The next morning I woke up to the bright sun shining into my window. I laid there for a couple minutes wishing sleep would come back to me but it didn't. I sat up slowly and stretched out my arms. I had somehow completely forgotten the last couple weeks. The whole time getting ready I had no recollection, I guess I just wanted to block it. My sweet forgetfulness was ruined when I walked down the steps to see both my parents sitting at the kitchen table looking solemn.

"Sophie, can you come here for a minute please?" My mother called as soon as I hit the last step.

Reluctantly I made my way to the kitchen.

"Hey." I said surprised that my voice came out as a whisper.

My mother motioned for me to sit so I took my normal seat beside my dad.

"Sophie Rose. We need to talk." My mother said in her scary parental voice.

I sighed. "I know. I'm grounded for life. No cell and no friends. Not like I have any… If everyone didn't think I was a freak before they sure do now."

"You are in trouble, big trouble. You really worried us. But you're not grounded for life. Just until graduation: your graduation." My mom said.

"A whole year? Well I guess I deserve it…" I looked down for a minute.

Then my dad laughed. Seriously he laughed. My head shot up at the sound, not only because I was I ticked he was laughing at my misfortune, but this the first time I had heard my dad laugh in forever.

"Are you seriously laughing at me right now?" I snapped.

"Of course I am." He said with a smirk.

"Can I ask why?" I asked slowly.

"Because you aren't grounded that long Soph" He answered.

I looked over at my mother who also had a smile on her face.

"What?" I asked confused.

"Sophie, what you did was very wrong and we are very angry with you but we understand." My mom explained. I still didn't get it.

"You understand?"

"Yes. Your dad and I were so caught up in our bickering that we didn't see how much it was hurting you. So we aren't going to take your phone away or ground you for a year. You can keep your phone and you're grounded for a month." My mom said.

"We remember what it was like to be a teenager because it really wasn't that long ago," My dad said. "So just be happy you have young parents."

"I am. Guys I'm sorry about running away. It was just horrible and I wanted to come back home the minute I realized what I was doing. But you guys were fighting so much and I didn't want to move away. I was being really immature and I'm sorry."

"It's ok Sophie." My mom said softly.

"Thanks guys." I said standing up to leave.

"Wait Sophie there is one more thing." My mom said making me sit back down.

"Yeah?" I asked curious, yet a bit nervous.

"Your father and I talked about it and… we decided that you should stay here."

"Are you serious? That's awesome! But wait… when will I get to see you, mom?" I asked.

"Well we talked about that too and we decided maybe I should stay here too." Mom said with a smile.

"Wait, you mean you're staying together?"

"Well no not officially. We still have a lot to work out… But we're going to work at it." My dad said.

"It's going to be tough, but it's never been easy for us. But so many wonderful things have come from our relationship, like you for instance, that it out weighs all the bad." My mother said.

Then they looked at each other and smiled. I smiled too and then I got up and left them alone. I was so grateful for my parents. You really don't appreciate what you have until it's gone.

I spent the rest of the day trying to call Tyson. All I got was voicemail. My messages were short and sweet but I must have left 20 of them. Finally I gave up and went to sleep.

The next day was Monday, and my parents said that I had to go to school and get it over with. So I got ready, grabbed a cup of extra strong coffee and headed out the door. My dad drove me and tried making small talk but I was too nervous to answer him with anything other than a yes or no.

The thought of seeing Tyson scared the crap out of me. I had no idea what I was going to say. I mean what could I say? I'm sorry for sleeping with you and then smacking you in the face? No that definitely isn't good. The thought of this made me look over to my dad. I thought about how he would react if he found out what I had done with Tyson so many nights ago. I know. His eyes would go dark and his voice would go cold. He'd probably go to great lengths to kill Tyson… so I planned on leaving that part out of my story.

Too early my dad pulled up in front of Degrassi and I was forced to leave that safety of my car.

For the first time in my whole life all eyes were on me. Judging eyes, harsh eyes, sympathetic eyes. Seriously you would think I killed someone or something. I wasn't pregnant or just coming back from jail but these people stared at me like I had.

Gotta love high school…

I scanned the crowd for Scarlett my last remaining friend, but she was nowhere to be found. So I just pushed my way through the groups of people to the front door. I head to the library and sit down at a computer. I turn my IPod on loud and stick my head phones in my ears and start a game of solitaire.

When the bell rang I didn't hear it. I only noticed when I saw the huge groups of teenagers moving through the hall. I stood up quickly and logged off. But it was too late. This was Tyson's first class of the day and here I was looking like an idiot. When he walked in at first he didn't see me, when he did though his eyes dropped to the floor and he pushed past me. I guess I should've expected that but it hit me hard. I rushed off to my first class with tears in my eyes. Could Tyson ever forgive me?

As graduation grew near all hope that Tyson would ever talk to me again was lost. I had tried multiple times but he just flat out ignored me. His eyes just went right through me like I wasn't there. It sucked being like this with Tyson. Even Scarlett had tried talking to him but he just didn't want to make up with me. I didn't blame him. I was a total bitch to him and there was no way to make it up to him.

"But honestly you would think he would get it ya know?" Scarlett said one day at lunch. We were sitting in the Zen garden. "I mean you obviously weren't in your right mind."

"Scar, seriously…" I muttered. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

She gave me an annoyed look. "Fine, I gotta go I left my math book in my locker. If we aren't going to gossip might as well study."

I laughed "Alright…" Then she left me there alone, which was fine with me a break from her voice was very much needed at the moment.

I packed up my hardly touched lunch and pulled out my phone. No new messages… Why am I surprised? I am about to get up and go after Scarlett when someone sits down next to me.

"Luke?" I said surprised and nervous. We hadn't talked in forever and we didn't talk much then either. You might remember him from the very first chapter of this winding story. Luke Daniels, he took Angelina's side in the whole debacle that ended our small group.

"Hey Sophie, long time no see." His voice was deep and emotionless as always. I had always thought he was mysterious, the other girls as in the cheerleaders thought he was just a freak.

"Yeah… how you been?" I asked him feeling really awkward.

"Well better than you… but not great."

"You heard…" I said.

"Sophie, everyone knows." He said with a bit of a laugh.

"Yeah… it really, really sucks." I said looking down.

"Alright now to the point, Angelina has been bugging me ever since you came back…" He started, now he felt extremely awkward. "Look she misses you a lot, we both do. So can you girls just make up?"
"I dunno Luke… I don't think…"

"Just stop there alright? I don't even remember what you two idiots were fighting about in the first place but she's really sorry."

I gave a sigh. "We can be acquaintances, maybe."

"I can't go back and tell her maybe Sophie…"

"Why can't she just come here and talk to me herself?"

"Honestly? She's terrified of you, said you snapped at her last time."

I had been a bit too harsh on Ange but there was already so much going on in my head.

"I'll talk to her later alright?" I said.

"Fine" He said and then left without another look back.

After school I found Angelina at her locker. She would be staying late today for newspaper.

"Hey Ange" I said quietly.

She shut her locker quickly and gave me a horrified look. "Okay just so you know I didn't send Luke to talk to you! It's just even since we've been dating he's been pushing me to talk to you and…"

"Wait a minute you and Luke are dating?" I asked in total shock.

Angelina blushed a bit. "Well… yes… For a month now I think. I know it sounds crazy but it just kinda happened."

"They grow up so fast…" I said in a nostalgic voice, wiping an invisible tear off my face.

We stood there in silence for a moment.

"Ya know I could go into one big long apology speech but why don't we just say it's water under the bridge…" I stuck my hand out. "Truce?"

She shook it lightly "Truce."

Then we hugged briefly and she headed off to newspaper.

My parents were at marriage counseling or as my mother called it "couples therapy" much to my dad's horror. So I really didn't want to go home. I decided to just stay in the library and do all my homework for the night. On my way there I passed the gym. The door was propped open and someone was playing basketball inside. I peeked in with curiosity only to see Tyson. From the looks of it he wasn't doing this for fun. He was missing every basket and he got more and more furious with each throw. Eventually he just got so mad he knocked over the stand with the remaining basketballs on it. Then he walk over to the stands in defeat and sat down with his head in his hands.

Before I knew what I was doing I was stumbling into the gym. He didn't hear me or if he did hear me he didn't look up. I sat down beside him.

"Tyson?" I said hesitantly.

He raised his head up slowly and looked me in the eye. "Sophie."

I didn't know what to say and the tone in his voice told me that he didn't want my company so I got up and started to leave.

"Soph… don't go…" Tyson called after me.

I turned back to him.

"We need to talk." He said finally.

"Really? Did you just think of that because that's what I have been trying to do since forever ago." I spat out at him.

"I know and I was being an ass but honestly Sophie what did you expect?"

I studied him and then moved over and sat back down next to him. "I understand Ty, I do. I get that we're over and I get that I was wrong." I sighed. "Love doesn't last anyway ya know… It's there and then one day poof it's gone. I guess that's kind of what happened with us."

"No Sophie, that's not what happened with us."

"What do you mean?" I asked confused.

"I haven't stopped loving you, not even for one second." He said.

I was taken aback because I honestly thought he hated me.

"I haven't stopped loving you either Ty. It was wrong of me to run away…"

"It was wrong of me to compare you to my dad…" he muttered.

"Just like my mom and dad we've got some big issues." I said managing a smile.

"We sure do…" Tyson laughed "But doesn't everyone?"

I shrugged "I guess so."

It was once again quiet as we searched for what to say.

"It can't happen again…" He said. "Not until we're sure we're going to be together."

I knew what he was talking about. "So how about we don't count that time. We both become virgins again!"

"I don't think you can do that…" Tyson said.

"Of course you can. You just have to bathe in holy water…"

"How about we just say it was a mistake and wait until we're married." He suggested.

"Married? Are we back together?"

Tyson stood up and grabbed me. He spun me around romantic movie style and kissed me. I had missed his lips and his strong arms so much that I never wanted to let go.

"I am always going to be here for you Sophie, no matter what. And nothing you do is going to change that. I'll be here… that is if you'll have me…"

"Of course you idiot!" I said and I couldn't stop the huge grin.

"Do you need a ride home?" He asked me.

"That would be great…" I said with a sigh.

We worked together to clean up his mess of basketballs and then we headed out. Once we were in that old beat up truck I looked at him with a smirk.

"You know… my parents aren't home… why don't you stay for a bit."

Tyson rolled his eyes. "Sophie… didn't we just talk about this?"

"We did, but I don't know. I don't think we can forget about it unless we have another time to block it out…"

"That makes no sense Soph."

"Of course it does, now drive me home!"

He did as he was told and then came inside with me. I'll leave what happened next up to your imagination.

When it was time for Tyson to leave, before my parents got home (I was grounded), I kissed him at the door.

"I love you Tyson Guthrie…" I whispered.

"And I love you Sophie Goldsworthy."

And at the moment I let myself believe that love could stay forever.

"Alright say cheese!" Jenna said with a smile and the camera flashed.
She was taking a picture of me and Tyson. We were standing outside of Degrassi.

Jenna came back from Nashville a couple days after Ty and I made up. She was unsuccessful but all together just happy to be home. K.C. had made a promise to Tyson that he would stay in his life. They see each other almost every weekend and some week days and in fact he's here right now at Tyson's graduation.

"I can't believe my baby is a high school graduate!" Jenna said tears filling her eyes.

"Mom please" Tyson said quietly giving her a hug. "It's not that big of a deal."

"Uh yeah it is." I said. "It's a huge deal."

"Thank you Sophie!" Jenna said.

Tyson just rolled his eyes. "Mom the college I'm going to is only about 20 minutes from the house. And I'll still be living at home!"

"I know, I know but it's just that my little boy is all grown up." Jenna wiped another tear away.

Tyson smiled at his mom and they had a moment. A moment where their eyes locked and no one really could understand what was going on but those two.

Then Jenna looked away with a dazzling smile returning to her face. "Well we better get going there's a graduation party awaiting us!"

Everyone wondered away chatting and laughing but I stayed behind.

Tyson looked back at me. "What's wrong?"

"It's all going to change now isn't it?" I asked.

"Nah" Tyson answered simply. "Just as long as you don't go after some super hot high school guy."

I laughed "And as long as you don't meet a super gorgeous college girl…"

"Come on Sophie don't you trust me?"

"It's not you I don't trust, it's those hormones of yours."

"Sophie why would I even look at other girls when I have everything right here in front of me?" Tyson said making this another one of those movie moments.

I smiled and kissed him. "You're annoyingly sweet."

"I know, it's my goal in life to conflict your emotions."

I rolled my eyes "Now at this party will there be cake?"

"Of course!"

"Then what the hell are we doing still standing here! Come on!" I said with a laugh.

It's too cliché to say we all lived happily ever after. So I decide to end this story with words of truth.

That summer Tyson and I spent every minute together and then it was over too soon. He's majoring in music and me well I just graduated from high school.

I plan to go to the same college as Tyson but I am currently undeclared.
As for my parents, things are still a bit rough with them. But if it wasn't that way I would have to be worried. Tyson's dad kept to his word and has become a huge part of Tyson's life.

And me and Tyson… Well I don't know what's going to happen with us. But I don't stress about it. Right now we're taking things one step at a time. We are growing up together and just having a good time. I still feel something deep inside when he kisses me and I pray every night that it never goes away. But if one day it does I know I'll be okay, because even if Tyson and I go our separate ways he'll always be the boy who changed my life. And I'll remember the good times we had together with a smile and I'll recycle all the bad.

But if by some stretch of fate we are together forever then I will forever be happy. And we will fight, and we will still have rough times. But I'll know that it's all worth it.

So I'll leave it up to you to speculate. For now I am just going to close my eyes and step into the unknown. Because sometimes your future can shock you and sometimes things don't go as planned.

But that's not always a bad thing.

AN: Hey so that's the closer. I couldn't bring myself to end it. Please review I would really appreciate some last words on this. My first fanfic is complete *Tear* I'm sorry it took me so long to update I just had to sit down and do it! I hope you enjoyed the final chapter of marching on.