Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Darren floated in his hotel room. He shut the door and saw 4 pairs of eyes glued on him.

"Ok, start from when you rang the doorbell," Lee said. Darren told them everything.

"...So now we're a couple," Darren said, proudly.

"Whoo-hoo! Go D!" Karl said.

Daniel was quiet the whole time. "God, what am I supposed to say to him?!" He asked himself. Darren's smile went from ear to ear. Lee was tired, as well Karl and Ben. They went in their rooms to go to sleep.

"Hey D," Ben called out as he headed out the door.

"Yeah?"

"Congrats. Dee is a great girl and its good to see you really happy," he said.

"Thanks Ben," Darren said. He shut the door and turned on the TV. He flopped on his bed and looked over at Daniel, who was still quiet.

"Hey Jonsey, you ok?" Darren asked, concerned.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm ok," Daniel said.

"I can understand you. Seems like the medicine is working," Darren replied.

"Yeah," Daniel said. "Ok, its now or never." Daniel told himself.

"Hey, D, did Delia....um...tell you something?" Daniel asked.

"Tell me what?" Darren asked.

"Oh....I dunno....just something she wouldn't tell anyone else?" Daniel said, stumbling over words.

"No.....why?" Darren asked.

"No reason, just.....wondering," Daniel said. Darren shrugged and went into the bathroom to take a shower. "D!" He called out.

"What now?!" Darren called from the bathroom.

"What time are you seeing her tomorrow?" Daniel asked.

"Not till 1, Karl and I are going running," Darren replied. Ever since Karl had his surgery, he had to go running to keep in shape, so Darren usually went with him.

"Perfect," Daniel thought.

~~The next day~~

BBEEP BEEPP BEEPP

My alarm woke me up the next morning.

"Shut up you dumb alarm!" I screamed. I put my pillow over my head, but it was no use. I couldn’t fall back asleep.

"I hope you’re happy," I told my alarm clock. I took a shower and got dressed. I didn't hear my dad downstairs so I figured he went to the office for a while. I found a note on the counter to prove that from him. I put a pop tart in the toaster and flipped on the TV. I found my ankle and knee braces and put them on. I looked at my watch and it read 11:00. I heard the doorbell ring. I walked to it and opened the door to see Daniel standing on my porch.

"Yo," he said.

"Hey Daniel!"

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"Sure. Who brought you here?" I asked, since he can't drive. An evil smile grew across his face. I laughed. "You didn't!" I said.

"Hey, I may have failed the written part, but not the manual part," he said with an evil grin.

"I can't believe you drove here! What if you got caught?" I asked.

"Then the guys would have a hell of a day breaking me out," he said. He came in and we sat at the kitchen table.

"Pop tart?" I offered.

"No thanks. Oh, here, I brought you some coffee," he said, pointing to the tray that had two coffee cups on it.

"Thanks. Is it decaf?" I asked.

"Nope, black, the way you like it," he said.

"Great. Thanks Jonsey," I said.

"No prob, Dee," he said. I took a sip of my coffee.

"So, what brought you here today?" I asked.

"Well, I need to tell you something," he said.

"Oh, are you in love with me too?!" I asked, kidding around. He didn't laugh and I knew he was serious.

"Delia...I...um....I know," he said.

"Know what?" I asked, drinking my coffee.

"That you have cancer," he said, quietly.

"What?!" I asked.

"I know. Everything," he confessed. I couldn't believe my ears.

"How?" I asked.

"I was at the same doctor you were and I....I saw your folder," he said. I was quiet.

"So you found out. Did you tell anyone?" I asked.

"Not a soul."

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"No. No....it's not your fault. I don't blame you for not telling us," he said. I sighed and a tear ran down my cheek.

"It's so hard. To tell anyone. That's why I wear baggy pants, why I can't drive, why I can't run, everything," I whispered.

"You gotta tell him," Daniel said.

"No."

"Dee..."

"NO! I can't!" I said.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Cause I don't want him to pity me, like the rest of the world. The real reason we got to meet you is because of the "Make a Wish" foundations. We used the excuse of Ben knowing my dad to cover it," I said. Daniel was silent. He took off his sunglasses, ran his fingers through his hair and sighed.

"Look, Dee....I know what you're going through.....," he started.

"NO YOU DON'T! Everyone thinks they do, but they DON'T!! You have no clue!! You're healthy!! You don't have a disease. You're FINE!!!!!!" I screamed. I got up and tried to walk, but my knees gave out and I collapsed on the floor. I started to bawl. Daniel ran to me on the floor. He wrapped his arms around me and cradled me. He let me cry on his shirt.

"Shh....It's ok," he comforted.

"Daniel, I'm so scared," I said in between tears.

"Shh....it's ok. Tell me what you're scared of," Daniel said.

"Everything. I'm afraid one day my legs won't hold out any longer," I said.

"You're not gonne die. Do you hear me? I won't let it happen. You can fight this. You have me, your dad, and most importantly, Darren. That's why you need to tell him. Once you do, he will be with you 100 percent. He won't pity you," Daniel said. I wiped my tears away. "He loves you," Daniel said.

"I love him too," I said. Daniel got up and helped me. He handed me a tissue and I wiped away my tears.

"You gonna tell him?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah," I said. I walked back to my chair as Daniel threw our empty coffee cups away. I pulled out my chair and my head started swimming. I got dizzy. I fell to the floor and I couldn't feel my legs.

"DANIEL!" I screamed. I started to cry.

"What?? Oh my God," he said, rushing to me.

"My legs hurt.... so bad," I said, screaming and crying.

"Ok, hold still, what do I do. Oh God!" he panicked. He grabbed the phone and tried to call the guys. "DAMN! They're out running! Ok, calm...umm.... JOE!" he said. He found Joe’s number and tried to dial it. It was busy. "DAMN!" he screamed.

"Daniel! I'm in so much pain! I can't feel my legs!" I screamed.

"Ok, I gotta take you to the hospital," he said. He picked me up and carried me into his car. He put me in the back. He grabbed the keys.

"Ok, I passed the hospital on the way here. Hang in there Delia, everything's gonna be ok," he said. I was still screaming and crying in pain as he drove to the hospital. He drove up to ER and got me out of the car. He carried me in and the doctors and nurses took over since they knew me. The rolled me off in a bed and left Daniel worried to death. "God, please be with her," Daniel prayed. He sat down and a tear ran down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away.

"OMYGOD! I gotta call Darren and her dad!" he thought. He ran to the phone and tried Joe.

"Hello? This is Joe DeKator," he answered.

"JOE! Thank GOD!" Daniel screamed.

"Daniel?? What's wrong?" He asked.

"Get down here. I'm at the hospital with Delia. Something happened," Daniel said.

"I'll be right there," he said, as he hung up. Daniel tried the hotel.

"Hello?" Lee answered.

"OMYGOD, Lee, thank GOD, get Darren on the phone," Daniel demanded.

"But...why?" Lee started to ask.

"NOW!" Daniel barked. Darren got on the phone.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Darren....," Daniel started.