The Planet's Always Bluer

Chapter 9- Jarican

////Picture above: P.A. Lady////

"Oh my God Chryssy I'm SOOOOOO glad you're okay!" Lana hugged me in an iron embrace.

            "Ow," I said quietly.

            "Oh my God I'm SOOOOOO sorry! Where did I hurt you? Do you need me to get the nurse? NURSE!"

            "I'm a PA!" The woman responded with a little, okay, a lot of attitude.

            "It's okay, I'm fine."

            "NEVERMIND!" The woman hrmphed and walked away.

            "What are you doing here, Lana?"

            "I came to see if you were okay, duh!" I looked at the clock, 8:05.

            "Thank you but," I looked at the clock again, "You woke up early for me?"

            "Of course! I had to be here when visiting hours started. You owe me though. I was having the best dream where I was in a bounce house made of Jell-O, so I think I deserve some sort of award or SOMETHING."

            I giggled, "I deem thee Greatest Bestest Friend ever!"

            She stepped back to curtsy before fanning her face with her hand, "I'm so overwhelmed that I won this award! I want to thank my dog, Ruffles, for teaching me how to be a best friend and..."

            I started humming the awards song. We both know it means you're taking too long, stop talking.

            "Hey!"

            I laughed, "It's not my fault you're speech is long and boring."

            "Boring? You're just jealous."

            "Of what?"

            We both erupted in laughter, "QUIET!" The PA shouted. I do not like that woman. I just had a HUGE "accident" and discovered I have a tumor. I think I deserve some laughter today, without attitude.

            "Poop-snouted vomit trench," I said under my breath. Lana heard me and nodded.

            "So what did the doctors say?" Lana asked, trying to change the subject.

            "Well, you know, internal bleeding."

            "I'm sorry I thought you just said you had internal bleeding with a straight face. That can't be it. What could it be... eternal pleading? Paternal leading? Colonel exceeding? Am I on the right track?"

            "If she's taking this so hard I can't wait until you tell her you have a tumor." The PA chimed in.

            I turned to glare at the lady but it turned into panic. I wanted to wipe that smug look right off her face. 3...2...1...

            "YOU HAVE A TUMOR!!!" Lana exploded.

            "Yes," I squeaked.

            "HOW DID THIS NOT GET MENTIONED?"

            As luck would have it that's when Hadrian came in with flowers, "Hey, how are you doing?" He asked, and I internally swooned.

            "SHE HAS A TUMOR!!!" Lana yelled. I wanted the PA to shush her but the lady was too busy sitting back and watching everything go down. I think I smelled popcorn.

            "Chryssy, are you going to be okay? Are you in any pain?" He asked in the most soothing voice I've ever heard.

            "I'm fine," I looked at Lana, "I'm going to be okay. They're going to take it out in surgery. Wait, what day is it?"

            "Thursday," Lana shot at me, "Why?"

            "I've been asleep for three days! I was supposed to get surgery yesterday!" I was waiting for the PA to jump in and maybe explain, you know, like a decent human being, but no. Hadrian looked worried, which made me sad.

            He gently grabbed my hand and looked straight into my eyes, "Everything is going to be just fine Chryss. I know it will be." Chryss, no one called me that, but I liked it when it came from him.

            Meanwhile, Lana was in the corner practically tearing her hair out and mumbling, which scared me.

            "Lana, I'm going to be okay. They probably wanted me to recover more before cutting me again."   

            "THEY CUT YOU?" She yelled.

            "Yeah, I was in surgery. That's how it works, remember?"

            "Oh yeah, silly me," She nervously laughed.

            "Lana, do you need a minute?" Hadrian asked.

            "No, I'm not leaving her."

            He let go of my hand and walked over to her, putting a hand on each of her shoulders, "I think you need a moment. Don't worry about Chryssy, I'll be with her. Go out to the bathroom and gather yourself," He hugged her, "She'll be alright," I heard him whisper. When he let go she sniffed, nodded, and walked out into the hall. He walked back toward me, pulled up a chair right next to me, sat down, and gently grabbed my hand again.

            "We don't have to talk about the tumor," He said in the most gentle voice, "We could talk about something happy, or complain, or just something completely different. Maybe I could answer some questions. Your mind must be swarming with them. Or, we don't have to talk at all."

            He's so sweet. I have to tell him the truth.

            "Did the dean call you to her office?"

            His face looked confused, "Yeah. I guess if you want to talk about that we can. Wait, how did you know?"

            "That's kinda how I got here," I told him the whole story, how Rachel set me up, how I got unlimited detention, how I got too big for my britches, and everything I know medically about the state I'm in.

            "Chryss, I had no idea. This is all my fault."

            "No, don't say that. It's Rachel's and Mrs. Brookes' and, mine. Do not feel bad about this. You came over to hang out. We're allowed to hang out. It's okay."

            "Are you worried?" The question hung in the air. Everyone asked me if I was okay, but I always thought they meant physically.

            "Yeah. Yeah, I am. The surgery should have been yesterday, and now, I don't know what's going to happen because no one will tell me anything. My mom told me a little, but she was so hysterical that-" I got lost in his eyes, and he got lost in mine, "Um, and..."

            He rushed in and kissed me. Finally, something good happened.