***Author's Note: I'm dedicating this prologue to my friend Audrey (TheAudOne), because she helped me come up with some of the ideas for this story AND she made the cover :) Thanks Audrey!
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Prologue
I opened my eyes, and I couldn't once again fight the feeling that I was going to die sooner or later.
A slow, steady beeping to my right was the only thing that I felt grounding me in this world. I knew I wouldn't die – I had cheated death too many times before. So all I had left was hope. The hope that I would get better eventually. And not just temporarily better. Cured. Forever.
"Doctor," I said, now pushing myself up onto my elbows. After a few moments, it hurt too much and I lay back down. I grabbed the remote control for the bed in my hand and pressed a button, which caused the bed to make a whirring noise as it slowly sat up.
The unfamiliar male nurse in the corner turned around.
Shit.
He was hot. I felt like burying my face under my covers and hiding.
"Yes?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
"I... When can I go home?" I asked.
The man stepped closer to me and picked up the stiff, blue piece of paper attached to the clipboard that was hanging off my bed. He examined it, then me.
"It says here you should be good to go tomorrow," he said, his chocolate brown eyes examining me carefully. God, he was so hot. His hair was...luscious. It was a darkish brown, wavy and sexy beyond belief. I wanted to touch it. His jaw bone stood strong, and I could tell that under his scrubs he had a chiseled, tanned six pack.
"Great. I'm Ella, by the way."
"I can see that," he said, motioning with his free hand to the clipboard. "But I'm Nico."
God, I was so stupid.
"Nice to meet you. So...what brings you to the hospital?" I asked. Really Ella? You couldn't think of anything better to say?
"Studying to become a doctor. I'm only 21 though, so I've got a long ways to go."
"Impressive. I could never do that. I just don't have the patience," I said.
Nico turned around from where he was standing by the sink and faced me again.
"Hey, mind if I hide out in here? I have an hour left of work, and I don't really feel like doing anything else."
"Oh, so you're a lazy one," I joked, while reaching out to poke his arm. When I saw my hand, I quickly pulled it back and hid it under the sheets again. It was pale white, and the icy blue veins poked out from under the skin. Nico seemed to notice, but quickly pretended not to.
"But that's fine," I added quickly. "As long as you won't get in trouble."
"Nah. I'll just say I'm...socializing with the patients."
"Gee, thanks. Way to make me feel like a crazy person," I smirked.
"You're not," he assured me. "You just..."
"...have cancer," I muttered.
"Yeah," he said, looking away from me. We were silent for a few moments before I spoke.
"Want to hear a story? My story," I asked him, gazing up at him through my short, half grown back eyelashes. "I figure it could, you know, help you learn more about cancer cases or something."
"Sure," he said, smiling.
And so I launched into my story. I told him about how I first got cancer, not bothering to think that maybe talking about the fact that I had found a lump in my breast made him feel uncomfortable. Pretending that he wouldn't care whether or not talking about chemo made him squeamish. I just told what was essentially my life story to a handsome nurse I barely knew.
"You seem really...strong," Nico commented.
"Not really," I mumbled. Then a thought came to mind. My bucket list.
It was a list I had made after my first round of chemo. Lists were my way of feeling organized and in control. My list consisted of 10 things, all random and some useless, but nonetheless meaningful.
1. Travel to Australia to visit Aunt Jodi
2. Jump off a pier
3. Fall madly in love
4. Get stuck somewhere fun at night
5. Learn how to ski
6. Feel beautiful
7. Go for a walk in the rain again
8. Fold 1000 paper cranes
9. Spend my entire savings in one day
10. Conquer cancer
I reached my hand behind my pillow and felt the piece of paper that was still there. I sighed. I knew I couldn't go to Australia alone. I knew I needed someone to take me. Why was it so difficult to ask?
"Nico, since you seem somewhat bored here, can I ask you a favor?"
Nico looked puzzled, but replied, "Sure?"
"Take me to Australia."
YOU ARE READING
A Bucket List for Ella
Teen FictionI had always lived a life of lists. To do lists, to remember lists, goal lists, you name it. Lists were my way of feeling in control, of staying organized. They lowered my stress level and made me feel better in general. So when I found out I ha...
