Volleyball

Chapter Eleven

  I shivered. I shivered so bad that the shivers woke me up in all of a sudden. I opened my eyes and the world wasn't spinning around anymore. I tried to sit up, my body felt so heavy, especially my head. One thing, the headache had gone.

  I pulled myself up to my feet with my left strength. I balanced myself then I walked to the bathroom to shower myself.

  I rubbed my temple when the warm water captured my whole body. I sigh satisfyingly and the pain had gone.

  I enjoyed being under the shower for a long time and the clock showed it was already eleven in the morning. I dressed and had a plan to go to the hospital to buy some medicine, just in case.

  Grabbing my wallet and keys, I walked out of my house, got on my car and drove to the nearest hospital.

  As I drove, I remembered a few things: It was Sunday. Kim would be home probably tonight, she had her own keys. I didn't think I would go to work today because I wasn't feeling so well. I wanted to see Valerie but I hadn't called her today. I pulled my phone out and was about to call Valerie when I drove past the bus stop I usually met Valerie, and she was there. I could have sworn I loved the fact I could always meet her there.

  I stopped right in front of the bus stop where Valerie was sitting and reading a book in her usual way. I rolled down the window and I peeked my head out through the window.

  "Valerie!" I said and she turned around immediately.

  "Hi, Ben," she said. Her smile grew bigger.

  "Hop in," I said.

  "What?" she said, quivering her eyebrows.

  "Where are you going? I know you're going somewhere," I said. "So, hop in."

  She sighed loudly. "I'm going to the hospital."

  I half smiled, half confused. "Hop in. I'll drive you wherever you want to go."

  "We always meet at this bus stop," she said.

  "Yep," I said. "I'm always here for you."

  "Really?" She opened the passenger's seat and got on. I felt so happy, excited, nervous and everything at once. Oh my God, I wasn't feeling so well that time but she erased the unwell feelings away.

  After she put her seatbelt, I said to her, "So, which hospital, Miss Valerie?"

  "Boston Hospital, Mr. Miller."

  "Aye aye, Captain," I said as I started driving towards the destination and she chuckled. I ignored the fact that we were going to a hospital and maybe she was sick or in a hurry or everything. I just wanted to talk to her. "Who is sick, by the way?"

  "My sister, Isabelle," she answered lightly. She rested her head on the window and she put her eyes on me. "Cancer."

  With my reflexes, my head turned to her instantly and she nodded lightly. I saw sadness in her eyes but then she smiled so the sadness in those beautiful eyes disappeared suddenly.

  "Pancreatic cancer. Last stage," she explained the confusion in my look. "But she's okay."

  I couldn't say anything. So I just shook my head and turned my head back to the road.

  "So, you're going to visit her?"

  She nodded. "Yes. Everyday, Ben," she said. "That's why I turned down your offer to take me home last days." She sat back up straight, leaning against the chair. "I went to visit her. She's dying."