Before I Die

Tessa is diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and begins a grueling course of chemotherapy. The treatment lasts for years as doctors fight to control the cancer. The diagnosis marks the start of her journey toward what will become her final chapter.

Despite four years of chemotherapy, doctors reveal that her cancer is terminal and provide a prognosis of a short time to live. The news shifts every plan she has ever made and reframes the future in stark terms. Tessa begins to confront the reality of her impending end.

Tessa teams up with her best friend Zoey to list things she wants to do before she dies. They start outlining experiences that would feel meaningful, even as her illness constrains her. The plan becomes a framework for choosing how to live in limited time.

Zoey is excited and supportive as they push themselves to test boundaries. They imagine bold, risky actions they believe are necessary to really have lived. The bucket-list phase blends hope with the fear of what might come next.

An unplanned pregnancy test comes back positive, introducing a new layer of urgency and responsibility. The news forces re-evaluation of what can be pursued while time is limited. The looming end of life deepens the emotional stakes for Tessa and those around her.

Tessa's mother is loving and joking about the situation, but remains emotionally distant and not deeply involved in treatment. Her presence is unreliable, which leaves Tessa feeling both cared for and isolated. The family dynamic becomes a double-edged comfort and complication.

Tessa's father is timid and resists confronting the gravity of the illness. He copes by spending hours online looking for possible treatments, even after doctors declare there is little left to try. His denial contrasts with Tessa's desire to seize the remaining time.

Cal, Tessa's brother, speaks with brutal honesty and fluctuating emotions. He moves from moments of closeness to jealousy and sadness as he watches his sister fade. His line 'I'm gonna miss you' underscores the pain of impending loss.

Tessa begins to see a potential romance with her shy neighbor Adam. His quiet nature and the care he gives to his sick mother make the relationship feel delicate and complicated. The possibility of love becomes a bright thread in a fading story.

Adam is devoted to his sick mother, which adds pressure and realism to any relationship with Tessa. His priorities show the limits of what they can pursue together while he cares for family. This context shapes how Tessa views love in her final months.

Zoey remains a steadfast ally, providing emotional support as Tessa navigates fear, joy, and the approaching end. Their friendship anchors her plans and offers a sense of continuity. Zoey's presence keeps the bucket-list phase from becoming a solo struggle.

In the closing months, Tessa reflects on family, friendship, and the mysteries of living even as her body fails. The story is told from Tessa's first-person perspective, offering intimate insight into her experience of being trapped in a fading body. The end frames what it means to have truly lived.