Chapter 3
"ONE, TWO, THREE- DAMN ITLana, not again!"
Lana groaned.
"I'm sorry.
But your legs are really long and make me feel unsafe!"
Elias grimaced.
"Well your legs are super short and make me feel like a walking tree."
Ignoring him, she sat down with a defeated sigh.I'm so tired,she lamented to herself.Tired of this shit.
"No, no no no no," Elias placed his hands on his hips.
If he added an apron and a skillet, he would have looked like a stern mom.
"We are not stopping until you learn how to freaking move your feet in a nice way."
"Okay Mr. Perfect," Lana yawned, walking up to him.
She was tired of his shit, but she was also determined to show him that herfeetwere not just nice, but freaking danceballs that were going to wreck havoc on anything they touched.
Her hands closed around his.
It's just a dance, she reminded herself.
Then, why was her heart beating sofast?
Oh yeah, she had been dancing for a good five hours.
(Maybe more?
She never physically moved this much ever in her life).
Elias looked surprised for a moment, before his face became pink.
"What are you doing?"
Lana raised her eyebrow at him.
She was good at looking calm, even though her insides were starting to burn with uncertainty.
"We're doing your choreo,stupid.
You did this."
Elias's flustered face disappeared, and Lana pushed away her disappointment at losing her ability to make him blush.
The only time she felt powerful over him.
Not to mention, he didn't look bad with red cheeks.
"A one, two, three, go."
▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
Lana roamed the school, musing over why Powell had called her in today.
Was it the graffiti on the wall?
Because that wasn't her, it was Millie Stephens.
Or maybe it was the list of medically proven, guys who had STD's in her school that had magically appeared on the bulletin board?
Lana smirked.
She spent a lot of time getting to know the receptionist at the local hospital to find that.
The bell jingled as she walked into the principal's office.
Powell smiled.
"Lana!
Please, sit down."
Lana obliged, preoccupied with wondering if she was going to get a detention, or not.
Principal Powell looked expectantly at Lana.
"So, how is the preparation going?"
Lana snapped her head up, confused.
"What?"
"The preparation for the competition, of course!"
Realization sunk in. Lana tried to dispel the image of Elias's pink face out of her head.
She didn't try to understand why that was the first thought going through her mind.
"It's going... okay."
Powell nodded her head.
"Good."
Lana huffed.
"Is this really why you called me to the principal's office?"
Principal Powell looked guilty.
"Actually no. You're mom called.
She told me to tell you that something happened at the hospital."
Lana's eyes widened.
"Why didn't you tell me that before?" She hissed, before jumping out of her seat, ignoring the principal's protests.
"Lana, if you could-"
"Yeah, yeah.
Was it my brother?"
Powell sighed.
"Yes".
Lana cursed silently.
"Did she... tell you anything?"
Powell frowned.
"No...
She didn't." She sighed again.
"Listen, Lana.
If you want, I could tell attendance that you will be leaving early today.
Whatever happened, you can call your mother and have her pick you up."
Lana nodded.
"Thanks bro- er, Mrs. Powell." Then she bolted out of the room.
Damn it.
If it's Quinn again...
Lana turned a corner and slammed into (surprise!) Elias.
"Woah there!" Elias scowled.
"Watch where you're going Stevie Wonder!"
Lana let out a flustered apology.
Noget lost dracula!
or even the classic,shut up loser!
Nope, just a flubbering, "Ah-ma-bluh s-sorry." Then she pushed past him and jogged out of the building.
Elias gaped at her retreating form.
"Damn, wonder what got her knickers in a twist," he mumbled, slinking back to class.
LANA'S HEART WAS BURNING.
Her legs were burning.
She seriously needed to start working out.
Those five minute zumba videos online just weren't cutting it.
She didn't stop running until she burst through the hospital door, dashed up the stairs, and finally stood in front of room 222.
The room seemed quiet, but Lana wasn't fooled.
The last time the room was this quiet, Quinn was unconscious.
She opened the door.
"Lana!" Ms. Rivers jumped out her chair and into Lana's arms.
She was laughing.
Laughing?
Immediatley, Lana swiveled to look at Quinn.
What was so funny?
He looked normal, still hooked up to monitors and machines, a long IV tube connected his hand.
His caramel face stared back at her with chubby cheeks pulling back into a smile.
He was smiling.
And so was the doctor.
Lana's eyes furrowed.Did I miss something?
Did everyone find out that I have to dance with Elias?
"Am I missing something?"
"Dr.
Sparks, please tell my daughter what you've just told me," her mom exhaled, "about Quinn."
Dr. Sparks grinned.
"It would be my pleasure.
Lana, I'm happy to inform that your brother has found a bone marrow donor."
Confusion reigned.
"This is amazing, considering all the odds, the benefactor appeared just in time, or else your brother would have had to stop chemo without any alternative.
But now, ms.
Rivers, so many more possibilities have opened up.
With the new bone marrow cells, new non-cancerous plasma can be formed..."
Lana stopped listening after the word 'non-cancerous'.
Non-cancerous cells?
A non-cancerous body?
A non-cancerous life?
Quinn is going to be okay?
Days and weeks of worry came crashing down on her in hard, heavy torrents.
The feeling was overwhelming.
She rushed to her little brother and hugged him.
Quinn nuzzled her neck.
"Lana, I going to get a surgery!" Quinn looked radiant.
"I know, little buddy!" Lana turned to the Dr. Sparks.
"Thank you."
The doctor smiled, and with a quick wave, left the room.
Lana let out an exhausted woop.
"Can I get a chair?
I just ran a good four miles, and I donotenjoy running when there isn't a life threatening emergency on the line."
- - - - -
"Honey, you should probably go get something to eat.
Quinn is asleep.
You haven't eaten since you got here."
Now that she thought about it, her stomach was grumbling.
Quite viciously, too.
"I'll be back," Lana vehemently replied, but nevertheless got up and headed to the cafeteria.
The mindless, sterile halls of the hospital was bombarding Lana with bad memories.
The sound of the shrill screech of a siren echoed in her head.
The antiseptic smell made Lana think about Quinn.
He was her everything.
Her hero, her best friend.
And now, her survivor.
She entered the cafeteria for the first time without feeling nervousness gnawing at her.
While she scooped some cheap eggs onto her plate, Lana's mind wandered back to Quinn.
She smiled.
Non-cancerous.Her smile widened.
"Non-cancerous," she whispered to herself.
Testing the word in her mouth.
Loving the way it rolled off her tongue.
Soon, she was full out radiating happiness.
Then, she turned around, and her mood plummeted faster than Wile.
E. Coyote falling down a canyon.
Elias Marshall was standing in front of her, looking utterly confused.
"Lana?"