CHAPTER FOUR
(chapter title – Mark – Sarabeth)

Seventeen-year-old Mark Cohen leaned against his locker and stared at the girl across the hallway. She had strawberry-blond hair that stopped between the tops of her shoulders. She wore a long-sleeved purple T-shirt and jeans. She had her back to him at the moment.

"I should go say hi to her." Mark told himself, but he wasn't very good with talking to girls – that was his best friend, Roger's, area. Unfortunately, Roger was at a different school, so it was up to Mark to talk to this girl himself. Just as he was about to say something to her, the final bell rang. Mark sprinted to his second class of the day and quickly got to his seat.

"Everyone, we have a new student. She just transferred here from North High. Her name is Sarabeth Evans." Ms. Powell told her students. Now that she was facing Mark, he could get a better look at her. She had blue eyes with a hint of green and wore silver glasses. Ms. Powell then turned to Sarabeth. "Why don't you take a seat next to Mark?"

"Okay." Sarabeth told the History teacher. Sarabeth smiled at Mark as she sat next to him. "Do you have a pen I could borrow?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Here." Mark handed her a pen with a shaking hand. She thanked him and went to work taking notes and jotting down important elements that Ms. Powell said.

Mark and Sarabeth were assigned partners for their history project, which was good for Mark. He would get a chance to know Sarabeth better.

A couple weeks later, Mark noticed a change in Sarabeth's appearance. She had an ugly bruise on her arm and she looked thinner. He wondered if everything was okay at home. Both his parents were councilors and he knew that they would do their best to help her.

"You okay?" Mark asked as he glued a figure to their project. Sarabeth nodded and let out a dry cough.

"I think I'm gonna go home. I'm not feeling well." Sarabeth told Mark.

"Um, okay. Do you need a ride? I'm sure my mom could give you one, if you need it." Mark told Sarabeth.

"Okay." Sarabeth said, getting her coat. Mark told his mom that Sarabeth was ready to go home.

Sarabeth is scared to death
To hear what the doctor will say
She hasn't been well
Since the day that she fell
And the bruise it won't go away

When Sarabeth got home, she told her parents that she wasn't feeling well. Mrs. Evans felt Sarabeth's forehead and looked at her husband. The three of them got in the car and drove to the doctor's office.

The three of them sat in the waiting room. Sarabeth flipped through an old magazine while her parents talked in the corner.

"Sarabeth Evans? Will you please come with me?" the nurse asked, a small smile on her face. Sarabeth followed the nurse, not noticing her mother follow her into the examining room.

So she sits and she waits with her mother and dad
And flips through an old magazine
'Til the nurse with a smile stands at the door
And says, "Will you please come with me?"

The nurse took Sarabeth's vitals and told her that the doctor would be with them shortly. That's when Sarabeth noticed her mother with her.

"Momma, what if it's back?" Sarabeth asked, tears in her eyes. Mrs. Evans squeezed Sarabeth's hand and let go when the doctor came in.

"Sarabeth, I'm afraid your cancer's back, but there's a new therapy I want to try. Six chances in ten, it won't come back. This new therapy's just been approved and it's the strongest there is. I'm glad we caught it in time. Don't worry, we're gonna take good care of you." The doctor told Sarabeth. She didn't know what to say, so she just nodded her head.

Sarabeth is scared to death
Cause the doctor just told her the news
Between the red cells and white
Something's not right
But we're gonna take care of you

Six chances in ten it won't come back again
With the therapy we're gonna try
It's just been approved it's the strongest there is
I think we caught it in time
Sarabeth closes her eyes

On the car ride home, Sarabeth closes her eyes and dreams that she's dancing. She and her first love are waltzing around a ballroom. She felt a cool breeze blow through her hair.

She dreams she's dancing around and around
Without any cares
And her very first love is holding her close
And a soft wind is blowing her hair

A couple months later, Sarabeth was back in the hospital. She was starting the new therapy that the doctor wanted her on. It had taken its toll on her – she couldn't eat much (otherwise she would throw it back up), didn't sleep much and had lost most of her hair. She cried when she saw the hair on the pillow – what a cruel trick to play on someone, but Sarabeth knew that this wasn't a trick, although she hoped it was.

"Mom, would it be a mistake for a boy to take me to the prom? I don't have any hair." Sarabeth sobbed. Mrs. Evans put a hand on her daughter's shoulder and gently squeezed it. Mrs. Evans didn't talk much – she had some vocal chord damage. Mr. Evans, however, could talk a person's ear off, just like his daughter.

Mrs. Evans shook her head at her daughter's question.

Sarabeth is scared to death
As she sits holding her mom
Cause it would be a mistake
For someone to take
A girl with no hair to the prom

For just this morning right there on her pillow
Was the cruelest of any surprise
She cried when she gathered it all in her hands
The proof she couldn't deny
Sarabeth closes her eyes

Mrs. Evans left Sarabeth to rest just as Mark entered the room, carrying a bouquet of red roses and a bear he thought that Sarabeth would like. He entered Sarabeth's hospital room, put the flowers on the table near the door and put the bear next to them. He then sat down in the chair next to Sarabeth's bed and held her hand in his.

She dreams she's dancing around and around
Without any cares
And her very first love was holding her close
And the soft wind was blowing her hair

Sarabeth was allowed to leave the hospital for prom. She thanked the hospital staff for caring for her as she gathered her things and exited the hospital. She and her mom went dress and wig shopping. Sarabeth had picked out a knee-length peach colored dress and a blond wig that matched her previous hair color. Mark had asked her to the prom and promised to be at her place at a quarter to seven.

It's a quarter to seven
That boy's at the door
And her daddy ushers him in
When he takes off his cap, they all start to cry
Cause this morning where his hair had been
Softly she touches just skin

Mr. Evans smiled and ushered Mark inside. Mark had on a tux, plus a blue baseball hat. Mark smiled when Sarabeth came down the stairs, followed by her mother.

"Wow – you look beautiful." Mark said, handing Sarabeth her corsage. She smiled as Mark slipped it on her wrist. Sara struggled with the boutonniere, but eventually got it. "Oh, there's one more thing." Mark took off his hat and Sarabeth saw that he had shaved his head for her.

"Thank you." Sarabeth choked out between sobs. Mark kissed her cheek and saw that her parents were crying, too.

"You're welcome." Mark said, drawing her close for pictures.

"May I?" Sarabeth asked. Mark nodded and felt a shiver down his spine as Sarabeth touched his head – she felt skin. She removed her wig and headed out the door with her date. She didn't care what anyone thought as they danced the night away.

They go dancing around and around
Without any cares
And her very first true love
Was holding her close
For a moment, she isn't scared

Four months later, it was graduation – the happiest day of Mark's life, other than prom. He and Sarabeth had won the title of Prom King and Prom Queen, even though they weren't nominated.

He had spoken to Sarabeth after prom and she seemed to be doing okay. She was weak most of the time, so he would usually go over there and hang out with her.

Now, on this beautiful day, Mark looked around to see where Sarabeth was, but there wasn't any sign of her. He looked into the audience and didn't see her parents.

"It is my sad duty to announce the death of a senior among us. Sarabeth Mae Evans passed away last night after battling both leukemia and a rare muscle cancer. She would've been seventeen today. Let us take a moment of silence to remember her." The principal told everyone. Mark felt his heart sink – he couldn't believe that Sarabeth had died. He thought about marrying her someday, but now that wasn't going to happen.

After the principal announced the death of Sarabeth, no one seemed excited about graduating. The seniors collected their diplomas, all with frowns on their faces. Ms. Powell squeezed Mark's shoulder as he passed by her to walk off the stage and back where the seniors were seated.

He felt as though a part of himself died that day and vowed never to fall for anyone ever again.