The next morning they were at the shoot. Ike patiently waited for her his brother to finish getting their hair done. They walked out finally. Their hair had been curled to match Ike’s.

“How do we look?” Zac shook his head curls bouncing.

Ike laughed. “Like...Like.... I don’t know. Cool. I guess.”

“Oh, one last touch.” Taylor stated. He took off one of his necklaces he put it on Ike. Then he put another on Zac.

“There.” They took what seemed like endless pictures. The photographer loved his the boys were happy and bubbly at one point the boys were playing and Ike had handfuls of each brothers hair and they were all laughing.

“Love the camera love the camera.” The camera guy kept saying. The boys calmed down. Zac and Taylor stood behind Ike and Ike knelt down Tay and Zac put their heads on his shoulders. And then Tay began to laugh.

“What?” Zac asked.

“Super that’s super.” They all laughed and the picture was snapped.

Mr. Hanson came over to the boys after the last picture was shot and laughed at his two younger sons. “You two let you hair be done like that?”

“Yeah. It was our idea.”

“Oh brother. C’mon let’s get home.”

When they got home Jess and Avery were sitting at the table doing schoolwork.

Jessie looked at Taylor. “Taylor?”

“Don’t even, Jessie.”

“I like it. You look like Ike.” Avery said quietly.

“Why thank you.” He stuck out his tongue at Jessie.

November 28, 1997

Isaac comes home tomorrow. I’m going to scare him to death. I have no hair I’m skinner than Taylor. My eyes are sunk in. He thinks I’m just fine. He has no clue how sick I am. I have to tell him. I don’t want to. He’s the only one who thinks I’m still healthy and happy. I’m not ready to give up the charade.

Isaac ran to Kayle’s house right when they got back. He knocked on the door and Kayle’s grandmother came to the door.

“Isaac!”

“Hi Mrs. Sims. Can I go see Kayle?”

“She’s up in her room.” Isaac bounded up the steps and knocked on the door.

“Come in.” He opened the door and gasped. “Kayle?” He breathed.

“Ike?” She self-consciously brought a hand to her head, which sported a green bandanna.

“What happened to you?” He moved closer to her. She could see the tears welling up in his eyes.

“I have cancer, Ike.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He whispered.

“Because I just didn’t want to.”

“But you’re going to be all right, right Kayle?” Isaac wrung his hands. She went to him and put her hands on his.

“No, I won’t be okay.”

“Kayle.” He whimpered. “You can’t leave me, who will I talk to?” Tears the size or raindrops fell down his face.

“You have a great family. They will be there for you.”

“How long...”

“About two months.”

Isaac wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. He started crying.

“Ike, chin up. I want you to know something. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. You made me feel special at your party. You are my best friend. Thank you for everything.”

There was no other journal entries in her journal. Isaac had millions of memories though. Ike put the journal in a box. He finally went downstairs and looked at the stuff that Mrs. Sims had given him there was one of his shirts.

“Ha! That’s where that got to.” He said Taylor passed him.

“What?”

“My purple shirt.” He held it up triumphantly.

“What else is there?”

“Her fav book The Good Earth her and her Asian people thing. A letter for you.” He handed it to Taylor. “One for Zac and one for me.”

Taylor opened the letter.

Hey Taylor,

I have a few things to say to you. 1) Be nice to Isaac!! (I’ll be watching you hahaha) 2) He loves you to death. He is so proud of you. So am I. I’m gonna miss you. Love you like a brother.

Kayle

“Aren’t you going to read yours, Ike?”

“No, I don’t need to. Maybe one of these days. I’m gonna go give this to Zac.”

He went upstairs and found a letter on his bed.

Ike,

Thanks for being you. I’m sorry I was such a bratty kid.

Love

Zackie

Isaac smiled. He left the letter on Zac’s bed. Isaac was finally happy. His life was going to be great!