Evangelines Bucket List

Chapter 22: Blades under

My surgery date was in two days. It's been a week since CSG. It's also been a week since I've last spoken to Evangeline. Now I'm really beginning to regret anything I said. She was loud in my silent times. I miss that.

Meanwhile, my mom came to visit me today. We went to the cafeteria for lunch. We talked about the whole chemo thing as well as "our" feelings. Mostly hers and how she felt about me being diagnosed.

"So?" She stayed silent.

"What?" I stared at her. I already knew the exact question she wanted ask me.

"What's going on with Evangeline?"

"Okay why is everyone asking me that?" I put down my fork.

"Beckett, you guys were inseparable. How can you not question that?" She said softly.

"It's pretty easy. Don't question-"

"Don't be a smart ass, Beckett Hill!" She raises her voice.

"Mom, I don't want to talk about it. Okay? Seriously. Can we just let it go?"

"Okay. But some advice?" She said softly.

I stared at my mom. I knew she was about to say something that would make me rethink everything.

"You're just sitting here waiting for her to talk to you again. You're not trying. A girl likes it when a guy tries to speak to her without giving up. Especially a teenage girl. You said it yourself Beckett. She doesn't have much time left. It's up to the both of you to make something happen." She grabbed my hand and smiled.

We finished eating and she went home. I had no idea what I was going to do for Evangeline but it had to be creative. Creative enough for her to realize it's me. I just want to talk to her again. I missed her English accent and the wrinkled paper she carried everywhere. I missed the way she laughed at her own jokes and occasionally slapped her own knee for visual effect. Oh, man, Evangeline in general. I missed her.

There wasn't much to do without Evangeline. Other than just sleep and lay in my room. Remington wasn't in town. She had gone to visit her grandparents in Louisiana. So she wasn't coming back until Monday, which is in three days. Speaking of close days, my surgery was even closer. Soon it'll be one day and then I won't be able to eat or drink and I'll be saying crazy things I don't normally say and I'll most likely embarrass myself. Nerves have been running through my body.

Either way, it was late and I had to get some sleep. It was going to be one, long, weekend. But just before, I planned out something for Evangeline that I thought could work. My plan was to do a scavenger hunt - something on her bucket list - before I went into surgery in approximately thirty-three hours. Tomorrow I get to work. But I knew I was going to need help. Mostly married couple - Doctor Walsh and Nurse Abby.

I got some sleep and decided to do some convincing tomorrow. It wasn't going to be easy especially since Doctor Walsh isn't a fun person and Abby doesn't do much other than her job and take care of her children. But either way, convincing people to do it wasn't going to be easy. They'll probably tell me to let her go but I can't. You see, she's special. Someone that special to me, oh man, I will do anything for them.

I fell asleep thirty minutes after planning. My dream was weird. In this dream, I was outside looking up at the hospital and I turn around. That's it. It felt like the night happened in five minutes and BOOM - it was morning. Twenty-two hours until surgery.

One by one, I convinced four people to help. Doctor Walsh, Nurse Abby, Robby and Santiago. I couldn't ask Cora or Rhett, they'd tell Remington. I wasn't doing anything wrong. I was trying to get my best friend back.

I wrote little notes on uneven torn up pieces of paper. Each giving Evie a hit of where to go next. The final one would be where I'll be waiting. Hopefully she'll be happy to see me. Probably not. She had been avoiding me for a while, I doubt she'll be happy to see me. If anything, she'll yell at me. Punch me - hopefully not - in the face. Slap me? Too many perspectives of me being hurt a thousand ways.

At eleven o'clock was when we began. Doctor Walsh gave her the first note. It read, "a flash is where it began. come find me." Evangeline smiled and got up from her bed and came straight to my door. Second note, "many fruit cups and writing." She rushed to the cafeteria where she came across Abby.

"I think this belongs to you." Smiled Abby.

"Thank you." Evangeline smirked.

Third note, "beef, lettuce but hold the tomato." She rushed to the taco truck next. Where the man gave her the next one. Fourth note, "peace and quiet please!" She jogged over to the meditation room where she came across Santiago where he gave her the fifth note, "I could really use some support." She jogged to the CSG room, where she finally came across Robby who gave her the sixth and final note that read, "so high from the ground." She walked up the stairs to the rooftop. Out of breath and pausing every five seconds.

The rooftop door opens and I'm waiting for her. She walks up to me slowly and smiles. It had been a while since I had seen her smile.

"Hi." I mumbled.

Snow began falling. It was landing on her beanie and hair. But she still stared at me, smiling.

"Hi." She whispered.

"I'm sorry. For everything. I haven't been the greatest friend or-"

"Beckett, stop!"

"What?" I mumbled.

"I'm sorry. I ignored you for a while instead of having a true and honest conversation with you. I left you in the dark without any explanation for days. I wasn't being a friend. I'm sorry."

"Can I hug you?" I asked nervously.

She smiled widely showing teeth and gave me a hug. Tightly. Her arms her around my waist. My arms her in mid air because I did not think she was going to make the first move. Which was really attractive, I might add. I slowly hugged her. Tightly, as well. I could feel her body warmth through her thin long sleeve. I released from the hug but she still held on. I took off my jacket and put it over her. I rubbed her back to warm her. We stayed in a hugging position for a solid five minutes.

I walked her back to her room. But we took our time. It was late. It was ten minutes before one. We walked in silence holding each other's side. My right arm around her and her left arm around my waist. It felt nice having her by my side again. I was afraid to ever let go.

We said goodnight, I kissed her forehead. She smiled softly and walked into her room. I went back to my room and laid in bed smiling. Just smiling. Knowing my best friend was back in my life again made me feel happy. I wasn't miserable but I also wasn't happy. Evangeline changed me from the moment I met her. I don't plan on going back.