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"Luke, I'm sorry. It's beautiful. They'd be so proud of you, but do you think," I gasped, "do you think you should say . . ."

"My father? Yes, Annie. On this day especially, I want to put away any deception and stand proud for who I am. Do you think he would mind?"

"Oh no. I was just thinking about you and afterward."

"Afterward doesn't matter. I'm going off to college, and frankly, this is one time I agree with my mother--I don't care what the hypocrites of Winnerrow think."

"I only wish I could be there beside you, Luke." "You'll be beside me, Annie. I'll know it."

I started to bawl again. I hid my face in my pal

ms. Mrs. Broadfield, her face screwed in anger, rushed forward.

"Now you have to stop this!" she exclaimed. "Hang that phone up. The call is too disturbing."

She took the phone before I had a chance to pick it up again.

"This is Mrs. Broadfield," she said. "I'm afraid you'll have to end this conversation. Annie is too weak for this kind of emotional strain."

"Please, give me the phone, Mrs. Broadfield," I demanded.

"Well, bring this to an end," she said. "You'll make yourself sick."

"I'll be calm. I promise."

Reluctantly, she returned the phone.

"I'm sorry," Luke said immediately. "I didn't--" "It's all right, Luke. I'm all right. be strong. I'm

crying because I'm happy, too, happy for you." "Be happy for the both of us, Annie."

"I'll try."

"I'll call you right after graduation and let you know how it goes."

"Don't forget."

"I'd as soon forget to breathe," he said.

"Good luck, Luke," I cried, and surrendered the phone to Mrs. Broadfield, who quickly cradled the receiver.

I fell back against the pillows.

"You don't understand your condition, Annie," she began. "You've not only been damaged

physically, but emotionally as well. This kind of thing can set you back for months."

The tears and the agony made my heart feel like a brick in my chest. Suddenly I was struggling to breathe. I gasped and reached up. I felt the blood draining from my face, my cheeks turning cold. The room began to spin. The last thing I heard was Mrs. Broadfield yell, "Stat!"

Then the season of darkness claimed me again.

EIGHT Doctor's Orders

. I felt as if I were falling down a long, dark tunnel, but as I fell I began to see a light at the end. I was drawing closer and closer to it, and soon I began to hear voices. First it sounded like many people whispering; then their whispering grew louder, until it sounded more like hundreds of flies buzzing around a screen window on a hot, sticky, late summer day. Then the buzzing turned into words and I fell through the bottom of the tunnel into the bright light.

I blinked and blinked. There really was a very bright light pointed at my face.

"She's coming to," someone said, and a head moved away from the light and pushed it away so the brightness was directed to the side. I looked into Dr. Malisoff's concerned hazel eyes.