Author's Note: Should I even begin to apologize for not updating sooner? Thanks for the reviews and the patience. Oh, and something important! A few chapters ago I was saying how it's almost the start of 9th grade, but at the beginning of the story they were still in 8th grade, so I'll be changing that so they're still in 8th grade.

I looked at the picture Clay had given me while I got ready for school the next morning. I was more nervous than relieved that it was the last week of eighth grade, and maybe that was because of what I had said to Bryce the other day. But the picture, hung over my bed so I could stare up at it, even with its sad memories, gave me some comfort.

The picture was a protrait of my five chickens going about their daily lives. They each had distinct personalites even with being frozen in one position on the paper. Abby with her head poking the ground; Clyde and the way he seemed to watch over his family protectively; Florence…Florence and his shy atitude.

Dad had dug a small grave for Florence in the backyard and we buried him. The rest of my family didn't partake in the funeral, but it was nice leaning my head against Dad's shoulder and knowing he understood. He was the only one who really ever understood.

With it being only one week till the end of school, Clay wasn't even bothering to go, so it would only be me, and Bryce, and all the other kids at the bus stop. I had a strange feeling that Bryce was going to talk to me, and I didn't know if I could handle that. He looked so started, so awe struck, yesterday. I had told him I loved him. I had looked him straight in the eye and blurted out my secret, one that I wasn't ready to let go of yet. I couldn't explain to him how I was feeling, I didn't want to. I actually wanted to ignore him for awhile, as cowardly as that sounded.

At seven o'clock Mom kissed me goodbye and promised me that I'd have a great day. I trudged down the sidewalk towards the bus stop, to where Bryce was scanning the area searching for me, and I knew I was not going to have a great day at all.

"Juli," Bryce called over to me as I was crossing the street to get to the bus stop. He started to walk towards me, like he wanted to meet me half way, but he stopped when he reached the end of the sidewalk. "Juli, I need to talk to you."

I didn't know how to get out of not talking to him. Refuse? Turn away and not look at him? He looked desperate and nervous all at once, and he twisted his hands together, a small blush forming in his cheeks.

"I need to tell you something," He said quietly. The other kids at the bus stop were looking at us now, because they knew what almost happened in the cafiteria a couple of weeks ago. "I've actually been wanting to tell you this for a really long time and…I just couldn't bring myself to do it. But after what you said yesterday, I have to. I can't hold it in anymore, you know?"

He reached his hand out to grab my hand, my shirt sleeve, something that would make me get closer to him. I staggered back onto the street, but he continued to follow me.

"Bryce, I don't want to talk to you," I said harshly.

I crossed my hands over my chest and looked away, knowing I was being stupid and selfish. If I were in Bryce's shoes, I would have wanted to be heard.

"No, Julianna, I don't care if you want to talk to me or not," Bryce suddenly said loudly. More kids looked over and they began to whisper.

Bryce lunged at me and forced my arms to uncross so he could grab both my hands and pull me closer to him. The look of determination was deep in his eyes, just like it was in the cafiteria when he almost kissed me.

And that was when I realized what he was trying to do.

I tried to pull away, to stop it, to do anything, but it was too late.

Bryce's lips melted into mine and for two long seconds that seemed to last eternity they held there.

And maybe this was what I wanted all along, but it felt wrong. Or maybe the wrong feeling was really right. I didn't know, I couldn't even focus on anything other than Bryce's lips on mine. They were soft and fragil, gentle, just like I had imagined them being.

Then the laughing started. Bryce pulled away with a big smile on his face, maybe not even noticing that the other kids were laughing at us, even pointing their fingers.

"I wanted to do that for a long time," Bryce told me.

He looked so happy. But why wasn't I happy? Maybe I was too surprised that Bryce had kissed me that I couldn't feel any emotions.

And that was the day when Bryce and I became known as boyfriend and girlfriend and walked down the hall hand in hand, with Bryce smiling triumphantly and me not knowing what to feel. It was also the day when everything we knew about each other, everything we thought was right, came crashing down.

A/N: Question…how would you feel about having some chapters with Clay's point of view? Just wondering, because he will be in the story quite a bit now. I'm not a big fan of this chapter, but I just wanted to get another chapter up. Next chapter will be up sooner...at least let's hope. Thank you.