Caroline's Cries

Chapter 9

Caroline's POV

"What... what happened?" I asked, rubbing my head as I looked around the blurry room. I could make out figures, and I heard the typical hospital sounds. Finally, when my vision cleared, I looked up to see my mom and Jake hovering over me. 

"You blacked out on your walk, Caroline," My mom said, "Jake found you." 

The doctor motioned for my mom to follow him out of the room, and when we were alone I asked, "Why didn't you come with me?" 

Jake sat down on the bed right next to me and breathed deeply before saying "I was at Conner's, I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean for this to happen." 

"Why didn't you answer me though?" 

"Caroline I'm scared." He looked at me with fear in his blue eyes. 

"Why are you scared?" 

"I don't want to lose you." 

"You won't," I smiled, "I'll always be here for you, and I'll always be with you." 

"But physically?" 

I stroked his cheek lightly with my thumb, "I'll be here forever." 

"Promise me?" 

"Yes, I pro-."

Suddenly, my mom and the doctor came bursting into the room with huge smiles on their faces. 

"Caroline," The doctor started saying, "Your cancer has gotten way better. I'm not sure what you did but judging from my charts..." 

"You're going to live, honey." My mom burst out. 

"What?" I asked while beaming. 

"No more counting down months?" Jake asked. 

They both shook their heads. 

I leaped out of my hospital bed and squealed, Jake lifted me up and swung me around happily while I laughed. 

I was going to live! No longer would I have to worry about not waking up when I went to sleep, or saying "goodbye" for the last time. I could have a future! I could be whatever I wanted to be. Maybe I'd even get married and have kids. The future possibilities are endless. I was so overjoyed in that moment. Jake and I ran out of the room hand in hand, dodging nurses who were smiling at us and running outside where, for the first time, I could breathe the fresh air without having to worry about it being my last. 

We drove to Wendys and got the most artificial, gross thing they had. Finally I could eat whatever I wanted without having to worry about it making my cancer worse. After that, we went to the local park and I hugged all the snotty-nosed little children. I could live my life as a normal teenager without having to constantly be afraid. 

"What color do you think my hair will grow back as?" I asked Jake on the park bench, shoving french fries into my mouth. 

"What color was it before?" 

"Blonde, but I've heard of instances where it's grown back a different color." 

"Well whatever color it comes back as, it'll be beautiful because you are beautiful." 

I blushed and leaned my head on his shoulder. 

"What do you want to go to college for, Jake?" 

I felt his head shake, "It's stupid." 

I leaned up and looked at him seriously in the eyes, "I bet it's not." 

"It is, it'll never happen." 

"Well just tell me." 

"I want to be an alcohol therapist, get people out of the addiction of drinking." 

"I think that's a great idea," I smiled, "I can totally see you doing that. Why do you want to be that?" 

He slouched over and said, "So my mom won't have to suffer." 

I clenched my teeth, oops. I didn't know his dad was an alcoholic, he always seemed normal and sober around me. 

"Why don't you think you can do it?" I asked him.

"Because it's dumb." 

"No it's not, that's actually a really cool and important job." 

He shook his head again so I grabbed his hand and announced loudly, "Jake, you must promise me that you will try whatever it takes to achieve your dream job, no matter if anyone says its dumb or anything like that. Do you promise me?"

"Yeah," He squeezed my hand back, "Yeah I promise." 

"Good."