Chapter 25

I slid my jeans off revealing my black boy shorts. I leaned on the door and looked at Bruno. He had tears running down his cheeks and a blank expression on his face.

*

How could this be happening? Brooke, my Brooke, had leukemia. What did she do to deserve this? How could this be happening? It felt like my heart was being ever so slowly torn apart. It must just as bad for her, she's the one who has it.

*

"Bruno?" He looked at me. "Aww." He looked so sad. "Come here baby." He patted his lap and I sat. "Don't let this mess your life up. Live your life how you wanna live it." "But it's going to be so complicated!" "A gorgeous woman once told me things may get rough but no matter what we just gotta stick together and get the best out of the lives we have. And the pretty lady who told me is a helluva woman. She's stunning, full of energy, and she got a tongue on her. But she doesn't let things get in the way of what she wants. She's a fighter." I looked up at him with tears in my eyes and smiled. "And she has a best friend and fiancé who only comes around like once in a million times. He always knows how to make her feel better. They're both crazy about each other too." I kissed him and slid off his lap. "I won't be able to watch you preform tomorrow, I have a race. But I'll try to wait for you backstage." "Alright. Be safe." "I will Bruno." I fall asleep on his chest to the steady rhythm of his heart beat.

*

I woke up and looked around. Light was streaming in through the curtains and Bruno was still asleep. I quietly got up and slide on a fresh shirt and shorts. I left Bruno a note and walked next door. I knocked and he answered. "I'm coming, I'm coming." He grumbled. We walked into the elevator and he sighed. "You ready for today Brookie?" "Totally." It was quiet before he spoke again. "You told him didn't you." He said softly. "He knows me too well. He knew something was up. I told him." "How'd he react?" I sighed. "We both were crying, but he said he was going to stay. He said he still loved me." He nodded his head and we stepped off the elevator into the lobby. "Ohmigod." There were people everywhere, holding up signs and posters that said Good luck or win that race. It was really magical, never had this ever happened before. "Wow." We walked to my car smiling. "I have to stop by Walgreens." "Do what ever ya need." I walked inside and grabbed a water. I picked up my medications and walked out, to be surrounded by press. "Shit." I mumbled. "Brooke is it true you have cancer?" How did they find this out?! "No comment." "What is the medication for?" "A stomach bug." I got into my car and we drove off. "Geez." He said looking at the 8 bags of medication I set down. "I know, you're telling me. I have to swallow all this." We got to the track and we were able to scramble in before we were surrounded and get changed. "Brookie, come here." I followed Frankie to a door. Well here we go again. I sat on top of Farah and we walked to the gates. We walked in and she was completely still. The buzzer rang and we exploded. I held her back and waited. We stayed in 5th until the home stretch. I could tell she wanted to go but I held her back. I waited till the time was right and let the reins loose. She ran and ran until we caught up with the leader and came in first. We win again.

*

"Bruno! Bruno! Bruno!" I walked out onto the stage and the crowd went wild. "How y'all doing tonight?" They all screamed. "Alright before we start jammin' I'd like for you all to pray for my beautiful fiancé Brooke Daniels. She's.....she's Uh.....really sick. Just pray for her to stay safe and come home with another win." Everyone cheered. "1...2....1, 2, 3, 4"

*

After the interviews and everything settled back down, I showered off and put on my hooligan T-shirt and a pair of black shorts. I had just finished lacing up my converse when Frankie walked in. "Let's roll." We drove to the studio and thankfully the concert wasn't over yet. We went back stage and Bruno was singing Billionaire. A mischievous grin formed on my face. "Dre! I need some ice." "Why.....oh! I got it, its over there." I got a handful and told Dre to put a camera on me so the audience could see me. I walked out and put a finger to my lips. I bit my tongue so I wouldn't laugh out loud at the thought of what I was about to do. I shoved all the ice down his boxers. "Oh Shhhit!" He turned around trying to figure out what just happened. Me and the whole band were rolling on the floor laughing. I had tears in my eyes and I could barely breathe I was laughing so hard. He was trying to get the ice out of his pants and it just made me laugh harder. The audience was busting up laughing too. It was just too funny. Bruno stood over me and just shook his head. He helped me up. "I'm gonna get you. Did you win?" "Yeah we did." "Alright, alright, haha she got me. Now let's have a round of applause for her second win!" Everyone started clapping and I played along and bowed some. Someone started chanting kiss, everyone else caught on and started joining in. "What? Y'all want us to kiss?" They started screaming. We kissed and it was full of passion. We pulled away, both of us breathless. "Thank you Vancouver!" He picks me up and carries me off stage. I hugged him not caring that he's all sweaty. "You were amazing!" "How much did you see?" His eyes flash behind me but quickly return back to me. "Uh...I saw billionaire, then I came out and shoved ice down your pants." "Oh, well guess what, payback time!" Someone shoves ice down the back of my pants and takes an ace bandage and ties it around my stomach and puts an ice pack on my back. "Dear god that's cold!" I start scrambling around trying to get it out but Phil and the rest of the guys hold me back. "Jerks!" "Geez you're strong!" Kenji says. "I know!" I wedge out of their grasp but it's too late, the ice is already melted. "Ha ha you guys are hilarious." I say sarcastically. During the next month, I start chemotherapy and meet some really nice people who are going through the same thing as me. My extremely thick hair starts slowly thinning out and me and Bruno decided to postpone the wedding until I get better. Me and Farah win every single race, and we were going to the Kentucky Derby in 2 months. The press found out about my leukemia and it was a shock to everyone, including my unknowing family. We were back in Waikiki for 2 months and I had just arrived at my treatment center, I parked my car and walked in. There were a few kids that noticed me right away, but then sitting alone in a corner was a girl. She looked to be about 16, she had bright green eyes, I walked over to her. "Hi." She looked up at me and flinched. "Why are you here?" She grumbled. "Same reason you are." She looked at me questionably. "But you're so pretty, and you have your hair." She rubbed her bald head. "I'm in the early stages." She mumbled something and stood up. "Wait, where are you going." "I'm leaving!" She snapped. I did my therapy for the day and left, the next day I didn't see the girl. I decided to eat at the cafeteria, I got my food and look around for a place to eat, sitting alone in a corner is the girl. I decided to go over and sit down. "May I sit here?" She looks at me suspiciously and sighs. "Sure." I sit down and smile. "What's your name?" She asks me. "I'm Brooke." "I'm Alyssa." "That's a pretty name." She looked at me and grinned. "So what's your deal? What's your history?" "I lived in Waikiki, I played softball until I shattered my knee, I raced horses, got kidnapped by my deranged ex, hid in fear for a year, came out and reunited with my best friend and now fiancé, and I'm back to racing horses, my horse is blind and we're going to the Kentucky Derby. Oh and I'm 24 and I have leukemia. Your turn." "Whoa, nothing interesting about me." She said wide eyed. "Oh come on! There's got to be something?!" "I'm from South Carolina, my mom died 'accidentally' my dad....well....yeah, I'm turning 16 in a few days, I'm a huge Bruno Mars fan, a Hooligan, I've always wanted to see him live but....my dad. I've had leukemia since I was 14." "Wow, your dad, he's abusive isn't he?" She looks at me terriied. "Uhh...." "Look, I know how you feel, my dad was abusive too." She looks away and I can tell she's fighting back tears. "You wanna go to your room?" She nods her head. We walk to her room and she starts crying on my shoulder. "It's hurts so bad......I know he killed my mom, we were really close I know he killed her because she said she was going to leave." "It's ok." She sits on her bed and I get an idea. I pulled my iPod out and put Just The Way You Are on speaker. She looked up and smiled. "You're a hooligan?!" "I have all 110 of his songs, released and unreleased." We talked all day about Bruno and I found it kinda funny because she has no idea who I am and she has no idea that me and Bruno are getting married. "So when exactly is your birthday?" "The thirteenth." "That's in a day!" "Yeah, so?" "Well....we gotta have a sweet sixteen?!" She looks at me and smiles from ear to ear. "Seriously? You'd do that for me?!" "Of course! Sweet sixteens are the biggest parties of your life!" "Thank you! Thank you!" She squeals. She throws her arms around me and hugs me. It's pretty amazing, she went from quiet to a rambling, giggling teen. "So what did your hair used to look like?" I ask, noticing she's playing with mine. She hands me a picture of a beautiful looking girl with straight brown hair and bangs. "Wow this is you?" "Yeah." I look at the picture then back at her. "Your still just as beautiful." "Psht, yeah right." "No, really it's on the inside that's beautiful, and when it's on the inside, it shows on the outside." She smiled. "Mrs. Daniels I'm sorry but visiting hours are over." "I'll see you tomorrow." "Bye." I walk out with a plan. "Nurse, can you gather the others? I have an idea." "Sure Mrs. Daniels." A few minutes later all the nurses are gathered. "Ok so, in a day its going to be Alyssa's sweet 16, I'd like to do something special for her. Here's the plan....."

*

"Hey baby, what's in the bag?" "Hey Bruno, it's for one of my friends." He gives me a kiss and looks at me. "What do you need me to do?" "It's her sweet 16. I wanna make it special for her, she's a hooligan." "Ok, got it. Just tell me where and we'll be there." "Thanks Bruno." I kiss him, he pulls me in closer and the kiss becomes more passionate. Clothes go flying in every direction and he carries me to the bedroom. He thrusts into me, and we slowly reach that inevitable high and we collapse into each others arms. "I love you Brooke." "I love you more." "Not possible." He rolls onto me and attacks me again.

*

I walk in the next morning and smile. "Let's go shopping!" "What? But my hair! What will people think?" "I dunno." I toss her the bag. "What's this? Ohmigod!" She puts the wig on and looks at her reflection in the mirror. "It looks just like my old hair. Thank you so much Brooke!" "Well come on let's go birthday shopping!" She changes into a yellow T-shirt and shorts. "Let's go!" We walk out into the parking lot and I text Bruno. 'Going out ;) xXx' We drive to the mall, I take her to get her nails done, we get her some new clothes and a new dress. It's a strapless yellow dress that has a simple diamond design and it goes all the way to the floor. I pay for it and I tell her to wear it out of the store. As were walking out a guy walks up to her and starts talking to her. "Hi." "Hey. What's your name?" "Alyssa." "I'm Mason." They exchange phone numbers. "Alyssa, invite him." "Can I?!" "Sure." "Mason, would you like to come to my sweet sixteen party this evening?" "Awesome where at." "The c...cancer facility." He looks at her like she's crazy. "You have....cancer?" "Yeah." "Oh...well I guess I'll see you later." "Kay." He walks off. "He's not gonna come is he?" "You never know." We get back in the car and drive back to the treatment facility.