Believe in Me

Chapter 17

Anna's POV

I woke up at 5:00 am crying. I had another nightmare, but I wouldn't call it a nightmare because it was actually real. It had actually happened before. My foster dad's arms were wrapped around me. He was completely nude and all I had on were the clothes he had ripped and ruined last night. Last night was the worst it has ever been. It wasn't just my foster dad. He had a friend too. They were both drunk and it didn't turn out good. I carefully remove his arms from around me and got up to shower. When I stood up it felt like someone stabbed me between my legs. I winced in pain. I limped to the bathroom. I scared myself when I looked in the mirror. I had a black eye and a bruise on my cheek in the shape of a hand from where he hit me. My face was swollen. I had dried blood all over. I removed my clothes and saw the rest of the damage that had been done. There was more dried blood, bruises, and gashes. I stepped in the shower and the water immediately turned red. It stung the gashes from beer bottles being thrown at me and the cuts I made myself. I carefully scrubbed off the blood and then got out. I dried off and got dressed. I looked in the mirror again. I'd have to find someway to cover this up because I don't want anyone to find out yet. I got the ibuprofen out of the medicine cabinet and took 3 pills. Hopefully that will help the swelling and the pain some. Then I started putting on makeup. Thankfully I have some heavy duty concealer. I put on my normally foundation and then patted the concealer over the bruises. I had to cake it on pretty heavily to cover them up. Then I put on blush and highlighter. I drew on my eyebrows and put on some fake eyelashes then put on my eyeliner. The thing about chemo is that it isn't just the hair on your head that falls out, it is all of your hair that falls out. I mean like body hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, everything. I guess it's a plus that I don't have to shave. I put on my wig and got dressed. By the time I was ready it was already 7:00 am. I went downstairs and got breakfast. Another plus of chemo is that you can eat whatever you want and not gain weight because you end up throwing it all up anyway. I wont eat dairy, gluten, or sugar still. They make me feel really gross and I've heard that it helps with cancer treatment if you cut out sugar. 

While I was eating I realized Jake's parents were still out of town and I have no way of getting to X Factor tonight after radiation. I can walk to the hospital. It's not that far, but I couldn't walk from the hospital to X Factor. I could ride the bus or get a taxi. I don't have any money though. I thought for a few minutes then I decided my only option was to call Demi. 

Demi's POV

I had just finished breakfast and I was getting ready to go to the gym when my phone started ringing. I answered it without checking who it was. "Hello,"

"Hey Demi, it's Anna. I was wondering if there was anyway you could pick me up from the hospital after radiation to take me to X Factor today. If you can't it's fine. I can find a way to get there," she said quickly.

"Yeah sure, no problem. What hospital and what time?"

"The childrens hospital by my house and I have radiation at 1:30 so probably around 2:00 or 2:15,"

"Okay, I'll be there,"

"Thanks Demi," She said and hung up.

*2:00*

I pulled up to the hospital right at 2:00. I parked my car in the lot by the oncology ward and went in. A little bald kid with walking around with an IV pole and a princess hospital gown pointed at me and came running over to me saying "Demi". Her mom followed me. I bent down to her level and asked her her name. "I'm Olivia," she said.

"Hi Olivia, how old are you?" she held up 6 fingers. Her mom asked if she could get a picture so we took a picture and then I went to the receptionist. "Hi, I'm looking for Anna Brown."