To the One I Loved

Chapter Twelve: Are You Okay?

Alex's POV:
Today was Thursday, September 21st. Also known as Nina's mom's birthday. It was 7:50 am. I was about to go next door to tell Nina's mom happy birthday but there was a knock at my bedroom door.

I opened the door. Mom and dad were standing there. "Yeah?" I asked.

"Nina's not going to school today," my mom said. She didn't sound sad or nervous, but part of me thought something was wrong.

"Why not?" I asked, my adrenaline rising, hoping that is was farthest from what I was thinking.

"She's not feeling well," my stepdad said. "Her mom doesn't think she should go today."

I nodded, "okay," I said, "but I'm still going over to wish her mom happy birthday." My parents nodded.

I grabbed my phone, slipped it in my jacket pocket and grabbed my car keys. I ran downstairs and out the door.

I got to the porch next door. I knocked three times. I always knocked three times. Nina's mom answered. "Hi, Alex," she said. "Your parents were supposed to tell you, but Nina's not going to school today."

"I know," I replied. "I just came to check on her and also to wish you a happy birthday!" She smiled. "So, Happy Birthday!"

"Thank you," she said. Then after a moment of silence and thought she said, "come on in."

I waited at the bottom of the stairs while she went to go tell Nina I was here. After about a minute or so, she came back down. "She's ready for you," she said, meaning I could go up now.

I skipped up the stairs, wanting to see her as fast as humanly possible. "Nina," I said, walking through the threshold of her door.

"Hi," she said in a hoarse, raspy voice. I could tell she had a sore throat. She was sitting up in her bed wrapped in a cover and a book sitting on her lap. Her hair was in a messy bun and her nose was red. But through all of this, she still looks so gorgeous.

I sat on the edge of her bed right next to her legs. "How are you?" I asked, "Are you okay? Is the cancer back?" She laughed. "What?" I asked.

"You're cute when you worried," she said her voice going in and out. "But the cancer has always been there, it just gives me hell when it feels like it."

I took her hand. "I'm sorry you have to go through this," I kissed her hand. "I just want to let you know, before I went to school, that I love you."

She smiled. "I love you too." She leaned up, pain filling her every move, I could tell, and she wrapped her arms around my neck. She kissed my cheek, pulling away and leaning back against her headboard.

"I'll come back over after school, okay?" I said. She nodded. I walked out, closing the door behind me, fighting every urge in my body to skip school and crawl in the bed with her and let her fall asleep in my arms. To let her know that I was there for her. That I'd always be there for her. Because I truly do love her.

I walked down the stairs. "Bye, Miss Myers. And Happy Birthday, again."

"Thank you, Alex. Have a nice day at school!" She called out to me from the kitchen. I nodded then left out the door and to school.

~

After first period, Beth came rushing up to me. "Where's Nina?" She asked.

"At home," I said back, simply. She looked at me wondering for a further explanation. I didn't giver her one so she asked.

"Why is she at home? Is she okay?" She asked. I nodded.

"She just doesn't feel well," I told her. She nodded back at me.

"Okay," she said, "I'll call her, but if you get to her first, send her my best?"

"Yeah," I said. Then we walked to class.

~

When the last bell of the day rang, I rushed out the door and to my car. I slammed then key into the ignition and took off. I didn't want to be anywhere except with Nina.

I was driving pretty fast all the way home, which was only like 6 block away, and was surprised I didn't get pulled over by a cop.

I pulled into the drive way, jumped out the car and ran inside my own home. "I'm home," I yelled, throwing my backpack on the kitchen island. "I'll be back by five," I said, running out the door.

Then I headed next door. I knocked three times. Like always. I expected either Nina's mom or Paul to answer the door, but it was Nina herself. "Hey," I said, "how you doing?" She nodded.

"Fine," she said, sniffling. I step inside and hugged her. She was hot. Like really hot. I then put my hand to her forehead. She was burning.

"What's your temperature?" I asked. She shrugged. She walked into the kitchen coming back with a thermometer. She stuck it under her tongue.

She pulled it and looked at it. "101.3," she said. She went to the couch and plopped herself down. I went and sat next to her.

"Where are they?" I asked. She knew I meant Paul and her mom.

"Paul is at work. He offered to call off and stay home with me, but I told him I'd be fine, and that you were coming back after school, anyways," she said. Her voice raspy, but better than it was this morning.

"And its my mom's birthday. And she wants to take care of me. I told her to go. I told her to enjoy herself, and your mom told her she'd keep an eye on me through out the day, and she has." She continued.

I walked up to the tv and turned the Wii on. "Want to watch Netflix?" I asked her she nodded. "Are you hungry?" I asked. She shook her head no.

I grabbed the Wii controller and brought it back by to the couch. I sat down and grabbed the cover Nina had been using. She laid out across the rest of the couch, using my lap as a pillow. I wrapped the cover around her.

I started to play Pretty Little Liars. "I'm actually done with that," she said.

"Really?" I asked. "You love this show."

"No, I meant I'm done as in caught up. But, we can watch Glee?" I nodded.

"One show that I actually like on that girly list of yours," I said. She laughed. I clicked on Glee. Season 3 episode 18.

"You sure that you're okay?" I asked. She nodded. And within 20 minutes she fell asleep. And apparently I did too, because when I woke up, Paul and Miss Myers were here.

"Oh, hi, Alex." Miss Myers said. I clicked paused on Glee.

"Hi, Miss Myers. Paul." I said. Paul nodded.

"How's she been?" Paul asked.

"She's been asleep since 4:30," I said. Paul looked at his watch. I was curious of the time, too, so I looked at my phone. It was 6:00pm.

Oh crap. I forgot to tell my mom where I'd be all this time. "Oh," Paul said, "Well she has to wake up now and take her medicine." I nodded.

"I'm not asleep," Nina said, "I'm just comfortable." Then she sat up. "Thank you for keeping me company, Alex." She said, kissing my cheek.

I nodded. "You're welcome."

"See you tomorrow?" She asked. I nodded.

"Of course."