Finding Serena

Where Are You?

  It's after lunch. I'm wearing a black t-shirt with blue jean shorts and my black converse. My hair is in a ponytail. Tonight is the big football game. I'm so excited. I get to cheer my boyfriend on. I walk  down the hallways with no sense of direction. All of a sudden I'm at Derek's door. I knock.
"Derek? You in there?"
"Ya. Come in."
I open the door. He's in the bathroom so I just sit on his bed. I hear the sink shut off, and then he walks in.
"Hi."
"Oh, hey."
"Derek, are you okay?"
"I'm fine." He scratches the back of his neck. I stand up and put my hand on his chest.
"What's wrong?"
He turns away from me.
"I already said nothing."
"Derek-"
"You never stop, do you, Serena? Why do you even care."
"Because I love you."
"I mean look at yourself, this isn't you, where are you?"
"This is me, Derek! I've grown up! In not a kid anymore!" At this point we're both yelling.
"This isn't you!"
"Oh my God! Why are you so upset?"
"Because. What happened to the Serena that wouldn't care what she looked like, or what the latest trends were? What happened to the girl that wouldn't care about what people thanked about her? Why don't you just leave."
I start to cry.
"Derek..I..."
"Whatever. Call me when the real Serena is back."
I get up and leave. I walk down to my room and cry. Derek is my best friend. I don't want to lose him. I won't lose him.
After about an hour I finally stop crying. April comes in.
"Hey, girl! You ready for the game?"
"I still have to get changed and do my makeup. What color lipstick should I wear?"
She reaches into one of the bags we got at the mall and hands me red lipstick. Not dark red, not light red, just red. I go into the bathroom and put on eyeliner, black eyeshadow and mascara. I put on the lipstick and blush and put my hair up in a high ponytail with a red bow. I put on the red, white and black cheerleading uniform and my black shoes. I go back into my room.
"Serena, you look totes adorbs. Are you sure you want to keep that necklace on?"
I was still wearing Derek's necklace.
"Ya."
"Okay. Let's go the game in starting in thirty minutes and we have to rehearse.

*30 Minutes Later*

I lead the cheer routine.
"Give me an H!" I yelled.
"H!" The rest of the squad replied.
"Give me an A!"
"A!"
"Give me a W!"
"W!"
"Give me a K!"
"K!"
"Give me an S!"
"S!"
"What's that spell?"
"Hawks! Go Hawks! Yay!"

It's towards the end of the game. It's raining. Derek is running with the ball to get the touchdown. I watch him at the top of the pyramid. I see him get tackled. The whistle is blown. They move away from him. He doesn't move.
"Oh my God." I hear some of the girls mutter. I jump down ignoring the flip. No one is watching us anyways. I run to the sideline before the coach stops me.
"Is he okay?"
"I don't think so."
"Move!"
"I can't let you on the field."
The rest of the squad is looking out at the field now, they've un-formed the pyramid.
"Please he's my best friend! Please I love him!" I start to cry," Please!"
The coach moves his arm so I drop my pom-poms and run. I kneel next to him.
"Derek! Derek talk to me!"
No response."
"Answer me!" I scream.
I see April watching in shock with her hand clasped over her mouth from the sidelines.
"Derek! Please!"
I don't yell anymore.
"Derek, please. I love you."
The ambulance brings over the stretcher and a strong hand pulls me away.
"C'mon Serena."
"James."
I walk to the sidelines with James. April gives me a big hug when I get there.
"I have to go with him. To the hospital.
Come with me."
We all run to my room and I change into the outfit I had on before. I thrown another outfit in my purse and I run.
"James, drive me to the hospital."
"Okay."
Get right behind the ambulance so we can get there at the same time as them."
We run to the car. It's still raining. I get in the passenger seat, James drives and April hops into the backseat.
"Drive!"
"Okay, okay!"

After five minutes we arrive at the hospital right behind the ambulance.
I jump out and run next to his stretcher that the doctors push inside the hospital. He goes into his room and I'm not aloud to go. Is it outside on the floor and my phone rings.
"Hello?"
"Serena!"
It's Derek's mom. She is crying.
"Hi Mrs. Tompson."
"Is he at the hospital. Are you there?"
"Yes I'm with him. I couldn't just leave him. I love him too much."
"That's good to hear. I'm glad someone I can trust is with him. It makes me feel a lot better."
"I'm not in the room though. I'm sitting outside."
"At least your there. And he loves you too, ya know."
"I know. He stood up for me when his ex girlfriend beat me up. He dumped her and let me stay with him for the night."
"What?"
"Oh don't worry we didn't do anything bad."
"Okay good. Are you alright now though."
"Ya. Mrs. Tompson. If you don't want to drive all the way to California, I can just send you daily updates."
"You would do that for me?"
"Of course."
"Thank you."
"Your welcome."
"I got to go. I love you, Serena."
"I love you too. Bye."
"Bye."
I sit and stare at the ceiling. A nurse gives me a pillow so I lay on the floor. I throw on my long pants over my shorts and I fall asleep at around one in the morning. I can't lose him.