Chap. 1: Basics

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Hey! My name is Adrienna. People call me Riri, Adri, or just Adrienna. (Aye·dree·enna) I am now 19 years old. I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Lung Cancer.

I had a very nice life before I was diagnosed. Let's take a look, shall we?

Adrienna-Marie Hernandez is my full name. My mother is a beautiful Puerto Rican and White woman. I guess my dad was black. As a child, I never really had a father. He got up and left my mother to raise 3 kids by herself. My big brother, Austin, is now 24 and he works as a Chiropractor. My younger brother is named Ezekiel. He is currently 12 in 7th grade. I graduated High School in the top 10%. My GPA is a 3.5 and I've always been a good kid. My middle school years were rough at first. I used to get bullied because I was very skinny. Also since I had good hair, they had envied me I guess. The only friend I really had was a girl named Tyria. We are like sisters now. She's been there for me and we have been through hell and back. She also is dating a really nice guy named Tyler. They are like the poster child for couples. I wanted a relationship like them. I honestly thought I wouldn't find it since that day. I remember when I was first diagnosed. Let me re-tell the day.

I woke up hearing my alarm clock blaring. I groaned and slammed the 'Off' button. I lazily threw the covers off of my tired body and dragged myself into the bathroom. My breath stunk like a room full of bounce-dat-ass. I grabbed my Crest Toothpaste and my toothbrush. I scrubbed all the stank away and washed my face. My curly hair needed to be combed. I glanced over at the clock seeing it was 8:37. I still had an hour and a half left until Biology started. I spent about 45 minutes brushing and straightening my hair. I quickly slipped on my emoji shirt with a gun, laughing face, middle finger, and knife on it. I pulled my high waisted blue jeans and stepped into my Timbs. I sectioned two pieces of my hair and braided them, and joined them in the back of my head. I felt my chest get tight and I got nauseous and ran to the bathroom quickly. I bent over the toilet, vomiting blood. I kind of shrugged it off, since I did this for a few days now. I thought it was because I'd cough too much. I brushed my teeth again and finished getting dressed. clasped my gold chain and grabbed my ringing phone off the charger. I slid the green bar and held the phone to my ear.
"Hey Tyria."
"Hey, Adri." I heard a muffled voice in the back yelling, "TELL RIRI I SAID HEYLOOO" which I guessed was Tyler.
"Hah! Hey Ty."
"You heading out?"
"Yeah." I grabbed my keys to my 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. My car was a dark grey with black trim and black rims. Her name was Pam and she was a finnne piece of car.
"When are you gonna be heeeeerreeee?" Tyria whined.
"Soon enough, bae. " I walked down the apartment stairs after locking up. I opened the car door and shut it loudly so Tyria could hear.
"I gotta go while I drive."
"Okay. I'll meet you in Fine Arts after your.... Biology...?"
"Yeah. Love you, bestie."
"Love ya, too." She replied as she ended the call.

I put the key in the ignition as I put my Aux cord in. I went into my Music and played "Ah Yeah" by August Alsina. I sang along as his heavenly voice flowed through my car.
Where did you come from?
Am I the only one that you make feel this way?
Where did you learn from?
Nothin' you were doing can be taught these days
You shine with picture perfect beauty, show it off
Show it show it off, let 'em see you show it off
Tell me how you doing it to me, showing off
Let 'em see you show it off, with the whole world going off

Did I mention I could sing? Tyria and I would often either sing together or I would sing and she would so some choreography.

We started singing the chorus and a few songs later, I pulled up to the University parking lot. I saw Tyria hand-in-hand with Tyler. I gave them the name Tyleria, or Tyrialer. I locked Pam and walked over to where they were. I jumped on Tyria's back and made her trip a bit. Tyler was leaning on a bench, bent over in laughter. She play punched me and grabbed Tyler's manhood catching him off guard. He quickly shut up and we all walked our separate ways to class. I entered Biology and slipped my glasses on. I turned my phone on 'Do Not Disturb' mode and smiled once I saw August's face appear from my lock screen. I put my phone away as the professor rambled on. I took careful notes and I guess time flew by, because the clock struck 12:05 signaling it was time to go. I waited outside the Fine Arts room and checked my phone. I saw I had a reply from August on Instagram. I posted a photo of him as my MCM and all my 342k followers helped tag him. In all actuality, only about 1,056 people commented. They all tagged him and I replied:
@Adrienna_Marie: I love y'all sooo much! @augustalsina they know I love you, bae!
@augustalsina: I see you fxcks wit me! hmu and I'll dm you.

I had a new Direct Message and saw August number. I staredat my phone in shock. I felt my chest tighten, thinking I was having a mini heart attack. I jogged to the bathroom and into a stall, releasing more blood. I coughed a bit and rinsed my mouth after flushing the toilet. I walked out the bathroom and saw Tyria beating on the wall, rapping.
"CAN YOU DO A SPLIT ON DA DICK?"

Then Tyler said, "I sure hope so." She stopped and glared on him. "Mind ya bidness." She said with the most serious face I've ever seen her make. I started laughing so hard, tears were running down my face. We all walked into Fine Arts together after sharing a good laugh. 

"Tyrina! Get into your position. Adrienna! Go do vocals. Tyrone! Get ready for your part in the play." Mrs. Holdsworth yelled. She always disliked Tyria and Tyler, and purposely messed their names up. I did a few vocal warm ups and a song or two.

That class was over and we went out to lunch. "You know, some Chic-Fil-A sounds realllllllllllllllllllllllllllll good right now." Tyler's hungry ass spoke. "RiRi let's take your car." Tyria said opening my passenger side. 

We pulled into the drive-thru and we all ordered. I paid and we were all vibing to some music on the radio. "Errybody" by Yo Gotti came on and I said, "Yaaas! Dis my shit!" 

Errybody wanna be a dope boy

Tyria was in the passenger side just mumbling to the song since she had her mouth stuffed. I felt that same sensation and hurried and pulled over just before I coughed up a lot more blood. Tyler had never seen me do this, so he dailed 911 and started to panic. I fell out and was laying on the side of the road, shaking and coughing up a little blood at a time. 

Tyria's P.O.V.

Adrienna's episode was much different than the rest. They were never this severe, or long. The ambulance came and a few paramedics jumped out and loaded Adri onto the stretcher. That girl getting carried away was my life line right there. My best friend, my ROD, my sister. I took the car out of park and followed the ambulance closely. They all rushed in and she was taken into the Emergency Room. I was biting my nails aggresively, nervous of what would happen. 

Adrienna's P.O.V.

I woke up to a bright ligt being shone in my eye.

"She's responsive!" A nurse yelled out.

"What the fuck?" I growled swatting the light away. I sat up and shrieked in the pain from my chest. I laid back down and Tyria and Tyler slowly made my way to me. "Bad news.." Tyria said wiping a tear away. 

"Adrienna Hernandez! We have the results from the test." the doctor said. The nurse aids helped me get onto the wheelchair and wheeled me into a lab.

"Okay, Ms. Hernandez. I am very sorry to say this..." He sighed. "But, dear, you have stage 3 Lung Cancer."

My heart dropped. My hearing started buzzing and all I heard was 'Cancer'

The words replayed in my head like August Alsina's songs on my repeat playlist. I was still in shock as they called my mom. I could hear her yelling Spanish curse words and crying on speaker. They lifted my careless body onto the hospital bed and replugged my wires. I let a few tears slip out of my eyes. The realization started to sink in.

I have cancer.

Whatttttt isssss uppppppppppppp?

I love this book so far.

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