The weekend felt like I had just blinked my eyes and it was over. I spent every waking moment with Quinn that I could. We fell asleep together both nights laughing until our stomachs ached. We ate every meal together and yesterday lunch ended up in a food fight. I had mayonnaise in my hair and she ended up with ketchup whiskers I drew on her face. It was the happiest I'd ever seen her and it just made me want to make her smile every day for the rest of her life.

Zach gave me a one armed hug while Lexi flew towards Quinn squealing and shaking her hands in the air like a crazy fan girl.

"I knew you two just needed time alone. I knew it I knew it I knew it!" Quinn placed her hands on Lexi's shoulders to calm her slightly. I gave Quinn a reassuring nod to calm her nerves. She had to tell Lexi what happened at the doctors. The more support she had, the better.

"So man, you and Quinn... finally! I'm proud of you bro. You do have a nut sack after all." He held me in a headlock and gave me a noogie like we were back in primary school. I elbowed him in the stomach hard enough for him to lose his grip and swept my foot behind his knees which made him fall on his ass. We were laughing and punching each other while the girls sat on the couch shaking their heads and smiling at us both.

"C'mon man, we gotta talk for a sec." I held my hand down to him and pulled him back up to his feet. His face fell to a sullen expression when he realised we all needed to talk.

It took half an hour and many tears from Lexi later when we were all up to speed on Quinn's health status. She didn't shed one tear through the whole thing. I hadn't even seen her shed a tear all weekend. To people who didn't know her they would think she's in denial but I know her. She hasn't cried because she's strong. The determination and courage that emanates from her is contagious.

"Since I'm only in college part time, I'll be able to take her to her appointments." I explain, nudging Quinn's foot under the coffee table to lighten the heavy fog that had settled in the room. Even Zach was quiet which was rare for him.

"Are you scared?" Lexi asked in between hiccups as Zach wiped her eyes with his sleeve. Quinn placed a comforting hand on Lexi's shoulder.

"There's always fear when you face something that's out of your control Lex. I choose to have courage though."

"How can you have courage but be scared at the same time?" Tears started trickling from Lexi's eyes again, further streaking her mascara down to her chin.

"Courage doesn't mean you're not scared, it just means you have the strength to face it... And yeah, I'm scared as hell, but I have you guys, and you give me the strength..." She kneeled in front of Lexi and lifted her arm to flex her bicep.

"I'm a strong bitch." Quinn growled, then she lifted Lexi's arm and mimicked her own pose.

"You're a strong bitch." She assured Lexi. I lifted my arm, pulled my sleeve to show my bicep and flexed.

"I'm a strong bitch." I said looking down at my muscle tensing then looked over to Zach.

"I'm a strong bitch too." Zach said doing the same. The girls started giggling uncontrollably until Lexi's tears weren't from sadness but from laughing.

Every second I witnessed Quinn interacting with others was like discovering precious pieces of gold. I tried not to make it obvious but I hung on every word she had to say like it was my script for a play and I had to memorise it.

On her way out the double glass door with her arm linked in Lexi's she turned around and mouthed 'thank you' to me. As far as I knew, she had nothing to thank me for. She is a strong bitch and made me truly believe I was too.

"I'm a strong bitch." I say under my breath to myself.