Chapter Twenty-Two: Positive
Beatrice and Lily had fallen asleep ten minutes into the Notebook. As for Hayes, he never woke up. It was now eleven o'clock and Lily was shaking Beatrice with extreme harshness, trying to awake the girl.
"What?" she groaned, flipping around so she wasn't facing Lilian. It wouldn't help her, but she thought if she'd ignore it, maybe it'd go away.
"My appointment is in twenty minutes and I don't wanna go alone," she whimpered, shaking Beatrice one last time.
At those spoken words, she shot out of bed and ran to her closet. No way was she leaving her friend alone to go through something as tragic as this.
After changing into some black skinnies, a NASA shirt, and her usual black Vans, she wandered into the living room and not-so-gently awoke Hayes from his peaceful slumber. By not so peaceful, I mean she jumped on him multiple times until his bright blue irises were visible.
"We're going to Lily's appointment. Wake up kiddo," she announced happily, ruffling his hair excessively.
Hayes groaned, looking at her oddly, "what d'you mean, 'kiddo'? I'm so much more mature than you."
She snickered, "yeah, okay. Hurry up, we can't be late!"
So, with yelling orders from Lilian, a cab from Hayes, and directions from Beatrice, they ended up in the waiting room of a very gloomy hospital. Lilian sulked in a chair, her head leaning on Beatrice as Beatrice flipped through various magazines on the counter.
"This is new," Beatrice pointed out, examining a magazine with a photo of her and Hayes on the cover. It was from the concert and Beatrice was holding her new merchandise while Hayes paid the fees. The tabloid read: Hayes Grier's New Girl: For Love Or Money?.
He cringed, taking the magazine and setting it back where it was supplied, "don't worry about that. They'll twist things around - they always do. Don't sweat it."
Although she wasn't very convinced, she nodded and sulked with Lilian until her name was called.
"Lilian Marvels?"
The trio lifted their heads simultaneously, examining the fit Doctor. He was a male in what looked like his twenties, brown hair, hazel eyes, and very tan skin. To say the least, Beatrice wouldn't deny he had looks.
Lily stood up, "right here."
He looked from her to her two acquaintances, shaking his head. "Unfortunately, due to privacy, you two cannot enter the room during examination, but you're welcome to stay until results are final."
Reluctantly, Beatrice nodded, taking Hayes' hand in hers.
And they waited for what felt like an entire eternity. The occasional doctor exited the room and gave need to the other people who filled the waiting room, but no news from Lilian Marvels herself. Every few minutes, a female would either leave with tears or a face of pure luck. But, then again, no Lilian Marvels.
It was obvious she was becoming nervous and more wary by the minute. The clock on the wall mimicked her with ever second that clicked and the doctors that walked around aimlessly didn't do her suspicions any good. She stood up and began pacing before Hayes.
The movies were a faux. Whatever lies on film shows people going in and out of an office, results already in hand, but Lilian has taken forever and the movies were beginning to anger her.
"Beatrice," Hayes called. He grabbed ahold of her wrist, pulling her in and placing her safely on his lap. He placed his finger under her chin, raising her face to make clear eye contact, "you need to relax. You're making me dizzy just pacing around. Chill."
She wanted so badly to rebuttal, scream at him that she couldn't just chill. Her best friend was in the office and was taking ages to WAK out. How in the world would she chill?
As if prayers were answered, out walked the doctor with a distressed partyer by his side. Tear lines streamed her face and her hair was knotted from firm pullings. Judging by her appearance, the out one was most likely negative.
Again, her assumptions were proven correct when the two best friends made eye contact, one catapulting into the other. Beatrice moved off of Hayes' lap and into the seat beside him, letting her cry into her shoulder.
"Shhhh," Beatrice cooed, wrapping her hand into Lilian's hair, tears streaming down the face of her own. She steadily bounced her knee, trying her best to calm the girl, "what's happening now?"
Lilian took a few moments to pull herself together, "Bea, this isn't going to turn out good. Taylor really messed up this time." The mention of Taylor caused both girls to cringe, "this isn't anything recent and I won't have enough time for proper treatment. As of right now, I'm actually dying."
Beatrice sat shocked, "what do you mean? What's going on? Lilian, what's happening?"
"I'm HIV positive and there's nothing we can do to cure it anymore."
|| Beatrice Miller ||
Before Dad left our small, carefree family, life was great. I played with girls across the street, dolls in hand, ponytails as hair, and I didn't give any attention to parties or the stars above.
But everything changed when Dad left. I started getting into trouble, I starting hanging out with boys when the drama with girls became too much, and my head was in the clouds, sometimes more literal than others. I was sent to therapy, group classes, and sometimes Mom was tempted to homeschool me. Life was falling apart.
Lilian made things better. The kid I fought with on the swings became my best friend, and although she became a bad influence at some points, she was there when Mom lost her head and started drinking. She saved me from heartache, headaches, and even stomachaches. The girl was a handful, but life without her now would be pointless.
When I saw my best friend walk out of the room with tear stained eyes and chubby cheeks, I almost lost it myself. Hayes sitting beside me was nothing. I didn't mind for him at this point in time.
I had to stay strong for Lilian. It wasn't an option, nor was it a request.
Dad always used to tell me a quote he found in a magazine so many times that it was imprinted in my head for ages. It became a household tale.
"If you aren't fighting the battle, help the ones that are."
And that was what I was going to do; I was going to help Lilian Marvels through this travesty that is life.
Hello, it's me. How're you guys liking the story so far? Finally, drama. Thanks so much for 7k! It means so much! I tried something new - a point of view! Vote and leave input on how you view this situation :-) lots of love. -kylee
