The Wallflower's Bloom

Chapter 18: The Answer

Chapter 18: The Answer

Two days later, I finally went back to school. I was in a new homeroom with a teacher named Mrs. Tucker. She seemed pretty nice at first glance, but then again, that's what I expected of Mrs. Webb too. I didn't ever want to see her again.

The absence of Christa was odd at first, but I was quickly distracted by loads of work the teachers have us, which was nice in a way. I didn't start feeling anxious until second period, which was less than thirty minutes away from lunch. Christa had told me she was going finally say why she had been in the hospital. I couldn't wait to get an answer from that. I had waited so long, and I couldn't help but to be afraid of what I was going to hear.

Lunchtime started, and I sat in my usual spot in the back of the room, where Christa would soon join me. I looked down at the school's cheap plastic plates. I had a bad slice of pizza, a bag of sliced apples, salad and ranch dressing, and milk. I know my parents...well...mom...was spending a great deal of money towards school food, but I had no interest in eating at the moment, nor ever at school. It just never appealed to me.

Minutes went by, and Christa still wasn't here. I checked the time and looked back forwards to see her class finally arriving. Maybe they had left class a few minutes late on accident? I didn't mind too much, so I just sat back and relaxed.

"Hey man," my friend, Stephen, began, "Is it okay if I sit here?"

I looked over and saw his finger pointing towards the seat Christa was designated to sit.

"Sorry, Stephen, but Christa is supposed to sit there today. She has something really important to tell me. I've been wanting to know for quite some time." I answered with guilt rising up in me.

This didn't feel right.

Stephen sighed and began to find his way towards another table. Meanwhile, I looked back up and saw that Christa's class had already sat down. My face tightened in confusion. Wasn't she supposed to be here today? I looked back to my right to make sure she hadn't snuck her way up here. She hadn't, and she never would.

...

When I got home, I immediately ran inside for my iPod to check if Christa had called or texted me. I clicked the power button and saw three texts messages from Christa. I was right.

I marched upstairs to my room again to read them. I plopped down on my bed and began to scroll them. They read:

Hey Jacob

I'm sorry I wasn't at school today

Plz call me after u come home

I abruptly began typing her number into my iPod's free app. I heard the ring in my ears as I awaited the phone's final ring.

"Hello?" I heard Christa answer, but this time, her voice sounded raspy and hoarse.

"Are you okay, Christa?" I started with sympathy, "You don't sound well."

I heard a sniffle from the other end, and became extremely curious as to what the problem was with Christa. She snuffled one more time and sighed into the microphone below her screen.

"Jacob, I have to tell you something that I really don't want to say, but I have to in order to keep a good bond between us." Christa replied.

"Yeah?" I asked, more anxious than ever.

"Well, I've been coughing up blood into the toilet all day, Jacob. I am feeling awful, and I have been for the past couple months. So when you saw me at the hospital, that was when..."

I gasped internally.

"That was when they diagnosed me with leukemia," she finished, shaking.

I shuttered in pure terror.

END OF BOOK ONE.