Organized and ambitious, Stella loves to create task lists in a methodical attempt to control her turbulent life. She struggles to manage the pressures of maintaining her cystic fibrosis while navigating her sister Abby’s sudden death a year ago and her parents’ subsequent divorce. A creator of a new app meant to help survivors of chronic illness and a popular YouTuber, Stella finds pleasure in a strict regimen until this pleasure is disrupted by the entrance of a new patient at Saint Grace’s Hospital. Initially an antagonist and foil to Stella, Will Newman disturbs Stella’s seemingly comfortable life as he questions the value of this stability, referring to her as “a real goody two shoes” (28). As Stella grows closer to Will, she hides the trauma and pressures that plague her in a desperate attempt to preserve an unwavering focus on her ultimate goal: a lung transplant.

Once Stella opens up to Will, she is transformed by his rebellious ways. Stella sheds her allegiance to the rules that dominate her life and finds release in pursuing a life worth living. She grows more independent and relies less on her childhood comforts. After losing her best friend Poe, Stella shifts from planning to unstoppable action and escapes from the hospital.