Chapter One: Ringing in the New Year

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After weeks of having sharp pains in my right side. My mom and I thought it was my appendix and rushed to the hospital but we were wrong. The doctors did further testing and sent me home. We would have to wait for the results. But as the days past I did not really think about it. It was the day before New Year's Eve and my mom got a phone call from the hospital, before she had a chance to tell my anything my best friends came through our front door. Taylor and Kate, together we had been the 3 musketeers. They started telling me about this great party at the school the next day and how we needed to go shopping stat. My mom yelled as we left "Spencer, we need to talk." I just waved at her as we drove away. I mean what could be wrong with me, probably just going to need to change my diet or something. We went to the mall and I got this cute black dress that had a polka dot overlay over it. As well as a white bow to wear in my hair. I got home pretty late and did not have time to talk with my mom. The next morning I woke up from a bunch of text for Taylor and K:

T: YOU'LL NEVER BELIEVE WHO IS COMING TO THE PARTY TONIGHT!!!!

K: WHO?!?!? PLEASE TELL ME THAT SEAN AND TYLER ARE COMING!!!

T: IDK! But Spencer. CARSON IS GOING TO BE THERE!!!

K: OMG!!! Spencer be prepared. He is probably going to try to ruin your New Year.

T: WILL HE EVER LEAVE YOU ALONE SPENCER??

K: YEAH WHAT A CREEPER!

Carson is a guy who came to our school freshman year and since day one he has annoyed me. But sadly everyone else outside my circle of friends sees him as a great athlete and student which he is. Sophomore year we had one class together, but yet somehow he still annoyed me. He actually use to grab my phone and try to go through it and wondered why I would get mad, or he would zoom in on this picture of an ugly scientist and be like this is you. He loves to purposefully walk extremely slow in front of me in the halls. Then this year I thought finally we will have separate schedules. NOPE! We have classes together. AP US History and Spanish 3. He sits right behind Taylor who sits to the left of me. In Spanish he is always trying to out do me. It drives me crazy. He plays 3 sports and its a great athlete. Girls line up to get there picture with him.

I respond to the group

S: No need to worry guys. Carson will not ruin this party!! See you guys soon to get ready for the party!!

My mom knocks on my door. "Sweetie, you need to go back to the doctor's office tomorrow they need to take a blood sample, to confirm what they found." "Okay mom. I'll try to schedule it as soon as possible. I got to shower for the party tonight mom." I shrug it off. They probably just need to confirm there is nothing wrong with me. After showering and deciding how my hair and make up were going to look and what shoes I would be wearing, Taylor and Kate show up. We jam out to some music and get ready. We are finally ready to go to the party at the school. Which probably sounds a lot lamer that it is but actually our school occasionally throws good parties and this is one of them. Upon arriving at the school, my whole abdomen really hurts but then I am quickly asked to smile for pictures. As we walked into the gymnasium there was a screen showing us the time till midnight. Only 5 more hours. My friends and I ate some really good food and went to the photo booth. I am sitting there laughing, when all of the sudden in walks Carson and the rest of the boy's varsity basketball team. I just look at them and then look away. There is no way this guy is going to ruin tonight. The girl sitting behind us on the bleachers says "I hope Carson kisses me at midnight!" Taylor, Kate and I just laughed. That poor girl was so confused. Our ASB leaders start having us play games. We watch and laugh. My abdomen really hurts. Then they call all the varsity basketball players onto the court. They want us to play a game of knockout. Girls on one side boys on the other. Taylor and I make our way to the girl side. We shoot and Taylor gets out in the fourth cycle, we finally have 3 girls left and 3 boys left. Of course one of the boys is Carson. The other 4 get out and now its just him and I going out it. We go on for what seems like forever. When I go to shoot just like I always do and my abdomen feels like I am getting stabbed which causes me to miss and Carson swishes. He is congradulated by his teammates which just irritates me. I shake it off only 30 more minutes till midnight. They start handing out purple and gold streamers which they have us tear up to throw as confetti.

Last night was a blast, I got home around 1:30 and around 8:30 a.m. my mom woke me up telling me that it was time to go to the doctor to get my blood drawn. I threw on some yoga pants and a t-shirt.

It had been 5 days since by blood test and I was finally getting results back. I went into the doctors office and he took me into his office. He sat my mother and I down and said that I had Hepatocellular carcinoma. I looked at him and my mom and said "I don't speak doctor." He says "I'm sorry Spencer but you have liver cancer. We want to try to attack it as soon as possible. You need to find a doctor." I just sat there in disbelief. This does not add up. I am fine.

Its been 2 weeks since my diagnosis. I have found a doctor. My mom put me in a group therapy session. The main lady recommends that we all keep a journal. This is mine.

January 25: The school views me no longer as a student but as a charity case. Taylor and Kate can barely look at me without staring at my abdomen. Carson is still his same old self, he treats me the same. But today is my last day at school and I have to say goodbye. The semester is over for another 2 weeks. So I will have to finish my homework in the hospital. My history teacher makes an announcement that we are doing a group project as our final. As he announces names and I don't hear mine I get curious. Who would I get? Then he says "Spencer you and Carson will be working together." I look at him and let out a huge sigh. We chose our topic: Captains of Industry or Robber Barons. I chose to argue for the title Captains of Industry. I go throughout my day. Finally, I go to basketball practice. Its really sad. I can't really run as much anymore and I can't look at any of my teammates. This can't be the way my season ends. I sit here tonight at my desk looking at my suitcase, and bags ready for the hospital.

I look out my window, stroking my hair. HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?

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