Before Rose

Chapter One - Hazel Grace Waters

Hazel Grace looked at the paper that her college professor had handed her as she walked out of the classroom.

The assignment had been to write an essay of ten pages on the possible origins of the world. Hazel had put in a lot of time on the paper, and was excited to see what her professor had said.

She suddenly crumpled up the paper in her hands, her expression changing from excitement to anger.

If the paper hasn't been crumpled in Hazel Grace's hand, anyone would be able to read the professors notes, written in a bright red ink, on how the paper was childishly written, with many foolish ideas.

Hazel bit her lip to try to prevent the angry tears from streaking her cheeks. All the hours, all the sleepless nights spent on this paper, all the time she couldn't get back, all coming down to the humiliating red writing on the crumpled up paper in the twenty-two year olds hand.

Thoughts of failing the course raced through her head. This time, the tears welling up in her eyes weren't from anger.

The money her dad had saved up for her to go to a good college, the time her grandmother had spent with her helping her find the right course after her dad couldn't help her, it would all be for nothing.

Hazel hated the thought of it. This paper had supposedly held a big portion in the decision of whether she failed or not.

I just have to try harder and not get any more bad marks, She thought.

She stared at the ground, watching her feet carry her back to her grandmother's house.

Suddenly, a man in a black leather coat sent her backwards on to her bottom on the sidewalk.

"What the-!" Hazel began, but a strong hand clamped over her mouth. She stared up at the man who had a hand over her mouth. He certainly didn't look very young, yet he still did not look all that old either.

He can't be older than forty... But definitely no younger than thirty, She thought, looking the man up and down. He looked strong in certain places, but weak in others. He didn't have a lot of hair, neither facial nor on the top of his head, though he was clearly not bald. The little hair that he did have was dark and close cropped. On that thought, he actually didn't seem to have any facial hair. He had a very thin face, and you could see his cheekbones. His eyes were blue, and the longer Hazel Grace looked in to them, the older they looked.

"Please don't shout, I'm in a bit of a hurry and calling attention to me won't exactly be very good for my case." The man's voice had a bit of urgency in it, yet somehow wasn't unkind.

"Wwmh mrh yhm ihm ssch a hrrmp?" Hazel said, her voice muffled by the man's hand.

"Come again?"

Hazel grabbed the man's hand and pulled it from her mouth. "What I meant was, 'Why are you in such a hurry?'"

"Oh. Classified information, Miss Wet Eyes."

"Well I want to know. And I do not-" At that moment, Hazel Grace rubbed her eyes, and clamped her mouth shut, feeling the dampness on her hand.

"Sorry, but I can't tell any ordinary person."

"What if I'm not an ordinary person?"

"Well too bad then." The man made a move to walk off, but Hazel grabbed his arm.

"I'm coming with you to find out what was so important that you had to ruin my new pair of white pants, which were, by the way, a gift from my grandmother."

The man looked at her strangely for a few seconds, them sighed. "Fine, but stay out of my way, got it?"

"Will do, chief. Just one second..." Hazel whipped out her phone, dialling her grandmother's home number to tell her that she might not get home until late.

Hazel stuck the phone in her pocket and smiled at the man. "Alright, now I'm ready. Oh, and you never did give me your name. I'm Hazel Grace Waters, college student, astronomy major. You are?"

"The Doctor."

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Author's Note:

Thanks for all the views guys (And girls)!

Please write reviews or opinions or concerns, stuff like that, in the comments! It helps me see how good I'm doing, since this was my first fanfiction on Wattpad. I'll try to answer any questions you have unless the answers are going to be revealed in future chapters.

By the way, anything in italics is Hazel thinking or a memory she's having.

-Thanks again!

neyney176