Five Feet Apart

Back in her room, Stella learns about Will’s bacterial infection from Barb, who warns her to stay away, saying, “You contract that and you can kiss the possibility of new lungs good-bye” (37). Lonely, Stella begins to call her father but stops herself, thinking, “I never call the first day, and all the coughing that the AffloVest makes me do would make him nervous…I don’t want to worry my parents. I can’t” (39). Consumed by their divorce six months earlier, Stella’s parents remain unaware that Stella lied about the other parent taking her to the hospital.

Stella wakes up the next morning to the sound of her phone’s notifications. She notices that the skin on her side “is even redder and more inflamed than it was before” (40). She plans to have breakfast with her friend Poe. As she begins her morning routine, she happily thinks about how the beta version of her app goes live tomorrow. Her app will be “an app for all chronic illnesses, complete with med charts, schedules, and dosage information” (41). Stella calls her father, worries over his tired appearance, and evades his questions regarding her treatment. Resistant to discussing her nurse Julie’s pregnancy, Stella turns down Julie’s invitation to chat over breakfast.