Two Months Before


My fingers impatiently tapped against the steering wheel, waiting for the traffic light to change from red to green. It seemed as if the world around me was moving at an exceedingly faster pace than usual while I was just stuck.

Suddenly, the light flashed green and I applied more pressure to the gas pedal than I had intended, causing my car to lurch forward, just barely missing the truck in front of me. I raked a shaky hand through my hair, wanting nothing more than to get home and collapse into bed.

As I continued the drive to my apartment, my mind was reeling with images from a scene I was so desperately trying to erase from my memory completely. But even so, I found myself replaying the events of the last hour in my head, over and over again.

My best friend, Cassie, and I had invested in buying an apartment together about four months ago. We had finally moved in and it was perfect. Everything was fine until $500 a month for rent became too much for us to afford and after receiving an eviction notice from our landlord, we had both agreed to take extra hours at our jobs to make more money.

I was thrilled that we were able to keep our apartment, but my schedule change and extra hours at work were leaving me exhausted and drained of energy.

I thought nothing if it; took it as nothing more than just being tired from over-working myself at the diner, but I didn't stop. I couldn't if I still wanted a place to live.

Along with being exceptionally tired, I had begun to develop migraines. Terrible, pounding headaches that went away with sleep and painkillers, but always seemed to come creeping back. Still, I thought nothing of it.

It wasn't until one evening at the diner while I had been working tables and serving, had I felt a sharp pain in my lower stomach. It had been excruciating and caused me to collapse to the floor, strewing dishes and silverware and glasses filled to the rim with soda across the floor.

The sound of silverware clattering and glass breaking had caused a commotion and many of my co-workers and a few customers had come over to make sure I was alright, though, I wasn't even sure of that myself so I'd kept quiet. As I was helped to my feet, I knew something was seriously wrong.

I had been excused home from work that day and after telling Cassie what happened, she had insisted that I make an appointment with my doctor as soon as possible.

With a few tests and X-rays out of the way, I had been anxiously awaiting a call from my doctor, telling me that she had the results.

After weeks of waiting, I had gotten that call today and as I sat on the exam table, nervously fiddling with a lose thread on my jeans, I thought about my mom. I thought about how I had accompanied her to her doctor's appointment all those years ago and suddenly, I knew. My doctor's sullen expression had confirmed it.

She took a long breath. "You have blood cancer, Miss Miller. Leukemia."

The sudden pitter-patter of rain drops hitting the windshield startled me out of my thoughts. I hadn't even noticed that the once clear, blue sky had filled with dark clouds.

I flipped on the windshield-wipers as the light drizzle had gotten fiercer and soon all I could hear was the sound of the rain beating against the roof of my car and all the other cars around me.

I turned up the volume of the car stereo, my Third Eye Blind CD now blasting and blocking out the sound. I watched as car after car, truck after truck, sped along the rain-slick road. Each one hurriedly treading through the water, eager to reach their destinations.

I felt something I hadn't felt when I had been at the doctor's office. I felt fear. I was scared, of course, not only for myself, but for Cassie and my father.

He had taken my mother's death really hard. For months, he had to be forced to eat and he wasn't getting any sleep. I remember going over to check on him two to three times a day just to make sure he'd eaten properly. And even after all of these years, he still isn't completely healed from losing her. I don't think he ever will be. I was all he had left, considering no one had heard from my older brother, Tyler, since my mom's death. It taken a great toll on him, too.

And Cassie. She had been my best friend ever since we were Juniors in High School. She was there for me when my mom died an despite her partying nature and being a pain to live with at times, I loved her like a sister and I'd hate to leave her alone.

It was ironic how the world worked. As I stayed with my mom the last few days of her life, I had made a vow to myself and to my father that I would always take care of myself for his sake. After all, I was the only family he had left.

I started eating healthier, taking all of these heath precautions so I could ensure that I would always be there for him. So I could ensure that he would never have to bury his only daughter.

Yet here I was, breaking my promise. Here I was, coming face-to-face with the same disease that had eventually killed my mother. And even though my death wasn't set in stone, even though there were treatments, I couldn't help but feel that I was just another statistic. It had taken my mother, why would I be any different?

I tried to keep my mind off the fact that I was unintentionally letting my dad down and willed back the tears that desperately wanted to fall, but keeping them at bay had become a battle in itself. Soon, they were spilling over, clouding my vision more than the rain was. I tried to catch my breath as sobs racked through my body, but it was no use.

I'm dying, I thought.

Notes

Hey, new Mike story woo!
Comments are always nice. Tell me what you guys thought about the prologue? It was sort of an introduction to Lana and a little bit of background information. There is so much more to come, okay, I'm so excited for this. (: