Cassandra: A True Vegetarian

Chapter 10

The weekend was excruciatingly slow. I tried to enjoy it, but everything I did seemed to remind me of Jack. Was he okay? Did his stomach still hurt? Was I getting paranoid? The latter seemed likely, but I worried just the same. I forced myself not to check on him- it was kind of creepy- which just made me that much more miserable.

"You're just as bad as Edward!" Emmett laughed when he heard me explaining this to Kate. Carlisle's whole family was up here now, including the little half-human and werewolf. Emmett explained Edward's obsession over Bella with unnecessary detail, avoiding his grasp when he came into the room. Of course, Emmett was soon pushed into the kitchen, laughing as he went, and Edward apologized before following after him.

So, I did have some entertainment this weekend, but I couldn't deny the relief I felt when Monday finally came around. I could finally see Jack again!

The morning went by easily enough, and I had to remind myself to walk at a human pace multiple times on my way to lunch. Tanya and Kate stared at me like I was a complete lunatic.

We sat at our usual table, not bothering to get our food, and talked while I waited for Jack. But he never came. Time came and went, and still he didn't show up. A wave of disappointment crashed over me, and a wave of worry. Where was he? Was he sick? I was totally paranoid.

"Um, hey, Veronica," I said, catching my old friend before she left the cafeteria. "Where's Jack?"

"Oh, didn't you hear? Jack's in the hospital. They think he has salmonella." I froze. Jack… was in… the hospital?

"Can you cover for me next hour?"I asked, fighting to keep my voice low.

"Sure," she said, obviously confused. "Why?"

"I need to see Jack." My voice was strained. I had spent the entire weekend trying to stay away from my boyfriend, and now I find that he's in the hospital! I wasn't being paranoid, I was being perfectly sane. This is exactly why I worry! He was never going to leave my sight again.

I forced myself to slow down when I got to the parking lot. After all, it wouldn't help Jack heal if he saw me panicking like this. I walked through the double doors calmly but quickly- if you can call human speed 'quick'- and right up to the main secretary.

"Jack Derekson?" I asked, not entirely keeping the worry out of my voice.

She looked up and gave me a sympathetic- but somehow still bored- look. "Room 220," she said. I thanked her and walked away at a normal pace until she could no longer see me. Then I was off, rushing through the hallway and stopping just in front of his room. I almost opened the door, but something stopped me; there were two heartbeats there. One of them was fainter, weaker, which must have been Jack's, but the other one was strong and healthy. I guessed that this was his mother, or a nurse.

I heard the stranger get up from their chair and slowly walk over to the door, where I was standing just on the other side. I backed up a few steps so I would look like I had just gotten there.

Jack's mother stepped out of the room and almost ran into me.

"Oh, sorry Cassandra," she said, wiping her eyes.

"It's okay," I said, pausing. "How is he?"

"Well, he claims he's feeling better," she whimpered. "But…" she stopped talking as more tears filled her eyes.

"But what?" I asked quietly.

"They've given him less than a week!" she choked, bursting into loud, slightly embarrassing sobs. A strange pricking feeling crept up into my own eyes, and I knew that I would be crying too, if I were still human.

"It's okay," I soothed her. "Everything's going to be fine." A sudden, fierce determination made me set my jaw. "I am NOT going to let him die like this."

"That's very brave, sweetie," she said doubtfully. Obviously she thought this was out of my control, that I couldn't do anything that would change his future. Well, I could do one thing.

She patted my back and started walking in the other direction.

"I'll let you two be alone for a while," she said. "And I'll let the school know you're here so you don't get in trouble." This was why I loved Jack's mom; she didn't lecture me about skipping school, especially under the circumstances. She just let me be and kept me out of detention. I was grateful.

As soon as I walked into Jack's room, I knew the image I saw was going to haunt me for the rest of my life. My friend lay in a small white bed, mostly covered by blankets, but what I could see of him was all skin and bones. He was as pale as me, and a little green, but that wasn't what scared me. He had been strong and healthy just three days ago; that happy-go-lucky teen had been reduced down to a skeleton with a heartbeat in record time.

The doctors gave him less than a week. I gave him less than a day.

"Hi," Jack said when he saw me, smiling weakly.

"Hello," I replied. Then I took a deep breath. "Jack, I need to talk to you." I had to tell him, about me, about all of us. He had to understand that there was an alternative to death.

"Shoot." He patted the side of the bed, inviting me to sit; I was surprised it didn't break his arm.

I walked the short distance to the other end of the room and sat, picking up his hand gently. It was almost as cold as mine.

"I'm not gong to sugar-coat it," I told him, putting his palm to my cheek. "Jack, you're going to die soon." His heart rate sped.

"No, I'm not," he objected. "I'm getting better…" I put a finger to his lips.

"Don't talk, just listen. You're not getting better, you're getting worse. The doctors have given you about a week, but I honestly don't think you'll last that long." I paused, stroking his cheek until he closed his eyes. "You do have another option, though, if you choose to take it." His eyes fluttered open.

"Anything," he said, looking at me hopefully.

"You may want to hear what it is first," I said, laughing humorlessly. "I've had enough trouble adapting to it, and I certainly don't want you to go through that." He watched me questioningly. I sighed.

"Jack, I'm not what you think I am." His eyebrows creased.

"What-"

"Just let me explain," I said, cutting him off. "You've been wondering about the way I eat. And my new face. And my strange eyes. And probably plenty of other things, too. Did you happen to realize that all of this changed after the car accident?" He thought about it and nodded. "Well it wasn't quite the car accident you're thinking of." Again, the questioning eyes.

"Well, I was walking home from school on Friday…"