No Matter What (A Nash Grier Story)

Alive

When non-cliché day was over, Nash had to actually do some business. I pretty much just walked around trying to occupy myself. I offered help to any magcon worker I saw. I ended up helping move some tech stuff into the room where the party would be. Girls had already lined up in the lobby making me go deaf with their screams. This guy who worked at the hotel stopped me, and tried to hold a conversation with me. I didn't get that too much anymore since I had to wear scarfs on my head in replace of hair. By the end of the conversation, he asked for my number which I turned down.

It was about 1 o'clock in the afternoon, and Magcon was ready and set up. Nash and the boys were doing a sound check and I didn't know what to do with myself. I sat in the back of the room watching them play around on the stage acting like complete idiots.

Before long it was 4 o'clock, I was left pretty much by myself since everyone else was in Magcon. I sat in my room watching whatever was on TV. I ordered room service and relaxed for the first time in what felt like forever. And 5 hours went by so fast, probably since I fell asleep for most of that time. Nash and the boys burst through the door laughing and shouting. I had been sleeping and had crumbs all over me from all the food I had been eating. I jumped awake at the loud noise machines walking through my door.

"We're gonna play a game of basketball if you wanna come, we're all really hyper and bored," Nash said standing at the foot of my bed.

I stretched as I sat up. "What happened to knocking?" I asked playfully. "And didn't Magcon just end like 2 minutes ago?"

"It ended a half an hour ago, and the night is still young. Come on, don't be chicken," Carter teased me.

I stood up and let the rest of the crumbs fall off my clothes. I was feeling more energized then usual since I had just gotten a nap. I took them up on their offer and said I'd meet them by the basketball courts in a few minutes.

I got changed into some basketball shorts and one of Nash's high school lacrosse t-shirts that was pretty baggy on me and I went down to were they were all just shooting some baskets. Mahogany was down there too.

"Great, we can finally pick teams!" Cam shouted as they all saw me walk up. "I call being captain."

"I'll be the other one," Aaron said. They both chose there teams. Me and Mahogany were chosen last. I was put with Aaron, and she went with Cam's team, Nash was playing on Cam's team also.

"We call no shirts!" Cam said eyeing Mahogany. She just rolled her eyes at him. I watched Nash take off his shirt. He looked over at me staring at him. He gave me a weird face and covered his nippIes with his index fingers. I laughed at his immaturity.

We started playing. I wasn't that bad of a player. I had played basketball when I was younger and I was a natural athlete. I was defiantly underestimated and used that to my advantage. I scored a few of our points. Cam's team was winning.

We had just scored a basket and Nash was coming back down the court with the ball. I went to cover him. He dribbled the ball right in front of me trying to trick and tease me with his "smooth" basketball tricks. I laughed when he tried to dribble it in between his legs and dropped the ball. When he regained himself and the ball, he passed it to Jack J on his team who scored a three-pointer.

The game went on and Cam's team won. Nash made sure to come over and rub it in my face. He got his face really close to mine and shook his head like a maniac. I covered his face with my hand and pushed him away gently.

"I think Aaron's team should be no shirts now!" Carter yelled ripping off his shirt. I looked over at him and caught him staring at me. I slowly took off my shirt and threw it to the side of the court. I ran back into the game were we had started. I looked over at Nash who immediately looked away when we made eye contact. I laughed to myself and ran after Jack G. who had the ball.

I was taking the ball back down the court after Nash scored a basket. He came up to cover me. He was standing in front of me flailing his hands all over the place to try and mess me up.

"OW!" I screamed as I clutched my stomach. Nash immediately raced forward by my side to see if I was ok. As he was standing in front of me off guard I ran by him and did a smooth lay-up. All the other guys had stopped playing when they heard my scream. I turned around and saw Nash's head bent down low and his hands on my hips. I ran up to him from behind and jumped on his back, piggy-back style. I started teasing him in his ear. He carried me to the other half of the court not reacting to my tease.

Cam's team ended up winning again.

*****

I was having an uncomfortable night. I wasn't in pain, I just didn't feel right. I couldn't sleep because of it, and all I wanted to do was dance. I hadn't in so long. Things had been so terrible the last couple months. I got out of bed and went down to the hotel gym. It was early enough in the morning for no one to be in that part of the gym yet. I put on the song "Goodnight My Someone" from the musical The Music Man. I had learned a sweet, soft dance, almost ballet number, to it when I did the musical in the past. I remembered every step. I felt like I was shaking rust off my feet as I leapt across the gym floor. I felt like I was flying again. I hadn't felt that in a long time.

I felt the wind in my face as I spun and twirled. I shut my eyes and felt the spotlight, warm on my skin. I could hear the silence of the crowd as they gazed upon me in awe. My toes pointed, my back straight, my arms long, and my hands elegant. It was like I was on the cloud, barely touching the floor. The steps were muscle memory as I pranced throughout the room. Everything felt right in that moment. I forgot I was made of cancer, I forgot that I had gotten in that car accident, I forgot that my dream had been crushed, because right now, my dream was alive.