Matt's POV:

New Year's, a time for new begginings. So maybe going out more often this year won't be so bad.

And that's why I agreed to go to a party at Carters house with Leo, before school starts again next Monday.

I'm not usually one for parties, I don't really see how fun it is and I must say I have a bad feeling about this one, but Leo invited me, telling me he wanted me to go out with me, so obviously, being the sucker in love that I am, I accepted. That and the fact that we dind't go to a big party on new year's because I wanted to stay with Chris, so we ended up spending it with his family.

And now, here I am, standing in a corner, being my awkward self, waiting for Leo to come back with our drinks.

"Here you go," he says once he comes back. "Your coke with lemon. No alcohol."

"Thank you," I answer, with a smile. "You know, you didn't have to bring me with you, you know? It's not like I was going to break up with you if you came by yourself."

"Trust me, I know. But I wanna be able to show my gorgeous boyfriend around," he jokes and gives me a little peck on the lips. Well, it starts as a little peck, but soon evolves into a more heated kiss when I wrap my arms around his neck and start kissing with more passion. Usually I'm not a fan of PDA, but c'mon, how can you not when your super hot boyfriend tells you things like that?

We were enjoying our little corner makeout session when we're interrupted by someone poking us. We break apart to see Jackson there with a grumpy looking Carter not far behind him.

"Hey guys, what's up?!" Jackson says enthusiastically. From the corner of my eye I can see Carter rolling his eyes not that subtlety, obviously knowing they interrupted a moment.

"Obviously something that requires not being interrupted," Leo mumbles and I blush with a little smile playing at my lips.

"So," Jackson continues, pretending not to have heard anything even though I can tell he heard what Leo said. "You guys up for a little game of beer pong?"

Carter seems to have had enough of this conversation seeing as he simply turns around and walks away, choosing to sit in a couch that was pushed as far as the wall would allow it, probably disposed like that for the party.

"Sure, you up for it?" Leo asks me.

"Um, no that's ok. But you guys go ahead and play, I'll go look around for either Macy or Ethan," I answer. I know Leo wants to go with Jackson, even though he seems a little hesitant to leave me alone, so I stand on my tip toes a little and give him a kiss to assure him that I'm indeed fine with his decision to go. Before he has a chance to ask me if I'm sure, I leave after giving him a smile.

I decide that now is my chance to finally have a normal conversation with Carter other than a hello.

So I decide to go over and sit next to him on the couch, "Hey."

"Leo is at the kitchen, it's that way," he answers barely looking at me while pointing in the general direction of the kitchen.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you, i-if that's ok."

"Me? What about?" He asks, genuinely confused.

"Harry."

You can immediately see Carter tensing at the mention of his name. "What about Harry?"

"It's ok, Carter, you can breathe. Harry told me what happened between you two. I'm not here to judge or anything, let alone tell you what to do, I have no right to do so. I'm just here to tell you that if you ever need anyone to talk to, or just listen to you rant, that I'm here. And I know you have Leo and Jackson and all, but I just wanted you to know that." I have to scream a little because of the music, but not that much. I can tell he heard everything I said. After a while of silence I figured he wasn't gonna talk so I get up to leave, only to be stopped by a hand on my arm.

I look at Carter who only gives a nod as if to ask me to follow him, so I do. We end up at his backyard, I'm guessing, with a covered pool and a few trees and bushes here and there, nothing big, but still cosy.

"Ok," he starts once we're sat down at a bench. "How much do you kow?"

"It's Harry we're talking about here, I know more than I like to admit."

"Yeah..." he says with a little smile. I'm surprised, I have to admit. It's the first time I see him show emotion other than anger.

"Harry is my friend, I just wanted to know how you feel about the situation before I jump to conclusions."

"I'm a little confused, I'll admit. I've never liked a guy, but Harry is...something special. Then again I never met anyone so open...and with purple hair that bright."

I laugh at that. Who knew Carter had a sense of humour?

"It's ok Carter," I say. "You don't have to figure everything out right now, no one's pressuring you, I just wanted to know how you felt. I'm sorry if I overstepped."

"You didn't," he immediatly assures me. "It's just...I don't know where he stands. We hear him all the time, talking about how he wants to meet his soulmate and all that, but the moment he starts liking someone, he runs. He's afraid too, he just doesn't show it.He made me feel like a one night-stand."

"I know, he freaked out after that. He came to my house the next morning, looking more disheveled than ever. He was afraid he took advantage of you because you both drank."

"Yeah, he told me...after he came back to his house. I find it kind of funny that he left me alone in his house," he says with a small chuckle.

"Yeah, then why didn't you tell him that?"

"I honestly don't know, I guess I also freaked out. I had sex with a guy! So what am I? Gay, bi? I have no idea who I am-"

"Carter," I interrupt before he gets more riled up than he is."You don't have to label it. You like Harry. It's as simple as that and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it, no matter what anyone else tells you. It's ok."

"Thank you, Matt," he says with the smallest of smiles. "You're a good person, I can see why Leo likes you. I'm just sorry I never talked much to you before."

"It's ok, I guess talking much just isn't in your genes," I reply. "I'll be going now. Leave you alone to think for a while."

And with an exchange of smiles between us, I leave him alone to think.

---------------------------------

"Matt!"

I hear someone calling my name and look around to look for the source. My eyes finally land on the culprit. And it's the guy I thought had left me alone for good. Guess I was wrong.

Ben Tate. Or as I like to call him: Ben the Bully.

"Yes?" I ask when he reaches up to me, with straightest face I can muster.

"C'mon, we have to go quickly. Leo is looking for you. Says he wants to talk, seemed serious."

Why would Leo send Carter? He knows I don't like him and that he bullied me. And to be honest, I don't think he's Ben's biggest fan either, so something doesn't sound right here.

Either way, I follow him, knowing I'll regret it if I don't go with him. Who knows if Leo didn't send him, it might have been an emergency and Ben was the first friendly face he recognised.

"He's in there," he says once we reach the upstairs floor and points to a closed door.

I hesitantly open it only to find something I never hoped to find.

A shirtless Leo kissing Laurel.

As soon as they hear the door open, Leo pushes Laurel away and looks at me. For a while we mantain eye contact, until I turn around and run, trying to prevent more tears to escape my eyes.

"Matt!" I can hear Leo calling after me. His voice as clear as a sunny day. Still I don't turn around not being able to. I can't look him in the eye right now, looking at him hurts.

By now I'm walking down the street, on the way to my house, thinking Leo finally gave up. That is, until I feel someone grabbing my arm.

Of course, that when I turn around, I see Leo staring at me, with so much sadness in his eyes it makes me want to cry even harder.

"Matt, please," Leo begs. "Nothing happened. I spilled beer on my shirt when I was playing beer pong and went to Carter's bathroom to clean myself up. Next thing I know, Laurel is there and is kissing me and I didn't want her too, please I swear, I don't like her, I can't stand her, just please, please believe me, I swear-"

"Leo!" I exclaim, deciding to interrupt him, before it goes any further. "Look, I know you weren't cheating on me!"

"What?" he asks, with a perplexed look on his face.

"Come on, I'm not dumb, it's Ben and Laurel, for God's sake! Ben has been bullying me since I started here freshman year, and Laurel is obsessed with you, even after knowing you're with me! And Ben was just telling me to go upstairs with unbelievable urgency, when he could have just told me you were waiting for me. If anyone's dumb here, it's them. This was a very bad executed plan."

"Then...then why did you run away crying?" He says with a dejected look on his face.

"Because this just made me realise how painful it's going to be once we do break up."

"Well, who says we're gonna break up?"

"I do! You're going away to college next year and I'm gonna be here, waiting for you to return, counting every second until I can touch you again, hug you, kiss you! I don't want that! And it's not like I don't trust you, because I do, and I think I've proven that already, but you're going to parties and meet new people and I want you to be able to experience things without having to worry about me. I'm not gonna hold you back."

"Wait, no, Matt, just listen, you're not gonna hold me back, ok," he's standing in front of me now, looking me in the eye with a look of such raw fear and love in his beautiful green eyes, that I'm almost tempted to go back on my word. But then I think about the pain I'll feel if we do break up, and stop him.

"Please don't make it harder than it already is."

"Matthew, please, I love you. We'll get through this, come on. I need you."

"I love you, too. I just don't know how my futere is going to be! I don't even know if I'm going to college! I can't just leave Chris here alone with our mom, and I obviously can't take him to college with me now, can I?"

"There's gotta be a solution other than us breaking up! We'll manage something, please, Matt, don't leave me."

"I'm sorry Leo, it's for the best. Might as well end it before it goes even further than it already has, don't you think?"

This time I don't wait for an answer, knowing that he only has to say one more word to convince me stay and change my mind. But I gotta be strong, it's better end it now while we're on good terms than start falling apart slowly due to long distance, because we won't be able to see each other and jelousy might win, who knows?

And so, I walk away from the guy that's been making me happy for about three months, the guy that has helped me more than I'll ever be able to repay him for it. I walk away from Leo.