Everyone in my class is up on their feet and out the door before the final bell even rings, breaking for the end of school. The last day of high school for some, the last day of being fresh meat for others. And for me, it's the last year with my brothers at the same school as me. Everything is about to change.

And I'm okay with it.

This year has been weird among other things. When I started in September, it felt like my world was falling apart. My family in disarray. I fell in love this year, a love that I screwed up because of my own stubbornness but it also led me to grow. From the person I was last year, to this new one. A confident one, and I somehow feel closer to her and everyone else.

After completely falling apart, I picked myself up after some wise words and put myself back together with more determination than ever. I no longer feel like I'm living in a glass box, living with labels on me that force me down just one path. I'm so much more than that.

And it's all thanks to Felix.

He saw me when no one else did, not even myself and if one thing comes from this year. It's not my parents working out their problems, or Greyson finding his own dreams. Or the twins growing. It's learning that it's okay to just be Stevie Alexander.

Weather I'm Luke Alexander's daughter. Or football legend, turned musician Greyson Alexander's sister. Future doctor, Riker's sister. Or kickass artist Isaac's sister.

Or weather I'm just me. It's okay to be just that, and he taught me that. To stop looking at the labels, to stop letting them hold me back or distract myself with them.

"Stevie!" Isla shouts from the end of the hall when she spots me, driving everyone in the junior's hall attention towards us but instead of hiding from it – I embrace it.

"Isla!" I laugh with just as much enthusiasm as she, Robyn and Miles join me at my locker. "This feels slightly like déjà vu."

Robyn rolls her eyes at us, before looking over at me as she leans into the locker next to me. "I see you're back to your sunshiney self, finally."

"Yeah," I nod with a smile as I undo the buttons to the short sleeve button up striped shirt I'm wearing, pulling it out of the waistband of my destroyed high waist capri jeans. "I've decided to embrace my heartbreak."

"Well, it looks good on you," she smiles as I tuck the shirt into my bag and adjust the spaghetti straps of the white tank top I wear underneath with tiny black flowers.

"So, you're just going to let Felix go?" Isla questions. "After everything?"

"I never said that," I say with a small smile, tucking the strap of my bag over my shoulder before adjusting the half updo in my hair. "But first, yearbooks."

"Wait!" Isla grabs my arm before I can finish moving. "What's your plan?"

"It's not a plan," I tell her. "It's more of an apology."

"An apology?" Miles asks.

"Yeah, I said some things I shouldn't have and I just...I need to apologize to him," I explain, though I have no idea what I want to say yet. "Can you believe this is our last year walking down this hall as juniors? We're going to be seniors next year!"

"I know," Robyn grins, lopping her arm through mine. "The world's our oyster."

"Something like that," I laugh as we find the line to yearbooks. "It's going to be so odd without Riker and Isaac around next year."

"Awe, yeah," she frowns and leans her head on my shoulder. "You'll still have us though, boo. Always and forever."

My lips curl up into a grin as we approach the table, Lena and Mika handing the hard cover books I took part in creating. When Lena sees me, her eyes light up and her lips curl up into a big grin.

"Hey Vee, how are you doing?" She asks as she goes over the list to check the four of us off. Mika already handing each of us one.

"I'm good," I say before swallowing, holding the book tight to my chest. "I have a question for you."

"Okay, what's up?" She looks up from her clipboard.

"Did Felix pick his up yet?" I tap my finger to the back cover of my own book.

"Uh, Felix Montgomery," she mumbles his name as she scans the sheet before meeting my eyes again. "He hasn't. Why?"

"Do you mind me giving it to him?" I ask with a hopeful smile.

Lena sighs, tucking a piece of red hair behind her ear. "Stevie, it's against the rules."

"Lena, you're done today. What trouble could you possibly get into?" I question.

She groans and picks an extra book up, holding it out to me. "Only because I love you."

"Thank you, thank you," I smile in her direction.

"Yeah, yeah," she waves me off. "Go get your man."

"Stevie, what are you doing?" Miles asks when I rejoin them, reaching into my bag for a marker and writing out a quick message in Felix's yearbook before answering him.

"Nothing," I smile and look at Isla, holding out my yearbook and bag. "I have something I need to do quickly and I'll meet you guys outside."

"Okay, see you out there," she smiles, squeezing my arm before the three of them head for the front entrance. All four of us are ready to say goodbye to this place for the summer, but not quite yet for me.

A sigh of relief falls from my lips when I get to the senior hallway and find Felix alone at his locker. Almost everyone has vacated the hall, just as excited to get out of this place as everyone else if not more. The stragglers left are collecting their books or chatting away from friends. I'm holding my breath as I walk up to him, having not spoken to him in the last few weeks leading up to the end of school.

"Hi," I say more quietly than I mean too.

Felix moves his locker door at the sound of my voice, meeting my eyes. "Hey."

An awkward silence fills between us as he grabs his bag out of his locker, and shuts the door to look at me. Everything comes back to me in the one look, my heart pounding in my chest as I'm suddenly at a loss for words. I want him back in my life. I hate not having him to talk to.

"Did you come over here to talk...or?"

"Uh, talk. Yeah," I nod and exhale, holding up the yearbook in my hands. "Yearbook delivery."

"They hand deliver them now, huh?" He says with a curious tone as he takes it.

"Only for the special people," I try to joke, cracking a small smile before looking at my feet and letting the silence fill back up. "So...um, I don't really know where to start. I guess, maybe, sorry is as good a place as any."

He nods but stays quiet.

"Um...when I found out you got into Berkeley, I got really scared because I became really dependent on you. More so than anyone else in my life, and when I found out from Greyson and not you...I guess, I felt like maybe you were abandoning me."

"Nicks..." he frowns and shakes his head. "I'd never abandon you."

"I know," I swallow. "I do. I know that, but it scared me to think that you were going to be so far away after everything that happened this year. I never in a million years thought I'd fall in love with you but I did. I never thought I'd need you, but I do and after we broke up, I went to a really bad place. My family got in my head and they tried to make things better for me, but the only thing that could make it better is you but they kept saying I was going to hold you back or that we rushed into this. That what we had wasn't the long lasting kind of stuff...or at least, that's how I took it so instead of fixing it. I ran away from it. From you."

He nods, "I get it. I do and I'm sor-."

I put my hand up and shake my head. "I'm not done, and I'm not trying to get an apology out of you. This...all of it, it's on me."

"I should have told you."

"Yeah, you should have," I nod in agreement. "But I could have handled it better instead of freaking out on you. I could have listened and let you explain."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"It's okay," I tell him before taking a deep breath. "I realized maybe my parents were right when they said I rushed into things with you, but they weren't right about me not understanding love because I do. I know that what I feel isn't just a crush, and it's more than liking you. Somewhere along the way you became the most important person in my life, and what we have is worth fighting for. Five miles apart, or three hundred and ninety."

Felix meets my eyes and at first, I see the corners of his lips curl up before his face falls flat. Swallowing as he takes in everything I said.

"How do I know you aren't going to run again when things get complicated?" He asks.

"You don't, but love is complicated and I think you're worth it. The fights we're bound to have, and the moments we want to kill each other but at the end of the day, all I want to know is I have you. It's the only thing that matters to me, and I get that you might need some time to think about it. Or if you don't want to do the long distance thing, but you know where my cards are and you can have that time. I just want you back in my life, Felix. As my boyfriend, or as my friend."

"Okay," he nods. "I'll, uh, I'll think about it."

"Okay," I smile, taking a small step back from him. "I'm going to be outside with everyone so...if you want to join me, you can."

"I'll be out there in a bit. I was going to talk to Coach Davidson before I leave," he says and I nod turning on my toes to head out to the football field where the end of the year activities is taking place. Weather it's a barbecue, or water balloon fight. Everything done to celebrate completing another school year. And for the first time ever, I actually want to participate.

"Hey guys," I say when I spot Lena and Riker sitting on the bleachers, sitting down on the metal bench next to him.

"Hey," Lena smiles.

"How'd it go?" Riker asks, clearly learning I took Felix's yearbook from Lena.

"Good," I admit.

"Yeah?" Lena asks. "You guys are back together?"

"No, he's thinking about it but it's okay," I tell them. "Even if we just stay friends. At least he's in my life, right?"

"That's a good way to look at it," Riker nods. "I was kind of rooting for you though."

I smile, "We've got plenty of time."

Riker nudges me. "I like this side of you."

"Yeah, me too," I nod as my name is yelled and I search the field to find Robyn and Isla waving wildly at me from the line for the bouncy obstacle course. "That's my cue."

"See you later, Vee," Riker waves and I smile as I get up to my feet, heading down the stairs and towards the line. Isla opening her arms for me to run into.

"So?" She asks.

"So, he needs some time and that's okay," I smile.

"You're okay?" Robyn questions.

I look back over at the bleachers where Riker and Lena are grinning at each other like fools, so incredibly happy in the future they have planned together. Moving onto the field, I smile when I see Mika and Isaac sitting in the grass talking to each other. Their path a little harder with Isaac moving to Rhode Island and Mika to New York for fashion school. All of Greyson's dreams are coming true with him moving back to Los Angeles, and my parents have finally worked through their issues. Now better understanding each other, and what each of them needs.

It's impossible for me to be sad when I have so many happy things to focus on. And so maybe Felix and I aren't meant to be, but it doesn't mean I don't have good things going on in my life. Or that I should be sad for the things I loss.

"I'm better than okay," I assure them.

"Good," she smiles and wraps her arms around me. "I'm glad to have my best friend back to normal. Now, are you going to do this thing with me?"

"Hell yes," I bob my head and tighten my ponytail before kicking my shoes off. "You're going down, Lloyd."

"In your dreams, Alexander," she laughs as we're given the clear to go and both jump through the hole in the thick nylon fabric, stumbling on the air filled surface.

Laughter falls from both of us as we struggle to get through the obstacles without falling over. Robyn and me neck and neck with each other as we reach the rock climbing wall, leading down into a slide. Both falling over the blocks block our way. I manage to get to my feet before Robyn and am looking over my shoulder at her when I hit the slide, my eyes widening in surprise when I reach the bottom and nearly slide right into someone.

"Felix..." I say in between taking deep breaths when I realize it's him leaning over me, my back still pressed into the nylon fabric. "Hi."

"I see you too, huh?" He asks and my lips curl up when he flips his yearbook around to show me the full length photo of him inside.

Being the captain of the football team, homecoming king and eventually prom king – I was asked to pull a photo of him for a full page print. Of course, they had expected me to use something from the solo shoot I did with him for the football teams write up, or a picture of him on stage getting his crown but I knew exactly the picture I wanted to use. My favorite picture.

And that's why the picture of him from the pep rally the day we first talked is in the yearbook. The day everything changed, weather I knew it then or not. He changed my whole world, and made it so much better.

"You changed everything for me that day," I say as he helps me up. "What else was I supposed to use?"

He chuckles as he closes the book, "So, I've been thinking."

"Yeah?"

He hums as he nods his head, "Long distance is hard."

"Yeah, it is," I agree.

"It's going to be a lot of work," he admits. "So...how does forever sound?"

I can't help the grin that curls up on my lips. "That was incredible corny."

"Yeah, I know," he says and wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me towards him. I meet him halfway and winded my arms around his neck, meeting his lips in what feels like decades and as I have the feeling back. Curling my toes, and send shivers up my spine – I know I'm never letting go again.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too, Nicks," he says as he kisses my cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too," I whisper back and lean back. "I'm sorry that I ever made you feel like I don't understand you, Felix. You're so much more than some high school rumours and whatever you want to be? I'm going to support because, I see you and love every inch."

"Good, because you're stuck with me."

a/n;

I seriously can't believe another story is done with, and I'm so grateful for all the love these characters and their stories have gotten. I've loved every second of writing Felix and Stevie's story, and I'm so excited for the next adventure I'm going on. If you didn't already know, I have the first chapter of my next book posted called 'Bittersweet' and I'd love for you to check it out.

Now, I'm thinking I might want to do some bonus chapters for this book. If that's something you might be interested in, let me know what you want to see. I have a few ideas I want to explore, but this is for all of you and what you want to see so feel free to leave a comment about what you want to see. Whether that's a chapter from Felix's perspective, one of the brothers, or Luke and Emery's. To seeing something set in the future. Whatever it is, I will try my best to give it.

And with that being said...I hope you enjoyed 'I See You'

:)