Chapter 1

Max POV

I was laying on my right side, curled up in a ball on my bed. I absent-mindedly dragged my tongue over my bitterly chapped lips, thinking. It still hadn't really hit me; I was actually dying. Not many fourteen year olds die before they get the chance to marry. Hell! I haven't even had my first kiss yet! Thinking about my first kiss made me think of my best friend-and secret crush- Fang. We'd been best friends since the fifth grade.

Flashback

Today was my first day of fifth grade. I was so excited all summer to be a fifth grader; even during chemo.

Two years ago, when I was eight, I was diagnosed with brain cancer. Sure, it was scary, but when I lost my hair, I could throw it at my nurses and my doctor, Dr. Clyde. Silly, I know, but it was amusing! It was the one up side to chemotherapy.

I just got out of the hospital two weeks ago, because Clyde said he wanted me to enjoy my first day of school. The first few hours flew by, but I did notice that there was a new boy in my class. His olive skin tone shone beneath his silky looking black hair and dark, comfy attire, and when I first saw his eyes, I was exhilerated to say the least. On first sight one would think that they were the deepest of browns. But when I went up to hand my math sheet in to my teacher, I couldn't help but stare at this mysterious new boy through the red curls on my new wig.

I noticed that they were black-yes, black, not brown!- with flecks... no, streaks of dark purple in them. They were... beautiful. I found myself gasping at his intense gaze when our eyes connected.

I sat back down in my chair when I felt one of my curls being pulled at. My head whipped around to the bully of my grade, Ari.

"Quit it, Batchelder!" Ari and his stupid jerk friends snickered behind me. They pulled my curls a few more times and each time I would slap their hands away.

Mr. Morgan dismissed us to lunch and as I was walking to the lunch room I felt my wig being tugged at again, until finally it slipped right off. Immediately, my cheeks reddened as the blood rushed to my face in complete embarassment. The five boys around me were laughing loudly as I scrambled to pick up my wig. As my fingers grazed a knotted strand, they kicked it away from me and into the middle of the hallway.

Everyone knew about the cancer, but I still was ashamed that I had no hair.

I was ugly.

The new kid, whose name I learned was Nick, slowly walked towards the others and I expected his impassive face to contort into a rotten, toothy smile; He had to have helped them make fun of me. Who wouldn't? I'm a freak. However, Nick came up to me and swiftly picked up my wig, looking scarily angry.

"Just leave her alone if you know what's best for you." The guys sarcastically "ooh-ed" in the background as Nick gently grabbed my elbow. When we got to the cafeteria he looked like he wanted to say something, but instead, he just gave me a sad look, handed me my wig and walked to an empty lunch table, leaving me standing there, bald, with a tangled lump of hair in my hand.

Great. He pitied me. Just what I needed. A few minutes later the jerks stalked into the cafe. They all glared at me, but walked past my table. I ate my lunch in silence, wishing I didn't have to be cursed with a dumb tumor in my brain and thinking about the new boy. I threw out my lunch as the period was dismissed; it was time for recess and I couldn't contain my excitement. I grinned, happy to see my best friend, Nudge soon.

I sat on the swing we dubbed "Max's swing", and waited for her, this being our usual meeting place. I was staring at the brick-colored cedar chips when a pair of light-up lavender and navy sketchers stomped into my view. I looked up into the caramel colored eyes of my dark-skinned friend. Her mane of tangled curls bounced around her mocha-toned face, and her bright smile increased into a grin as she threw her slender arms around my waist. She sat on "Nudge's swing" and told me all about her first day of fifth grade.

Suddenly, I heard snickering and then yelling. I looked away from Nudge and saw Ari push Nick.

I barely heard, "You made a mistake standing up for that Martinez girl. She's a freak of nature." Nick pushed him back, though it looked like a much harder push than Ari's was. Suddenly, fists were flying.

"Hold on, Nudge." I said, and ran over to the fight.

To be continued...

So the throwing of the hair thing, lemme explain. The other day I was on omegle (you can talk to strangers) cause I was really bored, and I was talking to this guy who I learned had cancer. He was telling me all about it and I feel like he's part of the reason I'm writing this. He fought the disease- and won :D Congrats, Jessiah! So he was talking about how everything during chemo sucks except that he could pull out his hair and throw it at people. Jessiah, you're a great help to my story, and I'll ask you questions if I ever need to. Thank you so much!

Zach: -sniffle-

Abby: Are you.. crying..?

Zach: That was beautiful.

Abby: Yes, yes, I'm aware, but please. Show some dignity! Anyways, review please! I want to know how everyone likes it so far. Flames are welcome!

Love and Cancer Survivors,

Abby

P.S. Was it wrong of me to leave a cliff hanger during a flashback..?