“You know, you didn’t answer my earlier question,” Kellsie says with all seriousness.Shit.“Are you going to hurt him?”
My breath stutters, all the air having left my lungs. As much as he used to annoy me, as much as I thought he was just some crazy immature playboy, the thought of me doing anything tohurt him hits like a punch to the gut. He’s done so much to keep me safe, to protect me. Not to mention the thought of anyone else hurting him makes me want to roundhouse kick someone in the face.This is normal, right?
“Kellsie, I would never hurt him. Sometimes…” My voice sticks in my throat. “Sometimes relationships don’t work out, but I swear I will never do anything to hurt him.”
She tilts her head, her eyes closed deep in thought, then finally nods once. “Good answer. And if you do hurt him, I have a scalpel hidden in here, and Iwillfind you.”
“I guess I’d better keep my promise then.” I laugh, the two of us seeming to have the same sense of humor. “So, how long has Jordan been coming to visit you?”
“The Riders did an event here last season, and we just kinda clicked. He said he had sisters he misses like crazy, and I have a brother I don’t get to see very often since he’s away at college. The day he came, I was watching the Barbie movie on my iPad, and we talked about Ryan Gosling’s performance and how he was robbed of the Oscar. He’s the shit.”
My eyes widen as I clutch my chest. “Are you allowed to swear?”
“When you have cancer, your parents really don’t care if you cuss. There’s a lot of downsides, but that’s definitely one of the perks. Also, getting to cut in line places ’cause you’re sick.”
I offer her a smile, stunned at her optimism. “I’m really glad you can find the bright side of things.”
She shrugs. “No one knows when their last day is going to be. I hope mine is a long time from now, but you never really know. It’s just a lot more likely for me to go sooner, so I try to live every day doing whatever I want.”
“I’m sure that’s hard some days,” I whisper.
“Yeah, it can be, but if I dwell on what’s going on with me, it’s too depressing. That’s why I like following crazy shows onTV and chatting with people like Jordan. And you! He told me you’re a pilot. That’s badass!”
“I have to admit, it’s a pretty cool gig.”
“I think it would besocool to get to fly a plane. Being stuck here in this damn room makes me wish I could see new places that don’t have snails painted on the walls.”
I snort as I look around the childish decor. “I guess they really don’t have teen rooms here, do they?”
“No. But at least it’s better than the adult floors and their stupid beige walls. Why is everything beige?” She shivers, sticking her tongue out. “No one likes that color.”
“Oh my God, Kellsie…same.I hate beige. It is not in my color wheel,” I say as we high-five.
We’re still chatting and laughing as a knock at the door interrupts us.
“Can I come back in?”
“Yep!” Kellsie yells toward the door.
Jordan peeks his head in, looks at her, then looks back to me, his smile disarming. “Kennedy, blink twice if she’s holding you hostage.”
I stand with my arms raised as he comes back in to join us. “I’m fine. Kellsie’s pretty damn cool.”
He smiles wider than the entire hospital floor as I bite my lip, trying to keep my ovaries from melting into a complete puddle.
“Well, Kellsie, what’s the verdict?” he asks with a shaky voice. I pick at my nails as we wait for her response, as if he really does take her opinion seriously.
Honestly, I think he does.
She looks back and forth between the two of us, pursing her lips and taking her sweet time deciding exactly the right words to say. She smirks, finally letting us off the hook. “She’s cool. I approve. You can keep dating.”
Jordan clutches his hand over his heart, very dramatically acting like she’s revived from an actual heart attack. “Thank God.I was really hoping I didn’t have to break up with her.”
“What?!” I say, my voice just as shocked as his. “You would really have broken up with me if she didn’t approve?”
“She’s the boss! You’re lucky she said yes,” he says, leaning in to kiss me on the cheek as a full army of butterflies fills my stomach. A nod of approval from his teenage friend, a kiss on the cheek, and my knees are threatening to betray me. He stays close to my cheek as if telling a secret only to me, but saying it loudly enough for Kellsie to hear. “Be glad she said yes because I talked to her mom in the cafeteria about seeing if we can get her to a playoff game this season.”
“Seriously?!” Kellsie screams as her face lights up with excitement. “I’m supposed to be going home in a few days. Oh my God, pleeassseee let my doctors clear me to go!!!”
