The End of Our Stars

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

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I didn’t know what problem was it that got my mother to hang up so that made me double my speed. I tried slowing my heart rate but it wasn’t working. I was nervous and I was scared and I couldn’t get my cannula back in my nose as it fell two minutes from my street.

I decided then not to wear it and try hard to breathe like a normal person. I started counting backwards and felt my chest heave. I was going to die. I know this. One more minute, I thought, and I’ll drop the steering wheel and crash into a mail box and die as a crazy deoxygenated driver.

I was getting sucked in and I could feel the pain throbbing in my lungs. I stepped on the brake and slammed back in my headrest and looked out. I was in front of my house, in my driveway and I’m still alive. I sighed and put back my cannula, breathing it all in and leaning back as I tried to catch my breath.

When I recovered from my stupidity, I noticed how all the lights are on and how I can’t see much of the people inside. That was when I worried. I pulled Philip from the passenger seat and jogged to the front door, dragging the oxygen behind me. Before I could open the door myself, it reveals a man I haven’t seen in a long while, clean and well-dressed, impressive and intimidating.

“Good evening, Hazel Grace.” He said and I stared at him. “Aren’t you going to say hello? Manners, child, it matters.”

Wow. I rolled my eyes at him. “What are you doing here, Van Houten?” I demanded and stepped inside the house, looking for Mom and Dad.

“I’m here to deliver you something that could make up for all the bullshit I pulled off in Amsterdam.” He said as he followed me around the house. On my way to the kitchen, I stopped abruptly and turned to him. He stepped back.

“What do you have that could ‘make up’ for that hideous episode?” I asked and points at the kitchen table where, thank God, my parents were sitting around—or more like, huddled over. “What is that?” I moved closer and Mom finally sees me.

“Hi, sweetie,” she hugs me then and I peep over her shoulder to see Dad crying…over a book.

“What are you guys reading?”

“Mister Van Houten here gave us his new book.” Dad replies, wiping away a tear. “And it’s so touching and true.”

“Dad—”

“You’re going to love it!” Mom reassures me as she pulls away from the hug and smiles at Van Houten. “It’s amazing, what you did. Thank you for sharing it with us.”

“My pleasure,” Van Houten replies and looks down at me. “It is a sequel about Anna’s mother and the Dutch Tulip Man and even Sisyphus the Hamster. It is a book of a lot of things actually. But you get to have your closure.”

I nodded to that and glanced at the book before finally saying, “Thank you.”

“Well, I must head to New York. I will be attending a talk show about this. It is escalating quickly. My thanks to you, Hazel Grace Lancaster and to your late boyfriend Augustus Waters.” He shakes my hand which I cannot even imagine has happened and thanks my parents before disappearing to the doorway.

When I regained composure, I ran after Van Houten. “Wait!” I yelled as he stops before he gets in a black sedan. “Wait.”

“What is it?”

“Did Augustus put something in there? I mean, I’m not expecting anything but he did send you a eulogy.” I was panting and I held Philip close, looking out at Peter Van Houten, stranded in the doorway of his black sedan.