't wait to get back to the hotel the band and I were staying in. We are in L.A. for a month, on break. Since we are on break, all of our staff is on break too. Normally, Paul sticks around but we gave him a break also. I cringed as I entered the bus full of weirdos. I had a pair of sunglasses and a beanie, no one would recognize me.

I took a seat between a old lady and a guy wearing some kind of uniform. While I was sitting, I noticed something hard under me. A book.

"Sorry," I said handing it to the woman, guessing it was hers.

She looked at me funny and returned back to her knitting. I guess it wasn't hers. I opened it and skimmed over the words. It was a diary. I read the words silently in my head.

'Song

Humble but shy,

Sweet and delicate.

Like that clear crystal sky...

Lost in those dreams of what I thought was life...

Well he ever see what I so deeply desire?

Can you imagine that dream that I'm dreamin',

The one that I can't get out...

After one's heart breaks through that hard. Joking. Face...'

It wasn't a diary entry. It was a song. One of the most lovliest songs I've heard. I continued to flip through the pages.

'Dear Diary,

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I hope I feel better, I haven't been feeling good for a few weeks now. Only today, it's been worse than usual. This morning, I woke up and vomitted blood. My whole body aches. I told my mom I didn't feel well but I didn't want to tell her about the blood... she's already so stressed about money. I just know something isn't right. My whole body always aches, always. I am going to have to tell her soon, I feel awful.

Ari.'

I exhaled deeply. I continued.

'Dear Diary,

It is Christmas day. Last night, I started vomiting blood nonstop. My whole body was in pain, to the point I couldn't move. My mom called 911, and I was rushed to the hospital.

I'm in bed now, struggling. I know what I have. It's cancer. I'm dying and I know it.

Ari.'

The pain shot through me as I read the page. I felt... I felt like I knew her.

'Dear Diary,

I haven't written in almost a month. I have been through a lot. Many tests, scans, and... chemotherapy. I don't have hair anymore... the bills are overwhelming. I don't think I can live any longer, to be honest. I am loosing weight by the minute. The doctor told my mom something, she was crying. I know what. How much longer I will live.

Not very long.

Ari

Dear Diary,

The pain is unbearable. I can't move. My hand hurts writing this, writing is sucking the energy out of me. I have more chemotherapy today. I know I can't handle it.

Ari

Dear Diary,

I know I only have a few more days. Maybe less. I'm sorry, but I just can't do it.

Ari.'

As I read the last page, I noticed tears rolling down my cheeks. I flipped to the newest entry.

'Dear Diary,

My cancer is 100% gone. Gone. I still can't believe it. I had to stay in the hospital for a few more days after, just to be safe. I'm home now. I decided to take a semester off from college. I can't afford it, anyway. I need to find work... but I want to gain back the year I lost in the hospital. I'm on the bus home now... I just came from the library. I hate studying. Now I don't really need it, but I haven't gone to school for a year. Christmas is coming, my birthday is too. My first birthday out of the hospital.

Arixoxo.'

I smiled as I thought about her excitement. I needed to find this girl now. I knew everything about her, but I didn't at the same time. She must have got off at the last stop.

"Hey, what was the last stop?" I asked the guy in the uniform.

"Um- Madison Street." He answered his face in his book.

I got up, and asked the bus driver to stop. I needed to find her. Ariana Stone.