“Can you slow down a little?” I asked him nervously.

“Why should I?” he asked back in a cold voice.

“We could get in an accident or something Alex, seriously,” I said as the speed went up to seventy miles per hour.

“We’re fine,” he said, but he slowed the car down a little.

I leaned into my seat. The leather was worn and I could smell smoke. As I glanced behind me, I noticed the backseat was filled with CDs and DVDs. I saw a CD with a rose and tulips on the front. I picked it up and looked at the name, Summer Flowers. I looked at Alex questioningly. He just shrugged. I stifled a laugh.

“Are you hungry?” he asked me.

“Yeah,” I replied.

“Okay,” he said, pulling into a fast food place on the side of the road.
As we got out of the car, I looked at Alex. His eyes were red and his skin was pale.
“Hey, you okay?” I asked him gently.
“Yeah, just a little tired,” he said.
I nodded and we went into the small shack of a restaurant. I got a salad while he got a burger. As we sat down, he leaned over and kissed me.
I smiled at him lightly, kissing him back.
“I’m so sorry,” he mumbled.
“What for?” I asked.
“For being such a jerk,” he said.
“I just assumed you had your reasons,” I said.
I knew I was crazy. Alex and I had ditched school to drive to who-knows-where. We had been driving for five hours already and I knew school ended in three. We would never make it back in time. I wasn’t worried about my parents though. My mother would be at work and my father was on a business trip in Florida.
I threw out my trash and we walked back to the car. As we climbed in, I looked over at Alex again. He hadn’t said a word during lunch. His eyes were bloodshot and his skin was as white as snow.
“Alex!” I gasped.
“What?” he asked.
“Look at yourself!” I stuttered, pulling out my pocket mirror.
“Oh, God,” he said, “Drive and get us to the nearest hospital.”
His words put me in a panic. This had happened before. I could tell by the tone in his voice. I rushed over and sat in the driver’s seat. He moved over to the passenger side.
I was driving as fast as I could. I saw signs blur past and other drivers curse at me as I cut them off. I didn’t care, though. Alex’s eyelids were blue, while his eyes were pools of red. I pulled into the parking lot at the first hospital I saw. Alex stumbled up to the doors with me. We went in and I called out, “We need a wheelchair!”
A nurse ran over and helped Alex sit down. I rushed over to the front desk and told the lady what was happening. Another nurse came over and took Alex away. She motioned for me to follow. I walked quickly behind them. She told me to stay in the waiting room while Alex got tests done.
Ten minutes later I saw her appear again. She walked over to me slowly and said, “You can come with me.”
She took me to a small hospital room. Alex was lying in the bed, practically blending in with the pale white sheets. There were wires hooked up to him everywhere.
I didn’t know I was crying until Alex looked at me and said, “No reason to waste tears.”
I laughed gently, but it came out as a half sob. A nurse with bright red hair and bright blue eyes came in. She smiled at me and Alex and then said, “Doctor Harland will be here to see you in a moment.”
Alex nodded and then looked at me. He patted the spot next to him, motioning for me to sit down. I did and he kissed my forehead.
“I love you,” he said, looking me right in the eye.
This was the first time he had ever told me that. I smiled and said, “I love you, too.”
A man with graying hair and old silver glasses came in. He looked at Alex and me. He didn’t smile or nod.
“Hello, Alex,” the doctor said, his voice withdrawn.
“Hello, doctor,” Alex said.
His voice was so formal that I had to put all my effort into not laughing.
“I’m sorry to inform you that you’ve had another relapse,” the doctor said.
What? Alex didn’t even have . . . Oh my God. I looked at him and my jaw dropped.
“Why? Why me? What did I ever do? It’s not fair!” Alex sobbed, tears streaming down his face.
“Alex, we’ve called your mother. She’ll be here in an hour with your friend’s parents,” the doctor said, leaving the room.
“Oh Alex,” I said, not knowing how to go on.
“I was going to tell you, I really was,” he sobbed, “it’s been seven years since my last relapse! Seven years!”
“I love you and I know you’ll make it through,” I said lightly.
“Leukemia isn’t the easiest thing though,” he muttered.
I just leaned against him and cried. I cried until I had no tears left. I cried until every breath made me sob.
“You’re right, I’ll make it through,” he said lightly.
“You sure will,” I mumbled into his warm body.
My mother and his mom showed up an hour later.
Both parents gasped at the sight of Alex. His mom rushed over and kissed him. Tears were already rolling down her face. My mother walked over slowly and hugged me.
“How’d you get her so fast?” I asked, quietly.
“Frequent flyer miles,” she replied.
I laughed but all the happiness was gone. My mother wiped tears away from my cheeks.
“He’ll make it through,” she said strongly.
“I know,” I said.
“Let’s go wait in the waiting room,” she suggested.
I nodded and followed her. She bought me a cup of coffee, but I hardly drank it.
“So do you want to explain to me why you’re here and not in school?” my mother asked with a grin on her face.
“Not really,” I mumbled.
The same nurse with the red hair and blue eyes came out and smiled at me. “Alex would like to see you.”
I looked at my mother and she nodded. I walked into the clean, sterilized room. Alex smiled at me and said, “I have to start chemo.”
“Alright,” I said, sitting down next to him.
“And I wanted to give you this,” he said, pulling a small black case out of his jacket pocket.
He handed it to me and said, “I was waiting to give it to you tonight, but well.”
I opened it and gasped. A small ring with a bright purple stone looked back at me.
“It’s not an engagement ring or anything,” Alex says quickly, “It’s just something that reminded me of you.”
I smiled and leaned down to kiss him. I know he’ll make it through.