Love Sick
Twelve
Janet's Point of View
Pity. Of the words I loathe, this is this is second in line. The list actually went: Train. Pity. Funeral. Cancer. But back on topic. One of the guys spots The Fault In Our Stars peeking out of my partially unzipped backpack and laughs. "Why do you read this crappy book? Why do you want to read a chick cancer book?"
If he only knew. True, I am more into sci-fi, but I grab the book from him and flip through it. I feel defensive and retort "It's not a cancer book, because cancer books suck." He laughs loudly over the school bell as I want to sneak into the bathroom and call Justin. But I ignore the freshman boy as he joins his friends and I sit in my seat, realizing I had just quoted Hazel Grace. She felt defensive of her favorite "non-cancer" book "An Imperial Affliction", or rather it's author, Perter van Houten. I'll admit that, once I found out that van Houten's novel ended midsentence, I had to check to see if The Fault In Our Stars did the same. Aside from being teased because of the books I read, the school day goes well. Or at least better that I imagine. Teachers still drone. Cliques still exist. Homework is still assigned. Regular day.
After I'd been back to school for three days, the intercom system alerts the classroom of a message coming in from the headmaster. "Will Janet Michaels please come to my office?"
The room fills with "oooh" as I stand and hurriedly pack my bags. What are we? Ten years old? I wonder what the headmaster wants. I rack my brain trying to figure out if I had done anything outside of school rules or policy. Nothing comes to mind as I step into the office. The headmaster stands and gestures for me to stand in front of his large desk. I do as he says and he reaches from under his desk to reveal a large wicker basket. "We know about your diagnosis, Janet. And the faculty and your best friends helped to put a little gift together for you. It has cards, stuffed animals and your favorite candies."
"Um, thank you." I say, looking at the basket. I take the basket and walk into the hallway just as the bell rings. Mrs. Lopez had given me permission to simply pack up since there were only five minutes left in the last class of the day. I readjust my backpack and walk out of the school building to begin my short walk home.
...
I am sitting down for a glass of sweet tea at the dining room table while finishing my homework I missed when my I begin to feel quite lightheaded. I call my older sister at the store. She tells me to lay down on the couch with a wet rag on my head. I protest that I can't complete my work that way and I have so much to do. Her calm voice responds in a motherly tone. "Janet, the work can wait. I'll be home in a few minutes."
I nod as if she can hear my head shake and stand to walk to the utility closet by the coat rack. I open the tall, narrow door and reach on my toes for the folded hand towels on the top shelf. I feel my ankles and knees become limp and I collapse to the floor.
Justin's Point of View
I was sitting in one of Def Jam's conference rooms with Scooter and the label executives in New York office. I tap my left foot under the table, trying to veer my eyes away from the clock, which seems to be mocking me. Can time possibly go a little bit faster? My phone chimes and I nearly skyrocket to the ceiling. The top executive stopped discussing the monetary gain of my dropping a new album and Scooter shot me a look that said "Didn't I tell you to turn that off when we got here?"
I let the call go to voicemail; I can get back to them later. Then it chimes again twice. I have two new text messages. I glance at Scooter, who nods disapprovingly to the phone in my baggy pants pocket. I apologize to the men and women sitting at the large glass table and hold my phone in both hands under the table. I see that it's from Jacqueline, Janet's older sister: "Janet passed out this afternoon in the house. We thought you'd like
Second message: to know. She is in room 243 in the right wing of Charlottesville Medical Center.
I swallow hard and look up at the group. "Is everything alright?" A woman in a black dress suit wonders from across the table.
I look at Scooter. "Um, I- there is a belieber of mine in Virginia with cancer and her family just notified me that she's in the hospital."
"Oh, well, you visit your fans all the time in hospitals. I'm sure she can wait for a few more hours."
I try to not act shocked and somewhat angry, wanting to inform her that this patient is different. Two and a half extra agonizing hours later, we stand and shake hands with everyone. As soon as I step out the door, I call Jacqueline back. "I am so sorry." I say. "I was stuck in a meeting. How's she doing?"
I jump into my car and drive to my hotel, where I throw things together and get into the back of the car waiting for me right outside the lobby. The driver takes me to the airport hangar to catch an emergency flight on my private jet. "What's the occasion, sir?" The stewardess smiles as the door is sealed shut. "An emergency." I state plainly. They lift off after going through the safety and emergency rituals that I have since memorized. My heart pounds as I take out my laptop to email my mom about my whereabouts. She responds that she's praying and she will alert Alfredo and Dan.
I try to nap on the flight, but only toss and turn until the landing gear startles me. It was a quick flight. It's still daylight. The car gets loaded up with my luggage and then the driver runs to my door. "I've got it, thank you, though."
"Where to, sir?"
"Charlottesville Medical Center. Right wing. And step on it. It's an emergency."
"Yes, sir."
...
I walk to room 243 and knock on the wooden door.
Janet's weak voice instructs me. "Come in."
"Justin." She smiles.
I smile back and nod to her father, sisters and Cameron. I sit with her for a while, discussing school and The Fault In Our Stars, until Cameron calls me outside.
"I wanted to ask you something... man to man." He begins nervously.
"Okay."
"Well, I've actually been thinking about this for a long time and I think I'm finally going to go through with it. Do you think Janet would say yes if I asked her out?"
Pity. Of the words I loathe, this is this is second in line. The list actually went: Train. Pity. Funeral. Cancer. But back on topic. One of the guys spots The Fault In Our Stars peeking out of my partially unzipped backpack and laughs. "Why do you read this crappy book? Why do you want to read a chick cancer book?"
If he only knew. True, I am more into sci-fi, but I grab the book from him and flip through it. I feel defensive and retort "It's not a cancer book, because cancer books suck." He laughs loudly over the school bell as I want to sneak into the bathroom and call Justin. But I ignore the freshman boy as he joins his friends and I sit in my seat, realizing I had just quoted Hazel Grace. She felt defensive of her favorite "non-cancer" book "An Imperial Affliction", or rather it's author, Perter van Houten. I'll admit that, once I found out that van Houten's novel ended midsentence, I had to check to see if The Fault In Our Stars did the same. Aside from being teased because of the books I read, the school day goes well. Or at least better that I imagine. Teachers still drone. Cliques still exist. Homework is still assigned. Regular day.
After I'd been back to school for three days, the intercom system alerts the classroom of a message coming in from the headmaster. "Will Janet Michaels please come to my office?"
The room fills with "oooh" as I stand and hurriedly pack my bags. What are we? Ten years old? I wonder what the headmaster wants. I rack my brain trying to figure out if I had done anything outside of school rules or policy. Nothing comes to mind as I step into the office. The headmaster stands and gestures for me to stand in front of his large desk. I do as he says and he reaches from under his desk to reveal a large wicker basket. "We know about your diagnosis, Janet. And the faculty and your best friends helped to put a little gift together for you. It has cards, stuffed animals and your favorite candies."
"Um, thank you." I say, looking at the basket. I take the basket and walk into the hallway just as the bell rings. Mrs. Lopez had given me permission to simply pack up since there were only five minutes left in the last class of the day. I readjust my backpack and walk out of the school building to begin my short walk home.
...
I am sitting down for a glass of sweet tea at the dining room table while finishing my homework I missed when my I begin to feel quite lightheaded. I call my older sister at the store. She tells me to lay down on the couch with a wet rag on my head. I protest that I can't complete my work that way and I have so much to do. Her calm voice responds in a motherly tone. "Janet, the work can wait. I'll be home in a few minutes."
I nod as if she can hear my head shake and stand to walk to the utility closet by the coat rack. I open the tall, narrow door and reach on my toes for the folded hand towels on the top shelf. I feel my ankles and knees become limp and I collapse to the floor.
Justin's Point of View
I was sitting in one of Def Jam's conference rooms with Scooter and the label executives in New York office. I tap my left foot under the table, trying to veer my eyes away from the clock, which seems to be mocking me. Can time possibly go a little bit faster? My phone chimes and I nearly skyrocket to the ceiling. The top executive stopped discussing the monetary gain of my dropping a new album and Scooter shot me a look that said "Didn't I tell you to turn that off when we got here?"
I let the call go to voicemail; I can get back to them later. Then it chimes again twice. I have two new text messages. I glance at Scooter, who nods disapprovingly to the phone in my baggy pants pocket. I apologize to the men and women sitting at the large glass table and hold my phone in both hands under the table. I see that it's from Jacqueline, Janet's older sister: "Janet passed out this afternoon in the house. We thought you'd like
Second message: to know. She is in room 243 in the right wing of Charlottesville Medical Center.
I swallow hard and look up at the group. "Is everything alright?" A woman in a black dress suit wonders from across the table.
I look at Scooter. "Um, I- there is a belieber of mine in Virginia with cancer and her family just notified me that she's in the hospital."
"Oh, well, you visit your fans all the time in hospitals. I'm sure she can wait for a few more hours."
I try to not act shocked and somewhat angry, wanting to inform her that this patient is different. Two and a half extra agonizing hours later, we stand and shake hands with everyone. As soon as I step out the door, I call Jacqueline back. "I am so sorry." I say. "I was stuck in a meeting. How's she doing?"
I jump into my car and drive to my hotel, where I throw things together and get into the back of the car waiting for me right outside the lobby. The driver takes me to the airport hangar to catch an emergency flight on my private jet. "What's the occasion, sir?" The stewardess smiles as the door is sealed shut. "An emergency." I state plainly. They lift off after going through the safety and emergency rituals that I have since memorized. My heart pounds as I take out my laptop to email my mom about my whereabouts. She responds that she's praying and she will alert Alfredo and Dan.
I try to nap on the flight, but only toss and turn until the landing gear startles me. It was a quick flight. It's still daylight. The car gets loaded up with my luggage and then the driver runs to my door. "I've got it, thank you, though."
"Where to, sir?"
"Charlottesville Medical Center. Right wing. And step on it. It's an emergency."
"Yes, sir."
...
I walk to room 243 and knock on the wooden door.
Janet's weak voice instructs me. "Come in."
"Justin." She smiles.
I smile back and nod to her father, sisters and Cameron. I sit with her for a while, discussing school and The Fault In Our Stars, until Cameron calls me outside.
"I wanted to ask you something... man to man." He begins nervously.
"Okay."
"Well, I've actually been thinking about this for a long time and I think I'm finally going to go through with it. Do you think Janet would say yes if I asked her out?"