Stay With You (Anthony Rizzo)

16

Maliyah

As the temperatures start to heat up I find myself pretty thankful that I was stuck inside all the time. We have this great thing called air conditioning and I had a cute onesie to keep me warm. So while everyone else lives their lives out in the real world, I was in the children's hospital making edible play dough with the kids and watching Disney channel while getting chemotherapy.

"Hey Mal, you have... visitors" Tamara says as she sticks her head into my room.

"Visitors" I question. I mean I've had visitors before, but it's been a while.

"Yeah. They say their old friends of yours" she claims.

"Oh, okay then. Send them in" I say.

A moment later I see my best friend in the entire world come into my room. Last I heard she was in Paris studying abroad, but she told me she was back a few days ago and she wanted to come visit. And I'm so happy she did and she brought some of our friends with.

"No way" I screech.

"Yes way" she assures me. She comes over and wraps her arms around me. I try my best not to cry as I embrace her for the first time in what felt life forever.

"God I've missed you more than anything I left here in America" she insists.

"I've missed you too. It's great to see you" I insist.

"Well I brought some more friends with me. We all wanted to say hi and check in on you" she insists. She pulls some people from the hallway and I couldn't help but smile. I see some of the girls from the volleyball team and my old college roommate. I was feeling pretty on top of the world....

Until my ex-boyfriend walks in.

"What is Ryan doing here" I whisper.

"What do you mean? He wanted to see you" she insists.

"We broke up" I tell her and her eyes go big.

"What? He never said anything about that. You... never said anything about that" she accuses.

"Sorry "Ryan broke my heart" didn't make it into the life updates when you left for Paris. You know, hard to fit that in between the cancer and almost dying" I joke.

"But you said you've been hanging out with your boyfriend" she claims.

"Yeah. But it's not Ryan. We broke up shortly after I got here and I haven't seen him since at least October of last year" I say. "Once things got ugly he got gone."

"I didn't even ask, how are you feeling" she asks.

"As good as a terminally ill person can be" I insist.

"Well we need to catch up and I want to meet your new boyfriend. Because no offense but I wasn't real fond of the Ryan guy" she whispers and I laugh.

"I don't think you can handle my new boyfriend" I insist.

"Now I'm interested" she smirks.

"Later. I promise."

Everyone comes in and we catch up. It was good to see how full circle my old life has come, even though mines kinda stopped in here, it's good to hear that they all have jobs and are doing good.

The last person to come say hi was Ryan. He still looked great, long brown hair and big blue eyes. He was still fit, he played football after all. That's how he got on my dads good side in the first place.

"Hey" he says as he stares at the floor.

"Hi" I say.

"How have you been" he wonders and I laugh.

"I'm in a hospital, do I really need to answer that" I ask and he chuckles.

"No. But I'm not sure what else to say" he admits. "I feel like a ass for what I did to you and I want to take it all back but I know I can't" he claims.

""I'm sorry" is a good place I start" I say.

"Mal... I am so sorry. I should have never broken up with you, not like that or for that reason at least. You are the coolest girl I know and one of my best friends and I shouldn't have ran like that. I was just so scared that I was going to lose you and I thought hat if I ran away first then it wouldn't hurt as bad. But I couldn't have been more wrong" he rants.

"Ryan. It's okay" I promise him.

"It's not" he insists.

"It is. I was upset at first, but I understand. I didn't want to be a part of this either but I didn't have much of a choice" I defend.

"I know. And I should have been there for you. I should have supported you" he claims.

"You should have... but I don't need you to anymore" I explain.

"What" he asks.

"Someone found me that way you left me and decided that even though it wasn't a lot, it was enough. He loved me for everything I was, and that included being a cancer patient. He has zero free time because he's either at work or here with me. He hangs out here all the time and the kids love him. My family is obsessed with him and it's the same the other way around. And he loves me so much, he tells me every day that I'm beautiful and that I matter to him. He won't let me go through this alone and that's all I ever wanted. And he gives it to me and so much more" I explain.

"Oh... I uh... I'm happy for you" he claims.

"You're not" I accuse and he laughs.

"No. I really am. I'm more upset with myself for not realizing all of this sooner" he says.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. This is a lot to take in, it always is. But I pray for you every night. I pray that you find whatever it is you left me looking for" I explain.

"What I was looking for I had the whole time. But then I lost it when I lost you" he explains.

We stare at each other before the door opens again. In walks Anthony and I was kind of relieved. His presence always makes me feel so much better.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought all you friends were gone. I can come back" he claims.

"No! Stay" I beg and he walks back in.

"Alright. Who do you have with you" he wonders.

"Anthony, this is my ex-boyfriend Ryan. Ryan, this is my boyfriend Anthony" I introduce and Ryan almost chokes.

"You're dating a professional baseball player" he gasps.

"No. I'm dating an incredible man who I love more than anything, he just so happens to play baseball for the Chicago Cubs" I explain.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you" Ryan says shaking his hand.

"Mhmmm" Anthony says and I just shake my head.

"Hey Ryan, can you go get Julie. I promised to introduce her to Anthony" I explain.

"Yeah. I'll send her in" he says.

He disappears into the hallway and Anthony turns to me.

"I want to punch him in his face" he claims.

"Please don't" I beg.

"Why is he here" he questions.

"It's a misunderstanding. I promise he's not a part of my life and he's not going to be" I assure him.

"I still don't like that he's here" he claims.

"Awww. Come here baby" I say as I open my arms. He walks in and I give him a hug.

"Awwwww" someone coos and I look to the door. I see Julie there with her hands over her mouth. "Wait. That's Anthony Rizzo" she realizes.

"It's me" he smiles.

"Wow. It's a honor to meet you. My family and I are big fans" she insists.

"Thanks. You have a good taste in friends" he claims and I poke his side.

"I like to think so" she laughs.