Gwendalynn: The Girl With Cancer

Gwendalynn | 2

When we became friends...

JULY - 2010

A week had passed. I'd gotten a few calls from my brother. He'd told me when he'd be flying in and he was actually really excited. As for me, I kept on with my community service. I'd helped out with Misty cooking some things. She mainly let me do the sandwiches while Lorenna just passed them out.

Every day since I'd met Gwen though, we'd sit down and talk. She was easy company and I liked taking my breaks and spending them with her for about ten minutes. She was fun and casual. Unlike anyone I've really met that's not my brother, but he gets annoying after a while. Gwen doesn't. She's grown on me. The way I never thought anyone would. Misty often gave us looks, like she predicted we'd be a couple soon, which I highly doubted.

I had grown to like Misty and Lorenna as well. When Jeann had come to check on me, she'd glare at me and ask Misty and Lorenna if I was behaving; which they always said yes to. I was actually really good and nice to them. With Jeann, I'd easily give her a dirty look and mock her, which resulted in her complaining to my dad who mainly just scolded me. He cared more about my service than my attitude toward the cranky front desk lady.

Today, I was actually really tired. My dad dropped me off when it was about breakfast. I walked into the kitchen and nodded to some of the men and women who helped in the cafeteria that I didn't know. They nodded back and I proceeded to stand by Misty who instructed me to clean the floors today. They apparently finished most of the wrapping and stuff. People had already left after they'd grabbed their food. Only a few were in here now. I grasped a mop and wiped the floor.

When I finished, I went back into the kitchen. Misty and Lorenna had me help prepare some lunch foods. When lunch did roll around, like always, I had waited for Gwen. She came down at the time I learned to memorize. 11:25. It was always a minute before, on the dot, or a minute after. I wondered why. It didn't matter much though, did it?

"Hey, Kyle!" she exclaimed as she grasped a turkey sandwich.

I smiled. "Hey." 

She nudged her head to the usual table we sit at. I waved to Misty notifying to her that I was taking my usual break with Gwen. She smiled and nodded. I hurriedly left behind the counter and strolled towards Gwen. She'd already sat down and started eating her sandwich.

"So, how is it today?" she asked, her mouth half full as she modestly covered it with her hand.

I shrugged. "Alright, I guess. What about you?" I set both my elbows on the table and folded my arms.

"Well," she started, her finger touching her bottom lip as she glanced at her water bottle. She set one elbow on the table and swallowed. "We found out when I'm going to start my chemotherapy."

"Really?"

She nodded.

"W-when?" I asked, unsure of why I stuttered.

"September," she replied quietly.

"Are you scared?" I fiddled with my fingers nervously.

She didn't make eye contact and just sat there, thinking for a moment.

"I don't think I'm scared... as I am nervous..."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Well, if you think about it, I'm not scared that I'm doing it. I'm just nervous about what people will think of me, how they'll look at me. I'm not scared of what chemo will do to me. I'm nervous about what I'll look like."

"No one's going to judge you based on your appearance, Gwen. They'll know you have cancer." I said.

"That's the thing. They'll know." She rubbed her forehead, obviously frustrated. Then I suddenly noticed she was on the verge of tears. "I don't want them to know. And I'm going to look ugly."