Where I Belong

Prologue

        My sister was sick.

            As I finished packing up the last small things in my room, my mind was in overdrive. I didn't even bother to wipe away the tears falling from my eyes. Gemma was only fourteen. She couldn't have leukemia.

            My sister was dying.

            It started with the chills. When Gemma told my mother that she thought she was getting a cold a few weeks ago, that's all we thought it was. She had all the signs of the flu: a headache, the chills, loss of appetite, weakness, and tiredness. We just thought she had a little virus, and everything was going to be okay. But then she started to bleed.

          She got her first nosebleed during the night. Gemma woke up, with blood streaming out of her nose. The sight of blood has always made me queasy, but I tried my best to remain calm as I called for my mom. After about fifteen minutes, we got Gemma all cleaned up and back to bed, but when she woke up the next morning, her gums were bleeding.

       My mom said not to worry. But I saw the frantic way her eyes watched Gemma, and I knew that we should worry. Something wasn't right. When Gemma started to bruise, my parents decided to take her in. The results were not good.

       She was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia. The doctors suggested we move to Minnesota, so my sister could get treatment at the Mayo Clinic. Though my parents were going to move us whether I wanted to or not, they still asked for my opinion.

        I didn't care where we were as long as Gemma was getting help. 

        I looked around my room one last time, using the sleeve of my sweatshirt to erase the last traces of tears. No more crying. If Gemma was sick and could still manage to have a positive outlook, so could I.

        Everything was going to be okay.