Ten

Sam shut the door after Cale left. She would tell them soon, she told herself. But there were a few things she needed to do first, like come to terms with it herself. She needed to be okay with it if she was going to ask them to be okay with it too. They had to keep the band. It was truly all she had now. And she needed to talk to Bryan.

She went to the refrigerator and found the emergency number for Bryan. It wouldn't go directly to him of course, but it would let someone know that he needed to call home asap. Sam took a deep breath and dialed.

"Can I help you?" a woman's voice asked.

"Um isn't this an emergency line?" Sam asked. The lady sounded like Sam was calling to purchase something.

"Yes. Who do you need to speak to?"

"Well, I need to talk to my brother, Bryan Robbins. But, um, it's nothing he needs to know right this second. But if he could please call me today and if not today within the next couple of days I'd really really appreciate it!"

Sam swore she could hear a trace of a smile in the woman's voice. "Alright. And what is your name?"

"Samantha Robbins."

She proceeded to ask for all of Sam's contact information and then assured her that she would get the message to Bryan. Sam thanked her and hung up. At least she had tried to tell him first. But there was one more person she needed to talk to.

"Hello?" Chase said.

"Hey, it's me."

"Sam? Are you sick? You're not hurt are you? Johnny told me about those jerks."

"No, they aren't the problem, Chase."

"Then there is a problem?"

"Do you think you could come to my house at lunch? I really need to tell you something."

"Sure. Is everything okay?"

How many times was she going to get that question? She couldn't lie again.

"Just come at lunch."

"Alright. Bye."

Sam hung up. She busied herself with writing more songs, although none really stood out like the ones she had written last night.

She barely heard the doorbell ring. Sam sprinted down the stairs, opened the door, and flung herself into Chase's arms.

"Whoa," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "Do you want to tell me what's going on?" he asked.

"Let's go inside," Sam said. "Sit down."

They sat on the sofa in the living room. Chase was looking at her expectantly, but didn't want to push her. He knew whatever was wrong, it was bad. She wouldn't brush off her friends like that if it wasn't something major. He knew how close she was to them.

He remembered when they first met. They were just starting their sophomore year. He was the only underclassman starter on the baseball team, he started as a freshman, and she was labeled as one of those emo-Goth kids that everyone picked on or just ignored. One day a group of his friends was making fun of her when she had tripped in her clunky black boots and dropped her stuff. He didn't do anything cliché and romantic, like shove his friends and help her pick up her books. Now he wished he had. But it all worked out the same.

He saw her again in the hallway, and asked her name. They got to talking, and he eventually asked her out. He couldn't really pinpoint exactly why he fell for her. He just knew he loved her. The other guys on the team gave him crap all the time over dating her, but he was one hell of a shortstop, so they didn't ever say anything that bad.

"What's wrong, Sam?" he asked. "Just tell me." She needed a little prodding, and the suspense was killing him. Was Bryan injured, or worse?

"I, uh, I have," she said, then clamped up.

"Tell me," Chase said. "It's okay."

"I have cancer."

He was silent for a minute. "What?"

"I have cancer," she said, then took a breath, "like my dad."

"I, ah, I don't…know what to say."

He didn't. He wanted to tell her it would all be okay, but she had said like her dad. And he had died. Instead he walked over and kissed her. When they broke the kiss, there were tears glistening in her eyes.

He hugged her again. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really," she said, wiping her eyes. Then she looked at the clock and swore. "You need to get back to school."

"You honestly expect me to go back to school?"

"Yeah. Don't you have a game?"

"There are things more important than games."

"Yeah, but sitting here with me isn't one of them," Sam said. Then her brow furrowed. Then Chase saw one of the strangest things. A huge smile broke out on her face.

"What?" he asked.

"I just got it!"

"Got what?"

"I thought you were stupid for sitting here and wasting a game and a part of your life all because I got some stupid disease. But that's exactly what I was going to do!"

"Yeah," he said, "You're exactly right," although he wasn't exactly sure what she was talking about. But she was shooing him out the door, so he didn't argue or ask for an explanation. She seemed happy for now, and he didn't want to ruin that. And he guessed she really wanted him to go to his game. "Okay, see you tomorrow?"

"Yup," Sam said. "Good luck tonight! Bye!"

Only after he left did everything Sam had said sink in.