The Ballad of Monalisa

The Lies I Weave Are Oh So Intricate

(A/N so this chapter is for those of you who asked me to continue writing(: enjoy! sorry its a bit boring but it will get a lot better!! Also i kind of switched to having texts in bold oops)

"Patrick, I'm going to the hospital tonight. Are you coming?" I nod to my mother. "Okay," She says. I walk upstairs to my room and I close the door.

"Will you be back at the hospital anytime soon?" I text Landon. Over the past week, weve been talking a lot. I learned she too is fifteen, and she is in her sophmore year, but shes homeschooled. Ive learned she loves to read and she likes sweaters. I too like sweaters and reading.

I am always at the hospital She replies. Well you know what i mean Another text arrives seconds later. I do know what she means. With my brother always in the hospital, we visited him a lot, and it felt like I spent my freetime there. Of course, with Landon being there, it was more enjoyable...

Im going there tonight I say

I can't She answers.

What??

I cant... nevermind. ill text you later?

She has a terrible habit of abruptly ending a conversation. I cant... what does that even mean? She cant what, see me? Because, its not like we're dating... right? What if we are, and I didnt realize it? Oh no, shes probably breaking up with me now.  But I didnt even know we were dating! How can she break up with me if we werent even dating? Im the stupidest guy on the planet. How could I have not seen it?

I resolve to ask my brother his opinion. Kevin would know, hes the one with girl experience.

"Patrick, are you coming? We need to go, visiting hours are done at nine!" I sigh and leave my room. I walk down the stairs. I look at the pictures in the hallway, the baby pictures of me and my parents. We all looked so happy.

"Patrick, if you were any slower, youd be crawling." My mother says impatiently.

"Sorry Mom," I grab my jacket and run to the car; its raining and I just got over a cold.

My mother gets into the car and starts it. "Patrick..." She begins.

"Yes?" I didnt do anything wrong, at least to my knowledge.

"I'm so proud of you," She says. "I mean, I know its all hard for you,"

"Mom, Im okay, honestly,"

"I know you miss your brother, and I know you dont want to talk about it," She says slowly.

"Mom, can we just go? Im perfectly fine."

"Okay, honey, I know," She pulls the car into drive, and she drives to the hospital. She parks the car, and I run ahead to sign in.

"Hey Patrick," The receptionist says sweetly. I dont know her name, but she is nice, and she has nice hair.

I walk to the elevator, and since my brother was on the top floor, I had to wait a while. A woman gets in with me, and she had tears rushing down her face. She presses the tenth floor button. Terminal diseases that are not cancer. Cancer is third floor.

"Are you okay?" I ask before I even know what Im doing. Shut up! I think.

"I-Im fine," She chokes out. "Just, sad, I guess."

Well thats understandable.

She had brown hair with gray streaks in it, and it was different shades in different places so it is most likely dyed. She has blue eyes, but they were red and puffy from crying. Her face has wrinkles, but not a ton, so she is probably around my moms age. If that is the case, and since this is a childrens hospital, she was probably a mother.

Yeah, I understand why she is sad.

At the fifth floor, a girl in a red beanie and sunglasses gets on. It doesnt look like she has much hair, but it could just be covered by the hat. Shes chewing gum and she is wearing a blue sundress. Huh, kind of a weird combination, but I dont really know much about girls fashion.

"Lissy, what are you doing, youre supposed to be in the room," The woman said. The girl didnt answer.

Lissy. Where have I heard that name? I have heard it somewhere...

I take so long to figure it out, they are already gone.

I pull out my phone and text Landon.

Hey. I saw you in the elevator. Why didnt you say hi?

The elevator gets to the top and I walk to my brothers room. I lean on the doorway, watching him sleep. In two steps I cross the room and I pull up a chair to his bedside. After about three minutes my mom walks in.

"Hey, Pat. Lets get out of here and let him sleep."

"Okay, mom."

As I follow my mom down the hallway to the cafeteria, I think about Landon. I've never talked to a girl like her- lets face it. I haven't really talked to girls, like, at all- so I don't know if girls are usually so... tempermental. Sometimes, when we text, she sounds happy to see me. Other times, she ends the conversation quickly, her messages short and formal.

Is everything okay??? I type, and without hesitating I click send. Instantly I worry, is that right? Am I too overbearing? How, well, bearing, can you be if you aren't dating?

But I digress. Is Landon acting normal for a teenage girl? I mean, are they really this moody? How are they supposed to act? Am I doing it right?

Sorry She responds five minutes later.

Its fine I answer, then quickly follow with What happened?

She doesn't answer for two hours.

Patrick if i told you something could you promise not to freak out?

I promise.