He should have kept his mouth shut. Mathew slapped the back of his head nervously as the time counted down. There were mere minutes to shooting their next scene, and he feared for her state of mind. She barely let him speak after implying his apology was not what she wanted to hear. He tried to set things straight and somehow managed to make things worse.

"Ready." Mathew looked at the director and then turned his body in the direction he needed to walk. "Quiet on set."

He listened for every command until Elijah called for the cameras to roll, and the clapperboard resounded into the afternoon. Summer walked out of the school gates as he approached from behind her. As directed, he stopped at the sight of her, nervous as his character hadn't seen her in months.

"Abigail." He called, and Summer stopped as well.

She didn't turn immediately. Her body went stiff, and he knew the camera in front of her captured the emotions he couldn't see. Then, her neck turned painstakingly, and her body soon followed. The wind blew her hair across her eyes, but she didn't bother to push it away. Their eyes didn't break contact as she stared back at him, unsure if he was there or a figment of her imagination.

Summer started to walk; slow and concerned. Then, with a smile from him, she broke into a run. Tears fell down her face as she got closer. He crouched down to hug her, and she jumped into his arms, locking her arms around his neck.

"Oh my God." She cried, her fingers clutching his shirt as she sobbed, her tears wetting his neck and shirt. "It's you. It's really you. I can't believe it."

Mathew didn't let go as he held her weight against him. He strengthened his hold on her waist and tucked his nose into the crook of her neck. She smelled like citrus and sweets.

Abigail stays in his arms as she cries, and Oliver is more than happy to hold her. Soon, he sets her on her feet and laughs as he pushes the strands of hair away from her face. God, how he had missed her these past few months. He wasn't sure how she would react to seeing him after everything. To see her smile, hug, and cry over him healed more wounds than he thought possible.

"You are here." She repeats, and he leans in to kiss her plump cheek.

"I am here."

"I am so happy." she chokes out, and he hugs her again.

He hated all he did in the past. He remembered how he watched her from his bedroom window when his aunt turned her away at his request. He remembered the tears when he turned her away at the hospital, unable to look her in the eyes. He couldn't bring himself to share her pain then, even when she begged him to. He remembered every phone call he switched off and all the distance he planted between them.

"I have missed you so much." He says.

"I missed you too. I called so many times. I came over, but your aunt wouldn't let me in to see you."

Her eyes meet his, and the pain punches his heart. It seems it got her to because her face hardens, and her smile falls. She hangs her head low, and he keeps his hands on her neck as he looks down at her.

"You wouldn't let me see you. You turned me away every time I came."

Her hand bands around his wrist. "I called."

"I know."

She touches his cheek. Her fingers trailed down the chords of his neck and then down to his chest. Her smile was still present even as tears ran over and into her lips.

"You never answered."

"I know."

"You never answered!"

She grabbed his shirt and yanked him close, almost knocking herself back in the process, but he circled her hips and pulled her flush against him.

"Day after day I looked for you, but you turned me away. I texted and you never replied. You took yourself out of my life and now...what? Why are you here?"

"To see you."

She shoves him back with a shake of her head. "No."

"Hey, princess." He calls after her as she begins to walk away.

"Don't call me that!"

"Alright. Alright." He holds his hands up, grateful that she stops walking. "I just want to talk."

"Talk? Yeah, well so did I. I wanted to talk to. To check on you. See how you were doing. Because I loved you, and I needed you. But you just turned your back on me like I did something wrong."

"I never..."

"You acted like it was my fault."

"How could I even..."

"You've ignored me for six months. You can keep ignoring me for the rest of your life."

"I can't do that."

"You did it so well the past few months."

The tears come back. They make her eyes glassy in the sunlight. He wants to hug her but is afraid he'll send her back into another spiral. She hates him, and she has every right to, but she hates him for the wrong reasons. All he wants is for her to see why he did what he did.

A tear falls from her eyes, and he deflates. He takes the risks, he reaches out and touches her face. She doesn't brush him off. She tries, but her hands lift, and she closes her eyes and rests her hand against his chest instead. He massages the back of her neck and lets her cry, ignoring the other students who look at them as they leave the school. All except one.

When he holds Chase Buckam's eye longer than others, he shields a still-silent Abigail with his body and squares his shoulder.

"Something you need, buddy."

"No. I am waiting for Abigail."

"She's talking to me. Get on."

Chase matches his stance and shakes his head. "I don't think so."

Venice stepped closer and protectively rested his hand on Summer's shoulder, but she turned from him to clean her wet eyes.

"You are upsetting her."

"He's not, Chase. I am fine. Please, leave."

"I want to take you home."

"Not today. Maybe tomorrow."

Venice looked to him, and he cocked his head with a shrug. He stayed for a beat before shaking his head and walking off with the rest of his friends. They got into the car and drove off. Mathew looked back down and softened his face. He touched Summer's arm. He dragged her into his embrace when she didn't push him away. Summer buried her face in his shirt. Her fingers wrinkled the material.

"I am sorry for what I did. I-I...honestly...I don't know how to explain it to you. I was selfish, and you didn't deserve that."

"I didn't deserve that."

"I swear, it was never to hurt you." He raised her chin and lowered himself so they were almost eye to eye. "I never blamed you for anything. I can't blame you for anything. I...I never meant to hurt you."

Mathew didn't know if he was allowed to feel prideful relief as he watched Summer's face transform. Her brown eyes, beady from impressively formed tears, switched gradually from misery to anger, and her face finally morphed into a mask of cold indifference—all in the span of seconds.

His hands fell from her face. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and took in a deep breath.

"Well, I am happy there's that. But let me tell you that you failed because I was in agony the entire time. I cried all the tears I needed to. I picked the pieces of my life together and did it all without you. Those parts of me are not hurting anymore. But the one thing that does hurt is realising now that my parents were always right about you."

Mathew flinched. The words pierced and took the fight out of his character. His shoulders sagged, and all traces of joy fell from his face. He looked at her one last time, but defeat weighed on him as he stepped away.

Summer spun without another word and walked off.

"Cut!" Elijah stood from his seat. "Alright, let's get Kurt in here."

Mathew stood back at his place, and surprisingly, Summer stood beside him as they gathered to listen for directions. She didn't look at him. Her eyes were focused, taking in every word.

"I want you to..." Elijah looked over his shoulder and motioned for summer to come closer. "You stand right here."

He set Summer in front of him and moved to position Kurt, too.

"Instead of behind her, it's better that you stand this way. When she walks, you turn and follow her body as if you are her. Understand?"

"Yes." Kurt nodded and gave Summer a supportive smile when she looked at him.

Kurt was playing the role of Jeremiah, Abigail's late brother. After a few more directions, Summer and Kurt began talking while they prepared to shoot the next scene. Mathew watched them. He watched as Summer's animated smile wiped all traces of the mess her character had been not too long ago. She moved her hands a lot when she spoke and listened raptly to every word that came out of Kurt's mouth.

There were more laughs and a few pats on the shoulder and back. It made Mathrew wonder if that was the type of relationship she expected to have with him.

He shook his head. He had no problem with her, but it further proved how unprepared she was. If she believed everything would be sunshine and roses between all her costars, she could be in for a rude awakening. What was the poor girl going to do when others expressed any dislike towards her? Would she immediately jump on the defensive with them as well?

People had issues with him, too. It wasn't like he painted himself as a saint.

"Ready." Elijah got on his seat.

They shot the last few minutes of their scene together several times with Kurt's makeup being touched on after every cut. By the time they were shooting their last scene, his face was marked with expertly created scars, and blood trailed down the side of his lip.

Luckily, it was a hot afternoon with no cloud in sight, and the sunlight remained relatively the same. On the other hand, they were all in jackets and heavy clothing, so the heat made him clamy.

"The one thing that does hurt is realising now that my parents were always right about you."

She turned, and Kurt moved at the same time. They walked off together, and Mathew remained where he was. The camera followed behind them for a second or two, then spun around, catching the stares of other students and some teachers before landing back on him. It inched closer, but he kept his eyes trained on his mark even when it was right in his face.

"Oliver?"

He didn't change his expression.

"Oliver."

Mathew flinched then. He broke out of the trance and turned to face Nicholson.

"Coach." Oliver smiles. He is meant to smile.

"What brings you by?"

"Oh. I should have been in school today, but something came up, so I couldn't make it. I just thought I'd still stop by anyway."

"You are coming back?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, I am happy for you."

Coach shakes his hand, and Oliver's mood begins to lift. His smile brightens a little. At least someone was happy to have him back. The one he wanted the most saw him as her parents did. Hearing that from her hurt him more than anything. It hurt more than the crash.

"Maybe I'll see you on the track before the weekends."

His smile falls, and he shakes his head. "No promises."

"None needed. But I am here if you need anything, alright?"

"Thanks, coach."

"See you tomorrow then."

By the time they wrapped his scenes for the day, the sun had left the sky, and he felt twitches in his right thigh. He reached down to massage the area until it was bearable. He had spoken to his parents and assured them that he had planned a good schedule with his doctors so they didn't have to worry about his health.

It was only the first day, so he hoped he could keep his word down the line.

"Yeah. I am fine, mom."

The voice startled him, and he leaned back to see if it was who he thought it was. He couldn't see her. He looked over his shoulder, then resumed peeling the label off the bottle. It was eleven. He needed to be in bed, but the buzzing on his phone kept him alert. He read message after message of goodwill and hostility.

When did he leave rehab?

Wish I had the confidence you guys feed this man.

He is back. And?

When Venice's message, asking him to come hang out at a restaurant bar, came through, Mathew readily agreed. It wasn't like he could sleep anyway.

"Excuse me, can I get an iced tea."

It was her.

He turned to Summer, unable to hide his surprise. She couldn't see him, or maybe she was ignoring him again. She held her phone in her right hand, and the screen was lit so he could see her text to a "Samantha".

"I'd also like a pizza and some chicken nuggets." She read painstakingly from the menu, squinting her eyes as if to see better.

Did she wear glasses?"

"Hi."

He took her surprise to mean she hadn't been ignoring him.

"Oh, hello."

"Thought you'd be in bed by now."

"I was hungry." She said without turning to look at him.

She was behaving like a child. He understood he hurt he feelings, but she acted like he told the whole world. Furthermore, she was a first-time actress. It wasn't unheard of for anyone to doubt should doubt her. With nothing in her past to go on, how did they know she could deliver?

"You'll love me so hard."

"Excuse me?" Her head snapped around.

"I am waiting to see it." He faced her. "Your loving me would be interesting."

"Right. I should have known today wouldn't be enough to change your mind."

"I disagree. You were phenomenal today."

That shocked her, she couldn't hide it easily but she didn't budge.

"There's a but coming. I can taste it."

"Can you?"

"Yeah."

"But you dislike me so playing your character shouldn't demand too much from you."

"Hm." She turned away again.

He got up and picked up his beer as he got closer. She didn't turn immediately, and he only smiled as he at her. She drummed gingerly on the counter before deflating and facing him.

"You promised to love me."

"And I will, no matter how much you think to taunt me with it."

"There's soon be a time when you can't curse me out or yell at me."

"Yeah. I know what the series is about."

"I'll wait to see how you measure up then. Let's see if you can live up to your promise when you have to kiss me."

"I have kissed you before or have you forgotten?"

"That was when you liked me."

She scoffed. "And you presume I liked you."

"You like everybody."

"Now you are presuming you know me?"

"No. I don't know you. I say what I see." He stood and she held his gaze even when he leaned down. "I saw it on the first day we met. You went around the room, making quick friends with everyone, including me. Are you going to deny it?"

Her jaw ticked. "No."

"At least there's that."

"You are a prick."

"No. I spoke my mind, and you can't deal with it." She opened her mouth to speak and he shook his head. "Don't pretend your passive aggressiveness is you dealing with it either."

If steam could pour out of her ears, they would have been at the ceiling by this point. He hated to think she was adorable when she was upset because he knew she was taking every word to heart, but he couldn't help it. The more she spoke, the more she proved that she didn't have the thick skin she needed.

She adjusted his jacket and patted his chest. "Well, then I guess you have to wait a little, right? Let's see, when the time comes how good I play the role."

"Bet?"

She smirked, "Bet."