The Path of Roses 🥀

PART 2: CHAPTER TWELVE

Word Count: 1,934

Tuesday, August 31st, 2004 (1 month & 1 day after Jordan's Diagnosis) 

~

"I can't believe it. I just can't believe it!" I groaned.

"What?" Jordan asked.

"Do you know what tomorrow is?" I asked. 

"Um, Wednesday?" He guessed.

I sighed impatiently, even though I knew he was just messing with me. "The first day of school doofus!"

"Oh!" Jordan exclaimed before sighing happily.

We were in his hospital room in the late afternoon, looking over our class schedules while the chemo meds ran through IV into Jordan's body. Sophomore classes were obviously going to be harder, but that didn't bother Jordan. Clearly, he was super stoked to start school, even though he was gonna be attending the City of Hope homeschooling program. I wasn't ecstatic to start another hellish year, especially in a new public school no less.

"Sorry. I forgot how much you hate school." Jordan teased.

"With every fiber in my being." I answered flatly.

"Oh come on Victoria, it's not even that bad."

"Easy for you to say. I still can't believe that you actually enjoy going to a six hour building that endorses lies and mental torture to teenagers who are dead-brained, pathological liars, and outcasts to society." I said.

"If you put it that way, then yeah it sounds awful, but it's not. I promise you that this year will be different. This year will be our year, I just know it." Jordan stated reassuringly.

I looked at the Hopeful Jordan. His optimism was still annoying, but at this point, I've gotten pretty used to it. 

"Anyways, how's everyone in Pittsburgh?" He asked, changing the subject. "How's your friend Mal?"

I've mentioned Mal to Jordan before. She's the person I talk about the most from Pittsburgh, besides David. Based on my vivid descriptions of my best friend, Jordan loves to hear about the crazy shit Mal and I used to do. I can't wait for them to meet each other one day.

"She's doing good. She's excited for the school year too."

Jordan smiled. "You see? Even your own best friend thinks school is cool too!"

"That's because she's just as weird as you." I sarcastically remarked, rolling my eyes.

"Oh yeah? What makes you so normal?" Jordan smirked.

I threw one of the hospital pillows at his legs, pretending to be irritated. He laughed it off and threw a nearby pillow at my face. I laughed and headed towards him to bonk his head with another pillow. 

A mini pillow fight broke out and our cherry red determined faces couldn't stop laughing.Eventually a nurse came into the room, wondering what the heck was going on. When she left, Jordan and I kept laughing and our "pillow fight" continued.

"I wish that there were more hours in a day like this." I found myself thinking.

~

I woke up to a gloomy day. Normally, I think gloomy days are the best, especially if a rainstorm is occuring. But today, the gloominess affected me. I realized why. 

Today is Wednesday, September 1st, 2004 aka my first day at school.

For my first day of school as a Sophomore in Baldwin Park High (or as everyone else calls it BP High), I wasn't going to ride the bus. I wasn't going to let Nicole drop me off in her used car. I chose to travel by foot. It was a quarter of a mile from my house, but I wanted my final moments before entering school to be somewhat peaceful.