Breathing

Chapter Five

I hear the word "Lung" I hear the word "Diagnosed." I hear a sentence now.

"She will need to go back and forth and live here for awhile." I'm putting everything together. I'm diagnosed with something to do with my lungs and I will have to stay here a lot when it gets bad. I now hear a familiar british accent, it's doctor Tenner. My head goes straight again and I see Danielle.

"Grandma, Grandpa! She's awake!" she is holding a marshmallow on a skewer.

"What are you doing with that marshmallow?" I ask weakly.

"Oh, you dropped it when you fainted, I tried to feed it to you then, I was hoping it would help you wake up but you wouldn't take it so here." She hands me the marshmallow and I try to form a smile.

"I never want to be home alone with you when I faint, you will kill me if that happens." Danielle laughs. "So, what is wrong with my lungs?" I ask, scared for the answer. Danielle looks down.

"You have..." she hesitates. "Lung Cancer." My breath catches in my throat. I don't care if I can't breath, I start bawling my eyes out.

* * *

It's been a couple hours and I still am not used to the fact that I have Lung Cancer at all. I'm in the cafeteria with Danielle, she's rambling on about looking on the bright side.

"Look on the bright side, when you don't need to be here, you will barely notice it." I don't say it but she's stupid if she thinks that I won't notice it. My dad comes and says

"Doctor Tenner is ready for you Lexi." I need to get tests run on me again. I walk into the room 315.

"Okay Lexi, let's get started right away." She's gesturing toward the clean white bed, I sit on it.

"This is going to hurt so I'm going to put you to sleep and when you wake up, you will have laughing gas." I guess I'm going to sleep now.

* * *

"Hey Lexi."

I hear in a soft, quiet voice, I don't know who it belongs to but I don't care, I keep wondering about all of these hospital hotties, it's the laughing gas.

"Hey mommy." I say instinctevely.

"She went to get coffee, it's me, Danielle." I'm not even embarrassed, how much laughing gas did they give me?

"Hi Danielle, I'm so glad it's you because I need to tell you that I'm wondering if there are any hospital hotties here." Danielle looks at me for a second and then says

"I saw a lot of cute guys when you were getting tested." I smile. I'm going to try as hard as I can to make the hospital feel like home."

* * *

I'm sitting in my room, my parents are at home getting my stuff. I have to stay at the hospital for two whole months just so the doctors can keep an eye on me and make sure I'm taking it easy, it's not common in kids and I don't smoke so it's weird how I have crappy lungs in the first place. They put a speaker in my room so I can hear them and they can hear me, not all the time of course. The device detects any symptoms such as coughing, heavy breathing and choking, I can press a button to talk to them if I'm feeling uncomfortable or wheezie. I need to get out of this room. I open my door to see a table in front of it filled with different foods. I see somebody's phone on the table, it's not a phone I recognize. I go into my room and try Facetiming the number in case they have their computer with them, no answer. I try a second time and there is a pause but then somebody's face showed up. Short black hair with cute bangs and a nice face, interesting. His voice comes out in an angry tone.

"What the hell are you doing with my phone?"

"You left it on my snack table so I called you to tell you that I found it." He sighs.

"Meet me in the cafeteria."

* * *

I'm sitting on a couch in the cafeteria, eating a sandwich. I see him, god he looks better in person. He spots me and sits across from me, smiling.

"Here's your phone." I say, kind of not wanting him to go away.

"That's it?" He asks. "Can I at least get your name?" I wanted to get to know him, does he want to as well?

"My name is Lexi, yours?"

"Oh, Alex." I build up the courage to say

"I'd really like to get to know you." He freezes for a second, he smiles. He puts his hand on mine.

"Me too" He's a stranger, but I have a good feeling about him.