Not Okay (A "The Fault in Our Stars" Fanfic)

Chapter 2

The next morning I dragged myself to American lit class and then my mom drove me to the mall for our new weekly date. I'd agreed to do this with her if she'd let me have more alone time. That is, time to think about Augustus.

It happened when we were half-heartedly browsing through Hollister. One second I was considering a dark green top, and the next moment I was on the floor, gasping for air in searing pain.

My mom was over immediately. The
last thing I saw was her worried face and someone with dark hair-Augustus?-hovering over me. And then I blissfully entered the darkness.

* * *

I awoke to the beeping of machines that I had gotten used to. My perpetually cold hands were being gripped by Mom. I slowly looked around and realized this was not the ICU nor was it a normal hospital room.

I was in the oncology ward.

I tried to take a deep breath but it hurt so badly I could barely gulp down a few puffs of air. My gasping seemed to get my mom's attention. She looked at me with fear in her eyes. Fear, and sadness.

I psyched myself up for what was about to come: Dr. Maria would surely walk in and inform us that the tumors were growing, that I was fading fast.
Dr. Maria chooses that moment to walk in, along with a couple nurses, and my father.

"Hazel..." She began but stopped. Everyone was looking at me like I was a lost dog missing a leg. I wished they would just cut the bullshit and tell me I was dying. Finally, Dr. Maria looked at me again, this time with a small smile.

"I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is the tumors in your lungs are rapidly growing." I didn't gasp or cry or scream. I just sort of sat there, numb.

"What's the good news?" I managed to put together a coherent sentence.
"The good news is... Hazel, we have a lung for you."

I balked at that. I couldn't handle it. I didn't even know I was on the donor list. This meant that I might Have A Chance and I could eventually be NEC.
But it also meant I'd have to wait even longer to see Augustus.