Can't Cut Into Your Soul

Chapter 2

Leo's POV

I just left my English class when I saw a girl getting yelled at by a boy in the lobby. Then he took something and left her there to cry. She was too pretty to cry. I used my crutches to get over there and I sat next to her and placed a hand on her back.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked kindly. She looked up, and shook her head, her strawberry blonde locks flowing with each shake.

"Was that your boyfriend?" I questioned. "More like my ex." She replied. I took my hand to her cheek and wiped some tears off. "He's a dick. You're okay." I put my arm around her waist and rubbed her arm.

She looked at my leg, or the stub that was my right leg and knitted her eyebrows. "Osteosarcoma." I simply said. And her eyes widened. Then a flash of realization hit me like a bullet.

"You have it?" I asked her, moving some hair from her face. "My left leg." Is all she said.

Isabella's POV

The boy looked at me with shock, his brown eyes like a deer in headlights. I stood up and turned to him "I have to go back to my dad and my doctor." I said, wiping my face. He nodded as he leaned against the crutches. The light hit his bald head as he looked up and down at me.

"Are you going to be okay?" He asked. "Yes. Thank you...."

"Leo. Leo Roth." He replied smiling. God, his smile was beautiful. He was perfect.

"I'm Isabella McHale. I guess I'll be seeing you around then?"

"Yeah. Can I get your number?" He asked. I nodded and he handed me a pen, the I wrote: "Isabella, 562-****" and then I walked away, giving him his pen back.

Leo POV

"I got out my phone and texted her: "Once you get settled in, stop by The Swamp, room 5105 -Leo"

I don't know why, but this girl will be interesting to have around.

Isabella's POV

I returned to the room just when Dr. McAndrew was finishing talking to my dad. A nurse as standing outside the door, and by her nametag, she was called Nurse Jackson. I stood next to her as I waited.

"So," she said, her tone sharp, but deep down there was some kindness. "Did Dr. McAndrew tell you why you are here?" I nodded. "Osteosarcoma." She placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled. "You'll make it through, trust me. You'll be okay."

My dad and Dr.McAndrew exited the room and my dad hugged me and said, "I'll bring your stuff tomorrow, text me a list of what you want." I nodded and he went to work. Dr.McAndrew smiled.

"I see you met Nurse Jackson. She will be taking care of you for the duration of your stay. Nurse Jackson, can you get her settled in and introduce her to some of the others?" And with that he left, assuming he either had other patients or was entering my record.

Nurse Jackson lead me to a large nurses station on the 5th floor. Leo's floor. He is here. I thought as I peered down the hall from the desk. "Looking for someone?" One of the nurses behind the desk asked. She has fiery red hair that I bet you could see from miles away. I shook my head as Nurse Jackson was typing me up a new label.

The redhead reached out her hand and I gently shook it. "I'm Brittany. And that-" She pointed to the male nurse next to her. "Is Kenji." Kenji shook my hand as my label was stuck to a red hospital band and put around my outstretched arm by Nurse Jackson.

"Kenji can you get Isabella some basic supplies for room 5108? Brittany, go check on Charlie and Kara." Nurse Jackson said as she began to lead me down the hall. There was a room with the window covered in drawings and in large letters it said "THE SWAMP". As I walked by, I poked my head in a bit and saw Leo talking to a hispanic boy and African American boy, about my age. I waved and he smiled in return.

We got to the room and I noticed I was going to be in here alone. Nurse Jackson sat me down and held my hands in hers. "It's not that scary. It may seem that way at first but this place will grow on you." Nurse Jackson told me. "It's best to make some friends and just be you. They are all in a similar situation."

"They all have cancer?" I questioned.

"They all are here, they all are sick." She replied. I opened my mouth to say something, but Kenji walked in with a mesh bag. She smiled and squeezed my hands one more time before she walked to Kenji.

"Get her settled." She told him and turned to me. "Dinner is at 5-6. Press the call button if you need anything." And with that she walked out, leaving me with Kenji, who began to show me the different buttons on my bed, which was the only one in the room. I kept thinking of Leo...

Leo's POV

I was in the Swamp with Dash and Jordi when Nurse Jackson walked in. "Good, the most of you are here." She said. Dash sat next to me as Jordi sat on the couch. "A new patient just got admitted on this floor. I hope the three of you will be able to make some half decent conversations and welcome her-"

"Her?" Dash and Jordi interrupted. "Is it Isabella?" I questioned, causing all eyes to land on me.

"How?" "What?" and "Did you meet her?" were the questions that were thrown around. "No you two, me first." Nurse Jackson said over the two boys. "You met Isabella already?"

"Well, yea. In the lobby when I was heading back from school." I replied. "Was she hot?" Dash asked. "Was she nice?" Jordi inquired. I held my hands up and spoke back "It was a minor encounter. Two minutes max." Nurse Jackson raised her eyebrow and simply said. "Be nice to her. She is scared enough as she is." Then she turned and left, probably to go check on Charlie.

"Dude, you never answered our questions! Was. She. Hot?" Dash inquired. "She was very beautiful, and from what I could tell she was nice. But she just broke up with her boyfriend and she has Osteosarcoma." Jordi looked down sadly. He thought he had Osteosarcoma but instead it was Ewing's sarcoma, and they haven't removed it yet.

My phone beeped and I looked down. There was two texts, one from Emma that said "I'll be in the swamp in a few. I heard there was a new girl." . Emma is from upstairs, the eating disorder floor. She has Anorexia Nervosa, and has been here a while. We dated at one point, but we are just friends now.

And then one from Isabella that said "I just finished up talking to Kenji so I'll be there soon." I smiled when I saw the one from Isabella, causing my phone to get snatched from my hand by Dash, who read the text and gave me a proud look.

"My boy Leo got her number. She will be in the Swamp soon." Dash announced, causing Jordi to smile.

Emma arrived a few minutes later with Kara behind her. They both rested on separate chairs and we sat in silence. We stayed that way for the next few minutes, until Isabella arrived, causing the place to brighten. Jordi and Dash straightened up, Kara for once smiled, and Emma looked up from her book. I stood on my crutches and got over to her.

"Everyone, this is Isabella." I said proudly, then I went around the room explaining each person.

"Dash Hosney, cystic fibrosis." Dash waved in return

"Jordi Palacios, Ewing's sarcoma, right leg" Jordi shook her hand.

"Kara Souders, enlarged heart." Kara smiled to her, which was strange.

"Emma Chota, Anorexia Nervosa." Emma tensed up a bit but forced a smile.

Then I whispered in her ear "I'll take you to meet Charlie later." Charlie is in a coma, so he couldn't really walk here like the others.

Isabella beamed and, oh my god. Her smile was so beautiful.

Jordi's POV

She is so beautiful. Maybe I'll write her a song. Oh god, her smile is so gorgeous.