Simple.

He was always in and out of hospitals. Feeling freaking amazing one day; feeling okay the next; feeling like shit the other day. He’d leave the hospital and have to come in a week later for test. They’d stick needles in him; everywhere. At first, it was painful. Very painful. He used to scream and cry -- the pain was so unbearable. But he was used to now. No matter how big the needle got, not matter how far the needle needed to go he never flinched. It was so typical. Nothing he wasn’t used to.

Today was no different from any other day. The nurse, Debbie, walked in, smiled at him faintly and asked, “How are you feeling today, hon?” She began getting the needles ready, glancing at him.

He shrugged. “Okay. Good. I’m feeling good.” He saw his mom glance at him, thinking what he knew she was thinking, ‘Why don’t you just tell her the truth?’ But he was. He always does.

Debbie smiled again. “Good.” She also smiled at his mom, reassuring her. “This may hurt a little,” she said, but chuckled, realizing she didn’t need to say that to him. She proceeded stick needles in his back and chest and hips before smiling and telling him he was all done. She told him to wait there for a minute or two and walked off.

“Joshua. Joshua Harold.” He looked at his mom. “Are you really feeling okay? Don’t be lyin’. There is no point to lyin’. I’ll just find out. I really will.” She tried to glare at him. Although she was glaring at him, her eyes didn’t show anger. They just showed sadness. Hurt.

Josh looked away from his mother. “I’m fine. I really am. I feel perfectly okay. Like there’s nothing wrong with me.” He grinned. He may have been over exaggerating.

Debbie came back in with a smile. “He’s doing good,” she told them both. She gave them both a grin and repeated, “He’s doing good.”

Josh smiled, too. A fake smile. Sure, he thought. I’m doing good. For today.

He was in the library. He never knew why he came here so often -- he wasn’t much of a reader. But there would be sometimes he’d find one hell of an amazing book and he’d sit in the library and read as much of it as he could before the library almost closed. He’d always try to finish the book. He could check it out, take it home, read it. But he’d probably never bring it back. He’d probably lose it. Or forget about. Most likely, he’d just keep it.

But he didn’t find a book in the library. Instead he found a girl. Two girls, to be exact. First, he heard them. One of the girls was giggling. Loudly. “This book shouldn’t be in the library,” she laughed, causing people to look over and try find the disturbance.

Then Josh heard a soft, “Shhh! You need - A-Abatha! You need to be quiet!” Josh walked over, walking over to see the girls who were being loud.

The girl, whom he presumed to be Abatha, laughed loudly again. “You’re no fun,” she joked and lightly pushed the other girl.

The girl stumbled, gasping when she ran into Josh. Josh closed his eyes and winced. A quick, sharp pain shot through his entire body and he shuddered. But he opened his eyes and helped the girl up, smirking slightly. As if nothing was wrong.

“I am - I am so sorry,” she apologized, then turned around, giving Abatha a glare. Abatha crossed her eyes and grabbed her blond hair, twirling it in her fingers. The other girl turned back to Josh. “I’m sorry,” she said once more.

“It’s no problem,” he told her. “It wasn’t your fault, anyway.” He glanced at Abatha who stopped and made a face at him. Josh laughed.

So did the girl. “Well, sorry again…” she trailed off.

“Josh.”

“Noella.” The girl, Noella, stuck her hand out, her smile was genuine and contagious. Josh smiled, too and shook her hand. Noella’s blue eyes traveled up to Josh’s hat which was decorated with music notes. Josh suddenly felt self-conscious. Something he never was. She smiled again before muttering, “I like your hat.”