DIANA'S P.O.V
December 23rd. Advance Merry Christmas from my hospital room. Can't believe it's been 5 months since I got here and never left for even a day. I did whole physiotherapy that Doctor Cory gave, ate those medicines everyday, rest as much as I could. I wish it could give me something to be proud of. But Celiac wasn't going anywhere. I sit here staring at the window with even less ability to eat the proper food. I'm pale like a vampire. Way much skinnier.
"Diana, shall we drink this?" Natalia, the nurse that was assigned to take care of me brought another doze of medicine for after lunch's schedule.
"Nat..." I smiled.
"Hey. How you feeling?" She checked on my pulse and infusion.
"Great." I nodded slowly. "Nat..."
"Hmm?" She sit on my bed.
"Do...you...have...something...to...ask...for...Christmas?" I tried so hard to speak.
"I think I don't have any wishes. Do you?" She stroked my cheek.
"Uhm." I nodded. "May...I?"
"Sure." She repositioned herself. "What is it?"
"I...want...to...come...home..."
I spoke to her as well as using signed language, because I can't push too hard on my voice. It's been gone for a month. It's been a month since the last time I can speak properly.
"Come home? To your apartment?" Natalia raised her eyebrows.
"No. To...America..." I signed.
"America?" Natalia stared at the whole pictures above my headbed. "You miss your family."
I nodded. I just nodded all the time, or shake my head if I disagree. That's all I can do now. So please bear with me and my very limited physical ability today.
"You miss him." Natalia pointed to Connor's pictures on the wall. "Do you?"
"Hmm." I smiled. "I...want...to...meet...them...all...before..."
"Sweety, stop it. No you're not going anywhere as you think you will. Be alive. You won't leave us." She got so emotional.
"Liar. I...will...be...gone...soon..." I smirked.
"Dee." Natalia bowed her head.
"Please..." I begged.
"Okay I'll try to speak to Doctor Cory. But I can't promise anything." She said sweeping her tears away.
"Thank...you. Merry...Christmas..." I gave Natalia a folded-origami that I made to be a flower.
"This is so beautiful. Thank you lovely." She hugged me and we both cried.
Why's everybody look very sad everytime they see me?
Do I look that horrible?
Do I already look like a vampire?
I don't mind, because I've always wanted to be one.
I just want to come home, hopefully Doctor Cory will let me.
I want to meet Tanya, and Connor, and Ariana too.
Hoping they would forgive me.
Thank you Doctor Cory, for being so patient to me.
I wish I could live longer.
"Nat...alia...?" I called her.
"Yes, sweetheart."
"Would...you...please...call...her..." I gave a number on a piece of paper to her. "And...make...her...come...here?"
"Aireen? Who's she?" Natalia read the name on it.
"Best...friend..." I smiled.
"Oh okay. Sure." She smiled back. "I'll be right back, alright?"
I managed to come down to my wheel chair and went outside to the rooftop. I always loved the December breeze. It's not like we got the best snow on earth. Because in Australia, you're always having summer when Christmas. But it's cool. I can get some sunshine to my pale skin. It's my new thing, the rooftop secret. In my loneliness, Natalia helped me to grow a vase of azalea, the flower I really liked. In December, they grew the best. So I have this assignment to bring my azalea outside, to meet the sunshine. Hopefully they'll grow much better before...you know.
"There." I heard Natalia's voice from behind so I turned this automatic wheel chair around.
"Diana!" Aireen just hit me with the tightest hug of the year.
"Ai...reen..." I smiled. "Hey."
"My goodness..." She soon cried. Just like everybody else. I hate it when people cry.
"Why...crying..." I pouted.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Aireen sit on the rooftop balcony.
"You...have...school...?" I asked straight to the point.
"Hmm? No, we're on holidays. Why?" She studied my face.
"You...got...your...passport?" I smiled.
"What? Where we're going?" She looked even more confused.
"America." I spoke fast.
"Wait what?" She stood up. "Are you kidding me?"
"No... We're...going...home... To...my...home..." I smiled the widest, waiting for her reaction.
"Who are you?" But Aireen didn't buy the news that easy.
I forgot. She didn't even know me. My whole life. Her and her obsession with Before You Exit, I knew it really well. I just decided, she should be the one who figured out who I am.
"Wait..." I took my paper and started writing.
Aireen, I'm Diana Hawkins. No, actually, Diana Grande. Yes, Ariana Grande's adopted sister. I live in Orlando, few blocks from the McDonough's resident. Before You Exit. I know you'll be shocked with this, that I had a little nightmare in Orlando before I got here. I have a fan account on Twitter. That after I figured out yours, we've been following each other for a while. I hid a secret life til Before You Exit came to my school one day. I fell in love with Connor. But he loved my sister more, so as everybody knew, they dated. But it's never been a complete story between me and Connor. Because he once kissed me when he's still dating Ariana. About 5 or 6 months ago, Ariana figured it out about us directly from Connor. She hates me. She never wants to see me anymore. Again, it's been 5 months too since the last time I called my Orlando friends. I got a best friend too, she's likely my twin, Tanya, that I've never spoken to for so long. I miss them. I hope you want to spend your Christmas with me this year, as I'll tell you the rest of the story.
"What?" Aireen kept reading it but she made so many shocked expression. I understand. "What???"
"What..." I chuckled. You should see her reaction.
"So you're the Diana Grande?" She stopped reading and pulled my wheel chair closer to her.
"Hmm." I raised an eyebrow.
"And Diana Hawkins at the same time?" Aireen asked again.
"Uh-ha." I nodded. "Come...with...me?"
"Dee, you're...wow... So you're coming to Melbourne for the sake of Connor?" She murmured.
"And...Ariana...too..." I smiled. "Please..."
"Okay. Alright. You said so, then we'll go. I can't let you go by yourself." Aireen pushed my wheel chair back to my room. "But...are you okay, to meet them all again? To meet Connor?"
"I'm...okay..." I nodded slowly.
"Okay. Tell me when will you want to go?" She took the calender.
"We...don't...need...that... Tomorrow...it...is..." I smirked.
"What? Holy bananas you're insane." Aireen and her thick Aussie accent.
"Please...?" I laughed.
"Gosh." She rolled her eyes.
"At...least...you'll...meet...BYE...privately... Even...come...to...their...house...maybe..." I laughed even loudest.
"Shut up." She whispered. "But uhm yeah I'm kinda happy."
"Shush." We both laughed.
"Excuse me, Diana, Doctor Cory wants to see you." Natalia opened the door wider and we saw Doctor coming in.
"Hey little girl, how you feeling?" He checked my fever.
"I'm...great..." I spoke politely.
"So Natalia said you want to come home?" This conversation has become much more serious. "To be honest, I can't say you can go."
"Why...?" I asked.
"You're too weak to have a long extended flight trip, Diana." He replied. "I don't suggest you, for now."
"I...want...to...come...home! You...tell...me...how...many...times...I...left...to...do...this?" I started to crack up. Aireen stroked my hair and hugged me tightly.
"It's..." Doctor Cory stuttered.
"You...should...let...me...go..." I blinked another tears stream.
"Are you coming?" The Doctor spoke to Aireen. "How old are you?"
"Yes Doc, and I'm almost 18." Aireen answered fast. "I'll be taking care of Diana. I promise."
Then they got this discussion between Doctor Cory and Aireen. I crossed my fingers that he will let me. I saw Natalia tried to help us too. Doctor Cory's reason was all accepted. But tell me how many times left we have? It's not that I'll live forever. It's not that I'll struggle 'til next Christmas.
"Okay. You got me. Okay." Doctor Cory spoke back to me. "But you should take your medicine as it's scheduled. Eat very slowly. And this tube will help you if you can't eat. Alright?"
"Alright..." I smiled.
"I'll ask the hospital to provide you the special treatment in business class." Doctor Cory stroked my cheek. "You're strong, Diana."
"I...am..." I hugged him. "Thank...you..."
"You're welcome." He nodded and left with Natalia.
"Yaaaay!" Aireen hugged me and jumped around because it's gonna be a double happiness for her. "I'm meeting BYE even before their July show!"
"Yeah...whatever..." I rolled my eyes.
"Alright. I want to prepare my case, then I'll go back here in the afternoon, okay? I'll help you pack later. Bye bye Diana, sit tight, I'll be right back!" Aireen kissed my cheeks like a little kid with a candy bar in her hands.
"Don't...hit...the...wall..." I laughed.
"Ha." She pouted playfully and walked out of the room.
Well hello, Orlando. We'll meet again. I took so many papers from the drawer, then started writing it all down.