Page 114 of Remember Us This Way

“That’s the general idea,” I tell her. “Only the chemo—considering it works of course—will be delivered in three stages, and between each stage, I should be able to have somewhat of a normal life. I’ll go to school when I can, and then hopefully, I’ll be cleared and can forget about all of this.”

“How long will that take?”

I shrug my shoulders. “That’s not exactly the easiest question to answer,” I admit. “It all depends on how my body reacts to the chemo.”

“Assuming everything goes according to plan?”

“Two, maybe three years until I’m completely in the clear.”

Hope gasps, her eyes going wide. “Shit! That long? Holy crap. You’re going to be like . . . twenty before this is gone.”

“Mm-hmm,” I say, more than aware of just how long I’m going to be living with this.

Hope is quiet for a little while, deep in thought. “Does . . . does it hurt?”

I glance down, not able to handle the emotions burning through her blue gaze, and I don’t miss the way Hazel freezes across the room, waiting for my response. “No,” I whisper. “It doesn’t hurt. It just makes me really tired, like I’m lethargic all the time with no energy. Sometimes I get really dizzy to the point I pass out. But if I keep hydrated and make sure I’m eating enough, I can avoid that.”

“And the chemo?” she asks. “Is it as bad as they say it is in the movies?”

I nod while offering a small smile, not wanting her to be sad for me. “I’m having quite an intense round of chemo,” I explain. “My leukemia is . . . It’s bad. It’s advanced so we’re going hard on the chemo just to be on the safe side.”

Hope lets out a heavy breath and leans back against my pillow. “I’m sorry, Zo,” she murmurs. “I wish there was something I could do to make this easier.”

“Being the bringer of the snacks is more than enough,” I tell her. “I already have everyone fussing over me, so just being yourself would help.”

“You mean like, coming to you with all the drama from school. Because girl, you’ve been missing out this week. The shit has hit the fan.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, my tone lowering as I gape at her. “What happened?”

“Tarni and Shannan are what happened,” she says, a smirk on her lips as her eyes sparkle with silent laughter.

“Noooooo,” I breathe. “Spill.”

“Well,” she starts. “Without you there to take up all of their attention, Tarni’s been trying to claw her way to the top and Shannan caught wind of it. They’ve been at each other’s throats all week. It’s the funniest thing. It’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion.”

Digging my spoon into the half-melted ice cream, I shovel it into my mouth, groaning as the sweet chocolate chip hits my tongue. “That’s insane.”

“Right,” she says, before glancing at me, her lips scrunching with curiosity. “Speaking of school. I’m assuming you want this kept on the down-low?”

“Yeah, I don’t need their fake pity,” I say. “Mom spoke to Principal Daniels, and he shared it with my teachers so they will email me the work I’ve been missing, not that I’ve really been able to get it done. But as for the students . . . I don’t know. I feel like Shannan is petty enough to tell people that I’m faking it just to get attention, and I don’t want to have to deal with that right now.”

“You’ve got my word,” Hope says, making a show of zipping her lips and throwing away the key.

“Thank you,” I tell her with a small smile. “Now, quit holding back on me. I want to know exactly what Tarni and Shannan have been doing to each other.”

Hope laughs as a wicked grin stretches across her lips. “Girl, you’re not even going to believe me.” And with that, she dishes on all the dirt until we’re both laughing so hard it hurts.

She sits with me until the night staff comes in with my dinner, and she’s just about to gather her things when Noah FaceTimes me, only my brows furrow, checking the time. He’s supposed to be walking out to the field for tonight’s game. What the hell is he doing?

Quickly accepting the call, a beaming smile cuts across my face, finding Noah staring back at me from the sidelines of one of the biggest fields I’ve ever seen. “Hey Zozo,” he says, that deep purr in his tone making me miss him more.

“Aren’t you supposed to be warming up?”

“Baby, you know I can’t play without your eyes on me,” he says, earning a few elbows to the ribs from his teammates and a gag from Hazel.

I laugh and turn the camera around, letting him see Hazel and Hope in the room before turning the camera back to me. “I told her,” I tell him, knowing he’d want to know.

“I’m proud of you, Zo,” he says. “Now tell me you’re going to sit in your bed like a good girl and watch me kick these guys’ asses.”

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