Her Cancer Story (completed)

School

I woke up at an early six o'clock. Slowly, I washed my body in the warm shower. Wrapping myself in my thin sheet robe, I walked down the small hallway to the kitchen, where my mom was eating breakfast at the table.

"You feeling alright?" Her eyebrows raise when she asks questions.

"Hm... Yeah, I guess," A small flash of concern appeared on my moms eyes. "I'm fine, mom really, I can go to school."

After reassuring her, I ate a small bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice. Back in my room, I dressed in my favorite pair of jeans and a yellow t-shirt. Shoes on, backpack in hand, I walked out the front door to my moms car.

Nobody talked the way to school. I was in remission- there was absolutely nothing to worry about going to school right now. Then why was my heart racing? Why is my stomach filled with a massive amount of butterflies, trying to escape?

As we neared school I found myself dreading the looks on my peers' faces. At least Jonah would be there.

Mom told me everything would be good, and told me to text her if anything went wrong. Then I was off. I confidently walked into the building, cliches of girls and boys surrounding me and watching my every move.

Trying to stay confident, I walked down the front hall and to the right. I already felt the stares burning holes into the back of my bald head. The feeling was almost unbearable. But I told myself I could do this because I've been trough a whole lot worse. Remembering my locker combination, I opened it up and hung my backpack on the hook.

"Miley?" An odd, yet familiar voice startled me. I whipped around to see a girl a little taller than me standing there. Her locker was open, next to mine.

"It's Kennedy. Remember? How are you doing? You look great," She offered a small smile.

"Uh, y-yeah thanks, I'm doing fine." Kennedy has very blonde hair that fell past her shoulders and clear blue eyes. I remembered her from somewhere, but I just can't think of where exactly. Then it clicked.

"You're... you showed me around my first day of school, right?" She smiled.

"Yeah, I did, so what's your first class? I can walk you there if you'd like."

I glance down at my tattered schedule, since I forgot it already.

"Um... Pre-Calculus with Mr. Tell... in room A106..." I look up and remember that A106 is right across the hall from our lockers. "Right." We laugh together, and it felt like... we were friends. She's just helping you out, Miley.

"I'll catch up with you later, okay? I mean... if you want," She smiled and slipped away down the hall.

I sighed and grabbed a new notebook, folder, pencil, and calculator. Waiting for people to pass, I walked into Mr. Tell's room. It smelled of a cinnamon apples fragrance. That's when I remembered Mr. Tell always had these warm humidifiers that smelled amazing, reminding me of my grand mother's cottage...

The somewhat-small room had four rows of student desks, a bookshelf full of math textbooks in the back, and the teachers wooden desk up front by the white board. He was slouched over a stack of files and documents, reading glasses on the bridge of his sharp nose. I walked over, ignoring the stares And whispers of my classmates, and said:

"Excuse me?" It must have not been loud enough, because he didn't change position the slightest. "Eh-hem, Mr. Tell?" I piped a bit louder, and maybe too loud because he jumped up a little and looked at me with piercing eyes. Everyone in the class burst out laughing when he screamed like a girl. My face turned a bright red, unlike anything that happens before, and I turned away.

"What?" He seemed confused, then as if someone had explained it, his clouded eyes weren't confused any more. "Oh, Miley. I got your moms... email. You can sit..." He stood up and gazed across the classroom. "There." He pointed his pencil to the open desk in the last row, first seat. I quickly sat down, wishing I had the long hair to hind my face in at times like these.

I tried to concentrate on the lesson, but the thought of all my classmates staring wholes into the back of my bald head made me queasy. Nobody can forget the cancer girl with the bald head, thin arms, pale face, and no eyelashes to apply makeup to. But I forgot so many of my peer's names, for example Kenndy. Most of the faces are so new to me I feel so lost and confused. Like-

"-Miley?" I whipped my head up to see Mr. Tell, hand extended, looking at me with questioning eyes. "Do you mind?" I was guessing he meant for me to solve the large equation that he wrote on the board in black marker. Holding onto all the strength I have left, I took the marker and solved the equation within three minutes. Feeling confident, I turned around to see everyone, including Mr. Tell, staring at me in a confused manner. What did I do?  

"How did you do that?" The teacher started to look back at the notes he was holding, glancing up at me to the paper up to me again. Confused, I shrugged and sat back down. "Stay after class, will you?"

Wasn't I supposed to solve the equation? Why did my class look at me the way they did? What did he want to say to me after class? As my thoughts rambled on though my head, Mr. Tell went on explaining to the class the process I used to solve the complex equation that was on the board.

Once the bell rang, signaling first period was finally at an end, I watched as everyone walked out to their next classes. I stood up and slowly walked to Mr. Tell's desk, where he sat waiting for me. As I approached him, I slowly took his glasses off, almost frowning at me. Confused, I just stood there, dumbfounded.

"When did you learn to do that?"

"Mr. Tell, I'm sorry, but wasn't I-"

"When did you learn to do that?" He cut me off, just repeating himself. That annoyed me very much.

"Um..." I sighed, thinking, "I study the math text book sometimes, when I'm board. I think I came across those problems, like... last year? I'm really not sure. Mr. Tell, what-"

"Last year? Miley, do you understand what math class you're in?" Confused, I didn't answer. Sighing, he said, "This is Pre-Calculus, an advanced class for a sophmore. What you're solving is what's called Multivariable Calculus. It's three years advanced from Pre Calc, making you a total of five years ahead of a sophmore. Miley, you're solving junior year college math problems!" College math? Junior year college math? You've got to be kidding me...

But Mr. Tell opened his desk drawer and pulled out a packet and handed it to me.

"This is a test for Multivariable Calculus, down to simple Geometry. If you can pass this test with an A, you are eligible to take college-course math online, or at the University."

"Are you serious? I can't believe it!" I raised my left arm, putting it on the top of my head and spun around; something I do when I'm extremely happy. Mouth gaped open, I stared at Mr. Tell. "Do you think I can do this?"

"I think you had a very good chance, Miley."

The rest of the day flew by. I didn't even listen during any of my other classes, including science, my favorite, after math. I was so happy that I was able to take Junior Year college course math at the University. IF I ace this test. Mr. Tell and I have planned on this Saturday afternoon to take the test here at school. The state requires it to be silent, paper pencil, and only one student per teacher. I was so excited. This was finally something that I was good at, something that I was convinced that I could succeed in!