"The cancer has moved greatly since the last time we checked you," Dr. Wazowski says. "At the rate it's moving, you have much less time than we thought."

I grab Laylah's hand.

"This'll be rough, but I highly suggest you limit your contact with the outside world to avoid it spreading quickly, get plenty of sleep, and make sure to stay hydrated."

I squeeze her hand. She's just staring at a speck on the floor. Her parents start asking a bunch of questions about the situation. "It's going to be alright," I whisper. 

She squeezes my hand. 

I come home. Allison and Sofia are still chilling in my basement playing MarioKart.

"Dang, I thought you guys left when I did."

"No," They both say in unison.

"You kinda just left us, so we kinda just stayed." Sofia says. 

I laugh. "Okay that's cool."

"Also, we're sneaking out of the house tonight, whether you want to or not." Allison adds.

I stare at her. "We can't."

"You know, who cares if her mom will kill her, she's going to die anyway," Sofia says. She gasps right after she realizes the words she just said. She stops playing the game and starts crying. "I didn't mean to say that."

"It's okay," Allison and I say as we try to comfort her. "It'll be okay."

"It's too hard," Sofia says as she wipes her eyes.

"You know what," I say. "She needs a fun night out with us. We need a fun night out with her."

We wait until 12:30am then leave my house. We get in Allison's car and drive towards Laylah's house. I text her and tell her to come outside.

Layls: No, remember what Dr. Wazow whatever said? I can't be outside.

Me: Too bad, just come outside. 

Layls: Fine

Two minutes go by. "You sure she's actually coming?" Allison asks.

We're staring at the front door of her house. "Yeah. She'll be here."

Five minutes pass and we finally see movement coming from the side of the house. There's Laylah standing in the middle of her driveway looking very confused.

Allison unrolls her window. "Hello little girl," She says in the best creepy voice she can manage.

Laylah realizes it's us and starts smiling and running over to us. She hops in the back seat with Sofia. I turn around to look at her face. Her nose and eyes are both red like she's been rubbing at them, like she's been crying.

It's 12:43am by the time we drive away. "Where to first?" Allison asks taking a right turn out of the neighborhood.

"Walmart?" Sofia asks.

We drive to Walmart and get there at 1:02am. "Snacks," I say as I walk into the sugary-junk-food aisle. "We need snacks."

The four of us stand in the aisle picking out different snacks including cosmic brownies, mini muffins and doughnuts. We fill up a mini cart full of snacks. We lug them out to the car and then drive to Steak 'n Shake.

We get there at 2:15am, order milkshakes, and then just chill. "Guys, I'm not doing too well I think we should go back home." Laylah says.

"No," Sofia says. "We are staying out all night. We are not going home just because you don't feel good, you'll be fine."

Sofia will replay what she just said in her head for years to come.

Laylah sighs and goes to the bathroom. After 2 minutes I go there too. I hear her throwing up. "Laylah," I say in a soft tone. "Are you okay?" Obviously she's not.

"Yeah," She pukes a little more. "I'll be fine."

"You're not okay," I say leaning against the outside of the stall. "Why are you throwing up?"

"I started chemo last week," She says.  "And it's made me super nauseous."

"Why didn't you tell me?" 

"I didn't want you to worry, Evie,"

"What do you mean?" I ask. "Of course I'm going to worry. I worry about all of you guys, you especially."

"I didn't want you to worry because I know you'd want to try to help out," She raises her voice a little. "Because you know what it's like to be the family member who has to go through it, and I'm sorry, I love you but I didn't want you to help. I just want to go through this on my own."

"We are all here to help you," I raise my voice too. "We love you, Layls, we love you so much. You're my best friend, I love you so much and I can't stand to think the thought of losing you." My voice squeaks and tears pop into my eyes. 

"I'm sorry," Laylah says, her voice has toned down a bit. "I didn't realize it was this hard for you guys too."

"It's fine," I start to walk to the door. "If you don't want my help, I won't give it."

"Evie," Laylah says opening the stall door.

But instead of waiting for her, waiting to hear what she says, I walk out and go back to our booth. I will replay that moment in my head for years to come. 

"Let's go," I say once Laylah gets out of the bathroom.

The four of us pile in Allison's car yet again. We speed down the highway listening to loud music and eating our snacks.

It's 3:58am when we're stopped. Flashing lights shine in the rear window. Allison pulls over and a cop comes up. 

"Do you know how fast you were going?" He asks.

Allison is pretty tired and starting to act high, this isn't going to end well.

"Miss, are you high?" He says.

Allison start laughing uncontrollably. "You think I'm," She laughs more. "You think I'm high." A little more. 

The cop shines his flashlight in the back seat and sees Sofia and Laylah stuffing their face with doughnuts. "You're all coming with me to the station."

The four of us pile in the cop car and he drives us to jail where he will keep us until our parents come to pick us up. 

We all reluctantly give them our parents phone numbers so they can call. "My parents turn their sound off, you might not hear it," Laylah says. Which is true. 

We get put into a jail cell. It's about 4:25am. 

"I seriously don't feel good," Laylah says as she sits down.

"What's going on?" Allison says sitting next to her.

This is when I finally look at Laylah. Like actually look at her. She doesn't look good. Her eyes are sunken in, her hair is thinning out, lips are chapped, skin is pale.

"I've been going through chemo for the past week," She says. "It's just taken a toll on my body."

"I'm so sorry," Allison says. 

One of the cops at the station sees how Laylah looks and automatically assumes she's on drugs. Which I guess she is. But only because of the cancer. "Come here," He calls for her.

She weakly stands up and walks over to him, slowly. 

"Hurry up!" He shouts.

"Come on," Allison says. "Hurry up a little bit, the cop is getting angry."

And Allison will replay those words in her head for years to come. 

But Laylah couldn't make it to the cop before she collapses.