More than Existing

Author's note: Are you guys interested now? Was it a big surprise, or did you figure it out in the first couple of chapters? Well anyway, she's got Leukemia, in case you're wondering. This chapter will sound like the end, but it's not, I've still got a chapter or two still up my sleeve. The real reason that I'm writing this is going to come up in those chapters...is anyone reading this?

Disclaimer: I'm a college freshmen, do you really think I've got enough money to own something?

Chapter 7 – "Bathroom Chat"

Janine stood in a bathroom stall on the far side of school. She only hoped no one would look for her there. She'd been crying for a about a half hour now, and she was really glad that she'd chosen a hiding place with plenty of tissues. She was missing 4th period, but she didn't care, all she could think about was how her friends would desert her now. 'I came to school today hoping I could tell them myself and instead that idiot, Duncan, screwed it up. –No, it wasn't his fault. If I'd been honest with Kurt and Kitty from the beginning, this wouldn't have happened.' She thought glumly. Janine reached to get some more tissue to wipe her eyes, but accidentally moved her hurt arm, and she couldn't help but gasp at the pain. 'I need to get this set before it starts to heal wrong. It'll hurt worse if they have to re-break it to set it.'
The door creaked open and Kitty's voice called out, "Janine? Are you in here?" No one answered. Kitty bent over to look for feet in the stalls. It was easy to see Janine's shoes in the middle stall. Kitty walked over to the middle stall and knocked lightly. "Janine, please open the door. I need to talk to you." Again no one answered. "Please, Janine. I want to make sure you're okay," still no response. "Janine, don't make me come in there." There was still no reply.
'Please don't come in! Please just go away!' Janine thought, mentally shooing Kitty away. She couldn't bear to have to face Kitty like this. 'Broken and bald.' Janine thought sullenly, 'What a combination.'
Suddenly, Kitty phased through the stall's door. Janine was completely startled and tried to take a step back but was stopped short because of the toilet.
"Janine, are you okay?" Kitty asked.
"I'm as 'okay' as person can be with a broken arm.' Janine replied, the comment had an edge to it.
"We need to get you to the nurse so she can look at your arm."
"Why do you care anyway?" Janine asked avoiding looking in Kitty's face, she didn't want to have to face "the look."
"Kitty was a little taken back, "I care because I'm your friend."
"Even after I lied to you and Kurt?" she asked.
"Of course. I don't understand why you didn't tell us, but I'm sure you had good reasons."
Janine forced herself to look at Kitty's face. The look Kitty wore completely surprised Janine. Kitty was looking at her as if nothing had changed. She didn't seem scared. This gave Janine a sense of hope. 'Not everyone has given up on me...' Kitty was still looking at her, not like she was dying, but like she was just a regular everyday teenager. This is what Janine had wanted more than anything, someone to treat her normally. It was nice that someone wasn't terrified of her "condition". Janine smiled, "Thanks."
"For what?" Kitty asked, puzzled.
"For being my friend." She replied. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys. I was afraid you guys would freak out like everyone else. I was going to tell you today, but Duncan sort of beat me to it."
Kitty smiled at her friend, "Any other deep, dark secrets I should know about?"
Janine pretended to think for a minute, "Nah, I don't think so, I think the leukemia thing is it."
"Good, now how about we take you to the nurse?"
Janine nodded her baldhead, and followed Kitty out of the stall. Kitty was about to open the door for Janine, but she stopped for a minute. Kitty grabbed Janine's wig off the bathroom counter. "You left this outside. I though you might want it." Kitty said as she handed Janine the wig.
"You thought right." Janine replied as she took the wig. She took a moment to put it on, and then signaled to Kitty that they could leave. Just outside the door Kurt was waiting.
"Are you okay?" he asked urgently. Janine smiled red-eyed and silently nodded. Quietly, the 3 made their way through the deserted halls to the nurse's office.