Not Another Lame Title

I actually like this chapter. I really didn't change the original text much.

Chapter 9~ Kelly
Why hadn’t he called? It had been three days since the last time Kelly and Alex had spoken. After hearing from him every evening, this sudden loss of any contact whatsoever was very odd. When Alex hadn’t called Wednesday night, Kelly had called him and gotten the answering machine. Thursday she’d left two messages. Friday she hadn’t called. Here it was Saturday and still no word from Alex.
Kelly was sad, hurt, and confused. Why didn’t Alex return her calls? Was something wrong? Did he not like her anymore? Wouldn’t he have the decency to call her if the latter was true?
Kelly hurled her pillow across the bedroom floor in frustration and flopped across her bed. Someone knocked on the door. “What?” she snapped. “Honey, can I come in?” It was her mom. “Whatever,” Kelly muttered.
Mrs. Hunter pushed the door open, walked over to Kelly’s bed, and sat down beside her daughter. “Baby, you’ve been hiding up here all day. What’s wrong?” Kelly sat up and leaned against the headboard of her bed. It was ice cold and the ridges dug into her back, but she didn’t care. She drew her knees up against her chest. “Alex still hasn’t called. I’m kind of worried about him,” a pause, then, “I’m also worried he might not like me any more. It happens, I know. I just didn’t think he’d leave me hanging.” “Sweet heart, do you honestly think Alex doesn’t like you any more?” Kelly sighed. “I don’t know. No I guess. I just don’t know why he hasn’t called me in three days. Or returned my calls. Something’s up, I just wish I knew what.”
At that moment, the phone rang. Mrs. Hunter raised her eyebrows. Kelly reached for her bedroom phone. “Hello?” she said, her voice full of anticipation. “Hey Kel, it’s Kevin.” “Oh,” she said, dejectedly. “Hey.” “Um, what’s up?” he asked, uncertainly. “Nothing, Alex just hasn’t called me in awhile.” “Oh, that’s actually why I called. I was wondering if you’d heard from him. He hasn’t called me or Lily in like, three days.” Kelly frowned. “That’s about the same amount of time he hasn’t called me,” she said. “I’m getting kind of freaked out,” said Kevin. “Me too. Call me if you hear anything okay?” “Will do Kel.” Kelly hung up the phone.
She lay back down on her bed and looked at her mom. “I think something’s wrong” she said after a minute. “If he hasn’t called Kevin or Lily, it’s probably serious. He tells Kevin everything.” “I think you’re probably right,” said Mrs. Hunter gently. She hugged Kelly and left the room.
Kelly rolled over and stared at her phone. Should she call him again? Why though? Wasn’t it his turn? Besides, she felt embarrassed leaving so many messages. His mom must think Kelly was desperate or something.
But what if something was really wrong? What if Alex needed a friend but was afraid to ask? If Alex needed her…Kelly groaned. She took a deep breath, sat up , and reached for her phone.
Kelly fully expected to get the machine again, and was surprised when she heard a voice say, “Hello?” “Um, Mrs. Kereta?” “Yes.” “This is Kelly. Can I talk to Alex?” “Hold on just a minute Kelly.” While Kelly was on hold, she wondered why Mrs. Kereta’s voice sounded so strange. Did she have a cold or something?
Mrs. Kereta came back on the line. “Kelly? He won’t come to the phone. Can I give him a message?” “Um, actually,” inspiration suddenly struck Kelly, “are you guys in the middle of something?” “No, not really. Why?” “Can I come over in a few minutes? Alex and I need to talk.” Kelly’s voice became steely on the last line.
Kelly heard Mrs. Kereta hesitate before saying, “Kelly, this isn’t really-oh what the heck. Sure Kelly, come on over.” “Okay, see you in a few minutes.”

It took Kelly exactly 15 minutes to find a ride and get to Alex’s house. As Brian stopped the car and waited for her to get out, he studied the look on his little sister’s face. Before she closed the car door, he grabbed her hand. “Good luck Kellabell. You gonna kick some butt?” “I, I don’t know,” said Kelly nervously. “I honestly don’t think this has anything to do with me or our relationship. I just have this weird feeling…” she trailed off. “Well, whatever you do, good luck.” Kelly gave a half smile as Brian drove off.
She took a deep breath and walked to the Kereta’s front door. She raised a shaking hand to the doorbell. Her heartbeat quickened as she listened to the bell’s echo and waited for the door to open. When Mrs. Kereta finally opened it, Kelly stared. Mrs. Kereta’s eyes were red-rimmed and her face was blotchy. It looked like she’d been crying for hours. “Are you okay?” asked Kelly concerned. “Not really Kelly, but thanks for asking. Come on in. Alex is up in his room. Why don’t you go up there?” “Okay,” said Kelly nervously. As she walked up the beige carpeted steps, questions filled Kelly’s head. Why was Mrs. Kereta so upset? Why was Alex hiding up in his room? Did one have to do with the other? What was going on here?
When she reached Alex’s bedroom door, Kelly knocked softly, then a bit louder. “Alex?” she called quietly. “Alex? It’s me, Kelly. Why haven’t you called me?” her voice got stronger. “Why won’t you talk to me? Alex? Alex? Are you listening to me? Alex?” Kelly tried the door. Locked. Then she got an idea. She reached up to her ponytail and removed a bobby pin, which she carefully inserted it into the lock of the door. After fiddling with it for a moment, Kelly heard it click. She put the pin in her pocket and twisted the doorknob. It opened, and Kelly stepped into total darkness. Alex’s blinds were closed and there were no lights on. “Alex?” Kelly asked. No answer. As her eyes adjusted, Kelly saw Alex curled tight in a fetal position on his bed. “Alex?” she said again. “Are you okay?” He rolled over and looked at her, squinting in the light from the hallway. “Kelly?” he asked in a raspy voice. “Yeah, it’s me. Why haven’t you called me? Why are you in here in the dark?” She was scared, what was going on?
Kelly sat down on the edge of the bed. He sat up and slowly moved to her side. She wrapped her arms around him and whispered urgently in his ear, “Tell me what’s wrong.” He looked directly into her face. Kelly saw a darkness in his eyes that went beyond the shadows of the room. Something was very wrong. “Alex,” she said, still in a whisper, “let me in.” He turned away from her and said in a just barely audible voice, “I have leukemia.”
“What?!” Kelly gasped. He turned to her again, now his eyes were brimming with pain and tears. Then the darkness returned and magnified. He was retreating back inside himself. Kelly could almost see him physically leaving her. She grabbed his hands and squeezed them. “Alex,” she said, her voice breaking. “Tell me it isn’t true. Tell me you’re playing a nasty joke on me. Not funny, by the way.” She searched his face and saw no light or hope. Kelly felt tears leaking from her own eyes and down her face. “Oh Alex, my Alex. Why you?” Then Alex pulled out of himself and back to her. He held her tightly in his arms. They leaned into each other and cried. Cried for each other, and cried for this cruel twist of fate thrust upon them.
When the only tears left between them were the ones quickly drying on their cheeks, Alex spoke in a flat, hollow voice, “Kelly, if you want to break up, I would completely understand. I love you too much to make you sit here and watch me die.” Kelly pulled out of his arms and looked at Alex as though he’d gone slightly insane. “Okay, first of all,” she began, “you are not going to die. People beat leukemia all the time! You are young strong, and stubborn as a mule! You’re not going anywhere! I don’t ever want to hear you say you’re dying again! Second of all, Alex whatever-your-middle-name-is-Kereta, I’m not going anywhere! What kind of girlfriend would I be? What kind of friend? I love you and I’m here for you! Understand?”
Alex was silent a moment. Then, “Matthew,” he whispered softly. “What?” Kelly asked, confused. “My middle name is Matthew,” he repeated. “Oh, okay then,” she said uncertainly. “Alex…Matthew Kereta, do you understand me?”
In answer, Alex pulled Kelly close to him. He kissed her lips. “Thanks Kelly,” he said quietly.
“For what?”
“For lighting up my dark.”