Surviving Cancer

Friday, November 17

LEVI POV

I left for school early, leaving Maci to get a ride from someone else. I swung by Walmart first, grabbing a bouquet of flowers and some chocolates. I wasn't going in empty handed this time. I swung my backpack over my shoulders, the bouquet and chocolates in one hand and my phone in the other. I had a solid 10 minutes before Emma even rolled into school. I was going to go to my locker, grab my stuff and then park my butt in front of her locker. She'd have to at least talk to me long enough to ask me to move and that was better than nothing. A few short minutes later I was standing with my back against her locker, staring down at the bouquet of orange, pink and yellow flowers. I spun them in my hand, watching the colors blur together and then separate with each rotation.

"You know that isn't going to fix anything." My head jolted up at the sound of Bailey's voice. "She's not going to just forgive you because you keep blowing up her phone and brought her flowers."

"Leave me alone Bailey." I muttered, refocusing my attention on the flowers again.

"I mean seriously, what were you thinking?" She continued, "What do you even see in Jackie?"

I rolled my eyes, "Leave me alone."

"I don't think so. I think I'll actually stay and watch you flounder your way through this." She smiled at me, before looking up and past at someone else. "Hey Emma."

I pushed myself off Emma's locker, my hands instantly sweating around the plastic wrap the flowers were wrapped in.

"H..hi..hey.. uh.. these are for you" I shoved the flowers towards her, "and these."

Emma stared at my outstretched hands. I was waiting for some snarky reaction like throwing them on the ground or handing them to someone walking in the hallway. I had played the scene over and over in my mind, I was expecting it and I wasn't going to be surprised. I took a deep breath waiting for it.

"Thank you." I opened my mouth to start the next lines of the speech I had been reciting in my hand when I realized that the flowers weren't being trampled and she hadn't passed off the chocolates. That was good. Maybe I had a chance. "Levi?"

"Yeah?" My voice came out a little strangled and a little too breathy.

"Can you move?" Emma asked.

"Oh yeah, yeah, sorry. But first I just wanted to say I'm really sorry and I know I screwed up but will you please give me another chance?" I blurted it out all so fast I was surprised it wasn't just a mumbled mess. "I know I don't deserve one and I know it took me being really stupid to realize that you're the one I want but I swear to God I know that now and I'll do anything. I mean anything for another chance please."

Somewhere through my ramble I had dropped to my knees, my hands on her hand that was holding the chocolates. She stared down at me with her beautiful greens eyes. I couldn't read her emotions but the fact that she was listening and letting me touch her had to mean something.

"Levi, get up." She said, her voice sharp.

I took a deep breath, letting her hand go and left my dignity on its knees as I stood. "Please Emma."

"Why? Why should I give you a second chance? I'm not the one you want to be with otherwise you wouldn't run to Jackie every time you're feeling sad." She folded her arms across her chest as she stared right back at me.

"I know. I'm an ass. But I swear..." I started.

"Levi, you go running to Jackie every time you need someone to make you feel better. I'm not stupid. I know you're not just "talking". How am I supposed to..." I stopped listening to Emma. Behind her was Greg. He had walked up at some point, when, I wasn't sure, but he definitely had heard our conversation, at least Emma's part.