To Be Happy Now

Everybody eventually found out that Alaska had ovarian cancer. Hayley and Ricky both spread the word to their friends, her parents spread the word to their friends, and she felt like a show cased animal, as people filed in and out of their apartment, visiting her.

Alaska came home from a day at school, feeling exhausted, not only because of how much homework she had, but being babied by her friends. She didn't like it at all - the only sensible person was Hayley, and even she was having a hard time dealing with it.

"Alaska, honey," Her mother, Laura, suddenly stood up.

Ever since Ricky had called their mother and father and told them to come out because she had an announcement to make, they never left nor stopped crying.

"How are you feeling?"

Alaska gave her mother a smile and said, "I'm fine, mom. Really," she added to the pointed look Laura gave.

Laura sighed. "Alright. Do you need me to stay tonight?"

Alaska shook her head, even without the pointed glare from her brother directed towards their mother and she said, "I'll call you if anything...happens."

Alaska and Ricky were both shocked at how their mother were handling the situation. They expected Laura to force her to move back in with them and never leave her sight, so that she could take care of her more and probably better than Ricky could.

However, she let Alaska stay with her brother. She never even brought up having her live with her and her father, and they were both fine with that. Alaska just wished that her mother would stop looking at her as if she would drop dead any second.

Geoffrey Sumner, on the other hand, was handling it like he always did. Whenever something went wrong, like that one time Ricky got into a car accident, or when his mother died, Geoffrey would lock himself in his workshop in the basement of his house and build the night away.

That was his way of coping, and that was exactly what he was doing when he found out his daughter had cancer. She had only seen him once since the week that had passed since she told them.

Laura kissed Alaska and Ricky on the cheek and said her goodbye, leaving.

"Are you sure you're okay, Alaska?" Ricky asked, sitting himself down in front of the TV, so he could watch the football game.

She nodded. "Yes."

Alaska retreated into her bedroom. She wished that people would stop speaking to her, and giving her so much pity. She also wished she kept it all to herself and not have told anyone about it. She hated the attention.

She plopped down on the bed, and closed her eyes for a second.

Alaska sat up and took out her homework from her backpack. She continued to do all of her homework while her thoughts wandered around. She didn't even know if she did her physics homework correctly, but she didn't care.

All she could think about was how everyone was dealing with it compared to her.

When Alaska first found out, she was shocked and she felt like she in someone else's body. When she woke up the day after, she felt fine. She almost forgot that she had cancer.

Maybe it didn't really sink in yet? People expected her to burst into tears or explode on them if they said anything about it, but Alaska felt nothing. She felt normal - as if to lead on her simple life. Go to school, come home, do homework. That was it.

Alaska looked up at the clock and saw that she had been doing homework for three hours. She pressed her fingers to her temple and sighed.

She needed to get out.

Alaska grabbed her coat and her keys and when she passed the living room, she saw that Ricky wasn't there anymore. Whether he was gone or in his room, it didn't matter to her. She just wanted some fresh air.

She just kept driving. Alaska didn't really know where to, but she just turned the radio on and drove.

Alaska ended up in Mill Avenue, which wasn't too far away from her apartment. It was bustling as usual, even if it was a Monday night. She parked her car in the street and got out, not sure of where to go.

Her phone started buzzing, as she walked past a bunch of bars and shops, and when she took it out, it was Ricky. He noticed she was gone.

"Hello?"

"Alaska, where are you?" He asked.

"Out," She replied, curtly.

"Alaska," Her brother sighed.

"I just - I need some fresh air. I'll be home by ten." Alaska said, hanging up the phone.

She didn't intend to be harsh, but if she wasn't, then Ricky would force her to come home and never leave the house again - especially since he was trying his hardest to become a better brother.

Alaska pushed herself past groups of her fellow ASU students, and non-ASU students, as they all crowded around. Usually, on game nights, people hoarded themselves in bars just to watch either the Cardinals or the Sun Devils. Alaska has no preference to sports - she didn't care.

She felt herself run into a bunch of people, mumbling, "Sorry,' to all of them. They all exclaimed, "Watch it!" or didn't even say anything at all. Alaska had absolutely no destination - she just wanted to walk around.

To, what seemed like the thirteenth person she shoved past, she looked back, barely even seeing his face, and said, "Sorry."

The guy chuckled, "No problem, pretty la--whoa, wait..."

Alaska stopped dead in her tracks, intending to just walk away from the guy, but she turned around, almost familiar with that voice.

"Alaska? Alaska Sumner?"

She didn't know if she was to be excited, or angry, or even just shocked - her body didn't know. Alaska just stared at the figure, her jaw on the ground. He stared at her back, as if he almost didn't recognize her.

"Austin?"