Surviving Cancer

Friday, November 3

LEVI POV

It was the Friday morning; the morning of the talent show, Maci had landed in my bed shaking me awake.

"Wake up Levi." She repeated over and over.

I groaned and rolled over, covering my eyes with my arm. "It's so early."

"We have school. I need to talk to you, wake up." She repeated.

"My alarm hasn't gone off yet, I can still sleep." I grumbled.

"Please Levi." She asked, her legs draped over my stomach.

I let out a sigh, rubbing my hands up and down my face. "What do you need to talk about?"

"I can't do the talent show." She blurted. "I'm terrified. What if I screw up? What if everyone thinks I sound like crap?"

I laughed, "Maci you're going to be awesome. Everyone's going to love you."

"Yeah but..." She rattled on with all her doubts as I thought about what I had just said. I hadn't told her about the rumors and my outburst in class. She had gone to school the past few days with some people knowing the truth but most of everyone making up and spreading ridiculous things. I wasn't sure if she had noticed, she hadn't said anything. But I knew I couldn't keep it from her any longer. I ran my hand threw my hair, she was probably going to be a little mad I hadn't told her sooner.

"Maci really, you're great, stop worrying. Besides do you really care what people think of you?" I asked.

She shrugged her shoulders, "I mean a little."

"You shouldn't, people say dumb things, and they don't know you. You shouldn't listen to them." I said. She wrinkled her forehead, cocking her head to the side as she looked at me. "I should have told you sooner but when I called during school the other day, well, some kids in my class were saying things about you."

"Like what kind of things?" She asked, her voice quiet and vulnerable.

"Stupid stuff, it doesn't matter." I tried to blow it off but she wouldn't let me.

"Just tell me Levi." She pressed.

I let out a sigh, once again running my hand through my hair. "They were just trying to figure out why you weren't in school."

"Levi." She said.

"It's not important." I grumbled. "They were just saying you had an eating disorder and stupid crap like that." I watched as her jaw dropped. "Don't listen to them. Those people don't matter."

"I can't help it I look like this!" She yelled. "What the hell is wrong with people? And why didn't you say something?"

I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her down along side of me. "You had enough to deal with and then Halloween and it just slipped my mind."

"Is that why people have been weird the last two days?" She asked.

"I told them." She nodded her head; I could feel the tears that were streaming down her face pool up on my chest.

"I hate people." She muttered.

"Me too." I said. "But think about all the good stuff. You got a piano again, tonight's the talent show, Jonah's party is this weekend. It's all looking up." I kissed the top of her head as she laid curled in a ball alongside of me.

"Now I really don't want to do the talent show. Everyone thinks I'm a head case." She muttered.

I sat up, turning to look at her. "Then you get up and show them they're wrong."