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August 31st, 2008. 5:18 pm
"I'm sorry, but I have some bad news."
The doctor peered over his glasses to look at me with his dark beady eyes. Mimicking a model, he pursed his lips while putting a hand on his left hip in a ladylike way and shifted his gaze to study a folder filled with my medical records again. His actions and high voice made me question his sexual orientation.
Was he wearing eyeliner?
I almost giggled but I felt my mother squeeze my hand and I looked up to meet a grim expression on her face. Not wanting to be reminded of the reason why I was here, my eyes wandered and I looked down at my bright green converse and couldn't help but notice how much they contrasted with the dull white linoleum floors of the hospital.
After a while, I stopped trying to find distractions and waited for the balding man in front of me to tell me what I already knew.
--
July 1st, 2009. 8:02 am
It was the first day of my third year at Camp Rock.
It was the first day of my last year at Camp Rock.
And not because I was getting too old to go.
-
It was bright and sunny outside. All the campers were enjoying their first few days of being free from school. Wasn't escaping to the woods and singing or playing your hearts out every kid's dream?
I glanced to my right and behind a guy drumming on everything his drum sticks could reach was a familiar figure rushing over to me and our group of friends.
"Hey guys!" Mitchie greeted me, Lola, Barron and Saunder. She looked as happy as ever. Even happier than last year. Her smile looked so big it could fall off her face. But you couldn't expect anything else from Mitchie 'I've-been-dating-a-popstar-for-a-year-now' Torres.
I noticed her hands were empty.
"Where are your things?" Lola got to voice my thoughts before I did.
On cue, as if he had been trained like a circus animal, Mitchie's boyfriend walked up to our group lugging her suitcase and guitar behind him. I noted that he was sporting the exact same haircut as last year. In fact, nobody really looked any different.
Except for me. I was paler and thinner. I hadn't bothered to visit a hair salon all year. People at school practically called me anorexic right to my face, not caring at how hurtful their tones might have been. But it didn't matter. It felt like I had given up on life anyways.
As expected, a long pink limo rolled up beside the camp. A blond wearing sunglasses stepped out and was handed her pet dog in true Sharpay fashion. Now pretty much everyone knew her role model wasn't T.J. Tyler anymore. Next thing you know, Tess would be getting a nose job.
I wasn't the only one who was watching in amusement as the small brown puppy started licking Tess' face. She immediately flung it as far away from her as possible, sending it running into the woods. Its whimpers and yelps filled my ears. I felt like running away too.
Now everyone who had turned to look at the scene she was making started to lose interest and resumed when they had been doing before the arrival of the coral-coloured limo.
-
It was lunch time and all the campers started making their way to the mess hall, myself and my friends included. All of us, Mitchie, Shane, Jason, Nate, Lola, Saunder, Barron and I walked over to a table that managed to fit all of us and sat down.
Feeling chatty and excited, Mitchie spoke up, "So anything interesting happening?"
She hadn't stopped smiling the whole time she'd been here.
Her question was met with various responses.
"I'm learning how to play the electric guitar."
"I'm teaching krumping to a six year old."
"Well, we're going on a European tour in September. A band called the Jonas Brothers are going to be opening for us. They're pretty good. And Shane worked it out so Mitchie can come with us and sing their duet for one of the locations. It's going to be really fun. We're going to London and -- "
"I'm getting a birdhouse!"
I kind of zoned out at that point.
Ten minutes later, the group suddenly burst into laughter at something Saunder said. Something about Barron meeting Miley Cyrus and shrieking like a girl. I wasn't really paying attention to the conversation, but I caught bits and pieces like Lola's new boyfriend's name was Zeke and Shane staying at Camp Rock for another summer -- this time accompanied by his band mates too. He had said something about good publicity for Connect 3.
"You seem really quiet, Caitlyn. You haven't said anything at all when you're usually so talkative."
"Yeah, is everything okay?"
"I'm fine ...just hungry. Uh, I'm gonna go get something to eat."
I offered a small smile and stood up. I made my way over to the table covered in food and picked up a plate and realized Nate had followed me to go and get food for himself.
Hungry, I wanted to reach over the chips and grab a sandwich but just looking at food made me want to throw up. I felt famished though I didn't want to eat.
Before I knew it, black dots started to cloud my vision.
"Are you okay? You don't look so well." The voice was hesitant but the one thing I noticed the most was that it seemed so distant when in reality, the person who had spoke was standing right beside me.
I tried to meet his concerned gaze and open my mouth to explain I was fine to yet another person but my world tilted.
And everything faded to black.
--
August 31st, 2008. 5:20 pm
" Miss Gellar, I'm afraid you have cancer. I'd assume you'd have about a year to live, but if you'd consider treatment we might be able to prolong your life. I offer you and your family my condolences."
Beside me, my mother collapsed in tears.
--