I skipped school the next day. I told my mom I wasn't feeling well.

"Do you want me to stay home today?" she asked

"No, it's fine." My mom left and I was sitting in my room, alone. This was the first time I've ever truly felt alone, Zander's always been there to help me when I needed it, so what do I do now that he's the problem?

Lying in my bed I looked over at my guitar. I haven't played it in two months. I picked it up, sitting it on my lap. I strummed a chord and heard the familiar sound. I put it down and felt a tear trickle down my cheek onto my guitar. I missed music so much. I hated how Molly ruined it for me; I hated how Zander betrayed me and didn't even defend me, my supposed best friend. I put the guitar away and wrapped myself in my covers as if that would keep the bad things from happening.

I don't know how long I slept for but I was awoken by a movement on the bed. I opened my eyes to see a person in a full military uniform sitting on the foot of the bed.

"Evan!" I hugged him holding him closely. Out of all my brothers Evan and were always the closest. "I was so scared I'd never see you again."

My brother joined the military right after high school, after that I never got to see him much. The last time I saw him was a year ago.

"I'd always come back just to see you Stevie." He hugged me back and I could feel the wetness on my cheeks from crying but for the first time it was from happiness. "God, I missed you Steves."

"I missed you too." I wiped the tears from my eyes. I was terrified he wasn't coming back. He's already done three tours and once came back home with battle scars like no tomorrow. It scared me to see him go back out.

"Thank god Matt's getting married next week or else I wouldn't have an excuse to come home." He said laughing. Matt's my other brother who was marrying his three year girlfriend Michelle. "So, what are you doing home?"

I leaned against my wall still sitting on my bed. "I wasn't feeling well."

"You didn't miss school when you were younger when you had a fever, no way is that the reason." He knew me better than I knew myself. "Come on buddy, what's wrong?" I looked at me with concern.

I sighed and laughed at myself a bit. "What isn't?" I brought my head back to the wall so I was looking up. "I don't even know where to start."

He patted my arm and I told him everything, every little detail, from when we raced that first morning to when he tried talking to me in the library. I touched my cheek but to my surprise there were no tears. I guessed I cried myself dry. I wasn't sure if I should take that as a good or bad thing.

I couldn't read Evan's expression. He pulled me into a hug. "I'm sorry this happened to you."

"I just don't know what happened. I always though Zander and I were closer than this you know? That we would always be there for each other and never ditch each other for some other person. What did I do wrong?"

"You did absolutely nothing wrong. You're one of the bravest people I know, to go to school every day and see them. Especially telling him what you did in the library. We'd be lucky if half the soldiers in the army had even a quarter of the courage you have." He brushed my bangs away. "I don't know what's gotten into him right now but trust me, real friendship can withstand the toughest of conditions, and surviving it is what makes it strong. Sometimes you need to be away from someone to really show how much they mean to you. If he can't see that then he was never worth it." I smiled for the first time in what felt like forever.

"Thank you Evan." I whispered it to him as I hugged him. I missed having him around to talk to.

The next morning I got ready for school.

There was a knock on my door. My mom walked in. "are you feeling better?"

I looked in the mirror and smiled. "Yeah." And for once I wasn't lying. Things were still the same, I still wouldn't call myself living but I felt better, not about everything that's happened but about myself. The whole time I pitied myself because I didn't think I was worth being cared for which is why they left me so quickly. Looking at myself now though, I had more confidence in me and if they didn't want me anymore then it's their loss. This wasn't a great start to a solution but it was a start.

I walked out of the door after giving Evan a hug. "good luck." He whispered in my ear.

When I entered the school I went to my locker to grab my chemistry text book. Beside my locker was Zander and Molly. Every other day they would be there so Molly could bother me. When I saw them my happy mood went down a little but I took a breath and felt a bit better. I still loved Zander, I knew a part of me always will, but I knew Evan was right, if Zander didn't see me for what I was worth then I needed to stop moping around and waiting for him chase me back, I've already done enough waiting.

"So I didn't see you yesterday." Molly said to me. I tried ignoring her. "Guess you didn't realize you were better off gone and dying from whatever disease you have." I looked at her with a straight face. "I'm glad you're feeling better though." She gave me a fake evil smile.

I smiled. "thanks, I'm feeling A LOT better." I looked at Zander. I saw a glimpse of the smile he use to always have before Molly. I didn't bother to wait for what he had to say. I closed my locker and went off to first period.

I sat down at my desk and let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding in. Seeing Molly and Zander together still felt like a knife to my heart. I missed him and everything we would do together and telling him my problems so he could console me, but this time seeing them seemed like the cut wasn't as deep, and the knife was duller. I still didn't have friends and I was still miserable but now I wasn't as miserable.