Love on the Line

40

Blaire's POV

Thank goodness we were only texting. Had he called, I would never have been able to keep up the lie.

"And you're sure he has no idea?" Harper questions as our parents sign my final hospital discharge papers.

"Positive. It'll be a total surprise."

"And you're sure you want your first stop outside of this hospital to be Crestwood High School?"

"Yes. Absolutely certain."

"You're ridiculous, BlaireBear. You were declared in remission a whole 2 hours ago and you want to kick off the celebration with a gym full of sweaty boys."

"The things we do for love, Harp."

"The adorableness of your relationship almost sickens me."

"You're just mad West Valley didn't make the game."

The glass doors of the hospital slide open and for the first time in months my skin is hit with the wintery Washington air. I inhale deeply and I can't help but laugh in absolute joy. I'm free.

"Come on kiddos, if we hurry we'll make it before warm-ups start." Dad takes off in a brisk walk and we quickly follow.

.......

After spending so much time in a hospital room, I've forgotten how loud a crowded area can be. The gym is teeming with life. Smells, colors, sounds. For the first time in so long, I finally feel part of it. No longer am I followed by a sense of impending doom, instead, I'm hopeful. Beyond everything, though, I'm filled with love, and as my eyes scan through the cluster of boys wearing yellow Crestwood High warmup jerseys I only have one thought on my mind. Jake.

I see him before he sees me. He's dribbling down the court for a layup drill. He makes the basket easily, and turns to join the line, that's when our eyes meet.

I watch his jaw drop and he tilts his head, as if he doesn't believe it's happening. Then, another boy on the team, probably Lee, nudges him forward, and suddenly he's taking off at a full sprint down the court to meet me on the other end.

Before I can form a sentence, he wraps me in his arms and lifts me into the air. Then, his lips crash down onto mine.

"Blaire! What-when-how?"

"I didn't know we were playing 20 questions." I tease.

"What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean? I go to school here. Well, starting in a few weeks I part-time go to school here."

I don't think Jake's face can hold a bigger smile.

"What!"

"I may have sorta lied to you earlier... My doctors appointment was this morning, not this afternoon."

"And?"

"And you're looking at the smiling poster child of A.L.L. remission."

Before I can speak Jake kisses me again. I vaguely hear Kimmy gagging in the background followed by a loud thwap. Thanks Harper.

"I can't believe you're here."

"Well believe it Mister. I'm here for you and only you...well, maybe I want to watch Lee too."

Jake raises an eyebrow at me and I laugh loudly.

"Okay your coach is starting to give me a look, so I'm going to head up into the bleachers now. Win this one, okay?"

"Okay. And Blaire?"

"Yeah Jake?"

"I love you."

Jake gives me a final bear hug and jogs back to his team. Upon returning, Lee slaps him on the shoulder and then turns to wave at me excitedly. I wave back smiling, then retreat to find my family in the crowd.

4 months ago, I sat alone in a hospital bed. Each day was a blur of medications, rerun television shows, and silence. That all changed with one phone call.

In an act of God, or fate, or whatever you want to believe in, Jake and I found each other, and it changed everything. We learned that life can be complicated, and scary, and also incredibly beautiful. And now, as I sit on an uncomfortable bleacher bench and watch the boy of my dreams play his favorite sport, I can't help but think, sometimes, love is worth putting everything on the line.

The End.

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Thank Ya'll SO much for taking the time to read this story. If you like Blaire and Jake's story please vote and comment! If you like dialogue stories like this one hit me up and let me know so that I can write more of them. :) XOXO