The Fault in Our Stars

Hazel woke up panting with hot tears rolling down her face. As she did every night since Augustus had died. Hazel was broken, and her broken heart would remain until she joined him. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. Glancing at her alarm clock, she read the time. 4:10. With a sigh, Hazel willed herself out of bed and headed straight to her bathroom.
The girl who stood in the mirror did not look like Hazel. She had a messy head of hair, puffy eyes, and a look of pure sadness that remained throughout the day.

Leaning down, she splashed water on her face. Checking on her reflection, to see if she looked any better than the stranger in the mirror, she gave up because nothing had changed. Nothing will change, not without Augustus. Hazel decided to go back to her room, where she would try her best to become invisible.

No such luck. Her phone rang, an annoying ringtone that she reminded herself to change.

"Hello?"

"Hazel, thank god you picked up. You need to come over right now," Isaac's voice was frantic.

"What wrong?" Hazel asked.

"The doctors called, they want me to go to the hospital. But I don't want my mom to take me. She doesn't even know they called-just please Hazel, will you bring me to the hospital?"

Hazel nodded to herself. "Be there soon."

Quickly changing into a T-shirt and jeans, she ran silently down the stairs of her house. Scribbling down on a sticky note that she was going to Isaac's, she shoved her feet in her boots and ran out the front door. Hazel remembered to grab the keys, which was a good thing because she didn't feel like going back inside there.

She unlocked her mom's car and sat in the drivers seat. Hazel pulled out of her driveway, oxygen tank sitting in the passenger seat, and headed towards Issac's house.
-
Hazel got there in a few minutes, only because she was speeding down every road she drove on. She pulled into Issac's driveway, and sprinted up to his front door. She knocked quietly and waited for an answer. Sure enough the door swung open, but not by Isaac. It was his mother.

Confusion sprung onto her face. "Hazel? What are you doing here so early?"

"I'm sorry but can I see Isaac?"

"I'm sorry honey, but I don't think he's awake yet-I'll tell him you were here," she replied. She gave her one last smile and a little wave, and began to shut the door. Hazel pressed her hand against the door and gave Issac's mother a pleading look. His mother sighed and her bright eyes grew watery. She left the door open, and went back upstairs, back to her room, Hazel assumed.

Pulling her oxygen tank into the house, she silently closed the door. Finding Issac's room was easy, Hazel had been there plenty after Gus had died. But never could she imagine that she'd be here at 4:30 in the morning driving him to the hospital without his mother knowing.

Hazel knocked on his door, but there was no answer. "You'd better be wearing clothes," she muttered.

Hazel twisted the doorknob and walked into Issac's room. He was in fact, sleeping as his mother had said, although, he did sound very much awake on the phone. Trying to avoid stepping on any of his clothes that were lying around, or anything else, Hazel maneuvered her and her oxygen tank towards Issac. She bent down with no sympathy, and shook him awake.

"Oh-what? Hazel? You're here already?" His eyes said that he wasn't expecting her another hour or two.

She let out a deep breath. "You sounded panicked on the phone. Is everything okay?"

"We have to go to the hospital. Now." Issac said. He scrambled out of bed. Naturally, he fell, because his room was an absolute mess, and he was blind. Hazel knelt down to help him, and he leaned against her to balance himself. Together, they got to their feet, and Issac started to walk towards the door. Thankfully he was wearing clothes, just a pair of shorts and and white T-shirt. Isaac was already out the door when she finally spoke up.

"Wait," said Hazel. Issac turned back to where my voice rung out, and walked back to her.

He stopped in the doorway. "What's wrong?"

"My oxygen tank-I have to get it out. It's a bit hard when your room is a mess."

Isaac smiled. "I'll carry it out." He couldn't see the shock on her face, but it was clear that he knew Hazel wasn't expecting that. She handed him the tank and he carried it, as he said he would. She followed him, a bit confused about why she wasn't leading him. Hazel was the one with the eye sight.

She pulled him back a step, and before he could protest, Hazel held onto his arm and helped him make it to the front door. Trying to be silent she opened the door. Sunlight bursted through, illuminating his house. She had stepped outside and was holding the door open for Isaac when they got caught.

"Issac-where are you going?" His mother's voice echoed through the no longer silent household. Isaac cursed under his breath. He turned to face his mother, who was looking at them with a concerned look, even though he couldn't see that. Her eyes darted to his arms, which were holding Hazel's oxygen tank, and proceeded to glare at Hazel.

"Mom," he started, "Hazel and I are going to see a movie. We'll be back when it's over."

Isaac's mother was not having it. "A movie? Isaac you can't even see!" Again Isaac cursed himself. Hazel decided it was time to step in. Even though it was a complete lie, she had to do it if they were every going to get out of the house.

"Isaac and I are going on a date," Hazel confessed. Hazel's eyes flew to Issac, who did a surprisingly good job of hiding his shock. He simply nodded, and Hazel and Isaac began to continue exiting the house when Isaac's mother stopped them once more.

Her voice shook. "You stay away from my boy, Hazel. You won't wreck him like you wrecked Augustus." Hazel froze. She gave Isaac a little shove back into the house and stood up straight to face his mother.

"I did not wreck Augustus. I loved him. And if you think that love can wreck someone-you're wrong." Hazel's voice came out stronger than she meant it to.

Isaac's mother had tears streaming down her face. "Augustus spent all his time with you. Some silly girl, who had already used her wish, to go to some amusement park. And he used his wish on you! He shouldn't have gone on that trip! That was the thing that finally pushed him over the edge! You are the reason Augustus Waters is dead!" Hazel looked down at herself. She was right. She couldn't disagree with her, because she was right. Hazel was the reason August was dead.

More tears streamed down Hazel's face. "I didn't know," she whispered. Hazel swung around, leaving Isaac's mother there, and pulled Isaac outside. She led him to the passenger door, and he sat down, and handed her back the oxygen tank. Hazel walked around her mother's car and sat in the driver's seat, hauling her oxygen tank in behind her. She slammed her door shut and gripped both of her hands on the steering wheel. Hazel let her head drop onto the steering wheel, and was overwhelmed with tears. She cried, she cried for Augustus, she wanted him here. She wanted Gus in the seat next to her. She wanted to feel his lips on hers, just once more. But she knew that was impossible. Because she killed Augustus. It was no one's fault except hers.
-
Hazel collected herself the best she could and drove to the hospital.

"It wasn't your fault, Hazel," Isaac said. Hazel shook her head. It was her fault. Everything, the pain everyone was suffering from, it was all because Hazel fell in love with Augustus. "My mother was wrong. You made Augustus's life full of happiness. Even in his," Issac took a deep breath, "final days." He fumbled to find her hand, but when he did, he gave it a little squeeze and released it.

They arrived at the hospital soon enough. Hazel pulled her oxygen tank out, then walked around to the other side of the car to help out Issac. She held onto his arm, and he held onto her oxygen tank, and here they were, two broken people trying to find something to heal their broken hearts.

"Where do we need to go?" Hazel asked Isaac.

He thought for a moment. "The front desk," he replied. Hazel nodded and guided him there. The lady at the desk looked up from her paperwork.

"May I help you?" Hazel nodded.

She indicated Isaac. "This is Isaac. He said the doctor called..." A bright smiled appeared on her face.

"Ah, yes! The doctor did say to keep a look out for you. I'll tell him you're here." Hazel nodded and leaned up against the desk and took some deep breaths. "The doctor is on his way," he informed them.

A couple minutes later, the doctor came. "Isaac?" Isaac nodded. "Come," said the doctor who was already beginning to walk away. Hazel pulled Isaac along. As they tried to catch up to him, Hazel was starting to lose her breath.

"You okay?" Isaac asked her.

Hazel took more deep breaths. "Yes," she mustered out. They did catch up with him, but had no idea why he was walking so fast. He turned into a room, and Hazel and Isaac followed him. The doctor waited for them inside the room with a huge smile. He closed the door behind them.

"Hello Isaac," the doctor said, beaming.

" 'Sup," Isaac replied.

"Is this your girlfriend?"

"No," Isaac told him.

"I'm Hazel," she informed the doctor. He held out his hand, and Hazel shook it.

Moving on from introductions, the doctor began to review the notes on his clip board. "You are a very lucky man, Isaac."

"Any why's that?"

"Because," he explained, "you have been chosen to be the first to try out our latest breakthrough in seeing technology. You would be able to have your eyesight back."

Hazel's mouth dropped open. They had come this far? This hospital was better than she thought. Her eyes met the doctor's and he just smiled and nodded.

"That's amazing," Hazel said, breaking the silence. "Isaac, isn't that great news?"

Isaac remained frozen. "No." The doctor looked taken aback.

"Let me explain this to you, you could have your eyesight back, your old life, everything would be easier-"

"No," Isaac said, cutting him off. He grabbed Hazel, and moved his hand around on the door, trying find the doorknob. Hazel found it for him, and opened the door. Isaac pulled Hazel out of the room and was heading straight for a wall, but thankfully Hazel stopped him right before he crashed face first into the wall.

She guided him back to the front door. He still held her oxygen tank, so Hazel was forced to maintain the same speed as him. He didn't say anything, just kept walking forward.

"Thank you," she called out to the front desk. The lady smiled back and waved, and Hazel managed a small smile back. Isaac pushed open the hospital doors. Hazel led him from there, straight towards her mother's car. Isaac found the door handle before Hazel did, so he opened the door himself. Hazel took back her oxygen tank and walked around the car again, and sat in the driver's seat.

Hazel turned to face him. "What's wrong?" Isaac's voice remained steady.

"Don't you remember? I don't want to see a world without Augustus Waters."