It was perfect.
♥
Ava worked from seven to three that next day, so I told her I would find a way to the hospital. She grew worried, so I promised I would take the bus, which wasn't far from our house. She wasn't too excited about it, but it calmed her over.
I left around ten, and waited for the ten thirty bus. I got off close to the hospital and walked the rest of the way. I got there around eleven.
I wasn't sure what time it normally opened up for the kids though, and when I got to the doors, they were locked. I looked inside, but I didn't see anyone, so I just waited outside the doors.
For about an hour, everytime I heard someone, I looked around the corner and expected it to be Julie or Liam. Each time I was wrong. I thought about going to the vending machines and grabbing something to eat, but I was afraid they would come before I got back.
Around twelve, I heard them. Julie and Liam were walking around the corner, each holding a milkshake and talking about something, or arguing about it.
I straightened out my shirt, dusting off my jeans. I suddenly felt nervous, seeing her coming my way. She was wearing a plain white tee shirt and a floral skirt that hit a few inches above her knees, with a pair of purple converses.
Liam was wearing basically the same thing he had the day before: tee shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes. Faux hawk hair, and an assertive grin on his face.
But Julie was beautiful, and she looked innocent and pure. Every time I saw her, she always looked like an angel coming my way, as if she had a permanent glow around her.
Like the fire inside her couldn't contain itself and came out as a heavenly glow.
She was the first to see me, and she smiled as she raised her brows in surprise. “Falon? Have you been waiting for us?” she asked.
I shrugged. “I didn't know what time to be here,” I admitted.
She laughed, and looked to Liam. “He said he didn't know what time he was suppose to be here,” she told him.
He looked to me and laughed. “Doors never open before twelve thirty. Most of the kids aren't done with their treatments until after one,” he told me as he moved to the door to unlock it.
Julie gave me an apologetic smile. “I wish I would have known you were already here. I would have gotten you a milkshake,” she told me.
I shook my head. “It's okay. Next time?” I wagered.
She nodded. “Next time,” she agreed.
Liam unlocked the door, and we both followed him in. The room was still nice and clean, because no one had been in there since we had left it. Everything was still neat and organized.
“I'll go and get the coloring books,” Liam said, and then walked out.
I looked at Julie, who was smiling sweetly at me as she pulled out the boxes of blocks and legos. I returned her smile as I took out the tiny kitchen and work table that the smaller kids liked to play with.
“Did you still want me to come over tonight?” Julie asked.
I nodded. “Of course, if you still want to,” I said, adding the last part for safety.
She nodded. “I do. You'll have to give me directions though,” she reminded me.
“I was going to text them to you,” I told her.
Julie began to laugh. “You don't even have my number,” she replied, shooting me an amused grin.
I returned it. “That was a hint for you to give it to me,” I said.
Julie bit her lip. “It's 555-6587,” she told me.
I took out my phone and dialed her number into my contacts. I saved it under her name, and then texted her a smiley face.
Her phone began to whistle, and she pulled it from her back pocket. She was smiling as she typed in something with it. A few seconds later my phone rang.
I looked down at a winking smiley face.
I looked back at Julie, and she was smiling at me. I moved closer to her, switching to my camera. We were only a few feet away from each other when I told her to smile.
She did, and when the camera clicked, I was looking at the screen and her face. I stared at the way her smile lit up the gold in her eyes, and you could feel her fire just by gazing at her face. She was so alive there, living within the memory of my phone.
“If you're going to take naughty pictures of each other, you might as well take one of me too,” Liam said behind us.
I smiled at Julie and turned to look at him. I held up my phone. “Say cheese,” I told him.
He smiled wide, and I clicked a picture of him. There was something about him and Julie that screamed life, and vibrancy. They exuded everything that was suppose to be pure and happy in this world.
And then here I was, caught in the midst of them, feeding off of their energy, and praying that it would rub off on me. I prayed that one day, I could smile so easily, and laugh at everything the way they did.
Surprisingly, it all seemed possible.
♥
The kids came soon after, and we all split up to different areas. I kept finding myself sneaking glances at Julie. She would return smiles at me, and they would feel like a secret smile, just between us.
The day went by quickly, and we followed through with the same routine as the day before. We all cleaned up, and then walked out together. I saw Ava waiting in the parking lot,
