Bryce debated it for a while. He went through the pros and cons just like his therapist told him to. He went through the possible outcomes. The possible scenarios in which going to this party could help or harm himself in any way. But what it all came down to was Clay. It would all be worth going to the party if he could see Clay. If he could talk to Clay. If he could get Clay back to normal. And with Justin, Zach, Hannah, Tony, and Brad all being there, he would have some support in case anything went wrong. So it's settled, he's going to the party.

"I won't be late. I promise." Bryce hugs his mom.

"Just be careful okay?"

"I will. I'm just going there to say hi to people and talk to Clay."

"Okay." She hugs him again.

"Love you."

"Love you too."

Bryce goes to his car and heads to the party. He can feel himself getting very anxious as he gets closer. Each street closer, the more his heart races and he begins to sweat. Everything about this is crazy, but for some reason, he can't stop himself.

He has to park a couple of blocks away and starts walking towards the house when he spots Hannah, Justin, and Zach coming out of Zach's car. They're all smiling, and friends. He never thought this day would come. The day his two worlds collided and merged together quite well.

"Hey!" When Hannah sees him she runs up to him and begins hugging him. "So good to see you!" She jumps back.

"Good to see you too." Bryce is so happy to be back with friends and just back to normal.

"Hey man." Zach and Bryce greet each other. "Good to see you doing well."

"Thanks Zach. It's good to see you too." Justin comes up and they hug.

"Ready for this?" Justin asks as they turn and start walking towards the house.

"Never."

"Good luck with him." Hannah looks upset. "Last time I tried to talk to him he instantly went below the belt."

"Really?" Bryce is shocked.

"Oh yeah! I remember that." Zach smiles a little. "She threw a drink in his face."

"Wow!" Bryce runs his hands through his hair and takes in a deep breath as they approach the house.

"You drinking tonight?" Justin asks as Hannah and Zach walk in before them.

"No. Trying the whole sober approach to life."

"Wow. Brave." They both laugh and Justin puts his arm around Bryce's shoulder as they walk in.

The party is already pretty crazy. Bryce only recognizes maybe a third of the kids here. A few of the guys from football come up and say "hey" to Bryce. They make their way through the party, keeping their eyes out for Clay. A few people look at him and whisper to each other. He knows for sure even people at Hillcrest knew about what happened with him and Clay last year.

"There he is," Justin whispers to Bryce, pointing to the backyard.

"Wow." He looks different.

Bryce starts walking outside, staring at Clay. His hair is slightly longer and very messy. He looks somehow paler and tired. He's wearing tight black skinny jeans and a tight black sweatshirt. He watches as Clay laughs with a bunch of guys he doesn't recognize. He watches Clay grab a bottle of something and start chugging it down. Everyone is laughing and chanting his name. As Clay finishes, he wipes his mouth with his arm and sees Bryce.

Their eyes meet. Clay stands still. Bryce continues walking towards him. Clay doesn't pay attention to his friends as they try talking to him. Bryce can see something different in Clay's eyes. While he doesn't look a bit surprised, mostly he just sees nothing behind his eyes. He almost just looks like he's not there. Bryce walks up to him and his friends. The friends all look over to Bryce, confused.

"Who are you?" One of the guys, very tall and big with brown hair, asks.

Bryce just looks back over to Clay. They all look over to Clay.

"He's no one." Clay takes a swig of the bottle in his hand, not once losing eye contact with Bryce.

"Well you heard him." The same big guy steps in front of Bryce.

"Really?" Bryce leans over to look at Clay.

"Fine. Hey Dean." Clay turns to this other kid, smaller with blonde hair. "I'll meet you guys at the car. This party is already boring me."

"Sure man." The boy walks up to me and the big guy. "Let's move it Spencer." The two walk away and Clay walks up to Bryce.

"What do you want?" His voice is a bit deeper and darker.

"I just wanted to say hello. I cam back to town yesterday and was hoping to see you."

"Really? That's it? Well, you've said your hello. Bye." Clay starts walking past Bryce,

"Hey!" Clay turns back around. "What's going on?"

"I'm leaving. Can you not tell?"

"I mean why have you changed so much? What made this happen?"

"Nothing made anything happen. People change. It's happens all the time." Clay starts walking into the house, but Bryce follows.

"This isn't you! No matter what you say, I know that!" Bryce has to shout past the music for Clay to hear him.

"Why do you care so much?" Clay turns around, angry, as they walk into the living room.

"You know why!" People start to stare.

"Don't pull that bullshit on me! If you'd cared you wouldn't have left!" Hannah, Justin, and Zach walk into the room with tons of other people, the music dying down.

"Wow! You know that's now why I left. I left because I needed to. Not because of you. You were the only reason I came back!"

"No…" Clay gets close to Bryce. "The only reason you came back because you are weak. Because you couldn't do the smart thing and stay the fuck away from this Hellmouth."

"The only stupid thing I've done is think you could handle being by yourself without me."

"Bullshit!" Clay is angry, face getting red. "The only person who can't handle being by themselves is you!" He gets almost a centimeter from Bryce's face. "If you could then you would've have taken the weak way out and try killing yourself." Bryce pushes Clay back and onto the floor.

"Fuck you!" Everyone around them is whispering and shocked by what's being said.

"No. Fuck you!" Clay gets up. "Next time you try to kill yourself, at least do it right." Clay starts walking out of the house, but Bryce follows.

"You know what?" Clay stops as he starts walking towards the car where his friends are waiting for him. "I pity you. You've changed. You've become pathetic." People start walking out to the front yard, Hannah, Zach, and Justin go side to side with Bryce. "And if this is the real you, then I'm happy we're no longer together. You're just a pathetic empty shell of a boy who I thought my world. And now what? You'll drink yourself to death? Can't wait to see how that works out for you." Bryce walks up to Clay.

"At least when I do die I'll do it correctly and not pathetically by myself." Bryce pushes Clay again, getting angry.

Quickly the big guy from the car jumps out and to Clay.

"It's okay Spencer. Let him think he's this big hero. He needs it. He has nothing else." Clay throws the bottle in his hand to the ground and they both get into the car.

Bryce watches as the car drives off and tries hard to hold it together. As people start walking back inside, Hannah comes up and starts hugging Bryce.

"Thank you," Bryce whispers to her, a single tear breaking through.