Joe walked into the small building with a disgusted grimace on his face.
"I can't believe this," he mumbled, bumping into a few children before finding his way to his favorite shelf and grabbing a pack of Sour Patch Kids.
He stared at the florescent box, thinking about all that had happened that day.
For over a year, he had Miley Sanchez, one of the most beautiful and popular girls in his small Junior class by his side. In the beginning, Joe was sickened by how all of the other boys treated her as if she was a piece of meat and they were dogs; staring and drooling. But over time, he had gotten used to it.
Once he was sure he loved her and that she loved him, he could care less about those freaks. Nothing was going to change between him and Miley.
Well, until now.
Only twenty minutes before he walked into the sweet smelling candy shop, Joe had found Miley and his now ex-best-friend, David, behind the bleachers,--how typical, right?--swapping spit.
He didn't want to believe it. After all, he was attached to both of them. One through love, one through friendship, and both through trust. They had broken that bond today, in just a matter of seconds; and Joe needed to get over it. He was never going to get emotionally close to anyone again, but at least he knew exactly how to cure his pain.
Soon after starting to walk to the checkout counter, he glanced behind him at the shelf, contemplating whether or not he should get more. He'd definitely be pigging out tonight.
After rushing back and grabbing a dozen more boxes of different candy,--mostly Sour Patch Kids--he made his way to the cash register.
As the clerk was ringing him up, Joe began thinking of Miley and…David again. He made a face, disturbed. How could his one and only best friend to such a thing?
"My hands aren't dirty, sir," the man behind the counter said, referring to Joe's grossed out face and handing him the bag.
He immediately snapped out of his thoughts and gave the man a grin, grabbing the nearly full-to-the-top sack.
Muttering a thanks, he headed back to the door. He couldn't wait to just get home and be alone with his candy, the only thing he loved now.
Just as the bell on the door rung, he heard yelling and a car door slam, but didn't think anything of it.
He was too drowned in his own thoughts to care.
"Sterling, why are we here?" Demi asked her newfound boyfriend as he parked in a store lot.
"I've gotta talk to you," He stated, turning off the car and staring into her eyes.
She smiled and looked down awkwardly. Was he really going to tell her he loved her already? If not, then what was he going to say?
"You know, this has been great, but…" But? "…I just cant do this anymore."
"Wha--"
"Just get out of the car."
"You're going to just leave me here?!" Demi exclaimed, appalled.
"GET OUT!"
Tears forming at the sides of her bright blue eyes, she opened the passenger door, "FINE!" she said, getting out and then slamming it shut.
What the hell just happened? Didn't Sterling love her?
She went to sit down on a wooden bench outside of the shop and as she watched him pull away, she began to cry.
For the first time in Demi's life, not once did she mind that she was alone in an unknown place, or that there was a boy walking in the opposite direction that could easily hear her crying. All she cared about was her heart and how it had just been broken.
At sixteen years old, she didn't know much about love, but she had definitely loved Sterling. She was sure of it.
Bringing her knees up to her chest, she started sobbing harder.
Demi couldn't very well go home like this, especially if her mother was there.
She was just going to stay there, on that bench, until she was well enough to go home. Which wasn't going to be for a long time.
"Mom, I'm home!" Joe called out to his mother, Denise before slamming the front door behind him and racing up the many carpeted stairs that led to his bedroom.
The minute he stepped into the all-white room, he was in tears.
He said angry things about Ryan under his breath as he ripped open a box of sour patch kids and stuffed them in his mouth, "Fucking Tori," he whispered, mouth full.
7 boxes and 47 pixi stix later, Denise knocked on the door, but let herself in before he even responded and then eyed the various candy boxes scattered on Joe's floor suspiciously.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I don't want to talk about it," Joe responded grimly, struggling to stand up, "I need more candy."
He tried to make a run for the door, but his mom stopped him before he could.
"You only eat that much candy," she motioned towards the boxes, "when you're upset."
"Well not today," he sighed and pushed past her, "Bye."
It was very dark that particular December evening and there were at least 20 cars rushing down the road in different directions, but Joe was anything but scared to cross the street.
He really needed that candy, and he was going to get it one way or another.
He didn't even need a flashlight, he simply knew how to get there.
Joe quickly reached the familiar, small store; his second home.
But one thing wasn't very familiar about it and that one thing was starting to creep him out.