Hey guys!
I hope you are great! I just wanted to show you the song that Clare would play for the talent show and for the practice. I just felt like the tone of the song was very minor, which is a lot of times how Clare is. I just thought it was perfect. Please tell me if you agree. :)

Enjoy
Darla H

I put my hands on the piano as I quickly hummed the song I wanted to play, as if that would give me the motivation to make my fingers move. I felt nervous for a reason I couldn't explain even though this was just a practice at the hospital and that no one would hear me expect Peter; it was still hard to force myself to play.

It would be just so easy to just give up and not play at all. After all, I didn't put my name on the talent show. I could back out easily from it, using that as an excuse. But as I thought about Anna and the deal we made, I knew I couldn't give up, not with something as simple as playing one song at a show.

"Just pretend no one is here," Peter said into my ear.

For a second I forgot he sat beside me on the piano bench and his voice caused me to jump slightly. I smiled at him, knowing that he was here to cheer me on, even though it was just a practice run. The past few days I played on his piano and I finally was comfortable enough to come here and play in the empty room.

But as I hit a single key on the piano, I remembered why I didn't want to be here. The talent show was just two days away and being here, I didn't feel ready anymore. I wasn't good enough to play in front of anyone, I should have just stayed home.

"No one's here," I chuckled as I looked around at the large, empty hospital room.

"I know you can do well, you just need a little push," he said as he played the song I needed to play. "Jump in when you are ready."

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly as I tried to calm myself. Without thinking further, I jumped in, playing the song alongside him like a beautiful duet, and seconds later, I was singing along to the tune.

Silently, Peter smiled at me, then got up from the bench that he and I shared, leaving me alone to play the song. Halfway through the song, I heard voices from behind me. Nerves got to me as I let fear consume me for a moment, as I thought about the handful of new ears listening.

Self doubt popped into my mind, convincing me that I wasn't that good enough or that I wasn't ready for people to hear me. Listening to the self doubt, I stopped playing then turned to face Doctor Patel and a few nurses standing next to Peter.

Doctor Patel smiled widely at me and clapped. "Beautiful."

I gave a small smile, even though I knew it wasn't that beautiful. I was sure he was just being kind because he was my doctor. "Thank you."

"Why did you stop? It sounded amazing!" one nurse cheered me on.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know," I lied. If they would have never come into this room, I would have remained perfectly happy. It was them that messed up the song, but I wouldn't admit that.

"Want to try it again?" Peter asked me.

I frowned at him, not wanting to play any longer if people were in here watching me. It wasn't perfect, and I didn't want anyone to listening, fearing that they would judge me or just lie, saying that it was good. I opened my mouth just to tell him no as Anna walked cautiously into the room. She held tight to her IV pole with a small smile on her face.

"That was amazing, Clare. See, I told you could do great things," she said to me as she took slow steps towards me. I held back a frown as I looked at her, noticing that she looked even thinner than when I last saw her, which made her look sicker than me.

I couldn't hold back the frown from my face, but I quickly changed it in a second into a small smile, not wanting Anna to notice. So many people had given me that look of pity and sadness, I refused to give that look to Anna, knowing she wouldn't like it. "Thank you, Anna, but it's not ready." I shook my head in my disappointment as it should be better than it was.

"You have two more days to get it down. I think you have plenty of time. If it counts for anything, I think it's already perfect," she said and sat down on an empty chair, probably unable to stand up any longer. She looked like she hadn't slept at all, even though I knew that was often what she did. "Do you mind if I just sit here and listen to you play? I really like listening and your voice is so calming."

I blushed at her compliments. "Thank you."

She raised her eyebrows at me. "Ok go on. I'm not paying you to sit here and take complements," she said with a smile.

I chuckled as I turned back to the piano, finding the courage for her to play the songs I knew. I focus on only Anna as I played the next song. None of those other people mattered but Anna, this was for her, this entire show was for her and I couldn't disappoint her.

Minutes passed by until I ran out of songs that I knew from memory. As I lightly closed the last song, I lifted my hands from the piano and turned to face Anna to see that the small group of just Peter and doctor Patel had grown to about ten people. Most of them, I did not know who they were, just visitors, here to see a free show.

I looked around nervously as I tried to read their faces, knowing that they were judging me.

Breaking me from my fear was when Anna clapped enthusiastically. "That was AMAZING Clare! Best entertainment I have gotten all week long," she cheered.

Following Anna's example, all the other people clapped and even Doctor Patel had an enormous smile, something I had ever seen from him. I blushed at them, not thinking that I was that good.

As people left the room, sensing that the show was over, Doctor Patel walked up to me with a smile. "As often as you are here, the hospital should pay you to play. Thank you for that small bit of entertainment."

"Thank you."

He gave a light squeeze to my shoulder, then walked away without another word.

"I knew you had it in you," Peter said as he gave me a small kiss.

"Gross koodies," Anna said and looked away with a smile as she stay in her seat.

I gave a small laugh and said, "did you say you lost count of the boys you have kissed? This shouldn't bother you."

She shrugged at me, then smiled. "Just because I kiss doesn't mean I like to watch it."

I rolled my eyes as I kissed Peter again.

"Gross, Clare," Anna chuckled as she threw her arms up into the air.

I laughed at her. Even though I didn't expect to see her today, I was glad that she was here to push me to play. "I didn't think you had a treatment today, Anna."

She frowned as she looked at her IV pole. "I don't. But the doctors think I would be better looked after here and my mom agreed since she can't give me the attention that I need, apparently. I need more 'intensive care'." She did with air quotes and spite. "I'm staying here indefinitely."

I frowned at her, knowing what that meant. She was too sick to live at home and she needed more around the clock care. I didn't know what to say to that exactly. No one ever wanted to live here in the hospital. I knew this first hand since I had been in that same predicament before. "I'm sorry."

She threw her hands up in the air as she looked furious. "I'm so tired of people telling me sorry! That's all I hear! If that's all you have to say, I don't want to hear it." She stood up from her chair with some struggle.

Her outburst took me back, since I had never seen that side of her before. I did not know how to react to that, and that was not like Anna at all. I had never seen her mad or throw a fit, since she was always happy. "Anna," I breathed as I tried to say something that would make it better. But she and I both knew that nothing could make this better.

She frowned at me. "You know what, it's ok. Sorry, Clare. I have to go," she said and walked out of the hall, leaving Peter and me alone.

My frown deepened as she left. As her friend, I didn't know what to do to make it better. I know all too well that cancer wouldn't just magically go away; she didn't want a word of comfort; she wanted a miracle. Silently, I looked at Peter for advice, as if he would know more about what to do in this situation.

He frowned at me. "I think she just needs someone by her side as she goes through this."

I nodded at him, knowing that he was right. Saying nothing to him, I walked after her with little effort since she had become such a slow walker. "Hey Anna," I said to her as I walked up to her.

She frowned at me as she stopped in mid-walk. "My actions were not called for. Sorry."

I shook my head at her, since I wasn't looking for an apology. She had a right to be angry, and I knew it wasn't because of me, she was just taking it out on me, and I had done that far too many times myself. "It's fine. Trust me. I'm ok. I just wanted to say, if you wanted to talk about anything, let me know. Please. I'm a good listener even with the hard things. You have to remember, I have Farrah as a sister and you know how much she talks," I said, giving her a small smile.

She nodded at me. "Ok. Thank you, Clare. It means a lot. Now if you excuse me, I'm exhausted. I want to take a nap."

I felt my smile drop like she just slapped me. She was pushing me away, and she didn't want me. It made me worried I did something that she didn't like, but instead of asking, I just let her walk away. "Ok." And with that, I walked back to Peter, discouraged, not expecting her to push me away.

"How did it go?" Peter asked me as I walked back into the room.

I frowned, with tears in my eyes. It was amazing how in a matter of seconds I could feel like I was someone on top of the world, but then turn into no one, failing to even help a friend.

Without me saying anything, Peter got up from his chair and pulled me into a hug. "I'm sorry Clare."

"I am too."