Dana’s tired eyes studied her intently.  “I know you don’t want to be here.  You can leave, you know.”

No, I can’t, Alice thought, thinking of Shane barricading her inside the room.  Instead she shrugged.

Dana tried again.  “Look, Al, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you but – “

“You’re sorry?” Alice suddenly burst out.  “Sorry?  That doesn’t even begin to describe it.  What happened, Dana?  We are, or were – whatever – best friends.  Couldn’t you have taken the time to tell me you were sick?  Or tell anyone you were sick?  What were you going to do – just hide it and happen to die one day and expect us all to understand and be able to deal with it?  Cause I” she trailed off.  Couldn’t deal with it, she finished mentally.  I couldn’t deal with Dana dying.

“I’m sorry,” Dana replied weakly, struggling to sit up further.  “You don’t understand, Al.  I didn’t know what to say or do.  And I screwed things up so bad with, with everything, that I was afraid.  Besides, you looked happy with Helena and I didn’t want to worry you.”

“Worry me?” Alice laughed harshly.  “Worry me?” she repeated, her mouth a thin line.  “Dana, it’s obvious to me that if you can’t bring yourself to tell me something so important, then maybe we’re not the friends we thought we wereor ever were.”

Dana looked down at the thin sheet covering her body, noticing her painfully bony legs jutting out through the material.  “I knew I couldn’t hide it forever,” she began, her eyes still staring downwards.  “I was just scared.”

Alice sighed.  “I can understand being scared.  God, I would be, too.  And I am scaredfor you.  I’m just so glad you’re okay right now.  I was worried.”  She looked away, biting her lip.  “I’d like to try and be your friend again, but we need to realize how hard this is gonna be for both of us.”

Dana’s eyes never looked up.  “I know.”  Finally, she tore her eyes away from the sheet to glance up at Alice.  “I’m, um, getting tired now,” she lied.  “And I’m sure you want to get back to Helena.  She’s got to miss you.”