Opposite of Always

This time, Jack plans to get enough money to pay for the sickle cell specialist Kate spoke of. He decides to gamble on the March Madness college basketball tournament since he already knows the outcome. He stands to win a lot because the championship winner is Mandrake University, the underdog team that almost didn’t make the tournament at all.

On the drive home from Whittier after the college visit, Jack makes a pointed effort to demonstrate his friendship and support to Jillian, unlike in past timelines. Specifically, he asks about how she’s coping with her father having left. When Jack gets home, he sells all his collectibles online and his car, earning enough money to place a sizable bet on Mandrake.

At JoyToy’s practice session, Franny tells Jack that his father isn’t staying at the house with him and Abuela. Franny is convinced there’s something wrong with him that makes his father not love him or want him. Jack tells his parents about this, and they’re extremely supportive and loving toward Franny at dinner.

Jack doesn’t know any bookies or how to find one, so he finds Franny’s father and asks him to place the bet for him. He doesn’t tell Franny about it. He does, however, tell The Coupon that Franny wants to see him, even though Franny ignores The Coupon’s calls and texts. Jack encourages him to try again and put some effort in.

When the March Madness team selections air, Jack is incredibly nervous about his bet, knowing things could happen differently in this timeline. He watches with Franny, Jillian, and his parents and is overjoyed when Mandrake makes the cut.

Dr. Sowunmi, the sickle cell specialist, agrees to meet with Jack due to his perseverance in calling, emailing, and writing letters to the doctor’s office. Jack tells the doctor he has money, believes in the doctor’s research, and is in love. Dr. Sowunmi agrees to at least meet with Kate.

Jack arrives at Franny’s house for The Coupon’s homecoming dinner on time. The Coupon says he’s home for good, but Franny is standoffish toward him. At dinner, The Coupon talks about Mandrake’s great game and about meeting Franny’s mother at prom. Franny insinuates that his father is only pretending to care about him and excuses himself early. In Franny’s room, Jack sees piles of scholarship offers from good colleges. He knows Franny will choose State instead—or Whittier if he gets in—to stay close to Jillian and Jack.

This time around, Kate goes to the Mighty Moat concert, too, and it’s even better. After the show, she takes Jack, Franny, and Jillian backstage to meet the band. Later that night, Kate tells Jack about her illness. She says she wants him to know everything about her.

Mandrake makes an amazing comeback in the final game of March Madness and wins their first national championship. Franny’s father meets Jack at the library to hand over $200,000 in a cash-filled duffel bag. He takes Jack to a bar to celebrate and tells Jack about his fears and failures as a father. After their talk, Jack feels confident that Franny’s father will show up to Franny’s next basketball game.

Jack is wrong. The Coupon doesn’t show up for the game. Franny’s team loses. Afterward, Jillian takes Jake, Kate, and Franny to her grandparents’ summer cottage on Lake Erie to drink and hang out. Franny reveals he finally got accepted to Whittier, and they celebrate. Jack feels as if everything’s going to work out in this timeline until Franny sees his dad’s number on Jack’s incoming call. He sees Jack interacting with his father behind his back as a betrayal, and he’s furious. Franny says their friendship is over and warns Jack against coming anywhere near him or Jillian.

Jack drives Kate to the appointment with Dr. Sowunmi without telling her where they’re going. When they arrive, and she realizes what they’re doing there, Jack still doesn’t answer Kate’s questions about how they’ll afford the treatments.

Dr. Sowunmi’s treatment protocol involves injections of enzymes meant to correct the mutation that causes Kate’s cells to sickle. The second injection comes six or seven months after the first. Given the time loop he’s in, Jack believes Kate will die, and everything will reset before she can get the second injection. However, there seems to be no alternative.

Jack has dinner with Kate’s parents and siblings. Her younger brother, Reggie, seems intent on giving Jack a hard time. Kate’s father pulls Jack aside after dinner, says Kate doesn’t need any stress or heartache, and tells Jack he should break up with her now. Jack worries Kate’s father might be right, but he tells Kate that if she wants him around, he’ll never leave.

Jillian confronts Jack about betraying Franny’s trust. She tells Jack that he can’t help people the way he thinks they need help. Jack finds Franny and apologizes, but Franny says he needs some time, and Jack knows how precious and limited time is.

Franny forgives Jack two days later, and Jack promises he’ll never betray Franny’s trust again.

On graduation day, Jack tries to imagine what his future might hold. Apart from college, he doesn’t know. Kate comes over before the ceremony, looking radiant. Jack can tell how proud his parents are, and he’s filled with happiness.

According to Dr. Sowunmi, Kate’s treatment is going even better than expected, and she makes it to the anniversary party this time. Despite this, when she goes home after the party, Jack is filled with terror. In the middle of the night, Kate calls him and says she’s in crisis, feeling worse than ever. As he drives frantically to try to get to her, he calls Dr. Sowunmi and yells at him for not saving her. Jack gets in a bad car crash, and then time resets.