The Fault In Our Stars: After Augustus

Chapter Five

"Hazel, honey?" my Mom said, slightly shaking my body to wake me up.

"Mom, sleeping, fighting, cancer." I replied, although she already knew that, the reason why she never woke me up.

"I know sweetie, but we're having visitors in a bit."

Visitors? I looked at the clock, it was 5:15 AM.

"Really Mom? At this hour," I complained.

"Yes, the Grady's want to meet with me before they leave for work," my Mother explained. "You have to get ready for school in an hour, anyways."

I grunted. "Fine," I said in annoyance.

At the exact moment I was ready, I heard the doorbell ring. I went downstairs to answer, I wanted to get the first glimpse of the Grady's.

"Hi, you must be the Grady's, I'm Hazel," I said once I opened to the door.

They were one good-looking family.

"Hello! I'm Frannie," my Mom introduced herself.

"Hello! I'm Eva," the tall, skinny, blue-eyed, brunette said.

"I'm Brandon," the man said, who was slightly taller and had brown-eyes instead. "And this is our son-"

"I can introduce myself Dad," the young man said, cutting his Father off. "Hey, I'm Nicholas."

I've got to admit it, Nicholas was hot. He had bright blue eyes, and the cute kind of messy brown hair. His physique was quite similar to Augustus'.

"Please, come in," my Mom said, gesturing to the table and chairs she set up in our living room. There were only three chairs, one on the right side of the table for my Mom, and two on the other side for Mr. & Mrs. Grady.

"Where do I sit?" their son, Nicholas, asked.

"You can hang-out with Hazel."

Great.

"Okay, but just to let you know, I got to go to school in an hour or so." I informed him.

"Okay," Nicholas said.

No, please don't just say okay.

I led the way to my room, and Nicholas followed. We pretty much didn't talk at all until we got there.

"So, what's your story Nicholas Grady?" I asked him.

"Well," he paused, "I was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma about a year ago, I was 15 years old. I've had high-dose chemotherapy followed by a stem cell transplant, and then some. That all kept me alive for a while, 'till now. The cancer is getting worse, and I'm probably gonna die soon. But, hopefully not."

"You're not dying," I said, trying to sound hopeful for him.

He just shrugged.

"What about you, Hazel Lancaster?" he asked me, referring to my story.

"I was diagnosed when I was 13 years old. Thyroid stage IV originally, but now with the impressive satellite-colony in my lungs." I decided to shorten my story.

"I see," he responded, then started to look at my bookshelf. "That's a lot of books, is that, An Imperial Affliction?" he asked, in astonishment.

"Yeah, why?" I asked, curious.

"That book is the best/worst! I've tried contacting the author about the ending, but he's never replied!"

I paused for a moment, debating on whether or not to tell him about Van Houten. I might as well.

"Yeah, uhm, I've talked to him. In person."

"Lucky! So, what happens?" he got comfortable, waiting for me to spill.

"About that," I was still iffy about telling him, but I did, "he's an asshole. He never told us."

"Who's 'us'?" he questioned.

"Myself and Augustus Waters," I didn't want him to ask anymore.

"Your significant other?" he kept asking questions on this topic.

"The love of my life." I told him.

"So, why are you hanging-out with me?"

"That's because I'd rather not take away my own life."