Have Faith in Me

You Need Someone to Take Care of You

My eyes slowly started to open as I tried to move but it was too painful. I looked around the room trying to figure out where I was. The bright light that hung over my head was too bright, and my muscles seemed to forget how to move. With the smell of rubbing alcohol, a smell I was familiar with by now, I soon realized that Jack had taken me to the hospital. I slowly (and carefully) moved my head to the right and saw the outline of Jack who was sleeping.

He stayed here?

“Jack?” I asked quietly.

His eyes slowly opened and he came to my bedside.

“Ariel, how are you? How are you feeling?” He set his warm hand on top of mine.

“Um,” I looked down at his hand, “my body aches.  My head still hurts,” I winced.

His facial expression and eyes softened when he could clearly see how much pain I was in.

“I’m sorry this happened to you. There was nothing I could’ve done,” he looked down at the floor.

“Jack, you don’t have to be sorry. You did what you could for me; you took me to the hospital like any friend would. Thank you for that.” I smiled.

He looked up at me with caring eyes. Eyes I could get used to seeing everyday.

Glancing down once more at his hand on mine, I squeezed it and intertwined my fingers with his sweaty palm.

There was a knock on the door.

“Excuse me, Miss…Ruocco?” He flipped the paper on his clipboard as if he was verifying that was my name.

“That’s me. Doctor…,”

“Reeves. I’m the neurosurgeon,” he smiled. “May I speak with you alone for a moment?” He gestured to Jack whose eyes were filled with fear.

“It’s okay,” I whispered to Jack who clutched onto my hand.

Jack slowly got up and left the room, Doctor Reeves shutting it behind him.

“It seems like the impact didn’t do any harm to you,” he sat down in a chair next to me.

“What is causing my headaches?” I asked anxiously.

“Miss Ruocco—.” He began.

“Please…Ariel.”

“Ariel, it seems as if you have developed cancer.”

“Cancer? What cancer?” I panicked.

Doctor Reeves took a long and deep breath. “We don’t know how long it has been developing in your brain—-,”

“BRAIN CANCER?!” I yelled.

There was no holding back now. I began to cry.

“I’m very sorry, Ariel,” he put his hand on my shoulder.

I glanced out of the room window from my bed and saw Jack in the waiting area at a vending machine. I saw his warm fingers, that my hand dearly missed, press letters and numbers. He bent down exposing his adorable Adventure Time boxers, and pulled out a candy bar.

“C-can you give me a minute?” I sniffled.

“Of course,” he spoke softly.

I watched him walk out and tell Jack that he could go back in now.

Jack walked in with the remainder of his chocolate bar in his mouth. God, he was attractive.

“Hey, are you okay?” He managed to get out.