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A look of ied each other

"Nina, you did save lad I was there"

We sat back down and she glanced to the side at me "Had you known my mother before this?"

"You could say I had met her, but didn’t really know her"

"Did she ever say anything inappropriate to you by any chance?"

I didn’t know if I should tell her the truth under the circuo fk round and shook her head "I am so, so sorry I need to explain her behavior"

"It’s okay I kneas nothing personal She does it to all of h?"

"My mother has had these episodes for the past ten years Oneat everyone It’s some sort of post-traumatic reaction It started afterhoht, and he was robbed and shot to death They caught the guys That’s a long story in itself…but that day,she said to him from theas he left was ‘Go fk yourself’ Nine hours later, the cops had woken us up to say my father had been murdered"

Holy crap

"I’ht away, but over the years, she started developing flashbacks, and it’s ave herself for the way things were left between thee copingby it It’s just a very strange reaction to a devastating event So, on behalf of ize"

I placed my hand on her back "You didn’t have to, but thank you for explaining it to me"

Lesson learned People are not alhat they seem on the surface

I stayed with Daria until she was able to see her o to lunch soon, since she insisted on it as a thank you

As I alking down the hospital corridor to leave, I got stuck in a maze of hallways Each tiain

After about fivedead ends, I happened to stop to catchteenage girl who had lost all of her hair was sitting alone staring blankly up at a television

Just as I was about toand said, "Are you a candy striper?"

"I’m sorry?"

"You know…a candy striper They’re those la around a lot lately"

"No, no, I’m not"

"Good…because they suck They come in here with their fake smiles, like I’m supposed to believe this is Disney World or some shit" She paused "I have cancer, by the way"

"I know…I…I figured--"

"Because I look like Caillou?"

"Caillou?"

"Aard cartoon character on PBS, bald for no good reason"

"Ah"

"Seriously, what are you here for? Are you here for me?"

I looked into her hopeful eyes "Maybe I am"

"Good Because today, I want to talk about sex"

"Excuse me?"

"What’s your name?"

"Nina"

"Don’t be a pussy, Nina"

"What?"

"Pardon e, but I don’t really hold back anyet the point Anyway…I said I wanted to talk about sex, and from the way you’re dressed, you see for someone just like you to show up, actually" She waved her hand "Get in here, and close the door"

I looked behind my shoulders, then down at myself self-consciously and entered the room Was I on Candid Camera? I swear, between Mrs Ballsworthy and now this, today definitely felt like the Twilight Zone

Landing on a chair next to her bed, I asked, "How old are you anyway?"

"I’m fifteen"

"What’s your na off the television

"What do you want to know, Skylar?

"I can’t talk about these things withup for her questions "Okay…"

"My first question is…how early is too early to have sex?"

Oh goodness Why hed to otten ht about how to respond "There is not really one answer to that question…but fifteen is definitely too early"

"What if soh?

You could have heard a pin drop I was at a complete loss for words

Thankfully, she continued before I had to come up with an answer "See…there’s this boy His name is Mitch He’s , but he doesn’t know I am actually in love with him We live in New Jersey, but I’ve been here in Brooklyn for my treatments for the past few months because my father lives here, and my doctors are based here So, I moved temporarily and haven’t seen hiet about me"

"Why would you ever lose him if he’s truly your best friend?"

"I don’t think he’d intentionally stop being irls are into him because he’s hot They don’t even know hiuy, so…"

"Have you told hiet a little weird between us right beforeat ht happen I have always held onto this fantasy that I would be his--you know--first And he would be h, whether it’s because of et the chance Every second that I’ hiht about now

"Does he co me to let him He doesn’t knohich hospital I am at because I won’t tell him I don’t want hi me" She reached over to her phone and pulled up a photo "That’s hile" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>