How To Save a Life (A Dance Moms Fanfiction)

Chapter 51- A Million Miles

Chloe wandered down the hall, soon finding herself at its end. There was a stairwell to her left, and she decided to go down a few floors. Her footsteps echoed along the metal steps, sending looming reverberations along the walls of the stairwell. Reaching a door, Chloe read the words 'Cardiac Floor' scrawled on the door in a juvenile font. Smirking, she decided to enter, knowing this would be the floor where Josh's room was.

Pushing the door open, she let it close lightly behind her as the stepped on the Cardiac Floor. It was designed similarly to the oncology floor, with the only primary difference being that it's rec room was significantly smaller. Chloe wandered along, pushing her hands deep into the pockets of her jeans in an attempt to look nonchalant as she peered at the name scrawled on the door of every room. Finally, about halfway down the hall, the name 'Josh Hyland' was printed neatly on the back of one of the doors.

Chloe glanced around, feeling slightly self-conscious that she was invading Josh's privacy, before peering into the room. Chloe wasn't sure why she was interested in Josh's room— or anything relating to him for that matter. In all the time Chloe had known him, he never failed to infuriate her.

Posters of different bands were hung across the walls of the room, yet they were so diverse that they seemed to offer only decoration. A dark blue blanket was spread smoothly across the bed, and Chloe wondered who had made the bed; Josh or the nurses? Everything else in the room seemed to be in place, even the posters were lined up perfectly, leading Chloe to believe that Josh was the one who had so carefully tucked the corners of the blanket around the mattress.

She smiled, willing herself not to giggle. She had never imagined that dorky, annoying Josh could be such a neat freak. Completely amused, she left the room and made her way back down the hall towards the stairwell.

Clara slept for the majority of the day after the chemo. When she was awake, she complained of stomach aches and nausea, like the doctor had warned. Chloe lay by her sister for the entire afternoon, holding her as she slept, stroking her hair when she was awake.

"Chlo, you and dad are going to sleep at home, I'll stay with Clara." Chloe's mother nudged Chloe's shoulder. By now, it was nightfall, and Chloe could tell that her parents were exhausted.

"I can stay." Chloe offered quickly. Her mother was quick to firmly shake her head.

"You spend too much time here for a teenage girl." Her mother muttered, pulling on Chloe's arm to force her out of the bed.

Reluctantly, Chloe left her sister, promising she would be back the next morning. She followed her father outside to the car, in complete silence. Her father had his hands thrust deeply into his pockets. His head was down as he walked, and Chloe wasn't sure if he was upset or simply tired, but she presumed it to be a bit of both. She had watched cancer take its toil on not only her sister, but her parents. Dark bagues had appeared under both of their eyes, from which a certain light had been extinguished. They were both much more quiet than usual, and were constantly exchanging knowing glances. Chloe couldn't help but wonder if the cancer had taken its toil on herself.

When they arrived home, Chloe's father said goodnight to her, and immediately retired to his bedroom. The house was eerily quiet and dark once Chloe's father had gone to bed, and she found herself strangely on edge. Every creak startled her, and she hurried to brush her teeth and comb out her hair. She was just about to change out of her street clothes when a sudden thump on her window made her jump. Her heart now beating a million miles per hours, her eyes wide with curiosity and fear, she slowly approached the window. Sighing deeply, her facial features relaxed. Standing beneath the window, his hand filled with small pebbles, and his classic grin spread across his lips, was Ricky.

Chloe smiled, shaking her head, and crept out of her room. Her father was fast asleep— she could hear his peaceful snoring from the hallway. Tip-toeing to her backdoor, she slid her feet into her shoes and grabbed a sweater from the hook. Making sure that the door closed silently behind her, she raced across the yard to meet Ricky. She immediately fell into his arms in an embrace, but he didn't hold her like he usually did.

"Is something wrong?" Chloe asked, stepping back. Her eyebrows knit together, and her heart, which had resumed its normal beating after its scare, now seemed to thump harder than ever in her chest, as if to escape the cage that enclosed it.

{A/N: i finally updated!!! I'm so sorry for the long delay... I'm just so busy with school. I'm on Christmas break for now, so I promise I'll try to write a few more chapters before school (and of course finals) start. PLEASE VOTE!!!}