"You're going to get through this sweetie," my mom said, wiping the hair out of my face.

I didn't answer.

"You two are going to work this out," she promised. "And if you don't, well I never liked him anyways."

I leaned into her shoulder, taking another bite out of my tub of Cookies and Cream ice cream.

She wrapped an arm around my shoulders, clicking up the volume a couple of notches on The Notebook.

I was pretty much your typical teenage girl post-heartbreak wreck.

Bryce and I had fought before. Last year I'd bought him pretty expensive concert tickets to see his favorite band, Fall Out Boy. And three days before we were supposed to go, he signed up for a baseball tournament.

That fight escalated really quickly really fast.

I ended up going to the concert with Kylie, and he showed up at my house the next day with a bouquet of flowers and that adorable smile of his. He'd driven ten hours the night before, leaving right as the tournament ended, just so that he could be at my house the next morning to say that he was sorry.

But this time was different. Bryce hadn't come over or called me. Not even a text message.

And it was absolutely heart breaking.

~*~

"You look terrible," Caroline said to me, as I met her in Mr. Munn's room to review for our AP Chemistry test.

"Well good morning to you too."

"What happened?"

I shook my head, taking a seat next to her at the table. "I just had a pretty awful night."

"Is it Bryce?"

"It's everything."

She reached over and gave me a tight hug. "I never liked him anyways."

I couldn't help but laugh, wiping a single tear off of my cheek.

We began to review the notes and problems we did yesterday at our study session, which seemed like forever ago now.

So much had happened since then.

As we worked through our review, the door to Mr. Munn's classroom opened, and none other than Steven Anderson walked in.

"Here," he said to Mr. Munn, dropping stacks of papers on his desk.

"Thanks," Mr. Munn said, without looking away from his computer. "You're free to go baseball during your TA period then."

Steven turned to leave, and we made eye contact.

"If it isn't Art Class Girl," Steven said, with a smile.

"What?" Caroline asked me.

"New kid," I said to Caroline, rolling my eyes. "Sophomore."

"So do I get to meet your boyfriend today?" Steven asked me, peering over my shoulder at my Chemistry review.

"Why don't you piss off?" Caroline suggested.

"Ooh, we've got a feisty one," Steven said, with a full-blown smile. "And who are you?"

"Way out of your league kid, so beat it."

I chuckled, reaching across the table and high-fiving her.

"So I guess that's a no on the boyfriend then?" Steven asked me. "I'm starting to think you made him up."

"I don't give a damn what you think," I informed him.

He chuckled. "I like you Art Class Girl. You have a fire that most girls seem to be missing nowadays."

"Beat it."

He nodded. "I'll catch you later then."

"Only in your dreams."

He laughed his way out of the room.

"I don't like him," Caroline informed me.

"Join the club."

"What does Bryce think?"

"He doesn't know," I said, flipping my page over.

"He doesn't know that Steven Anderson, his biggest rival, is our team's newest pitcher?"

"Nope," I said, popping the 'p'.

"Well that'll be a fun conversation."

"You're telling me."

~*~

Clayton was avoiding me.

Not that we ever went out of our way to speak to each other. But today he was deliberately avoiding me.

And that really pissed me off.

I stared at my poster in art, the one I'd been working on the for the past couple of days on Love and Peace.

All I wanted to do was rip it into shreds.

So much for love.

"Staring daggers at your artwork isn't going to fix anything," Kylie said to me.

"I hate everybody."

"I know you do," she said, patting my arm. "Now finish your artwork so you can get a passing grade."

It was originally going to be a gift to Bryce, as most of my artwork was. He always pretended to like it, even though I was probably the world's worst artist.

But now the moment I walked out of the classroom, I planned on tearing it up.

"So I have some news for you," Steven informed me, sliding into his seat.

Well Bryce's seat technically.

I ignored him, locating the gray pencil so I could finish this stupid piece.

"I've officially been named starting pitcher."

I dropped my pencil, turning to face him. "What?"

"Aren't you excited for me babe?"

"Who told you that?"

"Coach Richards, who else would it be official from?"

"When?"

"When what?"

I wanted to poke this gray pencil into his eye.

"When did he tell you that you were starting pitcher?"

"During third period."

Great.

"You don't seem happy for me babe."

"Don't call me that."

"Why? Does it make you angry?"

That's what Bryce calls me. Called me. I don't know right now.

"Hey Steven?" Kylie called over to him.

"What's up Art Class Girl's best friend?"

"Fuck off."

"Are all of your friends this feisty?" he asked me, laughing.

"I'd rather you didn't stick around to find out."

"So I'm starting tonight," Steven continued. "Are you going to come and watch me."

"No way in hell."

"I promise a win for you."

"It's against the Rangers," I pointed out. "I could pitch and win against them."

"So you do know your baseball," Steven said, his smile widening.

"What gave me away?"

"Is this your boyfriend?" Steven asked, pointing to the seat next to him where Clayton was intensely working on his art so he wouldn't have to look at me.

But even Clayton laughed at Steven's question.

"God no," I informed Steven, shuddering at the thought.

Not even if the world was ending.

"Well you seem to know him."

"And you seem to know him too," I said, tilting my head to the side. "So are you banging him on the side?"

Clayton busted out into laughter, having to put down his paintbrush so he wouldn't ruin his piece.

"Good one."

"I try my best."

"So now that your cover's blown," I said to Clayton, ignoring Steven. "Why have you been avoiding me?"

"No idea what you're talking about."

"You're full of shit."

He chuckled at that.

"I mean, trust me, I'm not looking for your attention. But I at least thought you'd say something like, hey Sophie good seeing you after yesterday, or something like that."

"Why?" Clayton asked, looking over at me. "That just makes things ten times more awkward."

"Well did you stay after I left?"

"Sure," he agreed.

"And then what?"

"Bro code," he informed me, shaking his head.

"Fuck bro code."

He chuckled. "Definitely not for you."

"You two have to be dating," Steven said, interrupting the two of us. "Or at least making out in the hallway closet between classes."

"You watch too much TV," Clayton informed him.

"Maybe," he agreed. "But I'm onto something."

"Not even in the ballpark," I said, before heading down to Mrs. Jacobs's desk to turn in my project.

It took her less than five seconds to slap a 90 on my artwork before handing it back to me.

One of the best grades I've made in this class.

I turned around and tore the piece in half, the entire class's eyes falling on me as I tore the piece of artwork into shreds, my heart pounding my chest.

Such a shame that I had to destroy it.

I tossed it in the trash before heading back up to my desk, plopping down in my seat with a sigh.

"Feel better?" Kylie asked me.

"A tad bit actually."

"So Art Class Girl is also a tad psycho," Steven said, his eyebrows raised. "I can deal with that."

The bell rang, signaling the end of class.

"I'll see you at the game tonight," Steven said, winking at me before leaving class.

"That poor boy," Kylie said, shaking her head. "He's got it bad for you."

"Well he's going to need to un-get it for me," I said, slinging my backpack over my shoulder.

I only had eyes for Bryce Harrison.

And right now my eyes were closed.

~*~

My front door was unlocked when I got home, which was unusual.

I was almost always the first one home.

"Mom?" I called out, dropping my backpack on the floor.

No answer.

"Dad?" I called out, as I pulled my phone out of my pocket.

No answer.

And then of course I dropped my phone on the floor.

Now I understand every single girl in every single horror movie.

With my heart pounding in my chest, I slowly bent down to pick up my phone, sure that when I stood back up there was going to be a chainsaw murderer standing over me.

But there wasn't.

I immediately called my mom.

"Hello?" she chirped.

"The front door was unlocked," I informed her.

"Oh yeah, sorry dear. I meant to tell you that I forgot to lock it this morning."

I let out a long sigh, my entire body deflating.

"Well gee, thanks for the heart attack."

"Don't forget to put your sheets in the washer."

"I won't," I promised, before hanging up the phone.

I grabbed myself a bottle of Ice before heading back to my bedroom.

Bryce was sitting on my bed when I walked in, texting.

His head immediately snapped up in surprise.

"You're early," he stated.

"Not really."

He tossed his phone off to the side, hopping to his feet.

He was wearing a beanie, which I have to admit I liked a lot better than the backwards flat bills he sometimes wears. Although it was easier to tell he only had half a head of hair in a beanie, it made him look that much cuter.

Which was a real disadvantage right now, because I'm mad at him.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded.

"Well if you'd been here in about five minutes there'd be a vase of lilies right there," he informed me, pointing to my desk. "And then I'd be waiting there with this whole monologue planned out. But I guess my timing was off."

I rolled my eyes. Leave it Bryce to mess up his own apology.

"What happened yesterday was entirely uncalled for," he started, shoving his hands in his pockets. "You didn't deserve any of that."

Well gee, you think?

"I was frustrated because it'd been a really long day in therapy and I haven't made any progress, and I took that out on you," he explained. "And you've been there for me from the beginning. I took all of my anger and frustration out on you, and that wasn't fair."

No, no it wasn't.

"And that's the other thing," Bryce continued. "I've never been this angry and frustrated guy, you know?"

Yeah, I do.

"I've always been laidback and go-with-the-flow, but I've noticed that after I got my head opened I have this Hulk to me."

I really tried hard not to laugh, because I'm sure that wasn't meant to be funny.

"I get angry and frustrated easier than I ever have, and it's really weird for me," he said, with a shake of his head. "All of this is really weird for me actually."

Stay strong Sophie, you're mad at him.

"But I came here to apologize," he said, making eye contact with me. "Because you're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Do not let your heart melt.

"But it's really frustrating," he continued, with a sigh. "Because I can't even give you a proper apology. I mean, in the very least you deserve that, and I can't give it to you. I want to tell you that I'm sorry, but I-"

My eyes widened and Bryce stopped short, the room silent for a few moments.

"You just said it," I blurted.

"I did," Bryce said, his eyes widening. "I don't know how though, because I tried all day today and I couldn't get it to come out once."

Okay, that's it. My heart has officially melted.

I cannot stay mad at him.

"But I really am," Bryce finished. "I was thoughtless yesterday, and I wish that I could apologize to you again, but I don't know how I pronounced it the first time."

I crossed the room, throwing my arms around him. "You're such an idiot Bryce."

"I am," he agreed, wrapping his arms around me.

"And I still want my lilies."

"They're on their way," he promised, laughing as he tightened his arms around me. "I love you Ms. Allen."

"I love you too Bryce Harrison."

"And one day I'm going to tell you that properly, your name and all."

So what did you guys think about Sophie's mom? I don't know about you, but I'd definitely want her to be around to soothe my hearbreak. What about Steven, feelings on him so far? And then Bryce's apology, would you have forgiven him?

Teaser: Bryce gets his staples removed. And he gets his biopsy results back, the ones that determine whether the tumor in his head was cancerous or not.