Red Bands

Chapter 13 - Jordi & Lily

Lilly;

I end up learning three other songs that I've been wanting to learn for a while and after that, I finish a book for class that the teacher wanted me to read – If I Stay. It's about the girl dying and choosing to stay or to go, choosing to live without parents and with her boyfriend or dying to be with her parents and without her boyfriend. I don't think that's how death works, but it could work like that. I wouldn't know.

I decide to take the book back to the classroom, so I pull on a pair of shoes and pull my sweater back on before leaving the room. As I walk down the hall, I pass Jordi and Leo's room and see Doctor McAndrew with Jordi, discussing something about his condition or whatever. Jordi catches my eye and I speed up a little until I'm out of sight.

Things between us are so sure to be tense. When I reach the classroom, I set the book on the teacher's desk.

"Finished already?" she asks.

I nod. "Yeah. I've got too much time on my hands."

"The movie's coming out soon on DVD. Maybe I can get ahold of it for you to watch," she says, going back to grading a few papers.

"That would be cool. Thanks," I reply. I turn to leave.

I try to sprint past Jordi's room again, but he calls my name out quietly and it makes me stop. I awkwardly stand in the doorway.

"Yeah, Jordi?" I ask.

"Are you okay? I mean, like really okay?" Jordi asks.

"What do you mean?"

Jordi sighs and shifts around. He points to the stool next to his bed like he wants me to sit down. I shuffle over and take my seat.

"I know you saw me holding hands with Emma and you ran away. Were you crying?" he asks. He genuinely looks concerned.

"I was. That did hurt, kind of. I understand if you like Emma, but you need to realize that Leo likes her too and he wants her back," I explain.

"Were you jealous maybe?"

"Jordi, I'm smart enough to know that you were intentionally try to make me jealous. Yes, I was jealous. Yes, I was sad and upset, but I'm forgiving you because I like you a lot. Have you talked to Leo yet?"

"Yeah. He said that you told him to tell me that you hope I'm feeling better soon," Jordi says. Is that a scowl I detect?

"Did it make you jealous?" I question, preparing to stand up.

"No... Why would it make me jealous?"

"Maybe because I was spending time with him instead of you," I reply. I stand up and walk to the door. When I reach the threshold, I turn and smile at Jordi sweetly. "I'm forgiving you because I'm not messing up this friendship. Think about your friendship with Leo and how much it would be ruined if you decided to date Emma. See you later Jordi."

And with that, I turn back around and walk back to my room. I really hope that he doesn't do anything stupid again.

Jordi;

She's got a point. A really good point. I like Leo and I like that he's my friend. If I decided to date Emma, our friendship would definitely be severed beyond compare. Besides, I think I like Lilly a lot more than Emma.

I hang out in bed for a while before I shuffle out of my bed and to the dresser. I change into a casual outfit of jeans, t-shirt, and a jacket. Then I hop to my wheelchair and sit down. I roll to Lilly's room, thinking maybe we could hang out. I remember seeing a keyboard in one of the common areas, so maybe she could play for me. Plus, I feel like I have to say sorry for making her cry earlier.

"Hey, Lilly," I say when I see her in her room.

Lilly looks up from the book she's reading and smiles at me. She closes the book and sets it down on her bedside.

"What are you doing here, Jordi?" she asks.

"Well, first, I want to say sorry for making you cry earlier," I say.

"It's fine," she says.

"Okay," I reply, smiling. "And second, I wanted to see if maybe you'd play the piano for me at the big piano in the commons area. Please?"

"Sure."

Lilly walks next to me as I roll along. At the nurse station, Doctor McAndrew is talking to a woman. Then I see her face.

"Mom?" I ask.

The woman looks over at me and McAndrew turns around to face us.

"Jojo?" she asks, walking over to Lilly and I. She wraps her arms around me the best she can and hugs me, nuzzling her cheek against mine.

"Mom? Jordi-" Lilly starts.

"Niño, what have they done to you? You're so thin," Mom says.

"I'm sick, Mom," I say. "This is my doctor."

Mom laughs a little. "He's your doctor?"

"Yeah. You know him?" I ask.

Lilly stands awkwardly to the side, next to Dash, at the nurse station.

"Of course I don't know him. I know nothing. Nobody tells me anything," Mom starts. "Your abuela calls out of the blue and says something's wrong with your leg and would I check on you. Why didn't anyone here call me?"

"'Cause you're dead," Nurse Brittany butts in.

"Uh, we were... We were under the impression that you had passed away," McAndrew explains.

"Yeah, we were," Lilly says bitterly, directing it towards me.

Mom turns towards her and smiles.

"And who is this beautiful young lady? Your girlfriend, I hope," she says.

"I'm Lilly, Jordi's friend. It was nice to meet you Miss Palacios, but may I speak to Jordi quickly?" Lilly asks, smiling.

"Of course," Mom answers.

Lilly gives Mom a smile and gives me a glare as she leads the way to an empty room. She closes the door behind us and scowls. It scares me. The next thing that happens is something that I wouldn't have expected Lilly to ever do: she slaps me.

"Ow!" I exclaim, holding my cheek.

"You deserved it. How could you lie to us?" Lilly asks, a furious tone in her voice.

"Lilly-" I start.

"No. You know what? Save it, Palacios. You've lost the chance of me being your girlfriend because you lied to me. Be sure to tell your mom that. I'll see you later," she says and then she storms out of the room.

I did something stupid again.