Do Not Expect Me To Read You a Story

There i was, walking down the street to get to that fucking hospital. My driving license had been taken away one week ago, for it was the second time the cops caught me driving drunk and thanks to that I had do to community service by spending two hours a week with people at the hospital.

I crossed the front door and I approached to a nurse behind a desk. She took a look at me while she was chewing a big piece of gum.

“Name…” she said

“Zachary Baker.” I answered

“They sent you here, right?” the lady asked.

“Yeah..” I sighed and I crossed my arms in an arrogant way.

“Come with me then…..” The nurse stood up and I followed her. We went through a big hallway until we got to the garden. I was looking around until the annoying voice of the nurse interrupted: “Hi Richelle. I brought you some company darling.” The nurse turned back and left me there standing in front of a girl. She was sitting under the shade of a tree. She must have been about sixteen or seventeen, her hair was dark and long and she had big brown eyes.

“Hi.” She smiled at me with her pierced little pink lips.

“Hello…” I stood there. The idea of spending time with this people made me so fucking mad.

There was a big silence for more than ten seconds, until I noticed she was still looking at me. I Looked down again and she tapped on the ground inviting me to sit next to her. I sighed and I sat down.

“You don’t have to be here.” I heard her voice talking to me.

“Listen Kid, There is a difference between having and wanting. This time I have to be with you, but I don’t want to. Got it?” I rolled my eyes and I looked away once again.

“Oh.. I ….” She stopped for a second. “ I like your tattoos.” She said looking at my arms.

“Ok Kid, Can We just Sit on the ground and wait for this fucking hour to finish?” I was not in the mood for one of those fangirl-chatters I used to have after giving a show.

“As you wish…” she shrunk her shoulders.

“Fine.” I closed my eyes and crossed my arms trying to relax.

She laid her head on the ground and looked at the sky, smiling, as she always did. I just stared at her. I had to admit she was really hot and pretty. We spent the next forty-five minutes sitting on the ground without saying one word. Finally the nurse came out and waved at me, that meant the visit was over. “Thank God…” I said to myself and stood up and started walking. “Bye.” I heard a sweet voice. I turned back and looked at the girl; her big and beautiful sparking eyes met mine. “.ugh... Bye kid.” I said to her and I kept on walking.

The week passed by as usual, hanging out with the guys, beer, groupies, our music, more beer and… beer. But before I noticed it was Monday again and I had to attend to the hospital. I asked for the girl to one of the nurses, she told me she was outside, so I went to look for her. When I got to the garden I found her sitting at the same place she did the last time. I walked towards her.

“Hi Kid.”

“Hey.” I could see excitement in her eyes when she noticed me.

I sat next to her without saying a word. For about twenty minutes I stared at her, she seemed to ignore my presence, and being ignored was something I could not stand. I had to be the center of Fucking attention, but she was just sitting there smiling pretending everything was fine.

“Kid, Why the fuck are you always smiling if you are inside this fucking place and your life seems to be so fucking bored?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking her. I know I was rude but I needed to know why she was always smiling.

“And why not? Why are you always this mad and rude if your life seems to be so fucking wild?” She looked at me, but this time I could tell I had made her mad by asking that question.

“Ouch…I guess I will bite my tongue next time.” She wasn’t as sweet as she seemed to be…

“You should… Zacky.” I could tell I made her mad by the way she said my name.

“Woah! Hold on a minute. Do you know who the hell I am?”

“Yes, You are Zacky Vengeance, you are my favorite guitarist and you play for my favorite band, but now I can see you ar not as awesome as I thought you were; Now you are just some guy who visits me for obligation and hates hanging out with me… but I do not blame you, you are too cool for hanging out with somebody like me…” After hearing those words I was speechless, but I guess I deserved it, I was being a complete asshole to her.

“Ok… I can see you are not as sweet as I thought you were kid…” I scratched the back of my neck.

“Glad you can see it.” She sighed and tried to stand up, but I grabbed her arm to stop her.

“Listen kid, Im sorry for being such an ass to you. I it is not you fault.” She looked at me once again.

“No, don’t be sorry. There is a difference between having to and wanting to. Remember?” I let her arm go and I shook my head.

“Now what? You are the offended one?” she asked.

“No, it is just that…. Don’t leave ok?” I didn’t wanted her to go, I didn’t know why but even though we never talked I started to enjoy looking at her sitting there, smiling.

“Why should I?” She asked, still a bit mad.

“Please…” She sighed and she sat once again.

We spent there five more minutes without saying a word after what happened, but I enjoyed it, Suddenly I saw her yawning.

“You tired?” I asked

“Yeah… I guess I will go get some sleep.” She stood up.

“Do you want me to walk with you to your room or whatever you have?”

“Uhm.. If it does not bother you that much, I would like you to do it.”

I stood up and I walked after her till we got to her room. She opened the door and invited me in. I sat on a little sofa and then she threw herself on the bed.

“ I cant sleep.” She said looking at the ceiling.

“ Why not?” I asked

“I have to listen at something.”

“Like…” I said. She sat on the bed so she could reach a book that was on a little table next to the bed.

“Here.” She threw the book in front of me.

“What?” I asked surprised.

“You Read for me.” She smiled.

“Woah Kid, I said I was going to try to be nice, but don’t expect me to read you a story. Out of the question, girl.”

“It does not surprise me...” She laid again and closed her eyes. After two minutes she fell asleep. I watched her for more than ten minutes. She was beautiful, so delicate, so young, why was she in that terrible place? I didn’t had the nerve to ask…

I took a look at the clock on the wall. “7:30 pm” The time was up, so I stood up and walked towards the bed where she was sleeping deeply. I took her hand, she was very cold. “Sweet dreams…” I turned back and I walked out of the room.

I kept on visiting Richelle for weeks. I enjoyed being with her. Sometimes I wanted to be with her for more than an hour so I started visiting her on Tuesdays too. Everything seemed to be fine until one day I realized I started feeling something for her, in a more-than-friends way. Her eyes made me crazy and also her beautiful smile, the way she walked, the way she talked, even when she got mad at me for being a fucker made me fall for her. Those feelings freaked me out, she was just a kid and even though I was in my early twenties, I had respect for her, she was not a groupie or some chic to fuck with for sure.

It was Monday and I went to the garden to look for her where I always found her, but I was surprised when I realized she was no longer there, so I asked a nurse that was passing by.

“Uhmm... sorry, do you know where Richelle is right now?”

“Richelle?” The nurse asked.

“Yeah, the girl with the beautiful hair and the beautiful eyes.” I answered.

“Oh yeah Her. She is at her room, She didn’t feel good this morning so the doctor said she was better off in bed.”

“Got it. Thanks.” I kept on walking and then I got to her room. I knocked on the door.

“Come in…” she said with a weak voice and I opened the door.

“Zacky!” She yelled my name as I entered the room. She looked terrible.

“Jesus Christ, You look like shit today Kid. Do you want me to come back later so you can rest?”

“No, no. It is okay. This would come sooner or later” she said as she looked away sadly.

“What do you mean girl?” I sat on the edge of the bed and I held her hand. I could see how she blushed everytime I touched her.

“ Zacky… I, I am here for a reason remember? This is a hospital….”

“And… The reason is…” I waited for her answer as I looked deeply into his eyes.

“I, I… I have cancer….” After I heard those words I closed my eyes and bit my lower lip, then I covered my face with my left hand. I sighed.

“But, You are gonna be fine, right?” I was holding back some tears.

“I hope so…” She smiled at me. I hugged her and while I did it I started crying without her noticing. After a few minutes I pulled away.

“I will visit you more often from now on. When do your parents come to visit you?” I asked so I would be no problem for them when they visited her.

“There are no parents Zacky they left me at an orphanage when I was born.” She seemed to act so natural about that.

“I, I, I didn’t knew about it.” Why the hell I always fucked up by asking something like that to her?

“Don’t be Zacky. I guess you have become my family.” She took my hand and rubbed it gently with her thumb.

I hugged her and I kissed her forehead. After the visit I was waiting for the guys to pick me up outside the hospital. I felt like shit. I felt a sharp pain inside my chest every time I closed my eyes and I saw her eyes and her beautiful face. Why? Why her?

Matt parked on the other side of the street and I crossed. I got inside the van still in shock.

“Hey bro!” Syn tapped on my back.

“How was it ?” Rev asked.

“How was it? It was shit…” I took a smoke out of my pocket along my lighter.

“What went wrong man?” Matt asked as Johnny turned his head to take a look at me worried.

“Everything. Everything is fucking wrong.” I noticed I was shaking and I was about to burst crying.

“But tell us why? What’s the matter bro?” Brian asked

“Humm… Richelle has cancer.”

“Shit….” Rev said as he turned his head in another direction looking concearned.

“But, didn’t you knew about it man?” Matt asked.

“No, I never had the balls to ask why was she in there.” Johnny turned off the radio and everybody kept silence until we got home. I got inside the house and then I ran into my room. I slammed the door and I played the Smashing Pumpkins on the stereo as loud as I could. I started crying and I hit the wall several times with my fist. I couldn´t believe what was happening.

I spent weeks inside the room with the music banging on the stereo. Often the guys knocked the door and tried to convince me to get out, but I wouldn’t listen to them. I just got out when I went to the hospital for the usual weekly visit.

My heart broke again and again every time I walked inside Richelle’s room and I saw how she looked day with day. I expected her to get better but she only got worse and worse. The day I walked in and I noticed her beautiful hair was all gone was the worst feeling I ever experienced. I loved looking at her when we first met, but now all I could do was to sit down on the edge on the bed and holding her hand while I looked at somewhere else. I could not stand seeing her like that…

One night, few minutes before I left I heard her weak voice calling my name.

“Zacky…”

“What’s up princess?” I took her hand and I kissed it. I heard how her heart beat suddenly went faster thanks to the machine. I let go a little laughter.

“Here…” she said as she gave me a book.

“What?” I asked once again.

“I expect you to read me a story…” She smiled.

“ This time, I will Beautiful.” I smiled back and I opened the book.

I started reading to her some fairytale since she loved them.

“…after the prince had woke her up with a true love’s kiss the fair maiden knew he was the one because Soul, meets soul on lover's lips…” I closed the book and I looked at her. She was sleeping. Tears started running down my cheeks as I stared at her. She was a princess to me, just like in those fairytales she loved that much. I ran my fingers up and down her cheek.

“Wish I could be your prince…” I leaned forward until my lips met hers. I kissed her lips delicately. It was such a light touch I could almost feel it, but for sure it was the sweetest kiss I ever gave to a girl.

I stood up and walked to the door. I took one last look at her and then I left home.

That night I couldn’t get to sleep. I was worried for Richelle, my little princess.

The next morning I got dressed and I went to the hospital. I was willing to tell her how much I loved her. I walked through the hallway and when I was about to get to her room I saw the door was open. I walked faster. I took a look inside waiting to see her liyng on her bed, but she was not there. The room was clean and her stuff was not there. A nurse was in there, she noticed me when I walked in.

“Where is she?” I asked

“She is no longer here.” The nurse answered.

“Ok, I can see that woman, That is why I’m asking, Where is she?” I was starting to sound rude.

“No, you don’t understand. She passed out this morning.” When I heard what the nurse said my world banged and I felt how my heart broke into pieces. I did anything but to stand there and tears started running down my cheeks.

“Im sorry.” The nurse said. “She left this for you…” She gave me the fairytale book Richelle used to love that much. I took a look at it and then I opened it. Something was written in the first page…

“Will you read me a story my prince?

Sure you will…

Forever yours: Richelle (Your Princess)”

Since that day I open the book every night and I read for her, hoping she is listening from wherever she is…