I looked out the small window and tried to imagine I was in another place. I tried not to listen to the erratic beeping of the machines and the low breathing of the person beside me. The winter trees and snow on the ground seemed like a different world.
I turned my head back around and my green eyes focused on the figure of a girl curled up on the bed. Her pale skin glowed weirdly under the fluorescent lights. Her shoulders moved up and down in sync to her breathing. I reached over and stroked her hair away from her face. Her head moved under me; I froze. She turned her head towards me and her eyes fluttered open.
“Who are you?” she demanded. Her voice was hoarse, like she had been yelling all day. “Why are you here? Who let you in? Help,” she cried out. I covered her mouth with my hand.
“Sh, be quiet,” I told her. “My name is Mark. I rescued you the other day at school when you collapsed.” She sat up in her bed; I tried to push her back down but she wouldn’t budge.
“You were my guardian angel?” she said. I frowned in confusion.
“Guardian angel?”
“I thought I was going to die because an angel came and saved me.” She looked up at me with those beautiful eyes of hers. I grinned. I had never been described as an angel.
“Well, you aren’t dead, that’s for sure. You are in the hospital. Can I ask one thing?” She nodded. “Why did you collapse? The doctor wouldn’t tell me anything. Not even on the ride to the hospital.”
“You rode with me to the hospital?”
“Don’t change the subject.” She blushed; the blood crept up her cheeks slowly. I smiled at the normal color.
“I will tell you only if you answer my question.” She paused waiting for me to nod. When I did she continued, “I have leukemia.” I feel my eyes widen but don’t utter a sound. She looks away ashamed.
“You don’t look like you have cancer,” I blurted out. It was the first thing that came to my mind and I instantly regretted them. Flames burned in her eyes as she turned back to me.
“So what? I have to be bald or weak to have cancer?” Her heart rate went up, I could tell, because the beeping got faster. I shook my head.
“No, it’s not like that. I just thought… I’m sorry,” I rushed to get the words out. I saw her shoulders relax and then she looked down at her hands.
“Now you have to answer my question,” she said quietly.
“Okay.” I didn’t want to upset her even more.
“Why do you care so much about me? Why did you come here?” She turned the full intensity of her eyes on me. It was my turn to look down.
“You were different. You didn’t care that Carrie was talking about you or didn’t act shy in school. You had this aurora of confidence around you,” I paused looking at her reaction. Tears were welling up in her eyes. “And you had killer eyes.”
“Thanks,” she sounded choked up. Courageously, she took my hand from my lap and squeezed it. “Don’t leave me. Stay with me ‘till I die.” I wanted to shout at her. I wanted to say that she wasn’t going to die. But I swallowed back my words and nodded.
“I will,” I swore.
“Oh, and call me Alex.” She smiled at me-such a beautiful sight-and closed her eyes. I held onto her hand as she fell asleep. I knew then that I was in love.