Dancing with the Star

Chapter 24

We're sitting at the booth waiting for our food when Derek gets a call. "Hello?" His face drops. "Oh, ok we'll be right there...." He hangs up the phone. "It happened didn't it?" I asked him. All he did was nod and look at the table. A tears falls from both our eyes. "Lets go, I'll pay." I put the money on the table and gesture the door.

We rush through the hospital doors and see the doctor in the hall. "Where is he doc?" Derek rushes toward him. The doctors eyes lit up in shock that we arrived so quickly and he pointed to Harrisons room. Derek pushes past him and falls beside Harrison's bed with his head in his hands. I just stand at the doorway crying, watching Derek and glancing at Harrison's cold body. I feel like the whole world is crashing down around me. The first 'dad' figure I had in my life is now gone. I thought he would never die, the thought never even crossed my mind. Now he's gone. This is why I have trouble letting people in, it seems that whoever I do let in always leaves in some way. That's when it hit me, when is Derek gonna leave me? The tears stop flowing from my eyes and I turn and walk out of the hospital. I walked tall and proud as if nothing was bothering me.

"Maddie?" Derek rushes up to me. "Where are you going?" "I-I-I I just need some air." I don't turn around to look at him, I just keep walking. I walk through the big parking lot and to the lights that were just up the road. I see that there is a payphone on the other side of the intersection. I cross over and pick up the phone. "Hello?" Natasha picks up. "How come no one stay's?" I cry to her. "He's gone, isn't he?" I shake my head, even though she couldn't see me she said "aw, honey. Everything's ok. I'm still here aren't I?" "Ya that's because you were with me through all of this, you get my messed up life!" I whine "you probably are still just my friend because you feel sorry for me."  "Maddie, you know that's not true!" "When is he gonna leave?" I lean on the side of the payphone booth and slide down to sit on the ground. "Maddie, he's not gonna leave you." "Everyone else does! It's just the matter of time before he does......" The phone line goes silent. "I have to leave before he does!" "Maddie-" I hang up the phone before she can  finish her sentence.   

"Derek?" I say lightly at Harrison's door. "Maddie!" He runs over and gives me a hug. "I can't do this anymore, I'm glad he's done his suffering but, I can't suffer anymore either. Lets go home." "Derek, here's the thing...." I look to the ground. "I-I I can't go home with you. I would like you to drop me off at Natasha's house please." "What?  Why? I need someone who's going through the same thing as me at this moment." "Derek, trust me I don't feel any different than you but I-I-I I can't stay." "WHY?!?!" He shakes me. "I JUST CAN'T!" I pull out of his hands walk out of the hospital.