Love is Blind (A Tfios Fanfiction)

Love is Blind Chapter 7

The final week beforeSleeping Beauty was spent beside Hazel's hospital bed. We all knewshe was going, just didn't know when. I was the one that stayedbeside her almost constantly, along with Mr and Mrs Lancaster, theothers where only there for an hour or two at a time. Hazel soundedterrible, her voice croakier and raspier than before. Every so oftenshe would vomit, into a bucket the hospital provided. It washeartbreaking.

"I'm glad Gus isn'talive to see me like this," she said, out of nowhere, one day. "Imean, when he knew me I wasn't in the best of states, but at least Iwas presentable."

"I'm sure you'representable," I said.

"Really?" sheasked, I could almost see her raising her eyebrows. After a while, Isaid what I'd been thinking this whole time.

"Gus will never findyou unattractive. You will always be beautiful to him. And when youleave this world, you will go to him, wherever he is, and you willhave the life you weren't able to have. Then, one day, we'll have thehonor of joining you. I don't know when, but I'll die too, believe itor not. You'll just leave us too soon." Not only would I have had atear in my eye, by then I would've been full-on crying. I could hearHazel sobbing and laughing lightly. I reached out my arms and broughther in for a hug, trying not to get tangled in all the wires andtubes.

"I'll miss you,Hazel."
"I'll miss you too."

************************************

Hazel Grace Lancasterpassed away on Valentine's Day, the year after the love of her life,Augustus Waters, died. I got the phone call at six in the morning onthe day of Sleeping Beauty. I knew what had happened as soon as Helensaid the name: Hazel.
"I-Is she?" I asked Mrs Lancaster. Icould hear Mr Lancaster crying in the background. I didn't hear thehospital machines. Before she could answer I quickly muttered that Iwas sorry for her loss and put the cell down. I collapsed onto my bedand cried for what seemed like hours. I remembered the Support GroupSessions, before my blindness, where me and Hazel communicated almostexclusively through sighs. I remembered the Night of The BrokenTrophies, where Hazel watched as Gus encouraged me to smash hisbasketball trophies. I remembered Gus talking about her non-stop,until I felt like I'd known her forever. I remembered playingCounterinsurgence with her, soon after Gus died. I remembered thelast 7 months, after our closest friend left us. I remembered HazelGrace Lancaster and her too short life of significant events.

At about 9am, I loggedonto Skype and sent one sentence to the group.
noeyesaac: She'sgone.

Ideally, I would'vespent the day grieving under my comforter. But that day was a big dayfor Dakota. We'd found out the day before she was going to be dancingas Sleeping Beauty herself, and I couldn't miss it. Even though Icouldn't see, I could feel and hear the show, which would be enoughfor me.

Mom didn't knock on mydoor for breakfast until 10 o clock.

"I'm bearing a trayof pancakes and butter syrup!" Gingerly, she perched on the edge ofmy mattress, and placed the tray on my lap.

"I'm sorry," shesaid softly.
"Go away, Mom."

"I won't bother youfor the rest of the day if you don't want me to," she said, stillin a soft tone.

"No, you have to takeme the Dakota's Sleeping Beauty Recital!"

"You still want togo?" she asked, an air of concern in her voice.

"Of course!" Isaid. "It's important to Dakota!"

"Yes, yes," shebegan in what I think she thought was a calming way. "But you justlost a close friend, and you can't even see it."

"So is Dakota! Ugh,just go away, Mom. Fetch me at Half Six." She walked away then,shutting my door behind her.

For the rest of theday, I sat, making muffled choking noises into my pillow. When I knewit was getting close to Dakota's performance, I rose, put on someclean clothes and sprayed some deodorant. Mom knocked on my door justas I was slipping my converses I bought for the party on.

"You still wan-"She must've noticed me dressed up then. "I'll take that as a yes.Come on, get in the car." I brought my symbol cane with me, whichwas only donated to me a week ago. We arrived at the Theater, twentyminutes later. Mom audibly gasped.

"Th-this is amazing!"she gushed as we walked into the Indiana Repertory Theatre's mainlobby. Harry, Ellie, Leo and Kaitlyn greeted us upon arrival. Kaitlynwas crying hysterically.

"Ellie just told me!I'm so sorry, darling!" she pulled me in for a firm hug.

"Didn't you knowalready?" I asked. "I messaged The Group."

"I was busy withMatthew!" she exclaimed. I raised my eyebrows.

"They got together atthe party," Harry sighed.

"Oh?"

"Yep. Moving on fastfrom me," Seb laughed.

"But yo-"
"Iknow!"

Ellie coughed. "Guys!Isaac just lost Hazel."
"We all did..." We all came togetherfor a group hug. We were all overpowered by emotion... and Ellie'sChanel. We broke apart, coughing through tears.

Apparently, my Mom waswatching the whole time, and ushered us towards The Circle. "RowG!" She informed me, handing me my ticket."Have a great show!"

We walked up a flightof stairs, Leo behind me, and me holding onto Harry's shoulders infront of me. We sat down and 15 minutes later, the music began.
Inall honesty, it was pretty boring for me. Seb and Leo gave runningcommentary about the music, Kaitlyn tried to describe the routine forme, and Harry and Ellie were gasping every ten seconds, andcommenting on how amazing Dakota was. At the end of the show,everyone stood up, and clapped until their hands hurt, and whoopeduntil their throats went dry. Suddenly, there was a tap of themicrophone. It was Dakota.
"Um... Hi. I'm Dakota and there isactually something I'd like to say." I heard some angry whispering.Dakota coughed, gaining the audience's attention.
"Today, one ofmy closest friends, Hazel Grace Lancaster passed away after a 4 yearfight with Lung Cancer. I'd only known her 6 months, actually, butI'd actually grown so close to her. Isaac, Isaac, another of my closefriends was actually the closest to her. And I'm sorry. She had somany people that loved her, she still has so many people, we willalways love her. So I actually want to dedicate my dance as SleepingBeauty to Hazel. Rest in peace."
"Rest in Peace," half theaudience uttered in a monotone. Then I stood up and shouted, "Hazel,I love you! I hope you can hear me right now. You are amazing! I'ddon't know how I would've survived the last 8 months without you!Thank you!"

Then Leo rose, holdingmy hand. "Hazel, I also love you! Mainly because I love Isaac, andas he just said, he most likely wouldn't be here if it wasn't foryou! Thank you!" Harry stood up, next to me, and Seb too.
"Hazel,I love you! I barely know you, but I love you! Thank you!" ShoutedSeb in his booming voice.

"Hazel, I love you!You are a very beautiful girl, even me in all my homosexuality fancyyou! Thank you!" Harry followed. Ellie was already ready for herbit.
"Hazel, I love you! You take my thing for being attractiveaway from me, but you are much, much prettier than me, and much, muchstronger. You are my role model! Thank you!"

Kaitlyn took off herheels and handed them to me, then stood on her seat. "Hazel, I loveyou! You are probably the best friend I've ever had, and are aninspiration to me. How do you get a guy as hot as Gus Waters? Thankyou, darling!"

One by one, the wholeaudience stood up, shouting "I love you" to the sky, and completestrangers were thanking her for the girl she was and the girl shenever will get to be.

Leo put his arm roundmy shoulders. Suddenly, the crowd all shouted four words in unison."Hazel, I love you!"

The End