A/N: To avoid confusion, this is the graduation night from Wyatt's POV. Its important that we see his side.

Wyatt & Lia
May 23, 2016
18 Years Old

"Congratulations, Wyatt. Your dad and I are so proud of you." 

My mom hugged me and I rolled my eyes. "Thanks, mom. I'm just glad high school is over." 

I looked around the large dining room. "Have you seen Lia?" 

My mom pulled away from me and pointed to the stairs. "I think she went upstairs." 

"Thanks." 

Before I went to find my best friend, I snuck into the empty kitchen and quickly downed a couple shots of Logan's tequila. Anything to settle my nerves. I was planning to tell Lia that I wanted to give us a real shot. After the night we had at prom, I couldn't stop thinking about it. About her.

I knew I was starting to develop feelings for Lia almost a year before that happened. I just saw her differently. She was amazing and beautiful. She was the most honest person I've ever known. It's been two months since we slept together. We just went back to being best friends after prom—both of us pretending like nothing ever happened. 

That didn't feel right; at least, not anymore. I felt like we should be more. We should give it a shot. So, I decided that tonight was the night I would tell her how I felt. I wanted to tell her that I wanted to have a real relationship.

"Here goes," I whispered and threw back another shot. 

Nervous about losing my courage, I hurried to the stairs and went to look for her. Following a hunch, I went to my bedroom and I saw her standing by the window. 

"Lia, what are you doing?" 

"I'm hiding," she answered and turned towards me, holding a glass of champagne. "There's a lot of people in there and this is all kind of..."

"Yeah," I breathed. I knew it was hard for her to be around large crowds. She had anxiety issues and I felt bad when she found out it wasn't just my parents and Logan here tonight. 

She opened her mouth like she was going to say something, but I beat her to it. 

"Can I tell you a secret?" 

"Yes, please," she said with a smile. 

"I'm a little drunk, too." 

She covered her mouth when she laughed before finishing her glass of champagne. "I guess we both needed a little social lubricant today." She frowned and glanced at the collar of my shirt. "Wyatt, your collar is messed up. Turn towards me." 

I couldn't do anything but watch her as she smoothed my collar. She was mesmerizing. When her eyes met mine, her hands stilled on my chest. Now. I should tell her now. 

I cupped the side of her face and stroked her cheek. Her eyes slid shut as I leaned in to kiss her. Just as our lips were about to make contact—

"I love you," she blurted. 

I pulled away from her immediately. "What?" 

Her voice was shaky. "I-- I do, Wyatt. I love you." She shifted nervously on her feet. "Wyatt, please say something." 

Panic hit me in an ice cold blast. I wanted to give it a shot with her—but love? I've seen what love could do to a person. I didn't want to lose her. I couldn't lose her. She was the best thing in my life since we met when I was six. She was my best friend. She was Lia. And I needed to make sure we stayed that way. 

"You don't know what you mean, Lia. You've been drinking." 

I could tell she was pissed at me. "I had one glass of champagne, Wyatt. Besides, I'm pretty sure I know what I feel." 

"Lia, you can't love me." 

"Why not? Tell me," she demanded.

"Because we're friends. Best friends. It's not going to happen." I couldn't risk it. I was even more sure now. 

She crossed my arms over my chest and the look in her eyes killed me. "Then how come at prom you—"

"That was a mistake, Lia. Trust me on this." It killed me to lie to her. That night at prom was anything but a mistake. Nothing felt more right. But I needed to make sure she knew nothing could happen. "Besides, I'm going to UCLA for school."

I saw the panic in her eyes. "What did you say?" 

"I think it's best for me. They have a great music program there, Amelia." 

Fuck. I knew calling her Amelia was too much. I tried to reach out to her and she stepped out of my reach. "Lia—"

She wouldn't let me finish. "Good luck at UCLA, Wyatt." 

Then she turned and walked away.

"Goddammit." I continued to pace in Lia's empty bedroom at the lake house.

After what happened two days ago, I needed some space. Okay, that wasn't true. What I wanted was to run to Lia and tell her what she wanted to hear. Why couldn't I say the words? Three simple little words. I tried. When she sat there, crying and begging me to tell her the truth, I tried. But nothing came out. 

Then she kissed me, said goodbye, and left. God. This felt like that night at graduation. I wanted to tell her how I felt—and I blew it. Just like I did that night. She trusted me more than anyone. She put her heart on the line and I hurt her. Again. 

"What the fuck is wrong with me?" 

I walked over to her bed and reached for the picture on her nightstand. It was of the two of us at Lia's sixteenth birthday. Both of our faces were covered in cake from the food fight that I started. She looked so incredibly happy. We both did. I sat the picture down and pulled out my cellphone. I scrolled to Lia's name and my finger hesitated over the call button. I scrolled a little more and tried to call Logan instead. 

Ring-ring-ring-ring

"Come one, Logan. Fucking answer your damn phone." 

"Hey, it's Logan. I'm not here right now. Leave a message and I'll get back to you." 

"Logan, where the hell are you? I know we're supposed to give you time, or whatever, but I—I fucked up." 

I ran my hand through my hair and sat on the edge of her bed. "I hurt Lia, Logan. We were trying to make this work and it was going good. I mean, yeah we were a secret, but it felt right. She wanted me to tell her how I felt. She wanted me to tell her that...that I loved her. I was going to say it, Logan. It was right on the tip of my tongue. But I didn't. I couldn't. I got so terrified and I panicked."

I looked over at the picture of Lia and me. "Things were so different when we were just best friends. Things seemed much easier. Even though being with her is the best thing in the world, I'm afraid I'll mess it up. I can't lose her, Logan." 

I scoffed at that. "I guess I already have." I exhaled a heavy breath. "I want her back. I need to get her back. Look, I know you might not get this, but she's worried about you. So am I. So, whatever this big secret is, just come home and tell us. Love you, brother."

I hung up the phone and started pacing around the room again. I came back here because—well, this was kind of where everything started. This house. We made love countless times; in this room and in mine. We slept next to each other. That's why I ran away here. I needed to feel close to her. I needed to...feel her. But she wasn't here. Yes, our memories were. But she wasn't. She was probably at home, upset about me. Because I hurt her. 

Feeling frustrated, I walked out of her room and down the hallway towards mine. I stopped when I saw the picture of Lia and me having out fake wedding when we were kids. I remembered talking to her when she was standing here next to me a couple weeks ago. 

"Oh my, God! Did you see this?" 

I walked up next to Lia. She giggled and pointed at the picture of she and I when we were nine-years-old. 

"You were so adorable. Why weren't you smiling?" She turned to me with an arched brow. "Were you not happy to be married to me, Wyatt Thorne?" 

I scoffed at her and smiled. "I was nine, Lia. I didn't want to be married to anyone."

"Then why did you ask me?" She shot back in a teasing tone.

I rolled my eyes and started back down the hallway. "Let's go, wife. Your room awaits." 

Wife. I was just kidding at the time. Or...I thought I was. Wife. I looked at the picture of her and I together, and our relationship for the past sixteen years whipped through my mind. That's the moment I realized...what a fucking idiot I've been. I did love her. More than anything or anyone. Now, I needed to tell her and pray that it wasn't too late. 

"Where are my fucking keys?" 

Once I realized they were already in my hand, I ran out of the lake house and got in my car. "I'm coming for you, Lia."