Chapter 5 - Written in the Stars

Well I'm so bored that I'm firing off these chapters real quickly. I also don't like to wait so I have a hard time not getting these chapters out as soon as they're finished. Oh well, I guess it's good for all of us so you can find out what happens.

Enjoy.

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Thankfully, Flat Rock was fairly close to the Detroit area so the ride was very easy. As they were driving, Otto took a look around the neighborhood. It didn't seem much different than that of Ocean Shores. Sure, there was no salt-air breeze, no palm trees, and definitely no ocean, but Otto could see himself surviving in the neighborhood as long as he had his skateboard and as long as he could get to the ocean at least once a year.

Finally, the car turned in to a driveway and stopped. The house in front of him was about the same size as Sam's house and was located in a cul-de-sac with a wooded area surrounding it. The house looked a lot newer, though, as if it was custom-built.

They exited the car and walked to the front door. "Amy, we're back!" her father called as he opened the door. Otto turned toward the living room as a figure rose from the recliner. Otto's face quickly turned from a smile to an expression of shock as he studied her. She was thin--even thinner than Reggie, the one girl who had an unbelievable metabolism. Otto knew that that was certainly not the cause of Amy's stature. Her face had very little color and one could never tell that she had had beautiful brown hair to complement her blue eyes. She was wearing a screen t-shirt and light blue jeans. Otto tried his hardest not to cry when he noticed how ghost-like she looked. She had changed, of course, taller than before, but that wasn't nearly as noticeable as the negative effects of her disease.

Amy smiled slightly, and that provided a sense of comfort for Otto. At least he was making her day brighter. She came up and hugged him. He returned the hug, being careful not to squeeze too hard.

"I can't believe you're here. It's like a dream," she spoke softly. She then decided that she needed to break the ice, especially since Otto seemed so concerned about her. "You haven't changed a bit," she joked as she ruffled his locks. "And look, you've still got that headband I gave you!"

Otto smiled. He had forgotten all about that. She had purchased his trademark green headband before she moved. "That ought to keep your hair in check," she commented when she gave it to him. Ever since that day, Otto wore it proudly. She had been right; it kept his tall red locks from getting in the way of his face.

"You're right," he replied.

Amy then proceeded to give Otto a tour of the house. It was a pretty nice place and it seemed quite roomy. However, Otto couldn't keep his eyes off Amy. She seemed unsteady when she walked and he was afraid that she would fall at any moment. Thankfully, she did not. When they arrived at Amy's room, Otto noticed that she had a somewhat tropical theme in her room, with a "Hawaiian flower" bedding set (with a surfboard as a headboard) and a few surf posters on her wall. "I may have left California but it doesn't mean that I've lost my interest in surfing," she explained. Otto was glad that she hadn't changed. He also noticed that there was what appeared to be a "shrine" on her desk. There were lots of pictures of Amy and her mother. In addition, she had a Bible below one picture, placed on a cloth. When Otto asked about it, Amy explained that the Bible had been her mother's and that she gave it to Amy shortly before she died. Then, Otto noticed that one of the photos by her bed was of her and Otto. In that scene, they were in Otto's front yard on a hot summer day when Amy snuck up behind her and hit him in the head with a water balloon. Amy had the biggest grin in the world, while Otto had an expression of surprise (and shock from the water hitting him unexpectedly). Otto was glad to see that she still thought about him.

By the time the tour was over, it was time for dinner (although Otto wasn't hungry since he was used to Pacific Time). Everybody sat down to a meal of rotisserie chicken with mashed potatoes and vegetables (Amy's dad had cooked it--after his wife died, he learned how to cook very quickly so he and Amy weren't confined to a life of fast food). Otto ate as much as a normal teenager would, but he watched Amy pick at her food out of the corner of his eye. No wonder she was so thin; she barely ate anything. Then again, he figured that the cancer and the treatment had decreased her appetite. He did notice the half-dozen pills that she took with dinner. They probably didn't help with her condition either.

After dinner, Amy invited Otto to come outside with her. The sun was just setting as she grabbed the telescope from her room. As she pulled the case from her closet, Otto noticed that her skateboard was there but that it was far enough back that it appeared that it had been used seldom. She led Otto out the back door and down a path through the woods. Again, Otto became concerned that she would trip and fall but she seemed to have a feel for the terrain.

Suddenly, they reached the other end of the wooded area. Otto gulped at the irony of the situation. They were now walking through a cemetery! He looked toward Amy for a reaction on her part; there was none. They then walked in to another grove of trees. The one tree she ducked under was a weeping willow and its branches seemed to form a sheltered tent around the trunk. "What a perfect place for a secret getaway," Otto thought. Inside, Amy unfolded a blanket and set up her telescope on a short tripod.

"Here, come look at these," she motioned to her friend. Otto lifted his sunglasses and put his eye to the telescope. "My dad and I found these. It looks like there are a few new stars forming out there. There's also one there that looks like it's not going to be around much longer."

Otto looked around. He had never seen stars like this before. Usually he would be looking with his naked eye. Even Sam didn't have a telescope. After about an hour of stargazing (with Amy pointing out different things to Otto), they sat down on the blanket.

"This was awesome, Amy," Otto commented. "Thanks so much."

"No problem," she replied. "I know I've said this before, but I'm so glad you came to see me. It's been so tough. First, my mom, then moving away, then this." Otto could tell she was on the verge of crying. "I wish I could be a normal girl," she continued. "I'm barely 13 and I've already had to think about where I'm going to be buried." She then burst in to hysterical sobs. "I don't wanna die, Otto. I'm so afraid."

Otto didn't know what to do, so he followed his instincts. He took her hand and embraced her, letting her cry on his shoulder. He even released a few tears as well. Their embrace seemed very comfortable. Although they had never been this close before, Otto didn't feel the least bit awkward. He couldn't describe it, but it seemed as if they were meant to be together.

"Come on, let's get you home," Otto suggested, noting her fatigue. He helped her pack up and they walked back to the house. While Amy was getting ready for bed, Otto took a closer look at her desktop shrine. He curiously picked up the Bible and opened it to the page that was bookmarked. It was a quotation on love that seemed familiar to Otto.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves. Love never fails.

"That was my mom's favorite verse," Amy explained as she returned. Otto nearly jumped off the chair as he wasn't expecting her to enter. "That's what she and my dad used for their wedding and she wanted me to use it for mine."

Otto smiled and she returned his gesture. Both then got in to bed; Otto, of course, slept in a sleeping bag on the floor. Her last words to him that night were: "Good night Otto. You know, I know I said I would walk a thousand miles to see you. I want to tell you that I would still do that even right now." Otto replied, "I'd do the same for you in a heartbeat. Sweet dreams, Amy."

After Otto turned out the light, he lay awake for a while thinking about the Corinthians quote he had just read. He wasn't thinking about Amy's life; he was thinking about his own life. If what was described was "love", then he surely didn't love his sister or his dad. He thought about all the times he had been selfish and boastful. He felt so shameful given the fact that Amy only had one family member to turn to and that she too might be gone in a matter of time. His past complaints seemed so insignificant. "Maybe it's time for a change," he thought.

After much contemplation, he was finally able to fall asleep.

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I did make one major change to the story so that it would not seem like an exact play on "A Walk to Remember," which has already been used for a RP fanfic. In the original story, I believe that the girl's father was a minister. Although I haven't established his occupation in the story, I did not plan for him to be a minister. I did, however, want to incorporate the Biblical quote that was in the original fanfic as I liked its significance to the girl (Amy in this case).

Oh yeah, Scott helped me with the story about the headband. Thanks again.

Please review. More to come soon.