"Time to head back to reality," I said to Bryce, as we pulled up to the airport.

"Back to reality, oops there goes gravity," Bryce muttered.

I rolled my eyes, stepping out of the taxi.

"I'm Slim Shady yes I'm the real Shady all those other Slim Shadys are just imitating," Kayla sang, hopping out of the taxi as well. "Oh my gosh that was my jam."

"Yeah, let's not," Bryce suggested, going around to the back to retrieve our luggage.

"Such a party pooper."

Bryce just shook his head, handing me my bag.

"So what are your plans for today?" Kayla asked, as we headed inside.

"Homework," I said, looking over at Bryce.

He immediately rolled his eyes.

"Always a jerk."

He chuckled. "Sleep. Number one priority."

"You slept all night, the entire way here, and I'm sure you'll sleep on the plane ride home," Kayla pointed out.

"Let's put a shitload of poison into your body and see how you handle it," Bryce suggested.

"Alright Oscar the Grouch."

Bryce just glared at her.

"He stays grouchy," I informed her. "At least through the last few days of Chemo."

"I'm not grouchy," he declined.

I just exchanged glances with Kayla.

"Whatever you say," Kayla said, walking into the airport with us. "Have a safe flight home, okay?"

"I'll pass the message along to the pilot," Bryce said, with a nod.

"My God, can you not?"

"Sorry."

She gave me a tight hug. "Call me when you guys land so I know you got home safe."

I nodded.

"And then call me after your MRI, okay?" she asked Bryce, giving him a hug as well.

"You'll be on your honeymoon," he pointed out.

"I won't be able to relax until I hear from you anyways."

"It's just a check-up, nothing to stress over."

"I'll stress anyways. Just promise that you'll call."

"I'll call," Bryce promised. "But have fun in Aruba, don't get bitten by any foreign spiders or something."

"Always an asshole."

Bryce just chuckled, and Kayla kissed his cheek. "I love you."

"Yeah, I love you too."

We headed over to check-in, checking in our bags before heading over to airport Security.

"She just worries about you," I said, as we waited in line.

"She doesn't need to."

"She doesn't see you every day."

"That doesn't mean she needs to stress over every little thing. It's Chemo, what does she expect?"

"Tone it down," I said, with a laugh. "She's just making sure you're okay. That's what good sisters do."

He folded his arms across his chest, staring off to the side. His jaw was taut, his muscles bulging against his thin, white t-shirt.

He was pretty sexy when he was pissed off.

"Why are you checking me out?" Bryce asked, looking back over me with a sparkle of amusement in his eye.

"Because that's the perk of being your girlfriend."

"What other perks are there?"

"Once again, tone it down there. We're in an airport."

He just smiled, and I shook my head at him, biting back a smile of my own.

~*~

"In crop rotation, why are legumes, such as soybeans and alfalfas, planted in the third and last stage?" Myra asked me.

I chewed my bottom lip, drumming my fingers on the desk.

She raised an eyebrow at me, offering me an encouraging smile.

"Oh!" I exclaimed, slamming my open palm on the table. "They're nitrogen-fixing plants!"

"Yes!" she said, pumping her fist up in the air. "And that's all, you did them all."

I jumped up and danced around the room, accepting high-fives from the teammates.

"Nice job Sophie," Mr. Tate commented, with a smile.

"I think that calls for a slice of pizza," I said, helping myself to another slice.

"I'd definitely agree," Myra said, with a laugh. "And now onto the next set."

"Boo."

I retook my seat, propping my feet up on the desk chair next to me. "When's the first competition?"

"Next Tuesday," Mr. Tate reminded me. "We're meeting in this classroom at 3:00 sharp and I'll drive us all over there."

"What time is the actual competition though?" I asked.

"4."

I nodded, making a mental note. My mom had been asking me all week.

"We usually go out for dinner afterwards," Peter informed me.

"Ooh, sounds yummy," I said, taking a bite of my pizza.

"I think that you stay eating," Myra teased. "How do you stay so thin?"

"I honestly have no idea," I admitted. "Blessed with good genes I guess. But for the amount that I eat, I should be a balloon."

The classroom door flew open, and none other than Steven Anderson came storming in.

"I'm in the middle of something Mr. Anderson," Mr. Tate stated.

"Tate, this has to be a joke," Steven said, slamming his hands on a desk.

"Mr. Anderson, later," Mr. Tate emphasized.

"A joke," Steven repeated.

I exchanged glances with Myra, and she just rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

This must be a common occurrence.

Mr. Tate just sighed. "Alright, come on over to my desk if you'd really like to do this now."

Steven's eyes scanned the room, and his eyes narrowed when they landed on me.

Instead of his usual smirk or smart comment, he turned on his heel and joined Mr. Tate at his desk, his voice dropping as he argued something about his grade.

"Steven thinks he's some sort of Godsend," Myra informed me. "Thinks that all of his grades should be handed to him."

"He's in here every other week," Peter added, as he flipped over the flashcard in front of him. "Demanding to know why he got the grade he did on a worksheet or a test."

After a few minutes, Steven stormed back out of the classroom, and Mr. Tate rejoined us.

"What this time?" Jacquelyn joked.

"What isn't it?" Mr. Tate joked. "It's always something with Steven." He picked up a flashcard off the desk. "Okay, complete this line from Martin Luther King, Free at Last/Free at Last/Thank God Almighty..."

~*~

"Good morning," Bryce said, as I met up with him at the hospital.

I nodded, sipping on my Starbucks.

"Thank you for coming so early."

"Too early," I corrected. "But you're welcome."

He'd already had his MRI, but I'd come up to join him for the appointment itself.

I'm sure that everything was fine, but Bryce was really nervous. Although he wouldn't actually admit it out loud.

"Why don't you eat something sweetie?" Regina suggested. "Even just a granola bar."

Bryce shook his head, leaning forward in his seat to rest his forearms on his knees.

I reached over and rubbed his back. "Relax babe, it's just a check-up."

"Have you ever had a MRI?"

I shook my head.

"It's creep-level, like, 10. It makes all these clicking noises and I have to lie in that damn machine as still as possible while they take pictures of my brain and I don't even know what's on them, okay? So no, I will not relax. Not until I know what's going on inside my head."

Regina and I both stared at him, a little taken aback by his outburst.

But I knew it was coming. He'd been a little too relaxed about this check-up.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"It's fine," I promised, continuing to rub his back. "But don't get worked up before you know what's going on."

"It's like being with Kayla all over again," Regina sighed, leaning back in her seat.

"I am not Kayla."

He totally is.

"Bryce Harrison?" the nurse called.

I stood up, brushing off my pants and offering my hand down to Bryce.

He was still sitting in his seat, staring at the nurse with a petrified expression.

"Come on," I said, wiggling my hand in his face.

He took my hand, squeezing it tight as we headed back to the doctor's office.

"It's just a check-up," Regina reminded him. "Three months, they take a MRI. They told us this."

Bryce nodded, his thumb rubbing the back of my hand.

He hopped up on the bed once we reached the doctor's office, Regina and I taking the two empty seats.

The nurse took his vital signs, and no surprise that his blood pressure was a bit high.

"Are you nervous?" the nurse asked him.

"Yes," Bryce breathed.

"Try and relax, okay? The doctor will be in shortly."

"Shortly as in he's on his way? Or shortly as in 30 minutes?" Bryce asked.

"Shortly as in you're his next patient."

Bryce nodded and the nurse left.

Regina clasped her hands in her lap, offering Bryce a smile. "Keep calm my dear, just a few more minutes."

Bryce braced his arms behind his back, staring up at the ceiling.

Fifteen minutes slowly ticked by, and there was still no sign of the doctor.

"I thought the nurse said I was his next patient," Bryce said, looking over at his mom.

"I know," she said, with a shrug. "You know how these things go."

He pulled his phone out of his pocket, pulling up Candy Crush.

I didn't even tease him this time, his body hunched over and tense as he played the game.

Another seven minutes passed before the knock came on the door.

Bryce set his phone down as the door swung open, his doctor coming in.

"Sorry it took so long," he apologized, letting the door shut behind him. "I was reviewing your MRI with one of my colleagues."

Bryce looked over at his mom. I'm not entirely sure that he was breathing.

"Why?" Regina asked, crossing her right leg over her left.

He sat down at his computer, logging in and pulling up Bryce's MRI.

"Well I noticed something in the MRI report, but I wanted to get a second opinion before I came in," he said, turning to face us.

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, and I couldn't look at Bryce, who I knew was probably about to have a heart attack.

"This is your MRI post-surgery," the doctor explained, swiveling the computer screen to face us.

The three of us nodded.

He split the screen, pulling up another MRI report. "And this is Bryce's MRI from this morning." He then turned to face us. "There has been a slight growth."

I looked over at Regina, who just nodded, a passive expression on her face. "And what does that mean?" she questioned.

"I thought the Chemo was supposed to stop the growth," Bryce added, his voice quiet.

"That is the goal, yes," the doctor said, with a nod. "The growth, as I said, is slight, which is why I pulled in a second opinion. So at this point it's not alarming."

"But?" Bryce asked, his voice tight.

"But it's not ideal either," the doctor continued. "Any type of growth, slight or not, is moving backwards."

The three of us were silent, absorbing this new information.

Bryce's tumor was growing instead of shrinking.

The Chemo wasn't doing its job.

"So I'm going to increase the dosage of Chemo," the doctor stated, making eye contact with Bryce.

I looked over at Bryce, who looked like a wounded puppy.

"So what about driving then?" Bryce asked.

That was the only thing he'd cared about coming into this appointment. Clearance to drive again.

Gaining his freedom back.

"With the increased dosage of Chemotherapy, I'd like to wait and see how you do on it before putting you behind the wheel of a car again."

Bryce closed his eyes, and I felt my heart break for him.

"And baseball?" Bryce asked, reopening his eyes.

The doctor nodded. "As I told you when we started this, the oral Chemotherapy is your best option for playing baseball. However, with the increased dosage, you're going to be more susceptible to disease."

Bryce shook his head, running his fingers through his hair.

"So the five-day cycle you're on Chemo, I'm going to recommend that you don't play baseball," the doctor stated. "But for the other 3 weeks between cycles you're welcome to it, just as long as you feel up to it."

Bryce braced his hands behind his back again, staring up at the ceiling.

"I know this is a lot to take in," the doctor continued. "And probably not what you were expecting to hear today. But we're lucky that we caught this now."

"I've heard that before," Bryce muttered.

"And we're still on the lucky streak," the doctor stated. "You're still doing okay Bryce. You're still able to play baseball, you were still able to go to your sister's wedding, you can still do most of the things you want to do. You'd be surprised at how lucky you are."

Bryce just nodded, but I could see the disappointment in his eyes.

He'd really wanted that clearance to drive.

"So we'll start the new Chemo dosage on the next cycle," the doctor said, after a few moments of silence. "Are there any questions for me?"

Bryce and Regina both shook their heads.

"Alright, good. I'd like to see Bryce back next month after the Chemo cycle to see how he did, make sure everything went okay. In the meantime I'd like to do an MRI once a month, just to check to make sure everything looks good, that there isn't anymore growth. As long as the tumor is stable, then there won't be any reason to come back in for an appointment, I can just call you with the results."

"What if the tumor grows in that time?" Regina asked.

"Then we'll set up an appointment and re-evaluate our options," the doctor promised.

"So if it does grow," Bryce said, quietly, "then what?"

"If the new dosage of Chemo doesn't work?" the doctor asked.

Bryce nodded.

"Then there are other combinations of Chemotherapy we can try, trial drugs we can look into. We aren't out of options here."

Bryce closed his eyes, pressing his lips together.

"But we're not there yet," the doctor added. "So let's not get ahead of ourselves."

"Thank you," Regina said, with a nod.

"I'll send my nurse in with the appointment sheet and the new prescription."

We all nodded, and he shook hands with us before leaving.

Regina pressed her eyes shut, a few tears leaking out.

"Mom," Bryce said, quietly.

"I'm fine," she said, opening her eyes again and planting a smile on her face. "Really, I'm fine."

The nurse came back in less than a minute later, giving us a sheet to make the next appointment and MRI with, and a new prescription for the increased Chemo dosage.

Regina took all the paperwork as she dabbed her eyes with a tissue, thanking the nurse before she left.

The three of us left the doctor's office in silence.

"I'll make the appointments," Regina said, as we stepped out into the lobby. "And then I'm going to have to call the office and cancel some appointments. So it's going to be a few minutes."

"I can take you home," I offered to Bryce.

Bryce looked to his mom.

"If you want," she said, reaching up to dab her eyes again.

"Are you sure? I can wait here with you," Bryce offered.

Regina may not always be there for Bryce, but Bryce wasn't one to walk away from his mom as she cried in the middle of a doctor's office.

"I'm fine," she said, with a slight, forced laugh. "Really honey. Go home, eat some breakfast. I'll be there in a few minutes."

He nodded, giving her a tight hug before following me out to the parking lot.

Silence elapsed between us, Bryce's hands shoved in his pockets as he stared off to the side.

I wanted to say something, anything, to make this situation better.

But there was nothing that I could think of.

I'd walked into that office unprepared, thinking that it was just going to be a quick check-up. I didn't expect that.

Bryce slid into the passenger seat of my car, and we both sat in the parking lot in silence.

"I'm scared," Bryce finally said, after a few moments of silence.

My eyes snapped over to him, tears involuntarily leaking out the sides.

He was staring straight ahead, a stoic expression on his face.

"It's only a slight growth," I reminded him, my voice thick.

He didn't say anything, and I just closed my eyes, a few more tears falling.

It wasn't fair.

Bryce didn't deserve this.

"You can't cry," Bryce said, after a few more moments.

I opened my eyes, looking directly into his.

"If you cry, I'm going to."

I let out a small laugh, reaching up and wiping my eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Just tell me that it's going to be okay."

"It is," I said, reaching over and taking my hands in his. "You're Bryce Harrison. Cancer doesn't kick your ass, okay? You kick it's."

He nodded, closing his eyes for a few moments before looking into mine again. "I want to drive."

"I know you do."

"I mean like right now."

"I can't let you do that. The doctor said-"

"The doctor said that I couldn't drive on the higher dosage of Chemo," he reminded me. "I haven't started that yet."

I slowly shook my head, my heart pounding in my chest.

If something were to happen I'd never forgive myself.

"What could happen?" he'd challenge. "I throw up? I can do that on the side of the road. But I haven't done that since New York anyways."

"I'll let you drive tomorrow," I promised. "We'll go the school, and nobody will be there because it'll be Saturday, and then you can drive your own car."

"My own car?"

I nodded. "And crash your own car," I added, with a slight laugh. "Without endangering the lives of others."

He rolled his eyes, but let out a laugh of his own, nodding in agreement.

I reached across the center console, meeting his lips halfway.

"I love you," he reminded me, as I pulled away.

"I love you more."

He slowly shook his head, a small smile spreading across his face.

I turned on the car, backing out of my parking spot and finally leaving the hospital.

"What do you want for breakfast?" I asked, smiling over at Bryce. "I'll make you anything."

He was on his phone, and I rolled my eyes. "I swear Bryce, you've got to lay off the Candy Crush."

"I'm not playing Candy Crush," he said, looking over at me. "I'm calling Kayla."

The smile fell off my face, and I nodded.

"She's going to cry," he warned me.

I nodded again.

"But that's expected, because it's Kayla."

I shook my head at him. "You're so mean to her."

He pressed the FaceTime button, clearing his throat and letting out a long sigh.

"Bryce!" I heard Kayla squeal. "I've been waiting for your call. Oh my goodness, you wouldn't believe how beautiful it is here. And I can't wait to tell you all about the crazy shit Josh has made me do. But before I do, tell me how the MRI was. Major creep status right? What did the doctor say?"

Bryce cleared his throat again, closing his eyes for a few moments before he reopened them.

"Why aren't you speaking?" Kayla asked, after a few moments of silence passed.

"Tell me about Aruba," Bryce said, his voice thick.

"I did," Kayla said, her voice shaking. "I told you on Wednesday, when mom called. Bryce, tell me that the MRI went okay."

Bryce blinked a few times, letting out a sigh.

"Bryce," Kayla repeated.

"The MRI went okay," Bryce stated. "It was major creep status, I hate the damn thing."

"I know right?" Kayla asked, with a slight laugh. "The way that they make you lie perfectly still and then they snap pictures of you, and you know they're talking about you behind that glass."

Bryce cracked a smile, and I reached up and wiped a tear off my cheek.