Chapter 9
The next day, I woke up to the sound of Anthony and Nate’s arguing. I couldn’t make out what either of them was saying, nor was I trying to. I groaned in frustration as they got louder and louder.
“Shut up!” I finally said, tossing a pillow at Nate’s head. “Can’t you see I’m trying to sleep over here!?” Boys were so clueless all the time.
Nate’s eyebrow cocked up looking at me, “It’s almost noon.”
I sighed. I had to get up sometime. I glared at both of them and pulled the covers up.
“Good afternoon!” Lizzie said, walking in to the room now with a tray full of food. “My mom bought lunch if you guys want some,” She set it down on the table next to my bed and dished all the food out on to plates, giving us each a plate.
Today, her hair was a caramel color, curled in to a tight bun on her head, making her look like an elegant ballerina. She had sparkly eye shadow and light pink lip gloss as well.
Anthony’s wardrobe just consisted of different colored baseball caps, today being a black one. Nate was a nurse; so he was in scrubs every time I saw him.
“Thanks Lizzie!” Anthony was first to say.
We all chimed in after with thank you’s, and continued on eating. It was definitely not hospital food, thank goodness for that. I was getting tired of that stuff.
“Anthony, I brought you something too,” Lizzie said before digging in to a pink purse that was draped over her small shoulder. She retrieved a small card and handed it over to him.
Anthony eagerly took it in to his hands, and examined it over. When he fully read and understood what it was, a huge grin appeared on his face. “No way," he said, looking the card over again, "Where did you get this! How did you find this?"
She shrugged, like it was no big deal. “My dad knows a few people.”
“What is it?” I asked, curious. Nate looked over Anthony’s shoulder to see what it was for himself too.
“It’s a limited edition baseball card. It’s not even available in stores anywhere anymore! It hasn't been on retail for almost eleven years now!” Anthony held it up in his hands, being extra careful not to bend or crease any of the edges. He got out his binder from under the bed and stuck it in one of the empty slots.
“Well, I have to go. I’m trying some new treatment today, so I will see you guys later,” Lizzie said before getting up and exiting the room.
“That was really nice of her," I commented to Anthony.
"She is awesome!" He replied with a smile.
"You two are the cutest friends ever," I replied.
Nate barked out sudden laughter before replying. “Only Anthony wishes they were a lot more than just friends.”
Anthony flushed a bright red color in his pale cheeks. It was refreshing to see them any other color then a sickly-white or pale green. He stepped on Nate’s foot mustering up all his strength, which hadn’t been very much considering Nate didn’t even flinch. “Shut up, Nate! I do not!”
“Sure you don’t. You’re with her twenty four seven and when you’re not you constantly can’t stop talking about her!”
Nate looked over at me and laughed some more. They fought like brothers so much. It was comical to watch the scene in front of me play out.
“Okay, fine. Maybe I do a little bit. But that’s none of your business.”
“I knew it! Why haven’t you made a move yet?” Nate said turning back to Anthony. If only Nate would listen to his own advice.
Anthony sighed in discouragement. “Because I don’t know if she likes me back. I think she thinks we are just friends.”
“You just got to go for it. She probably sees things the way you do anyways," Nate said.
“You think?”
“Yep.”
Anthony turned to me now. “Do you think she likes me?”
“If she didn’t like you, I don’t think she would have gotten you that rare baseball card, or hang out with you all the time. She definitely does,.” I said. Coming from a girl’s perspective must have been more reassuring for Anthony. He left the room with confidence ready to set out for Lizzie, leaving me and Nate alone in the room.
I chuckled. “That's cute. It's like puppy love."
Nate was also laughing and agreeing. “Yeah, I guess you could say so."
I thought it would be a good time to bring up a sore subject to fill in the extra silence. “So you’re girlfriend…she was pretty.” I said, completing my thought.
Nate looked over at me, a little surprised at the random statement. “Yeah, she is pretty. That's about it, though."
“What do you mean?”
“You saw her. She's kind of...” He struggled for a minute on the right words to say, “Crazy, to say the least,” he finally completed.
I laughed. I obviously couldn’t deny that, and at least Nate knew it was the truth.
“And…I think we are pretty much done for good,.” I tried not to smile, but for some reason, I was now extremely happy.
"Nate looked eager to change the subject, "You know Anthony mentioned your boyfriend."
“Logan is not my boyfriend! He mostly had a thing for Jaden at the time of the accident,” I stated.
“Do you miss her?”
“Who, Jaden?”
“Yeah.”
“Of course I do. I miss her a lot. We were best friends, and now she is just gone forever. It’s weird to think about, and I don’t think I have fully registered it yet, but it will eventually set in.”
“I wouldn’t know what it feels like. I’ve never really lost anyone that was close to me. I deal with deaths all the time in a hospital, but no one I’ve really known and have been good friends with,” Nate replied with a smile.
“I couldn’t even imagine having your job. You seem so relaxed about it too.”
He shrugged, "It's just something you get used to."
Changing the subject I replied, “I don’t know where I’m going to go when I get out of the hospital. I don’t want to move in with my dad in the middle of my senior year. I can’t get my own place though. I wouldn’t have enough money.”
“You’re worrying too much. We’ll figure something out eventually.”
“Nate, how safe is this brain surgery?”
“Nothing will go wrong, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“I’m just scared about a lot of things.”
Nate smiled, “You worry too much.”
“And you’re too relaxed. Your patients just die every day! How could you be okay with that?”
“I have to be okay with it, or else my life would be completely depressing. You need to start looking on the bright side of things.”
“You always say that, you know. It should be your catch phrase. And it's really hard to see the bright side of things in my situation."
He stood there. I was guessing he was thinking about for a little bit. I thought he was going to give in and say I was right, but then he continued talking, “Your mom was rude and insensitive. You don’t have to deal with her anymore. Your dad lives in Florida, so if you move there you’ll get a nice tan. Your best friends are in a much better place then here. And I told you we would figure out how to pay for the brain surgery, one way or another. How is that for a bright side?”
He was crazy. “Seriously? A nice tan?”
Nate chuckled and rolled his eyes. “That’s all you got out of that?”
I smiled. He really did know how to make things better and lighten the mood though. That’s why he was so good at his job.
Speaking of his job, Nate stood up and announced that he had a few more patients to check up on before going home. I sighed after he walked out the door and I was once again alone by myself.
I watched some cheesy comedy program on the television for a couple hours. It was getting tiring trying to think of ideas to fill the time while waiting for Nate and Anthony to return. Finally, Anthony came in. Fortunately, Nate was being dragged along with him.
I could tell something went right, by the huge grin spread across Anthony’s cute little face. Sometimes, I forgot he was sick; he was just so cheerful and outgoing twenty-four seven.
“So what’s this big news you had to tell us in front of both me and Charlie?” Nate asked, waiting for it to come patiently.
“She kissed me!” Anthony said while Nate went to give him a fist-pound.
"Your first kiss?” I asked as Anthony continued to beam.
Anthony scoffed at the statement. “No! I’ve had plenty more where that came from. Nate knows all about that. Right, Nate?”
Nate laughed. “Right. The kid is a player.”
I pretend gasped, like it was incredulous. “I don’t believe it!”
“Well believe it because it’s the truth!” Anthony said. “Nate didn’t get his first kiss until the sixth grade. I beat you!"
“Actually, it was fifth grade thanks very much.” Nate retorted back.
Anthony rubbed it in all night that his was sooner. Nate eventually decided to stay and play a few board games with us before deciding to head home.
When he left after a while of time, Anthony turned to me. “You know, you and Nate would be so good together. I keep telling him, now that him and the monster are over.”
I laughed. “The monster?”
“It's a nice alternative to witch. And come on, it's not like you don't know it is true!"
“Hey, I didn’t say I didn’t agree. I was just laughing at the choice of word.”
“Oh, right.” Anthony got up from his bed, and brought his photo album over to me. It was already open to the picture that he wanted me to look at.
It was a picture of me, Anthony, Lizzie, and Nate. Nate was standing next to me, while Anthony and Lizzie were kneeled on the ground in front of us. We were all making goofy and silly faces towards the person taking the picture. I remembered taking it the first day I met Lizzie. I was surprised to see that Anthony had gotten it developed so quickly.
He put his thumb over him and Lizzie, so the picture now only showed me and Nate. Nate looked incredible, his dorky smile was cute. He had his arm around me too, which made the photo great for me to look at.
“See, wouldn’t you guys be a great couple?” Anthony asked while wagging his eyebrows up and down.
I rolled my eyes at him. “Goodnight Anthony.” I said before shooing him and away and closing my eyes to be engulfed with the peaceful darkness.
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Edited :) tell me what you think!
xoxo Renn