It was Saturday morning, and I woke up feeling heavier than usual. My body seemed to sink deeper into the mattress as if gravity had suddenly doubled overnight. The sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow on my walls, but it did little to lift the weight off my chest.

I rolled over, burying my face in the pillow. Why was I awake so early? I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to drift back into blissful unconsciousness.

Just then, my phone dinged, the sound piercing the sleepy silence. I reluctantly reached for it, squinting at the bright screen. It was a text from Nathan.

"Hey, I'll be there in ten minutes!"

I let out a muffled curse. Crap. I'd completely forgotten he was coming over this morning. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I checked the time - 8:00 AM.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, I didn't realise it would be this early," I muttered to myself.

I tossed my phone aside and let out a long sigh; so much for sleeping in on a Saturday. With a groan, I flung off the warm covers and forced myself to sit up, running a hand through my tousled hair.

Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I cast a longing glance back at the rumpled sheets. Part of me was tempted to text Nathan and ask to reschedule for later. But I knew I couldn't do that.

I dragged myself into the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face to wake myself up. I mentally prepared myself for the day ahead as I stared at my bleary-eyed reflection in the mirror. I grabbed my toothbrush, squeezed a dollop of toothpaste, and brushed my teeth. The minty freshness did little to dispel the lingering fatigue, but I welcomed the brief jolt of alertness it brought.

Walking back into my bedroom, I grabbed my hairbrush from the dresser and slowly ran it through my hair, trying to tame the wild knots that had formed overnight. A glance into my mirror showed exhaustion etched into the circles under my eyes and pale skin.

I let out a weary sigh, bracing my hands on the dresser. Getting ready this morning already felt like an enormous effort. Part of me wanted to crawl back into bed and sleep the day away.

But I knew I couldn't do that, not today, not when Nathan had gone to the trouble of planning this day for me. With my dwindling time, I had to keep living life to the fullest, no matter how drained I felt.

Mustering strength, I opened my closet and began rifling through my clothes. I decided on something bright and cheerful, a bold pop of colour to reflect the energy I wished I possessed.

I settled on a yellow sundress, slipping it over my head. As I smoothed it over my frame, I couldn't help but notice how loose it had become, hanging off my body—a harsh reminder of my deteriorating condition.

I finished brushing my hair and put on a smile to mask the weariness.

"You've got this," I murmured to myself. "Just keep going."

I shuffled downstairs into the kitchen, stifling a yawn while waiting for the coffee to brew. The rich smell was starting to fill the air when I heard footsteps.

"You're up early," my mum said, tying her dressing gown tighter as she entered. Her hair was tousled from sleep as she blinked owlishly at me.

"Yeah, not by choice," I grumbled. "Where's dad?"

"Still upstairs asleep, along with your sister," she replied with a soft chuckle. "You got your father's looks, yet you're both opposites when it comes to being an early bird."

I snorted. "If I could still be in bed, I would be. Trust me."

Mum just smiled and shook her head as she moved to grab a mug for herself. We both know my early rising had nothing to do with being a morning person - that was the furthest thing from the truth.

Every day felt like a ticking clock, precious time slipping away quickly. My energy levels were so unreliable these days with the cancer. On my good days, I had to seize every minute I could.

"So what's on the agenda for today then?" Mum asked, handing me a steaming mug.

I took a grateful sip and smiled. "Nathan's coming over; we're just going for a drive," I replied vaguely.

Her eyes crinkled with concern. "Are you sure that's a good idea? You look exhausted already."

I waved a dismissive hand. "I'm fine, Mum. It'll be nice to get out for a bit."

But she didn't look convinced. With a heavy sigh, she settled into one of the chairs. "Beth, I can't help but worry you're pushing yourself too hard lately."

Swallowing hard, I averted my eyes. "I just...I need to feel like I'm still living, you know?" I said quietly. "With everything happening, stuff as simple as this keeps me going."

Mum reached across the table, and I placed my hand in hers as she gave it a soft squeeze. "I understand, sweetheart. Really, I do. But you have to start being kinder to yourself, alright? Take more breaks when you need them."

I opened my mouth to protest, but she shook her head. "No arguments. Promise me you'll listen to your body and rest when it tells you. We all want you to take care of yourself."

My throat felt tight as I finally gave a slight nod. As stubborn as I could be, it was getting harder and harder to ignore how drained I felt at the end of each day. Maybe I did need to start slowing down, as annoying as that thought was.

"Alright, I promise," I murmured. "I'll try."

Mum smiled sadly and leaned over to press a kiss on my forehead. "That's my girl. Now, go on and have fun today. But no overexerting yourself, you hear?"

I couldn't help but chuckle lightly at her protective mothering, even as a lump formed in my throat. "Yes, Mum. I'll behave."

When the doorbell finally rang, I hauled myself up from the table. Steeling myself, I plastered a smile to greet Nathan, determined not to let him see how depleted I felt.

Today was for making memories and living my life. I could allow myself to rest later.

I opened the door to find Nathan's smiling face on the other side. His eyes immediately filled with concern as he took in my weary appearance.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked, brow furrowing slightly. "We don't have to go out if you're not feeling up to it."

I waved a dismissive hand. "I'm fine, just a bit of an early start," I assured him, forcing more energy into my voice than I had. "Ready for an adventure?"

Nathan didn't look entirely convinced but decided not to push it. "You got it. I've got the day all planned out," he said with a grin, leaning slightly to the left and waving. Good morning, Mrs. Reid."

Mum appeared behind me and waved back. "Good morning, Nathan." She looked at him thoughtfully. "Keep her safe, okay?"

"Of course, ma'am," he replied with a nod.

I rolled my eyes and looked at them both. "I'll be fine, you two. I'm tougher than I look."

Nathan grinned at me. "That's what I like to hear. You ready then?"

Giving Mom one last reassuring smile, I stepped outside to join Nathan. Despite my weariness, I felt a flutter of excitement within me. A bucket list journey with my best friend - how could I not be ready for that?

"Lead the way then," I replied.

As I followed him out to the car, I couldn't help but feel fatigue tugging at me. The simple act of getting ready and walking outside had depleted the little energy reserves I'd started the day with.

A voice in the back of my head whispered that maybe I should have listened to my mum and postponed my plans. But I quickly shoved that thought aside. I refused to let this disease dictate my life and what I could or couldn't do.

"So, where are we off to first?" I asked once we'd settled into Nathan's car.

He glanced over at me with a mischievous grin. "It's a surprise."

I playfully narrowed my eyes. "Oh, come on, give me a hint!"

Nathan laughed, shaking his head adamantly. "Nope, it ruins all the fun. You'll have to trust me."

I tried my best to look sad, but I couldn't entirely hide my smile as we started driving. Trust was one thing I'd never lacked with Nathan.

After a few minutes, he nodded towards the bag at my feet. "Go ahead and grab that."

Curious, I picked it up and peeked inside to find a notepad and some pens. I shot him a confused look. "What's this for?"

His expression sobered a bit, and his smile turned wistful. "I bought some stuff for you to start writing your bucket list."

My breath caught in my throat as I stared at him. "Nathan..."

He kept his eyes on the road, but I could see his knuckles whiten on the steering wheel. "I was serious when I mentioned it before. I want that book to be full. And we'll go through everything on that list," he swallowed hard, struggling to get the words out. "Before...before..."

"Before I die," I finished softly.

A strained silence stretched between us as the weight of my inevitable fate hung in the air. Then Nathan's jaw tightened.

"Exactly," he said gruffly. "So you'd better get writing. We've got a hell of a lot of living to do."

"I don't even know where to start," I admitted.

"Start with something small," Nathan suggested. "Something that makes you smile."

I couldn't help but smile, my chest swelling with overwhelming affection. Leave it to Nathan to tackle this head-on, ensuring I experienced everything I could before the end.

Grabbing a pen, I uncapped it and stared at the blank pages. There are so many possibilities, so many adventures waiting to be seized. With shaky hands, I wrote down the first thing that came to mind.

Maybe, just maybe, there was still time to create something beautiful out of the fragments of my life.

"Are you finally going to tell me where we're going?" I asked.

Nathan chuckled. "What are you, Donkey from Shrek?"

I laughed. "Shut up and drive."

He raised an eyebrow. "Shut up and write," he corrected.

I rolled my eyes playfully but returned to the pad of paper. I started writing, jotting down silly things initially, like "get unlimited pick-and-mix" and "start a food fight." Nathan glanced over occasionally, offering a nod of encouragement.

But as I continued, my thoughts shifted to more serious ambitions. "Go skydiving," I wrote, followed by "cliff diving," "stay out all night," and "go camping under the stars." Each item on the list felt like a step toward reclaiming the life I feared losing.

I glanced at Nathan, who was focused on the road ahead. At that moment, he looked so beautiful to me—his face bathed in the sun's soft glow, his hands steady on the wheel.

So beautiful.

I turned back to the pad of paper, hesitating for a moment. With a smile, I wrote down one final thing. Carefully, I ripped that small piece of paper out, folded it neatly and slipped it into my pocket.

Nathan looked over at me, sensing the shift in my mood. "Done already?"

I nodded. "For now."

He noticed the missing piece of paper. "What's that?" he asked, pointing to the torn edge.

I grinned. "You'll find out when you find out. Now, keep driving."

Nathan laughed, a genuine carefree sound that echoed through the car. "You're something else, Beth."

I laughed, too, feeling lighter than I had in weeks. For that moment, everything felt perfect, as if the world had stopped spinning just for us.

Chapter Seven

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