It was really hard news to hear, and if it was hitting Caden this hard, it would have been hitting Brendan a hundred times worse. They had grown up together, Bryce was his closest friend. To hear your friend might not survive an illness of this magnitude, and then have a sister whose moods were extremely volatile around you, Caden would have been going out to get blind drunk too. "I'm sorry there's no better news with Bryce, Bren. He's been very sick and this is something no one hoped it would come to. But I know his Mum and Dad very well, and they would want to be honest with you so you're kept informed and not blindsided. I also know Bryce and he was willing to go through anything it took to give himself the best fighting chance to beat this. It's just a waiting game, but I know it hurts. I know it hurts so much, Bren."

"Are you lonely in general or feel like everyone has someone and you don't want to interfere with that? It's okay if it's the latter, because you're only human and it's natural to start wanting those sorts of things when you hit your teens and start to figure life out more. Is that ice okay? Is it too cold? It should help a little. You've got a lot of swelling where she hit you," he murmured sympathetically.