Here I was standing in front of my school two days after Nate slipped into a coma. It all felt surreal, like a nightmare that I was going to wake up from at any moment, the only thing different is that I was never going to wake up. Just like Nate. A small voice whispered at the back of my mind. I shook my head vigorously as I stood in front of my locker with my head buried inside. Tears dropped from my eyes, the familiar coldness overcoming my body once again.
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"Angelina? Are you ok?" A familiar voice asked from behind me. I quickly wiped my tears away, plastered a fake smile onto my face and turned around to meet the gaze of Theo. "Yeah...I'm fine sorry I just got dust in my eye." I lied through my teeth.
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He didn't look convinced but dropped the topic, much to my fortune. "So...I wanted to know if you'd come watch Jackson's swim comp. It starts in like five minutes and I know he'd be glad if you were there.". "Yeah, Of course I will. Anything for my friends." I said cheekily.
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He smiled and grabbed my hand, dragging me very roughly toward the indoor pool. I made no attempt to tell him that he was hurting my wrist due to the excited look on his face. We walked through the doors, and found seats next too Jesse, Octavia and the twins.
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"Angie! How are you?" Octavia yelled while hugging me tightly. "I'm fine Oct, how are you?" I asked her with what I assumed to be the fakest smile I've ever put on. "I'm great!" She said happily, I learned that once I got to know Octavia, that she was a very happy person. "Guys quiet! Jackson is about to swim." Jesse said while shushing us.
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I turned my attention towards Jackson who had just dived into the water. I watched him go under, and come up for air every few seconds. He went for two laps and came out first resulting with screams and cheers from everyone including me. He got out as everyone began to disperse to the exit for the meet and greet. We all walked up to Jackson and gave him our share of congratulations.
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I closed my eyes as I felt a sudden dizzy spell wash over my body. I found myself wishing that Alli was here, but instead she took a day off. I opened my eyes and met Jackson's gaze. He gave me a knowing look and for the first time today I smiled, a real smile, even if it was a sad one. "Anyone wanna go for a swim?" Mason asked while wiggling his eyebrows. I looked at him as if he had grown three heads. "It's an indoor school pool not a community pool mate. We'd get in trouble, and I don't even like water." I told him firmly.
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"Wow, the princess doesn't like water?" He asked in a mocking voice. I rolled my eyes at him and turned around, deciding that I should ignore him if I didn't want to be stressed. "Where are you going Angelina, come on let me help you get over your little fear." Mason said suddenly. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion but when I felt someone pick me up from behind I instantly screamed. "Mason put me down!" I yelled. "No cant do princess." He simply replied. I felt hot tears running down my cheeks, my throat started to burn and I felt like i was running out of air.
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Back in England, someone had done something like this to me. I almost drowned due to the fact that I couldn't swim. I always had a fear of water, Josh had explained that when I was four and we were at the beach they had lost me in the water. They hadn't found me until about thirty minutes later and I was sobbing, my skin was almost blue from the cold water and I almost drowned.
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The memory alone set me off and soon I saw the pool coming into my view. I started to trash in Mason'a arms but that didn't stop him. "Bye bye Princess." He said before he threw me in. I felt the water surrounding me, my air gone within a few seconds. The impact was so rough that my head hit the bottom of the pool and soon I saw blood surrounding me.
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I started to cough, resulting in water rushing into my mouth. I chocked, and chocked, and chocked until my vision became black. And the last thing I heard, the only thing I heard was a voice saying, "Why'd you do that?! She could drown and die you fool! It doesn't help that she has cancer!"
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. . .
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A bright light came into my vision, I heard that familiar beeping sound I somehow always manage to wake up too. This time though, I remembered everything, every moment, and the weird thing is that I wished I didn't. I looked around the room and found Josh, who is always here when I wake up, and Jackson who I could trust enough to keep my secret.
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"Guys?" I said with a hoarse voice. They both sat up quickly and stared at my moving figure. "Lina. Oh god....this is the second time this week." Josh said worriedly. "Oh my god, Josh I'm so sorry I didn't know this was going to happen. I know I worry you too much and I'm already asking for a lot from you-.". "Lina, be quiet. None of this is you're fault ok? Its life and we can't exactly avoid it."
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I nodded my head, and turned towards Jackson. "I heard when you told them. I'm not mad, if that's what you're thinking. They were bound to find out when my hair started falling out." I said with a humorless laugh. He walked over and hugged me tightly. "I'm so sorry that Mason did that. I had now idea, you hit your head really hard on the bottom of the pool. They all thought that you were joking but I jumped in and got you out." He explained.
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"Thank you, you saved my life." I told him truthfully. He gave me a small smile after releasing me from his hold. "They're all outside waiting to see you, they wanted to come in but I told them that they couldn't. Would you like me to get them?" He asked skeptically. I hesitated while biting my lip and contemplated whether I should or shouldn't let them in, I decided on the former and nodded my head.
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"Let then in, and can you please get Alli for me? She should be in the cafeteria by now.". "Yeah of course." He said while walking out. I turned towards Josh who had an angry look on his face. "I thought this Mason dude was your friend. Why did he do this?" He asked with clenched teeth. "Uhm...ever since I started school Mason hasn't exactly been well, welcoming. At first he though that I was just a rich brat who lived off of her dad but I blurted out that I haven't even seen my parents since I was five. After that he lasted off a little but he still hated me because of the fact that you earn a lot of money. I told him off but I guess he still hates me because now I'm here."
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"Lina why didn't you tell me all of this?" He asked. "Josh you already worry so much, you work and you don't take breaks and you're always here for me. I've dealt with bullies and Mason is just another one that I'll have to put up with." I told him with tears rolling down my cheeks.
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The door suddenly opened and everyone walked in, I quickly wiped my tears but they've probably already seen the tears m.
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Alli walked in last, a look of sorrow on her exhausted covered face, and that was when I bursted into tears. "Alli." I muttered. She ran and hugged me tightly, saying how sorry she was, the weird part is that I didn't care that everyone was there and I didn't care that I was being weak. Soon I let go of her and wiped my tears. "I'm sorry. I just-.". "No Ann don't you dare say that you're sorry for crying." Jackson said using his favorite nickname for me.
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"You probably want me to explain?" I wake unsurely. "Oh gee, we just found out that our friend has cancer. Why wouldn't we want you to explain?" Octavia said with sarcasm laced in her voice. I nodded and pressed my lips into a thin line.
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"I came here from England because I found out that I have cancer. The doctor that diagnosed me recommended that I come here to the treatment center. I've known for close to three months. I know I should have told you guys sooner but after Mason's reaction to Nate I grew scared." I explained.
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"Angie, you don't have to be scared to tell us things. We may have only known each other for two months but you've easily become one of our closest friends." Jesse said while hugging me.
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"Yeah you don't have to be afraid of us Angelina." Grayson said while joining in the hug. Soon Jackson fell in and the only person left was Mason. He just stood there, like a hard rigid statue. "M-mason?" I called hesitantly.
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His gaze snapped to meet mine. His eyes held regret, I almost didn't believe it. "I'm so sorry. I- I wouldn't have done that if I had known. God I wouldn't have treated you that way if I had known. I only acted like a jerk because I thought that you were using us, I have a lot of bad experience with rich people and I guess I just pegged you as one of them." He rushed out.
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In that moment, I contemplated whether or not I should forgive him. Forgive and forget is what I constantly heard. But I couldn't even forgive my parents who were no where in sight so how could I forgive Mason? I thought to myself. "I'm sorry. It's not in my nature to forgive. I haven't even forgiven my bloody parents who aren't even here, but I'll try to forgive you even if I can't forget." I told him truthfully.
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He nodded and walked out of the room with a saddened look on his face. "Josh do you have a sick bag for me?" I asked knowing that Josh always had a bag packed with stuff for hospital visits. "Yeah I do, I packed some clothes, your phone, your hair brush and your toothbrush." He said while handing me a duffle bag.
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I let out a sigh of relief. "Good, I really need to take a shower. I'll be right back." I said while quickly getting off the bed and heading into the bathroom before he could object. As soon as I closed the door I looked into the mirror. I looked horrible. My hair was sticking out all over the place and my eyes had bags under them due to the lack of sleep.
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Since Nate went into a coma, my nightmares have been coming back and the only way I get rid of them is by using the pills Maggie had given to me. I took a quick shower, brushed my teeth and started to work on my hair when I noticed something. Something that brought dread to my eyes, my hair brush. Or well more along the lines of what was inside of it, a huge clump of hair.
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My hair.
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I started to pull at my hair to see if I was seeing right. Another clumpy fell, then another. I felt my chest constrict, a sob left my burning throat and escaped through my mouth. "No!" I yelled. Soon I heard someone banging on the door. "Lina! Lina open the door." Josh said. I opened it and let him in, knowing that I couldn't hide this.
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"What's wrong? what happened?" He asked. I pointed towards the clumps and when he saw them, he too started crying. "Lina I'm so sorry." He said in between tears. I wiped my eyes roughly and looked at him. "I want it all gone. Now!" I yelled while walking out of the bathroom.
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I grabbed a scissors from my bag, and turned towards everyone. "Cut it off, it's already falling out so cut it all off." I said harshly. They looked at one another then back at me. "Are you sure?" Jackson asked. I nodded and handed him the scissors. He hesitantly walked towards my sitting figure and raised the scissors. He slowly cut the bottom then the top, and then it was all just gone. All of it just gone.
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Everyone stood staring at my now ugly, bald head, while I sat in shock not even believing that my hair was now nonexistent. "Pass me a mirror." I said hoarsely. Jesse got up and kindly passed me her pocket mirror. I took it from her shaking hands, and flipped it open. With closed eyes, I held it in front of my face, slowly fluttering my tear filled eyes open, the sight of my bald head, eye bags and dry lips set me off. I couldn't hold it anymore. I sobbed, I sobbed hard and long.
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Slowly I felt hands wrap around my shaking figure, and soon I realized that everyone was hugging me. Josh rubbed my back like he usually did when I needed comfort. But only this time, it didn't work, and that was the moment everything crumbled, the moment I no longer felt comfort in my own body.
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