Bad Blood (h.s.)

Part Forty-Two

PLEASE READ THE A/N AT THE END!!!

Part Forty-Two

My footsteps echo in the hall as I make my way towards Alexis, a young girl with cancer's room. I walk in and see her beanie covered head laying on a pillow, her pajamas still on her body, the television on. Her head turns to look at me and the sad look she gives shows she needs love. My heart yearns for her, her parents abandoning her because she wasn't perfect, the cancer in her blood not something they wanted to deal with.

"Hi Alexis," I say, smiling at her in hopes of seeing hers. She mumbles a hi and I sit next to her on the bed, looking at the TV to see what she's watching.

"What happened to you?" she asks, pointing at my lip and sitting up. "You look hurt."

Her curious blue eyes look deep into mine and I smiles. "I just have chapped lip. It was pretty bad but it's getting better."

She watches me talk, her eyes concentrated on the split lip. She looks back up at me and nods, crawling into my lap and sitting there. I wrap my arms around her tiny little body and hold her close. She is a beautiful little girl. Her parents were mixed races, so her skin is a little darker than mine and her eyes a piercing blue color. I wouldn't put her over five years old and she is one of the strongest girls I have ever met.

"Do you want to go out for lunch?" I ask her, her head turning to look up at me.

"Really?"

I smile at her cuteness, her toothless smile looking at me. "Really. We can go anywhere you want."

She nearly jumped off the bed and raced to change her clothes, her pajamas being replaced by jeans and a pink tee. She runs back to me after sliding on a pair of sandals and I lift her up, her arms wrapping tightly around my neck.

"Can we go to Panera?" she asks excitedly, her head resting on my shoulder.

"Of course."

I walk to the front lobby and check Alexis out, then carry her down the street to the closest Panera. Once inside, she orders a mac and cheese with a chocolate milk, whereas I order a chocolate chip bagel. I sit her down on a chair and I get across from her, her hands grabbing her spoon and eating.

"Thank you Beth. I hate the hospital."

"No problem. I'm here whenever you need it, okay?"

She nods and she tells me about her favorite TV shows. Her favorite is Sofia the First on Disney channel, never even hearing of it before her telling me. She loves it and watches it every morning. After she finishes her mac and cheese, I take her into town and we go sight-seeing, stopping to feed the birds in the park, pushing her on the swing, getting ice cream, basically treating her to a day where she can forget about being sick.

"Beth, you are awesome," she cheers, going higher in the swing. I laugh and she does too, her little giggles echoing through my ears.

"Excuse me?" a voice states behind me. I turn my head, seeing a disapproving lady standing there.

"Can I help you?" I ask, her stoic features making me nervous.

"Yes. Do you know what kind of an example you are showing to the children. You are obviously a teenage girl and with a child. You are practically promoting teen pregnancy."

"Oh, ma'am. No, I'm afraid you have mistaken me. See, I work at the hospital and she has leukemia. I am only taking her out to get some fresh air. She's not mine."

Her face hardens even more and I continue to push Alexis, her unknowing what is going on is what I want.

"Her eyes are identical to yours. She is clearly yours so cut the crap and don't lie."