Welcome to L.A.

My turn

"I want it to be perfect. It has to be perfect!"

"What has to be perfect?"

A short silence fills the room before he speaks again.

"She's up, I'll call you later. Thanks, Man!"

He hangs up and breathes heavily with... relief.

"Hey, Sunshine! How are you feeling?"

"I'm done being a sunshine since this all started, you know?"

"Yeah... I know, I know, but... that was your nickname in high school, right?"

"Indeed."

"Well, I figured that, if you give yourself a chance, you'll be happy again."

"Yeah... I guess."

"I know you will."

"If you say so. Where am I by the way?"

"Laying in an hospital bed."

"Why?!" It frightens me to think that something else has happened.

"You... fell unconscious when they brought you to the ER. Your dad..."

"What about my dad?"

"You thought he needed blood. You volunteered but..."

"But what, Daniel?" I'm feeling my heart trying to burst out my chest and I feel weird... As if I can't handle...

"His arteries are... deteriorating."

"Like my grandfather..."

"So you mean that..."

"He has cardiac issues and that I must..."

"You must have some issues too."

"But I'm too young to have it!!"

"Why?"

"My grandpa was fifty and my dad is older than that for years now."

"What could it be then?"

"Has any nurse or doctor come by yet?"

"Not yet."

"I probably had anxiety issues. It shouldn't worry you."

"No, it should. You can't have cholesterol issues, but maybe you do have issues. You... Your heart stopped beating like three times last time you were uncounscious."

"Oh, I see why you worry that much."

"Don't you want to know why you're in that bed again?"

"I guess..."

"But?"

"I have enough issues ruining my life already. Why do I have to stress myself even more than I am now?! When will this end for good?!"

"I don't know, but... I just hope you care enough to wait and stay laid down here to make sure it isn't rare or..."

"Mortal?"

"I can't lose you. I can't lose the reason I'm back on my feet saying that to you. It may be cliché and cheesy, but you were the kick in the but and the wishing star I've been waiting for all this time. I have no one else to come to. No one."

"Wrong. You're all wrong."

"My sister fell apart when my mom left. She... turned herself in someone she isn't. She wasted her energy on false hope and stopped dreaming."

"Is she..." The silence, the atmosphere make me feel like... "Oh, no, you poor thing!" Arms opened to him I'm inviting him to admit he has tears to stop hanging and the right to let them go. "Come here." He's beside me, head on my shoulder. He's been waiting so long for me the first time. It's crazy to see that he's here right now.