"It's been a long year, Blakely," Audrey said.

I glanced up at her, a bit stunned she came over to me. "It has."

"Did you get one?" She shows me her yearbook.

"No."

"Here." She hands me the one under hers.

"Thank you."

"I'll be the first to sign it." I watch Audrey open up to a blank page and sign her name in large cursive. "You're welcome."

"Do you want me to sign yours?"

"That depends...will you call me a bitch again?"

I gave her a small smile, "No."

"Then sign away," she said, taking a seat next to me. "I heard about your breakup."

"I figured."

"He didn't deserve you."

I wanted him.

Still do.

"How are things with you?" I questioned.

"If you're asking for my relationship status, I'm single."

"I was just asking about you."

"I'm excellent." She smiled, and I couldn't tell if it was real or not.

"I'm glad."

Audrey flipped through the pages until she found herself. She's probably seen the picture a hundred times by now, but still, she analyzed it for flaws.

"What do you think?"

"You look pretty. Yours is always nice."

"Wouldn't have it any other way." She continued skimming through the book, stopping every once in a while on a familiar face. "Oh, look, a photo to commemorate your burnout phase," Audrey said, amused, and I couldn't bother with a response. I stared at the page, I was worried about Lisa's interview at the time, but it seems so pointless now. I didn't anticipate this picture, though...me and Leo. Together. "I'm sorry..."

"It's fine."

"Whatever happened...he's probably sick to his stomach being without you now."

"Do you think so?"

"Definitely." She shrugged, "I'd be surprised if he could even get out of bed or look at himself in the mirror— the boy who had and lost Heather Blakely."

I gaze down at the picture again.

Leo's smile.

He is sick to his stomach?

And that's supposed to make me feel better? As if he's the only one who's lost something...

My eyes began to water, and I blink away the tears before they can fall. "Excuse me," I said as I stood up.

"Heather?" Audrey furrowed her eyebrows.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

I press my lips into a smile. "Perfect."

"Hey." Tony stood in front of me, and I tried not to look too surprised.

"How are you?"

"Good," he put on a gentle smile. "Sign my yearbook?"

"If you sign mine."

"Deal."

I took the cap off of my pink, scented pen and put it to paper, writing a message that says: 'It's nice to know you, and thank you for being there for me.' Despite him avoiding me until now.

"Sincerely yours, Alison," he reads off of the page.

I look down at what he wrote in mine. 'I'll miss you the most. Hopefully, I can see you before the leaves start to fall again.'

"Love always, Tony," I reply.

"Can we go out...sometime during the summer? Like old times?"

"You mean like last week before you snapped on me?"

"I'm really sorry..." he said, sadly.

"I wasn't mad at you...just concerned."

Tony pulled me into a hug. "Thanks...for being there for me."

"You should call me later," I suggested while his arms were still around me.

"I will." He pulled away. "See you, Ali."

"See you." I waved him off, and he kept glancing back at me as he went inside.

Love always.

Jace clapped slowly as he walked over to me.

"What a beautiful couple," he mocked.

I rolled my eyes. "Tony and I are not a couple."

"I always wondered."

"Why didn't you ask?"

"None of my business."

"Since when do you mind your own?" I teased.

"Touché. Are you going to the party at The Avenue?"

"I might."

"If you want, I can pick you up."

I smirked. "To save the environment?"

"Exactly, carbon emissions are bad. We don't need to add more by taking two cars."

"Alison." An unfamiliar boy interrupted and approached me with his yearbook held out. "Would you?"

"Of course," I smiled and handed him mine in return.

Jace made a face at the sight of him, and I responded with an expression that said 'be nice.'

I jotted down the standard 'Have an amazing summer' with a smiley face and exclamation point that's reserved for people you don't care for, and then handed it back to him.

"Thank you," he said, happily. Jace took my yearbook from him and shooed him off in annoyance.

"Is everyone secretly in love with you?" Jace cocked an eyebrow.

"I don't even know him."

"He knows you." Jace read aloud, "Don't change for anyone. I always thought you were great. A.F. Osbourne."

"A.F?" My eyes widened.

"Yes."

Oh, my god, I'm an idiot.

I quickly ran after the boy, my secret admirer, not even knowing his name. To think, I thought it stood for Alex.

"Hey." I catch him in the hallway, and he turns around confused before I reach over and hug him. "See you next year."

"Thank you. Uh- yes, I'll be here," he stammered. Flushed nervousness taking over his demeanor as he smiled. "Thanks."

Zach walked in, a smile on his face. "Hey."

"What's up, Zach?" Matt said.

"Nothing." He looks around at all of us. "Who died?"

"No one."

"How'd it go?"

"Danny got shot, but it was a flesh wound, he's alright."

"Are you kidding?"

"No, got shot right here," Matt put his hand over the upper part of his arm.

"If he's okay...why does everyone seem sad?"

All eyes, except Zach's, were on me. I guess I'm bringing everyone down.

"Leo..." Matt started to explain.

"I got dumped, but I'm alright."

"No more Heather?" He said in shock.

I don't want to respond, but he's looking at me so I shake my head. "No."

"...is it because of what I said to her?"

"What'd you say?"

"That she wasn't as nice to you as you were to her..."

"You shouldn't have said that, but no, she gave me an ultimatum."

"That's fucked," Zach scoffed.

"Who cares?"

"You."

"Fuck off, Zach," I said harshly, and the atmosphere in the room became tenser as a result. I can see Mandy frowning at me from the corner of my eye. Matt must've forgotten to tell her. "Don't say anything. I don't want to talk about her anymore."

"I wasn't going to say anything," she huffed.

"You were, I could tell."

"I was only going to say-"

"Amanda."

"I was only going to say that I'm sorry, I know you really cared about her. If there's anything I can do-"

"There's nothing."

"She was cute. I'll miss her."

You'll miss her?

I don't say anything else, but again, everyone's eyes are on me.

"So-" Jordan cleared his throat, trying to clear out the awkwardmess too. "Where is Danny?"

"At home, high off pain meds, trying to hide everything from his dad," Matt replied.

"We should go see him," Zach suggested.

"I tried. He doesn't want company."

Neither do I. Didn't realize that was an option.

I got off of the couch and went straight for the front door. Conversation stopped, but they let me go.

I kinda feel drained, like I've been running on 'E' since we broke up. It would help to stop thinking about her, but I don't know how to do that yet. And everyone keeps looking at me like I'll burst into tears at any second, like I'm fucking fragile now.

I hear the door open up behind me, and I sigh.

Amanda sits down beside me on the porch and passes me a beer.

We sit in the quiet. I'm glad she at least let me have that if she won't let me be alone. My mom doesn't think I should be...said it'll make me feel worse. So, I won't be.

"That friend you have who was at your birthday party last time..." I said, "What was her name? Prim?"

"My cousin?" She asked, confusedly.

"Can I have her number?"

Amanda scoffed. "No, Leo."

"Why not? You don't care."

"Why do you do this?"

"What?"

"You try to force yourself to feel differently instead of just letting it happen when it happens."

I shook my head. "Bullshit."

"When you started liking Heather you tried to hook up with me. Now that it didn't work out and you're still into her— you want to hook up with somebody else."

"Maybe I just want to fuck someone, Mandy," I argued. "I can. I don't have a girlfriend anymore."

"And that feels like shit, doesn't it?"

"Fuck you."

"Fuck you. Why don't you just call her and talk?"

"I tried that. She won't answer," I said angrily. The anger giving way to tears. "...She won't answer," I speak a bit softer. She looks at me sadly and reaches out. "Don't hug me, Amanda." I push away her arms and step back from her before deciding to just keep walking,

"Where are you going?"

"I don't want company."

"So, where's your father now?" Audrey asked.

"Who knows? He threw Vivian out with the trash, and then took a dinner meeting."

"Is he miserable?"

"Possibly."

"Don't you feel even a little bad?"

"Do you think I should?"

Audrey smiles, and I take that as a 'no.'

"Anyway," she dragged on. "I have news."

"Do tell."

"Natalia and I are...dating."

"That's good."

"Dating— not definitively, just going on dates. I told her I'm doing that with other girls too."

I smirked, "Well, that's not true."

"I know," she sighed.

"What are you going to do?"

"Find another girl to date."

"Summer flings, shall we find them together?" There's no better wingman than a woman.

"Where?"

"Tour de Trevor and Audrey. Where won't we find them?"

"I still like Natalia. I just want her to wonder for a while. I thought we broke up because of me, but it was her, I'm not the problem for once."

"Hm," I nod. "I think she deserves to chase you."

"Is that why you had me throw a trashy rave you could invite her to?"

"I had to fix my mistakes so you wouldn't resent me for them."

"I obviously didn't resent you."

"It's never obvious who is in your favor. However, I didn't want to be my favorite person's least favorite person."

She laughed and rolled her eyes. "Well, speaking of fixing mistakes— I hope you're proud of me, I invited Ethan's little helper friend to the party to extend the olive branch."

"Audrey..."

"It wasn't nice to try to uproot her relationship just because of my past with her boyfriend. If he's changed for her, then good for them."

"Very mature. I am proud of you. But, Ethan changes for no one. She just knew how to keep his attention better than others did."

"Knew? As in past tense?" She questioned.

"Oh, sweet little Audreykins-"

"Don't call me that."

"Ethan was with another girl at that party."

"No," Audrey gasps, intrigued to know more.

"He can't help what he is." I suck air between my teeth. "The facade of thinking he has everything figured out is what stops him from figuring anything out." He's a dog chasing his own tail when it comes to progress outside of contracts.

"He's horrible." A smile sits perfectly on her face.

"You could at least pretend you're not thrilled to hear of this," I said through light laughter.

"I could, but I won't. I was a good person and it paid off."

"You're a saint."

"And you're not, but I'll gather up enough good karma for the both of us."

"Thank you, angel."