Dedicated to every lovely shipper and supporter a.k.a my friends out there.

Thank you so much AshwinVarma for the fan art. The ending lines were inspired by this, so thanks!

It took me some time to understand what it meant when he sent it. Those who are like me, well, it's that 'You are something, Brittney' quote by Adams.

*****

Wide eyed, she looked and looked at him, as if trying to decipher all that was on his mind by just the eye contact.

"And I want to be there for you, just the way you did for me."

Her eyes never left his, as he put an arm around her shoulders.

"I know life hasn't turned out the best way for both of us. But if you've showed me hope, I want to do the same for you. Umm..okay, let's put it this way, I find myself genuinely attracted to you. Maybe because of the lack of women in my life in a long time," he joked at last, trying to lighten the mood.

Again she kept mum—looking everywhere than his face, or eyes.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" He said fearfully, dreading what was to come next.

She smirked, "Adams, you do realize I'm not your punch bag, right? You can't pull me in and push me away as you like. I'm glad I could play a part in making you realize things.

"But that's it. I don't have to say anything. It barely matters anyway. I've barely ever mattered to anyone." She shrugged.

"But I meant everything I said, Brittney. I mean it. And I'm sorry about earlier, okay?"

"Yeah. Okay. Good."

"Please, forgive me. I beg you." His face filled with pain, he looked into her big, caramel eyes.

She simply nodded.

"What are you gonna get holding up grudges against people?"

She looked up in shock. How was he saying the same words as Katherine?

"And what happened to you with that boy, well, that was a bad experience. But that doesn't mean everyone's like that, Brittney. You can't judge the whole world that way."

She managed a smile out of her lips. "Yes, you're right."

"So..umm.." He hesitated. "Uh, would you mind if I ask you out for dinner? Maybe this Friday?"

He was throwing surprise over surprise, she was not sure if she could digest all of it at once.

"If you're not busy, that is.." He said in a small voice.

"Asking me out on a date, are you, Adams?"

A blush formed in his cheeks. He scratched the back of his neck. "Something like that."

"But I'm leaving tomorrow."

He probably had expected a joke from her, so it was now his turn to be surprised.

"Okay..so..when are you returning? We can plan it on Sunday..or next Friday maybe."

"I don't know, maybe next summer." She mentioned nonchalantly, though it was taking everything inside her to stay composed.

Why was it hurting so bad to reveal it to him?

Maybe it was only then that he realized her words. "Oh, your college, I forgot..damn." He muttered more curses under his breath, unlike the gentleman he always tried to be.

"So you are leaving tomorrow?" He finally sighed, his happy bubble seemed to have bursted .

She nodded, looking away.

"So, maybe I can still ask you out tonight?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Please.. Just let it be."

"Why?" He came closer, making her slightly nervous; and also concerned, because even though they were out of the earshot of her parents, they were still within their eyesight.

She took a step back and nodded in negation.

"You didn't forgive me, did you?"

"I don't know, Adams. Maybe it'd take time, and eventually I would. But—"

"Yes?"

"But..uh —" She looked at their car, her parents were anxiously looking at them. She looked away from there. "But Adams, I don't think it'd ever work."

A look of concern furrowed his brow.

"After everything that happened with Michael.. Not you." She smiled. "Michael Haywood. I could have died to change things, I could've died to make things right and move on.

"Adams, I don't wanna leave my hometown with bitter memories. But I also want to move on from it all. I want to start a new life at Seattle. Please don't hold me back." She looked into his mesmerizing, hazel green eyes.

"Well, I don't know what to say," he replied with a sad smile.

She put her hands over his and looked straight. "Then don't say anything? Because I'm confused too!"

"What for?"

"Because —" She restrained herself. She did not want things to become any harder than it was already. She could have told him how some feelings were starting to grow in her too.

But she didn't.

"Because this handsome boy is asking me out on a date and I'm leaving," she joked away with a large smile plastered on her face.

"But, seriously, you are this nice, young man. I don't want to disappoint you. It's just that maybe I'm not ready for a relationship now. I desperately want to move on.

"And I don't know why, I feel like if we start from here, we'd end up not being together. Adams, I don't want to break your heart again. Same goes for me too. We both are so fragile at the moment. We both need a lot of time. It's best for us to start a new life from here."

He indeed looked disappointed. But tried hard not to show it to her. "I can't say I too agree we may not work. But I respect your decision. You know, we want everything in life, and also expect to not get hurt. That's not possible."

They looked at each other for moments. Then Brittney spoke up. "You are right. I want everything in life without getting hurt. But it's okay to feel that way. Adams, we are only humans," she said, gradually taking a step closer to him now.

"And that's why I us to stay in touch, Adams."

"Sure, sweetheart. Friends with benefits."

"Shut up!"

He laughed out loud.

"But if you want things to get better, you need to start therapy."

He hesitated. "Uh, I think I've told you that—"

"Adams, depression is a curable disease, and that needs treatment! It never goes away easily. I don't want you to get back to the same phase."

He looked down, kicking a pebble by the roadside.

"Look, Michael, therapy works for those who want to get better. It might not have been the same for your mom. But it can work for you! Please."

He nodded.

"I can't force you. But I'm sure it will work for you."

"Okay, I'll try."

"No, please think about it. You deserve to live as beautifully as everyone else, Michael Adams!"

She noticed his eyes were glistening, maybe they were tears.

"Okay."

"Now, my parents are gonna disown me if I talk any longer with a stranger. So, I gotta go?"

He smiled and spread his arms, asking her for a hug.

She hugged him tight and placed a kiss on his cheek, making him blush again.

"Bye," he said.

Smiling, she came out of his embrace and started walking away.

It was the right thing to do.

As she kept walking, she heard a soft voice from behind.

"You are something, Brittney."

She turned around with a smile.

"And so are you, Michael Adams."

********* T H E   E N D *********

Hope I get more votes and comments since it's the last chapter!

Add it to your reading lists.

I've a few matters to clear up, so please be sure to check out the author's note in the next chapter.

T H A N K  Y O U!!