The Cheerleader

11. There are always days like these.

Czarina.

Of course I spent the entire month looking after baby Jonah, but I had forgotten that I was still sick. Days like these were a constant reminder of who I was now and I had no choice but to embrace it.

"Is she breathing?!"

I don't know what was going on, but I was sent to the emergency room, or what people called the ICU. I was fine earlier, I swear, but then my chest started hurting and burning. My body, however, started shouting 'you have cancer!'. So, here I am.

"Can you hear me czarina?" Someone asked.

I wanted so badly to nod my head, but my body wouldn't let me.

"This isn't good..."

And that was the last thing I heard before my eyes and my brain decided to leave me be.

.... The next day, I think.....

I really wished mom would bring me some of her homemade pancakes that dad actually made. I laughed a little before I opened both eyes. I wasn't in my room, well I was, but not my actual room. I sat up in bed, thankful that I can move again, and looked around. Mom was asleep on the couch and dad was leaning on her quite uncomfortably. I giggled at the sight before weakly clapping my hands together, grasping their attention.

"Oh, my- you're awake!" My mother of course.

"Shhh, you might wake the dead." My dad never fails to humor me.

"Dad!" I laughed. He held both hands in the air before standing.

"Sweetie, you're mom and I have some really great news." He said before sitting on my bed.

My mom rushed to my other side and sat down as well. "What is it?"

"You get to go home, today." They said in unison.

I sat up a little straighter, "What?!"

"I know! They said you just had a minor heart attack, due to your cancer, but look-" she pulled out a rolling, mini tank thingy- "they even gave you your very own breathing tube."

I nodded at her, but I still felt oddly misplaced. "It's wonderful, but I've made some new friends here and-"

"-Honey, I can't wait another year for you. I need you home with us, I miss my baby girl." My mother was on the verge of tears so that was my cue.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry, when do I leave?"

Turns out, I could leave whenever. I was glad that my parents gave me the privilege to say goodbye to Ina, but she was no where to be found. As well as her twin brother. I didn't press the issue on their disappearance, I just headed to our car pulling my oxygen tank with me. When I got home, I'm definitely going to redecorate this baby. We drove home in no time and I was feeling really tired from driving.

"Here you go, love." Mom handed me my cellphone before I left to go to my room.

I sighed upon walking through my room door and breathing in the familiar scent of pinewood and spice. Doesn't sound appealing to the ears, but the nose thinks otherwise. I could hear the phone ringing from downstairs as I sat on my bed. It felt kind of foreign in here, my posters were still in their normal spots, but I was too used to looking at white walls all day. I shuddered at the memory before laughing to myself. My cellphone began ringing and I picked it up in time.

"Hello?" I answered as I lie on my back.

"Hey gorgeous, how you feeling?" It was Francisco.

"I'm awesome, did I freak you out?"

There was a long pause... "I'm okay, don't worry about me."

"Okay."

"Hey, can we meet up somewhere? There's something I need to tell you."

"Sounds serious, sure. We can meet up at Danny's deli?"

"Perfect, meet you there."

I placed my phone on the bedside table and stood up to change into something more presentable to meet up with Francisco. I stepped downstairs, phone in one hand and rolling oxygen tube in the other, as I took deep breaths. When I arrived in the kitchen, my parents immediately stopped talking, which meant I wasn't supposed to hear their conversation.

"Going somewhere?" My mother asked as she looked at me.

"Uh, yeah. Just gonna meet a friend at Danny's for a chat. Is that okay?" I asked them both.

"Of course! Just, uh, make sure you're..." She gestured towards my breathing tube.

"I get it. Don't worry, it's filled with breath." I joked as I left the kitchen.

I decided to walk to Danny's and enjoy the beautiful day today. Of course onlookers were fascinated with my condition so it was okay to me. Besides, I'm pretty good at ignoring people. I reached the deli in time to see Francisco taking his seat. There was a chair in front of him and I made my way towards it.

"Hey, wow, you look....." He stammered as his eyes cast downwards to my breathing tube.

"Different?" I finished for him.

He nodded as he laughed and I instantly remember how much I liked his smile. "So what brings us here?"

He looked a bit uncomfortable as he shifted in his seat. "Okay, so, there's something I have to tell you."

I nodded for him to continue and so he did.

"I got a scholarship to play football in Miami, isn't that great?"

"Oh my goodness, that's amazing! I'm so happy for you, Francisco."

"But... Uh, I leave tomorrow." He said as he avoided eye contact with me.

"Oh, well, uh, congratulations! You get to do what you obviously love, that's amazing." I said.

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, I really am. I've just been waiting all my life for this opportunity to come my way-"

I reached over and touched his hand before shaking my head. "Hey, stop apologizing for being able to live your dreams. What kind of a person would I be if I just sulked in my seat all day and not be happy for you? Go out there and live your dreams, okay?"

He nodded before smiling at me. "Okay, thanks. Thanks for allowing me to meet a wonderful person like you."

"Sure." I whispered as we smiled at each other. "I guess I should get going, I have to get enough rest." I stood up.

He stood up as well. "Yeah, sure. Well, it was nice knowing you. Goodbye."

To be honest, I didn't really knew him at all. Sadly, I had liked him, but that was only because he accepted me and my condition. He didn't really love me and I didn't really love him. But I was okay with that, besides, I didn't have a long time on this earth so I was gonna be happy no matter what.