"How is he feeling?" I ask, my long fingers clutching the phone tighter desperately, afraid to miss any new information.

　　My mom sighs into the phone, and I hear her fumbling around in the back. Probably trying to get ready to leave for work, but right now is the only time she can talk before five in the morning tomorrow, when her shift ends. "He had a good day today. He read a bit, and the nurse said he was pretty energetic around lunchtime." She shuffles around as I let a breath of relief escape my lips. "But the doctor also told me that his body is getting weaker."

　　There it was. The bad news. It hit me like a punch to the stomach, and a breath left my mouth again. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to gather the hope that was pooling in my mind somewhere. After a few minutes of neither of us speaking, just listening to the rustling on the other end of the phone line, I hear a door shut behind my mother, followed by the chiming of bells. Not wanting to doom her to a nine hour shift of sadness, I open my eyes and force a smile even though she can't see, and try to change my attitude.

　　"He just needs a few more good days, and his body will get stronger," I tell her with strong conviction. "Danny will be fine, mom."

　　Her voice wasn't as falsely cheerful as mine. "I hope so. I have to start work, Lily, I'll talk to you tomorrow, alright hon?"

　　"Okay, mom. I love you."

　　"I love you too." Click.

　　My hand dropped to my side limply, holding the phone, and I shut my eyes again. Usually when my mother and I ended a phone call, I would be okay, and there wasn't much bad news to hear of. But today, I felt absolutely wiped; hearing Danny was getting worse made my stomach twist painfully. The thought of losing my little brother was too much. It carried too many harsh realizations that I didn't want to face. After a moment, I recollected myself and shoved my phone in my pocket, grabbed my bag off the ground and pushed myself up from my seat on the grass.

　　I had only taken a few steps out of the building I just had class in before calling my mom and making a seat for myself on the ground. She was always picking up extra shifts and working for extra money, which we needed desperately to pay for the hospital bills. When I went off to college last year, I got myself a job on campus so I could send money home in the hopes of lessening the financial burden off of my mothers shoulders. But she was a single mother with a child in the hospital; there was no such thing as lessening a financial burden like that.

　　"Lily! Wait up!"

　　I pulled myself out of my thoughts long enough to stop walking and turn around to see Andrew, a tight end on the football team, barreling towards me. Andrew is a big guy who, if you didn't know him, you'd be terrified of him. But when you get to know him, you'd realize pretty quickly that he's just a big softie who loves romantic comedies and Glee.

　　I somehow find a smile to give despite the toxic thoughts floating through my head and greet, "Hey Andrew, what's up?"

　　He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, averting his gaze to the ground. "Tyler and I were rough housing at this party on Saturday, and I think I messed up something in my calf. Would you mind taping me up without telling Sandra?"

　　I chuckled at his behavior; he was acting like a little kid who had been caught stealing the last cookie. Rightfully so, because Sandra, the athletic trainer, would chop his head off for injuring himself while he was drunk. However, I was used to this request, seeing as the boys couldn't help themselves from drunkenly fighting each other.

　　"I wouldn't mind at all," I assure Andrew.

　　Andrew looks up at me with a wide smile. "Thanks Lily, you're the best. Are you heading over to the stadium now?"

　　I nod and we begin walking toward the football stadium together. We still had fifteen minutes before practice started, but I desperately needed a distraction after my phone call. Andrew didn't question why I was going as early as he, but instead filled the air with the detailed story of he and Tyler fighting at a party.

　　When we got to the stadium, Andrew headed off to the locker room while I went to the athletic office to find Sandra. She was sitting at her desk with Coach Baxter behind her as they reviewed tapes on the computer screen. Sandra glanced at me and then back at the screen, not bothering to say hello.