The Chronicles of You ✔

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        You could only keep it a secret for so long. About a month after I found out, you got sick at school, and then you passed out. For everyone else at school, that wasn't a terrible thing, to some degree. But they quickly realized something horrifically bad was happening, because the second someone mentioned within earshot of your brother that it happened to you, he took off running out of the classroom to find you. The teacher was angry for a second, but I told her he was going to you and that it was a long story and I would go after him. I left the room, leaving everyone confused. I had to sprint to catch up to your brother, but I finally did. I asked him if it meant something awful and why he was running so fast to get to you. He looked at me and said, "It's not that bad, but he needs to be rushed to the hospital immediately." For a second I was confused, asking him why he had to go find you, because wouldn't the nurse and administrators get you to the hospital? Again, he just looked at me before answering, "Because they think he's just sick. They won't know to call an ambulance or anything." That's when I realized that no one really knew that you were sick, aside from your family and me. I thought that seemed like the school nurse and administrators should know; it seemed like a liability. Your brother told me later that your family didn't think the illness was that severe or that it would affect anything so they didn't feel they had to tell them.

        When we finally got to the nurse's suite, you were lying on the cot, barely conscious. You saw your brother and said, "Hey, Em." The nurse said he could stay with you, but she wanted me to leave and go back to class, because I wasn't related to you. And then you started saying, "'Lana, is that you? 'Lana...'Lana..." You kept calling my name, and the nurse kept trying to tell me I couldn't stay, but your brother looked at her angrily and said, "He's calling for her, he wants her here, can't you see? Just let the girl stay!" The nurse didn't know what to say after that, but then she started asking Emmett why he was panicking so much, you had just passed out, she was going to call your parents and you'd be fine. That made your brother snap at her, saying "No, he did not just pass out! You don't get it! Get an ambulance, he needs to go to a hospital! Call 911, ask for an ambulance, and tell them he's passed out and he has leukemia, and I don't know if it's a side effect of the treatment or not." The nurse's jaw dropped down to the floor. Your brother's words were very effective, she ran for the phone and did exactly as he said.

        I went to sit on the edge of the cot where you were laying, and I took your hand and held it in mine. You squeezed my hand, almost like a reassurance that you were still strong. I gently brushed some of your hair out of your face, and whispered, "Stay strong, Eli. You can do this, I know you can." You smiled at me and said quietly, "I love you, 'Lana." I couldn't help but smile as I whispered, "I love you, too." I heard sirens blaring outside the school just as you began to slip out of consciousness again. I looked at you and said, "No, Eli, stay awake. Stay with me," in an attempt to keep you awake, "Stay with me, Eli!" Just before the paramedics came in, and just before you passed out again, you whispered one word in response.

        "Always."