I am Catherine Walsh, 17 years old and am in my senior year. I was diagnosed of Mild Anemia a year ago and my father had the hopes that the same illness that killed my mom won't be passed down to me. Unfortunately, it did pass down to me. Cooley's anemia. Regular shortness of breath, Fatigue, and dizziness at some times.

We came home after the doctor had ended the diagnosis. As I ran up the stairs, ready to mope in my room, my brother calls me. 

"Cathy, come here" I walked back down and to him to be engulfed in a hug. "Fight, Cathy, you hear me? Fight.." he pleads. I hug back and mumbled an "I will" and pulled away. 

When I got into my room, I called my bestfriend, Anais Bleu and told her about it. She cried over the phone and told me to fight too, but I kept talking casually as if it was no big deal. Like dying was no big deal. 

An idea hits me lightly, but I caught it in my grasp and gasped. Way to be poetic, Catherine. 

"Why are you letting this slide like it's nothing, Rina?" Anais sobs my unique nickname out. 

"I've got an idea!" I exclaim, changing the subject from its depressing state. 

"Rina, don't change--" 

"What if I made a bucket list?" I suggest.

"CATHERINE ALEXANDRA-WALSH I AM NOT ALLOWING YOU TO KICK THE BUCKET!" she scolds me over the phone. I moved it away from my ear to prevent getting deaf. 

"Just in case?" I push. "Come on, I want to live my life at least. You're my bestfriend, shouldn't you be supporting me in this?" I reason, hoping it convinces her. I hear a sigh from the other end. 

"Fine, but be careful. Your body is weak, don't go loose like some deranged woman and hitting it off in the streets."

"Well, that crosses off one idea" I joke, but I could feel her glare at me through the phone. "I'm just kidding, Anais"

"Sure you were, let me help you make the list."

"No thanks, I bet you're going to stop  my every attempt to make the list dangerous" I roll my eyes as I grab a piece of paper and a pen.

"That's the point because I want to protect you, let me stay in the call to listen at least?" she pleads 

"Fine" I laugh. 

-*-

"How about a blind date?" she suggests.

"I don't do dates" I reply.

"Exactly why you should add it in" I could see her grinning from the tone of her voice. 

"Fine" I sigh scribbling it down. 

"Finally! The first we agreed on, and the first on the list. How many do you plan on making?"

"I don't really know"

Another hour passed and I listed down the things I wanted to do, inserting a few dangerous things in. 

"I think this is enough" I conclude. 

"How many do we have?" she asks.

"14" I lied. I had only counted the safe ones. 

"Okay, short list." she yawns. We said goodnight and ended the call. I lifted the paper up and read the list again. 25 things to do in 31 days. 

1. Go on a blind date

2. Write a song

3. Record a song

4. Go to a drive-in movie

5. Run through sprinklers

6. Surprise someone

7. Bake a cake for someone special

8. Complete 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle

9. Scuba Dive

10. Swim with stingrays

11. Explore a cave

12. Jump off a cliff

13. Watch the stars and name a star

14. Stay awake for 48 hours

15. Ride a Ferriswheel

16. Get a tattoo/acupuncture

17. Survive a paintball

18. Race a Go-Kart

19. Leave my mark in Graffiti

20. Dance at a rave

21. Get into a police chase

22. Break into an amusement park

23. Kiss in the rain

24. Fall in love

25. Die Happy

Yes, all that in 31 days and I am determined to do it. I folded the piece of paper and put it on my desk. I laid in bed and went to sleep, ready for school. 

-*-

I wake up with a jolt and got ready for school, wore skinny jeans and a white collared top.

I ran to my brother's room, slowly creeping in. 

He is Axel Walsh, 17 years old and popular with the girls, but he isn't a heartbreaker, he has a heart. 

I jump on him and said, "Wake up, dummy!"

He groaned and gently pushed me away. "It's too early, Cathy" 

"Actually, it's 7 am and we're almost late. "

"It's 7?!" he exclaimed, finally awake. 

"Yup" I laugh. 

"Why didn't you wake me up earlier?!" he said before sprinting into the shower. 

"Because I know you'll shake me off and tell me it's too early" I laugh. 

I went downstairs, my backpack slung on one shoulder as I plopped down on my seat. Dad puts a plate of hash brown and pancakes in front of me, giving me a small smile. 

"Honey, don't you want to stay home instead?" he suggests. 

"For some kids this is what they'll want to hear from their parents but we both know I hate being restrained, please dad, I can handle myself" I reassured  him before I dug into my food. 

Axel stomped down the stairs, clearly still grumpy because I woke him up late. 

"Goodmorning?" my dad laughs. 

"Nothing is good about this morning." he says as he sat in his seat. 

"What do you mean, dear brother?" I innocently smile. 

"Shut it, you. You woke me up late"

"Because I trusted that you can handle the time I've given you to prepare, at least I gave you more time to sleep, right?"

"Whatever" he finished his food and so did I and dad. We put our dishes in the dishwasher and went out of the door. I fixed dad's tie and smiled, he's going to do great in work like he always did. His job? An industrial engineer. 

Dad smiles back, sadness a bit evident in it. 

"What's wrong, dad?" I ask, worried.

"You just remind me so much of your mother"  

We made our way into the car and drove to school. 

-*-

Did I mention that my brother was also friends with one of the most guy popular in school? He told me to stay away from him because of the things he was capable of doing. But today was the day that I broke that rule. 

It wasn't my fault--okay, maybe it was but, I had my reasons. 

I was walking to my first class when I heard a commotion in the janitor's closet. No not sounds of making out but argument. Of course, I was dumb and decided to listen closer, so I pressed my ear against the door. 

I suddenly heard a thud and some shuffles, and then-- I fell into someone's arms. I looked up and saw Blaze Weston, the guy I was supposed to avoid. He helped me up and smirked. 

"Curiosity killed the cat you know" he comments before walking away. 

I looked back into the room and saw a guy slumped on the ground. I ran to him and helped him up--tried to,  but he pushed me away and walked out of the janitor's closet like a rude asshole.

That was a nice way to thank me, geez. I thought.

That was a great way to start the day. 

Oh hey! That rhymed!

I hope you guys enjoy this fresh new story! It's been on my mind lately and now I decided to plan out everything. This would be a short story but I hope everyone will love it! 

Think of ship names for me and the probable ships that can happen! 

Wish me luck for this story!