(episode 2.) Stupid Binder
"But she doesn't realize this isn't something you just move on from."
It didn't take much for my family to come up with reasons to eat cake. But this fine we had a great reason.
Alexa had texted Katie that it was time for us to come over for cake since it was the last time she had to take her cancer pills so we were gonna celebrate!
"Ooh! I'm so excited!" Katie said as we walked into the Mendoza household.
"I'm so excited too! Where's the cake?" Jack asked. I laughed at them and walked over to Alexa and gave her a hug before giving Lucas one as well. I slipped my hand into his as we watched everyone around us.
"Jack we're here for Alexa." Mom told my brother. "But that looks like chocolate cake and these pants have some give, so dish away."
"It's red velvet, but i'll make chocolate tomorrow for the survivorship appointment." Lori told her.
"Oh, yes! What's that?" Jack asked.
"Uh, it means Alexas at the end of her treatment." Dave said.
"And that I kicked cancer's butt." Alexa said.
"And it was a total knockout." I said as Lucas handed me a piece of cake. Alexa and Katie both gave me high fives one at a time.
"Oh. So I guess that means you guys can start paying attention to me again." Lucas said as I left his side and sat at the table with Alexa and Katie.
"Oh, you're right. Let's start now." Lori said. "Uh, you need a haircut."
"Your posture is atrocious." Dave said.
"And your outfit is awful." I said without looking at him. He gave me a fake offended look as I laughed slightly at him.
"And your ears stick out." Jack said. "I wanted to do one."
"I really want to go with you to that appointment." Katie told Alexa.
"No way. You'll be too busy rehearsing when you get the part of emily." Alexa said. I was able to go to the appointment because I literally don't do anything.
"Yeah, but if I don't get it, that means I can go with you, which means I don't get the lead in Our Town." Katie trailed off. "But I won't have time to be painfully disappointed, because i'll be with you at your appointment because my afternoon--"
"You just need to jump in or this keeps going." I told Alexa.
"Katie, you're going to get that part, and I'll be fine at my appointment without you. This is a really good appointment. Besides, my mom and dad will be there." She paused when she saw her parents. "Oh, boy. Well, Y/n will be there." I smiled at her and she gave me one back. "Okay. You guys ready?" We all got up and walked over to the kitchen counter to watch Alexa take her last pill.
"Okay, Listen up, pill. I appreciate what you've done for me, but it's over. I am officially breaking up with you. And cancer." Alexa said before popping the pill into her mouth and washing it down with water. We all started cheering happily for her.
"Oh, good, the list hasn't gone up yet." I said and Alexa and I walked over to Katie, Ryan, and Nathan. (Had to look up his name and that may not even be his name) "How you doing?"
"I'm a wreck." Katie said.
"Heh! I'm a nervous wreck." Ryan said. "I wish I could relax a little to be a regular wreck."
"I hope I get constable warren." Nathan said. "I know he's not the lead, but I'm afraid to aspire to more."
"Look worst case scenario, you don't get the parts you want." Alexa said.
"Eh, no. Worst case scenario is not being cast at all. Why would you put that in my head?"
"This is why I play basketball." Alexa said and I nodded.
Reagan and Hannah walked up to us by the lockers and Hannah asked, "Is the list up yet?"
"No. Wreck. Nervous wreck." Katie replied pointing to both herself and Ryan. "There, you're caught up."
"Well, good luck. I've got to get to Peggy's study group early so I can pre-study before I study." Reagan told us.
"Ugh you've gotten so boring." Hannah told Reagan.
"I may be boring, but on the practice tests my scores have gone up 200 points. Also, i'm not boring."
"Two hundred points? That--that would really help with scholarships." Katie said pointing towards me and her. I wasn't even sure if I was going to college but scholarships would be helpful if i do go. "I'd kill to be in that group."
"Well, it was super hard to get in, so you should have thought about it this summer, like I did. Hope you get the part." Reagan said before walking off. (I don't wanna say reagan is a bitch but she's a bitch.)
"She tells it like it is. It's sometimes hard to not cry around her, but we like the same movies." Hannah admitted.
"The list! Give her space!" Nathan exclaimed as the drama teacher walked down the hall.
"I had to make some difficult decisions and some not so difficult decisions. For those of you who got parts in the play, rehearsal starts in one hour. And for those of you who didn't get parts, well, life isn't fair and it's time you realize that." She said before pinning the list on the wall. Everyone crowded around the list and searched for their name.
"Oh! I got constable warren!" Nathan exclaimed.
"Ah! Yes! I got George! I got--" Ryan said excitedly.
"I'd celebrate with you but I can't until i know Katie got--" Alexa said but was interrupted by Katie saying,
"I got Emily!"
"Yay! I can celebrate now!"
"Can you believe it?" Ryan asked.
"We get married." Katie said.
"But just in the play."
"Of course just in the play."
"I get to wear a bowtie."
"That is exciting."
"Congratulations, Emily!" I said to my twin before giving her a hug and then Alexa gave her highlighters wrapped in a ribbon.
"Highlighters for your script!"
"Oh, thank you."
"We got you two since you have so many lines." I told her.
"Yeah, I know, Emily never shuts up. Even when she's dead." Katie said.
"Katie! Katie! A spot just opened up in Peggy's study group." Reagan said as she jogged over to us.
"You're kidding! That's great!"
"But you've got to hurry."
"Yeah. This is perfect. Rehearsals don't start for another hour. So i-- I can do everything. Except going to your appointment."
"Katie, I'll be fine. I'm actually happy about this trip to the hospital. It's weird to say, but I am. Besides, Y/n will be there and can tell you everything that happened." Alexa told her. Katie gave both of us hugs before Reagan interrupted
"Yeah, yeah, we get it. You guys are best friends. Let's go." She said. Katie grabbed her bag from her locker and walked away with Reagan. Alexa and I swung our bags over our shoulders and walked the other way.
"How many times have we come through this lobby feeling anxious?" Dave asked as we walked into the hospital. "It's nice to come in here feeling grateful."
"I know. I kinda want to do a cartwheel." Alexa said.
"Let's do cartwheels after we hear what the doctor says." Lori said.
"Last time getting away from Mom by going to the gift shop to get a candy bar. You coming, Y/n?" Alexa said. I nodded and walked with her into the gift shop.
Alexa and I were walking around the gift shop looking at random things. I held up a stuffed animal and poked Alexas face with the paw of the animal. She giggled at my antics before walking over to the candy bars.
"Hey, get me a snickers bar. I'm gonna go buy a teddy bear for Katie." I said before walking over to the stuffed bears. When I turned back around I saw Alexa talking to a cute boy. I gung back and let them talk before Lori popped into the store and told us the doctor was ready. I walked back over to Alexa as she exchanged numbers with the boy.
"Oh, this is my best friend, Y/n." Alexa introduced me when I popped up beside her.
"I'm Spencer." The guy, Spencer, introduced himself with a smile.
"It's nice to meet you, Spencer." I said. "You ready?" I asked as I turned towards Alexa. She nodded and we gave one last smile and wave to Spencer before heading out.
"He was cute." I told her when we left the gift shop.
"Hey, you have a boyfriend." Alexa told me.
"For you, dumb dumb." I told her and pushed her slightly.
"Nah. I don't think I'm really ready for another relationship." She admitted.
"Is this about Dylan?"
"Can we not talk about him?" She asked as we walked towards her parents. I nodded and slung my arm around her shoulder.
"Now, it's just me, and then you're done." The nurse said when he came into the room. "We saved the best for last." He said in an exaggerated southern accent.
"Uh, I'm in such a good mood, I'm even enjoying your goofy voice." Alexa laughed. "But I'm ready to be done and never hear it again. No offense."
"No, we love being at this stage in treatment. You're now part of what we call patient-centered care." The nurse said.
"Why? I'm not a patient anymore."
"Well, you won't be going to regular appointments, but we still keep track of your health."
"Oh, good." Lori said.
"And here is your personal binder. It has information from your diagnosis, your treatment, and maintenance." He said handing Alexa and binder.
"That's okay. I lived it." Alexa said. "I don't need to read the book."
"Let's hear what he has to say." Lori said.
"It's important that all your doctors from now on know your history. There's also information in here for what to look out for in case you have complications from chemotherapy."
"Lex, I know this is not what you expected, but this is gonna help keep track of your care." I told my best friend.
"But why do I need any care? I thought I was cured."
"You've hit a major milestone, Alexa, but we're careful not to use the word 'cured'."
"But honey, you heard what the doctor said, with the treatment you had it's not likely to come back." Dave said.
"Yeah. And the longer the cancer stays away, the less likely it will come back." Lori said.
"Okay. Are we done?" Alexa asked, just wanting to leave. "Can we go now?"
"Yep. You're done now. Just don't forget how far you've come. This is a wonderful moment that should be celebrated." The nurse said handing Alexa the binder. (I don't know his name so i'm just going with this.)
I walked in the side door of my house and saw my mom and Katie on the couch. Katie perked up at the sight of me.
"How was the appointment?" She asked.
"It was okay. I think Alexa just wants to forget she ever had cancer and move on but she doesn't realize this isn't something you move on from." I admitted. Katie smiled sadly at me. "How was rehearsal?"
"Stressful since i had to sneak out of the study group to rehearse and come back every two seconds. I quit the play. But i'm gonna see if Miss Rogers will give me a smaller part.
I smiled and pulled my sister into a tight hug.
Me and Katie met up with Alexa in the tree later that night.
"I don't care what happened at that appointment. I was supposed to be done with cancer today. So I'm done with cancer."
"Yeah, you are. But you're still gonna use the stupid binder, right?" Katie said.
"I'm so happy you get to still be in the play." Alexa said trying to escape that conversation.
"Okay. So i am Bessie now but i can't seem to find her. Um."
"Oh, there she is." I said pointing towards a page.
"Bessie's a horse? I am a horse. Ugh, and I have no lines. Cool."
"You could always throw in a neigh." I shrugged.
"Yeah, I can. Are you sure you're okay?" Katie asked Alexa.
"Yeah, I'm okay."
Katie walked towards her room practicing her "Neighs".
"Love ya, Lex. Tell Spencer I say hi." I winked at her before walking off.
you
First of all thank you so much for 5K reads. I know that might not sound like a lot compared to other books but i wasn't expecting much when i started this book so thank you all for the love and support you have show this book. It truly means so much to me. Second of all if you are a reader of both Adore You and Paradise i feel the need to inform you that Paradise will be my top updating priority until I finish it and then Adore you will be my top updating priority. I also started writing the first chapter to a potential Lab Rats book that I may release after I finish this one :)