**Picture: Del Cerro, San Diego, California***

Haley's POV

The roar of the private airplane that would carry the people that had been casted so far and the crew could be felt on the tarmac below my feet as I walked toward it with my best friends by my side. Nerves tingles within me at the thought of returning to my home. I hadn't been back in three and a half years, and I was so worried about how it would make me feel and whom I would see during my time there. I didn't want to open the Pandora's box full of sorrow and regret that I left behind, but it seemed fate was hell bent on making sure I did.

Nestled into my seat during the flight, I watched the different parts of California go by until the voice over came on alerting us all to put our seat belts on as the descent to a private airstrip in Del Cerro began. Maiko awoke from her slumber at this point, and, knowing me better than most people and seeing the hidden distress in the crevices of my facial expression, sneaked a hand over mine on top of the plush throw and squeezed it in solidarity. Linds was completely out of it on my other side, a strange whistling sound coming out of her as she slept in blissful oblivion.

The airplane finally finished descending, and we all gathered our things and walked out into the humid San Diego air. For years I'd avoided coming here, telling myself that once he was gone, perhaps to college or the like, I could go and not have to worry about bumping into his horrible existence.

But now, here I was with the winding streets of Del Cerro and the smell of gardenias mixed with fresh pastries surrounding me; the smell of my childhood town coming to life. I wasn't sure what to make of it. I did, however, know that if I wanted to live I better get my tush to see my mother before she found out I'd been in town and didn't go see her first.

***

"I'm so excited to see your house," Linds exclaimed as we drove down the winding streets of Del Cerro in the town car the crew had rented for us. "It'll be great to finally see where you grew up."

"I'm plain excited to see Mrs. Jameson again," Maiko said, stretching herself in the back seat languidly. I rolled my eyes.

"Please, you just want to see her because she always has some kind of pastry ready when she sees you guys."

"Hey, there is nothing wrong with that! I'm a growing child who needs sustenance!"

"Yeah well this child needs to fit into ballgowns with tiny waists for her movie, so she can't eat as many pastries as you. We can't all have the metabolism of a cheetah." I retorted. Maiko raised an eyebrow haughtily at the rear view mirror.

"Not my fault you don't have my genes. This kind of perfection is, unfortunately for you two, not able to be achieved by anything other than a ridiculous amount of favor from God bestowed upon you." She sighed. "The burden of being amazing is just so hard."

Linds and I rolled our eyes at our resident drama queen, but my humor fled the instant I saw my home coming into view. Inhaling deeply, I turned the car into the driveway and parked near the door.

Both of my parents' cars were there, making me sigh in relief since I hadn't told them I was coming. After refusing to come home for so long and having them come over to LA to see me, I thought it would make it extra special if I made my homecoming a surprise for them.

The girls and I get out of the car, and we take our suitcases from the trunk before walking up the stairs and entering with the purple painted key I hadn't used in over three years. Upon opening the door, I was hit with the recurring smell of my childhood: lemon pine sol with home-baked pastries.

The foyer had a new Persian rug on top of the wooden floor covering what I knew to be an ugly looking dent made by my brother Hayden's head when he fell during a fight with his twin Hale when they were thirteen. We walked in further, towards the living room, and suddenly, we heard boisterous laughter emanating from the patio on the other side. A laughter I knew to be of the woman I'd considered a second mother for so long. A laughter that made my heart clench in panic at the thought that she might have brought him along with her.

I took a deep, fortifying breath and reminded myself that I was a kick-ass singer, dancer, and actor. I had been through some of the most intensive dance classes known to man in Hollywood preparing myself to be the best in the scene, and I'd gotten my heart broken to pieces and survived. I could do this!

With my little pep-talk fresh in my mind, I put my shoulders back and walked confidently towards the patio with my head held high and my best friends behind me. I was not the weak little girl that left San Diego with her heart in jagged pieced behind her. If he really was here, so be it. I would not let him dictate my choices and my life.

Upon reaching the patio, I noticed the French doors that led to it were opened and the smell of pastries was stronger here, letting my olfactory senses assimilate to the smell of my mother's unbelievable scratch-made croissants and fruit tarts. The girls and I moved outward fully and we were finally able to see my parents sitting together on one of the two, plush love seats and Jenna and Jonathan were seated together on the other one, facing away from us, cracking up.

Mom was laughing as well until she looked up from her croissant and saw me standing with the girls. Her jaw slacked, her hand went to her mouth, and tears glistened from within her eyes.

"Sweetheart, you're home!" She whispered in her adorable British accent, lightened somewhat by her years of living in the US. But, it didn't matter how quiet she was. The laughter of their get together was gone, and in its place was an eerie silence that allowed any sound to be heard.

"Yeah mom. I'm home."

That was all it took. Next thing I knew, she had bounded over to me and gathered me into her arms, kissing my forehead and whispering about it having been far too long since she'd seen me. I buried my nose in my mother's shoulder, loving the smell that was unique to her: pure vanilla, cinnamon, and a hint of jasmine. The smell of my mother as she rocked me in her arms would always be my favorite smell in the world.

I hadn't realized just how much I'd needed to see her and my dad. Oh sure, they came to see me on some holidays and spent occasional vacations in a hotel near me. But, it just wasn't the same as being near them in the house where they raised me and gave me enough love and affection to last me a lifetime.

"Honestly, Annie. You're suffocating the poor girl. Give me a chance to hug my little starburst." A deep baritone voice I'd be able to pick out anywhere said behind my mom.

Mom broke our embrace, drying her tears as she went, and allowed my dad a turn. He immediately went for a huge bear hug that threatened to squeeze all the air out of lungs.

"Oh Mike, stop it! You're going to make her bloody puke! Put her down this instant!"

My dad grumbled a bit at my mother, but he put me down nonetheless while still keeping hold of my hands and gave me once-over before smiling at me with eyes that were identical to mine. Whereas mom's eyes were just a cinnamon brown, dad's eyes and mine were a very interesting hazel: a jade green lining with a bright swirl of gold mixed in towards the middle. It had always been something that made our father-daughter connection extra special.

Now, though, I could see the changes in my father since the last time I'd seen him. He was still as fit as always; keeping in shape was a habit ingrained into him. But, there were small streaks of gray toward the sides of his hair, and, though his eyes still sparkled with mischief as they always did, lines were etching themselves into the sides.

My parents were getting older, and it saddened me to know that one day I would have to let them go. I squeezed my dad's hands tighter at the thought.

"How are you starburst? Hollywood treating you okay?"

Dad always called me starburst, ever since I was little and would practically live for eating Starbursts candies all day every day. He would get me a little packet of Starbursts with a new combination of flavors every year on my birthday until he ran out of new ones and began starting the cycle of flavors again.

"I'm good, Daddy, I promise."

He looked deep into my eyes again to see the truth I willed into them, until he was finally satisfied with my answer and let me go. He turned to Maiko and Lindsey both of whom greeted him and mom joyously, and I was faced with Jenna and Jonathan who both looked at me hesitantly. I had always wondered what they thought of me after leaving so abruptly all those years ago and never saying goodbye. It seemed it was finally the time to figure that out.

"Hi," I told them softly. Jenna's eyes go teary and, after a few seconds, she rushed over to give me a hug. A big ball of emotion lodged itself in my throat as I wrapped my arms around her. She'd been like a second mother to me for so much of my childhood. It had broken my heart to separate myself from her, but I had believed it was for the best to distance myself as much as I could from anyone that was even remotely connected to Sam.

Now, though, I wondered if it was really fair that I had to distance myself from a woman that meant so much to me simply because her son was the worst thing to ever happen to me.

She finally released me, and gave me a watery smile.

"How are you sweet girl?" I smile, but a hint of confusion comes through and she notes it immediately, smiling knowingly. "Let me guess, you thought I hated you for leaving out of the blue three years ago without so much as a see you?"

"Something like that."

"Oh, sweetie, I know you very well. Almost as much as I know my own children. That's why I could tell from the get go that you leaving like that wasn't something you'd do normally. As much as I love Sammy, I also know his hard headed skull got him into a relationship that turned around and destroyed the one he had with you. He's a good boy, he just has problems saying no to that girl. Lord, I knew the moment he introduced her to me that trouble was coming for you two. I told him that, too. But, unfortunately, he was born with more of his daddy's genes than mine, so he made stupid decisions, letting himself be guided by what he thought he wanted rather than what he knew was right. You're not to blame here, Haley. Even I, the overprotective mama, see that."

"Wow," I whispered in awe. "I never thought you'd see it from my point of view. But then, I should have known better. You've never been one to take sides out of sentimentality. You've always been fair with me. I'm sorry I didn't see that and come back to see you."

Jenna slid her hand down my hair soothingly and kissed my forehead. "That's all right honey. I understood. Maybe I didn't like it, but I understood. And look at you now! A big actress in Hollywood and everything!"

"I don't know about a big actress, but okay." I laughed.

"Honestly, what is it with all you hoggers! Give me a chance to hug my superstar!" Jonathan boomed from his spot behind Jenna. Laughing, he pulled me into his embrace once Jenna had let me go from her embrace.

"How are you superstar? Got me bustin' my buttons seeing you on all these movies like a professional!"

Chuckling, Jonathan brought me into another bone-crushing hug, and I gave him a genuine smile when he released me.

"I'm good, Jonathan, thanks. It's really good to see you two." I said, inching over to a curious Maiko and Lindsey. "I want to introduce you to my two best friends, Maiko and Lindsey. Guys, this is Jonathan and his wife Jenna. They're practically family to me."

"Well, nice to meet you girls! Any friends of my little superstar are friends of mine!" Jonathan told them with a beaming smile.

Jenna came over to greet them as well, but I could tell her smile wasn't as bright as it could be, seemingly dimmed with sadness. It was only when we had all decided to go back inside so my mom could get the food she'd been cooking ready that Jenna stopped me for a moment to explain that I finally understood why.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, it just hurts to remember all that was lost between you and my son. I used to watch you two, and it always shocked me how perfectly you two balanced each other out. I guess now, seeing your new best friends, it really hit me just how far apart you guys are now." She sighed and I gave her a tight smile.

"I know Jenna, but he made his choice long ago. I'm not sure that you know the whole story on what happened, and frankly, I don't wish to get into it, but I left this place with a hole in my heart that Sam had dug out slowly over the course of a year. I can't apologize for moving on and letting go of the hurt by separating myself from its source."

"No honey, you shouldn't apologize for that, and I'd never want you to. My son is an idiotic baboon with a highly intelligent brain that sometimes takes a hike and leaves him as a regular stupid boy. I'm sorry he acted so carelessly back then. No, I don't know exactly what happened, but I can guess."

She hesitated, and then took my face gently within her two hands.

"Look Haley son is by no means a saint. I know he hurt you, and badly if it made you run to LA never to come back to this town, but I can't help but think it's fate that has brought you back here. To let go of the hurt and bad memories stuck way inside you once and for all. I just ask that you think about doing something for me, okay?"

I nodded slowly, looking into her eyes and feeling pressure on my chest at what she might ask.

"Tomorrow is theater day at Grover High. Sam and the other theater kids are going to do a few singing and dancing performances to raise money for the spring play, and I'd really love for you to be there. It would do you good to talk this out with him once and for all, and for both of you to say what's on your chests. It'll help you immensely to finally hash it out with him after the performances. If you never want to speak to him afterwards, that's fine, but I think you owe it to yourself to see if there's any way you can salvage that friendship you had. Because, I have to tell you sweetheart, you only get a connection so pure and so deep once in a lifetime."

I sighed tiredly. I didn't want to go anywhere near Sam and dredge up old memories that would end up gutting me in the end. But, deep down, I knew I had to hash it out with him to get over the past and move on once and for all.

In fact, I decided right then and there to go to theater day. I could get the conversation that was unavoidable over with, and I could see some people I used to know and see all good friends and mentors.

It was the perfect solution.

"You know what Jenna," I said with a determined glint in my eyes. "I will go. I'll get this whole showdown out of the way, and leave room for nothing but a pleasant stay afterwards."

Jenna smiled cautiously.

"Not that I'm not excited that you're going to give me thick-headed son a chance to explain himself, but I want to make sure you're completely certain of your decision. I don't want you to get all the way to the high school and chicken out at the last minute. I want you to be able to be strong in your decision and go through with it no matter what happens or what you see." I smiled reassuringly.

"Jenna, trust me, I'm sure. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

Jenna put an arm around me and steered me back into the house to go eat with my mother who'd started hollering for us.

"I'm so glad to hear that honey! I'm just sure this is the closure you two need. I'm positive!"

I smiled at her obvious delight, but as I ate and then went to bed after saying my goodnights to everyone, all I could think about was what I'd said before going to the kitchen with Jenna: what's the worst that could happen? 

And all I could hear on repeat was what Maiko had said after explaining to both her and Lindsey before going to bed that we would be going to theater day the next day, and what she'd said after I'd given her the very same phrase I'd given Jenna.

"Famous last words honey, famous last words."

***

A/N: Hey everyone! I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter out, but I've been bone- achingly tired for so long with all I've had to do, and this book just kept getting pushed further back in my priorities list. But, I'm going to try and get the next chapter out as soon as possible, and, hopefully, you'll never have to wait so long for a chapter again.

Also, could you guys please comment whatever you thought? My comments have gone way down, and it makes me really depressed because it makes me feel like you guys see nothing interesting to talk about with the book. So please, just comment whatever you've thought so far, even if it's to hate on a character, because it is still your opinion and that matters a great deal to me.

One last question before I go: what do you think will happen on theater day? (Just a heads up, that will not be what next chapter is about *wiggles eyebrows mysteriously* *looks at how creepy it looks in a mirror and stops immediately*)

Thanks everyone! Ciao!