Nothing like him

Part 27

    Two weeks into Dean's new treatment and I am barely home. Only places I go are work, hospital, Dean's house and occasionally a restaurant or mall food court. I try to get some writing done on my laptop at nights when Dean is asleep next to me. I've basically been living with Dean and his family for the past week. It's been fun, we fell into a routine which was nice, and I got to see Elaina a lot more which was perfect.
Dean and I started watching the Friends series again when he was too tired to do anything else. Dr. McKinsey was right, Dean was always exhausted and nauseous. She also mentioned that the chemo will make his hair fall out which hasn't happened yet. Dean's excited for it to happen though, he said he hoped it happens around halloween so he can be Dom Toretto from fast and furious.
"Hey, have you found Lola yet?" Dean asked while it was just the two of us sitting at the island counter. We ate popsicles even though it was winter time.
"Dean, I'm not going to find her, there's no point," I said.
"Oh Mia, that's not how you find the answers to your questions my love" he smiled at me. "Pass me you're laptop"
"What are you going to do with it?" I passed my laptop to him.
"Don't ask me the questions" he mumbled as he started typing on the laptop. "What is Lola's last name?"
"Dean stop, you're not going to find her," I said with a giggle. Why was the dean so invested in finding her? I thought that it was just something to get cancer off his mind at first but he seems really invested now. I don't want Dean to find her because I know what happens next, he'll try to take me there. He gave me a look like he wasn't going to give this up. "Davis, Lola Davis" I gave in. He typed more.
He looked very interested in whatever he was reading. "This her?" he turned the laptop to face me and there she was. Lola, my Lola, the woman who took care of me taught me what a mother was. The woman who'd stay up late at night with me when I could not sleep because of a nightmare. The woman who taught me how to bake, cook, clean, read, paint and write. The woman who took care of me like I was her daughter when I didn't have a mom to treat me like one. Lola's picture was in front of my eyes."I'll take that as a yes," Dean laughed a bit.
"How did you find this?" I asked, pulling the laptop closer to me.
"The power of google. That's just her picture, we haven't found her location yet" he took the laptop back. "Want me to find it" He looked at me like he wouldn't move unless i gave him the ok.
I nodded impatiently, eager to see where Lola was now. "Ok, might take me a while, do you can go home and exchange your clothes for something that isn't sweat pants, i'm taking you out tonight" he smiled.
"Oh are you?" I said standing up and pushing my body into him. His arm snaked around my waist pulling me closer.
"Dress your best because we are going somewhere fancy" He kissed me then let go of me with a little bit of a push. "Be gone ma lady, for I shall seek your past caretaker" he said in his best medieval voice, then bowed at my exit. I laughed as I bowed and left him in the kitchen.
***
Back at my apartment I found Frank sitting on the bench, he looked tired and sad. His eyes looked red and puffy and he looked skinnier than the last time I saw him. He was zoned out on a piece of garbage lying on the floor.
    "Frank?" I said, trying to get his attention. The old man was unresponsive. I snapped in his face to try and make him still blink. My heart panicked a bit, Frank froze, he was still and this was not normal for frank. "Frank" I said louder. I don't know if i should call for help or leave him in this spot or keep doing what i can do to get his attention. My heart started racing, I didn't want to think about it but it kept coming to me. Was Frank dead? I moved closer and sat next to him gently placing my hand on his arm and giving a little shake. "Frank?" I said once more.
"Oh god damn it child" He said as he looked over at me. He sounded grouchy which was a good sign.
"Sorry Frank, I thought we lost you for a second '' I stood up to look at him.
"Well unfortunately I am still very much alive" he rolled his eyes. "Where've you been?" his eyes finally met my face and was now giving me a stare down.
"I've been at dean's, he could use the company right about now"
"Oh. How long have you been gone? A month or two?" he asked.
"Two weeks fFrank, Are you sure you are still alive?" I placed fingers on his neck feeling for a pulse, he laughed as he slapped my arm away.
"I'm fine kid." he leaned back on the bench and opened his book that was sitting on his lap. I turned to my door and opened it, letting myself into my apartment. I packed new clothes and some makeup. I even packed a perfume. I looked around for more things I could pack before I noticed my childhood journals that I had put aside. They sat in the corner of my living room with a thin layer of dust sitting on top of them. I sat on the ground and grabbed a book, leaned on the wall and started to read.

    Dear Diary, May december 7th 2012
    I Think I'm in love. Marcus larusso and I have been handing out everyday for the past month. He talks most of the time but I love listening to his stories. He told me about how he and his brother used to go snowboarding with his dad in Ohio. He told me about how his parents divorced and his dad moved to Ohio that summer because he needed a fresh start.
"I'd do it too," he said. "I'm thinking of moving there when I'm 18 to go live with my dad. My brother could join us 2 years later, when he turns 18. I just can't live with my mom" I nodded at his story. I liked that he felt comfortable around me. Comfortable enough to tell me things like this. He always tried to get me to talk but I tried not to. I'm not proud of the way I had to grow up and I didn't want people knowing my story. Anytime he told me to talk I'd change the topic.
During lunch last week him and I sat in the stairwell together, just the two of us. Nobody goes to the back stairwell, I don't even think people know it's there. But we do, so we go there. We split our sandwiches in half so we could share with each other. We also had a bag of chips and some drinks from the convenience store down the street.
"So Mariana, what is your nickname?" he asked. 
"I don't have one," I giggled, stuffing more chips into my mouth.
"Oh I call bullshit" he laughed. "Pretty girl like you with no cute nickname? I don't believe it" he put his sandwich down on the plastic wrap, brushed the crumbs off his hands and looked at me intensely. I widened my eyes and laughed.
"What are we doing?" I asked.
"We are giving you a nickname. It's generating, it'll only take a minute" he winked then looked into my eyes. His smile faded as he looked deeper in my eyes. "Woah"
"What?" I smiled.
"You have very beautiful eyes" he smiled again and moved coser. This was it, he was going to kiss me. I'd been waiting for this moment since elementary school. He moved the hair out of my face and leaned in closer, our faces so close. And then BAM. The door swings open and Mr.Turner is standing in the doorway with a very angry look. Marcus jumped off of me and looked at the teacher.
"What the hell are you doing here? You two aren't supposed to be here" he yelled. Marcus looked before rushing to grab the food and ran up the stairwell, waving at me to follow. I grabbed my backpack and ran fast up the stairs.
"Hey, get back here, Security," Mr. Turner yelled before chasing us.  Marcus and I ran through the top floor of the school. Running through crowds with smiles on our faces. He kept looking back at me to make sure I was still there.
"Mia run, he's right behind us" he yelled with joy in his voice. I jumped onto a bench and jumped through a crowd of people and landed in front of marcus.
"Leave the food Marco, we have to go" I laughed. He threw the food into Holly and Liam's arms.
"What the fuck is this?" Holly yelled.
"Free food, enjoy" I yelled back as I ran towards the main stairs and pushed through crowds of people to get down. I lost Marcus on the way but I'm sure he would find me again. I ran through the main hallway out the doors at the end of the west wing. I stopped to take a breath before I turned around to see Marcus running out of the door and Mr. Turning chasing him.
"Oh shit" I said before the doors flew open spitting Marcus out and we started running again. We ran down to the fields after losing Mr. Turner. We flopped on the snow out of tiredness, still laughing and smiling. He looked at me and I looked back at him.
"I figured out your nickname," he said. "Mia," he smiled. It was perfect. I smiled.
"I figured out your nickname," I smiled. "Marco" I giggled and he leaned in towards me ,now in the same position we were in before Mr. Turner walked in. Our faces are so close.
"It's perfect," he said in a whisper before kissing me. My heart fluttered and my cheeks were warm. I hope he does this more than just this one time.
          -Mariana Rosabel Sinclair

I decided to bring the book with me to Dean's house. Give me something to read when Dean falls asleep and if I don't feel like writing.
I started to make my way outside and back to Dean's house.