Exploiting Realities

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE - BEGIN AGAIN

ARIA

Wednesday, February 12

Dear Journal,

I know I haven't written in a while. I just haven't gotten around to it. Not much has changed in my life in the last month and a half. Well, besides the fact that Mia started this semester of college taking online courses from home to save money. It really kills me that she had to do that, but she insisted that she didn't mind and that she had missed us too much anyway. Alaska was simply too far away.

My hair started falling out in the beginning of January. Now it's almost completely gone. I was at Lorelai's house when I first realized it. I had spent the night after our New Year's Eve party and when I woke up the next morning there was a clump on the pillow. I sobbed so hard that day.

Alec and I are basically where we were five months ago. He sits a little closer to me and I'll catch him staring at me now and then, but other than that nothing has changed. It's strange how easy it is to act like nothing even happened. Lor said that he told her that I have enough on my plate as it is right now, and I think he's probably right.

I've been going through treatments for almost four months now. Right now I'm in the treatment room starting a new cycle while Dr. Mayberry and Nurse Riley run some tests to see my progress. The way that they approach these things reminds me of when I had my braces. They've been telling me that I'm "almost there" for six treatments now, and they just keep finding new things wrong with me. Sometimes I wonder if they're just trying to give me false hope.

Love, Aria.

I looked up from my journal to see Dr. Mayberry and Nurse Riley entering the room with files in their hands.

"Well Miss. Richter," Dr. Mayberry said, opening up one of the files. "I have some good news for you."

"Don't tell me," I said. "I'm almost done."

He nodded. "Extremely close! Your white bloodcell count has made its way to a managable amount. I'm glad to say that this will my last time seeing you for a while."

My heart leaped. "Really?" I asked, shocked.

He smiled at me. "Really. You've been taking good care of yourself, and it's really paying off. You should be able to start school as soon as Monday."

My feelings soured. School! I never thought I would actually be excited to go, but after sitting in my house doing basically nothing for the last four months, it was a glorious idea. I couldn't wait to get back into the world. I couldn't wait to tell Lorelai and Alec.

* * *

"I have big news!" Lorelai announced as she came in through my back door when she got out of school later that day.

"I have bigger news," I promised her.

"Well let me go first," she ordered. "Brady asked me to prom!" she exclaimed giddily.

"What?!" I said, standing up and walking towards her.

"I know!" she squealed.

"What did he say exactly?"

"Well," she said, blushing, "he didn't say anything."

"He didn't text it to you, did he? That's classless."

She shook her head frivolously. "Come out and see!"

I raised an eyebrow, confused, but followed her out my back door and into her driveway. In it was her car with "Prom? -Brady" painted on the rear windshield in shaving cream. Alec stood next to the car, examining it.