Mia wakes up to a loud ringing in her ears. She groans loudly, she opens her eyes and is greeted with bright lights. She slowly lifts herself up and looks around the Motel room with beer, vodka, and who knows what else kind of bottles laying around. She looks down at the bed and sees vomit on it.

Mia presses the palms of her hands against her brow bones and quietly cries. "What am I doing?" She sobs out, she felt helpless...she knew she needed help but how could she admit it, after everything she has been through?

She inhales and looks up, she tries her best to ignore the pain searing in her head. The blonde girl grabs her phone and she looks down at her phone with tears in her eyes. Her thumb hangs over the phone number. She taps on it and places it against her ear. "Hello?" A man's voice says.

Mia inhales, "Hey...Tony...it's Mia." She says with a small smile.

"Hey, Mia. What's up?" He asks.

Mia looks around the hall and she covers her mouth as she suppressed a sob. "I...I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She sobs.

"Okay, okay...where are you? Can you meet me at Monet's?" He asks.

Mia wipes her nose and nods her head even though he couldn't see her. "Yes..." She breathes out.

"Okay, 1 hour."

"Okay...and Tony...don't tell Clay..." Mia says in a weak voice.

"It's between me and you, I'll see you later." He says as he hangs up the phone.

Mia sighs quietly and sets her phone down. She pinches the bridge of her nose and slowly gets up. She grabs her things, trying her best not to increase her headache pain.

She grabs clean clothes from her bag, she takes a shower scrubbing off all the dirt, grime, vomit, and alcohol on her. Sadly, she couldn't wash her pain and guilt off. After her shower, she brushes her teeth slowly as she looks in the mirror. She could see her dark roots growing out, with blonde hair becoming her ends. Her eyes were sunken and red, her skin was pale, and her lips were chapped.

How could she go and see Tony like this? How could she go to school like this? Everybody would read her, everyone would know that they got to her.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mia walks into Monet's with shades on the bridge of her nose, and her frizzy hair. She sits in front of Tony and he grimaces. "You look like a celebrity trying to hide from paparazzi." Tony states.

Tony slides her the coffee and she sighs, "Thanks..." She says quietly. Tony also hands her some aspirin.

Tony presses his lips together, "Mia...what happened? You were doing so well." He states.

Mia looks down at the coffee, her chin wrinkles and her lip begins to quiver. "Everything was just too much for me, and I-I'm weak, I broke." Mia exhales a shaky breath she slowly drinks her coffee with her aspirin.

"Mia, what happened to your sponsor--"

"I know, I just...I..." Mia wipes her nose. "I was embarrassed, Everybody hates me, and my sponsor doesn't even care about me, what am I supposed to do? Nobody wants to help me...I just...I..." Mia closes her eyes and rubs her chapped lips.

Tony's mouth twitches, "Mia, hey...I understand, alright? Besides..." Tony shrugs his shoulders, "You don't need all those fuckers, alright?" He questions.

Mia snorts, "Your motivational speeches aren't really...motivational, but...they do help a lot, oddly enough..." Mia states.

Tony smirks, but it quickly dies."Mr. Porter came back." Tony says.

Mia looks at him, "Wait...counselor, Mr. Porter?" Mia asks.

Tony nods his head and Mia's heart stops. What the hell was he doing here? Tony notices her shaken expression even though he couldn't see her eyes. "Mia, what's up?" He asks.

Mia looks at him, "Mr. Porter...he came over to our house. To help Bryce and me." Mia answers.

Mia looks down at the journal and scoffs. "I'm sorry, Mr. Porter, but I'm not going to...write my feelings down in a journal. You can do that with him..." Mia motions her head to Bryce. "But not me, I'm fine." She gets up and hands him the notebook before walking away.

"Mia, wait!" Bryce calls out. He looks at Mr. Porter then he gets up and walks over to his sister. He grabs her arm and she turns to him with an arched brow.

"Mia, we need this...I know that you have some of the things in your past that you have overcome, but we have to do this, for mom...and ourselves..." Bryce says with a hint of positivity in his voice.

Mia knits her brows together, "Wow Bryce, you've officially gone soft." Mia mumbles as she walks back over to Mr. Porter with Bryce trailing behind her.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mia walks down the hall, her headache still present. She hears her name called out and she flinches. She turns and sees Mr. Porter, "What are you doing here?" Mia asks him as she looks around.

Mr. Porter opens his mouth but Mia holds her hand up. "Kidding, I already know what you're doing here. Trying to help the police frame Clay for my brother's murder? Classy." Mia scoffs, she begins to walk away, Mr. Porter sighs and follows her.

"Mia, Clay...he was asking questions about you." He says. Mia stops and turns to him. "What are you talking about? Asking questions about me?" Mia questions him.

"He found Bryce's letters that he wrote about you and your mom. He said you were mad at Bryce--"

"He thinks I killed Bryce," Mia says in a quiet tone. Mr. Porter opens his mouth, "No, Mia...he's just--"

"Where is he?" She asks quickly.

"Mia, I need to ask you a few questions before I tell you that." Mr. Porter answers.

Mia inhales and grips her jacket. She takes her shades off, revealing her bloodshot eyes. Mr. Porter slightly tilts his head up. "Have you...talked to your sponsor?" He asks.

Mia pinches the bridge of her nose. "I need a new sponsor actually, just broke up with mine today." Mia chuckles as she rubs her eyes.

"Okay, well...I could help you if you--"

"No, no...I...I need to do this myself, y' know?" She shrugs her shoulders.

"So, what questions do you need to ask me?"

Mia scans over the paper that Bryce wrote and she looks at him. Bryce averts eye contact and looks down at her hands. "Take your time, Mia and Mrs. Walker. It's a lot to process." Mr. Porter states.

"I know things have never been easy between the three of us. But I had no idea he thought I felt this way." Nora says with her voice quivering.

"Would you both like to tell him how you feel about him?" Mr. Porter asks.

"Your father and I...we always tried to give the two of you the best of everything. That's how we showed you two how much you both meant to us...I suppose it's how I was raised." Nora tries her best to explain.

"So, it's all Grandpa's fault?" Bryce turns to her.

"Bryce. You're listening now." Mr. Porter says to him. "Go on, Mrs. Walker." Mr. Porter encourages her.

"I suppose growing up. ..I never pictured myself as a mother. In part, yes, because of the kind of parents I had, the house I grew up in.... I wasn't prepared...the pregnancies were difficult. I wasn't prepared. I guess I just wanted the baby to be born, to get it done. And after the baby..." Nora stops and turns to Bryce. "After you were born...I fell into a depression and by the time I made my way out, it was like you didn't need me anymore. Like somehow you rejected me. And all the fears I had about being a terrible mother...confirmed."

Nora looks at her daughter who still had her eyes on the paper. "I was given a second chance with Mia, and...I still failed. I tried to do better, but still, with everything, I didn't make enough time. I know...I know it's ridiculous. A little baby boy...and a little baby girl who I should have held and loved. And I just didn't know how." Nora says trying to stay strong.

"Bryce...how does that make you feel?" Mr. Porter asks.

"Um...I...I don't know." Bryce answers quietly.

Mr. Porter nods his head, "It's okay, not to know." He says.

"And I didn't really care about the fucking white carpets, and that's what you remember? It breaks my heart." Nora admits while she cries.

Mr. Porter looks to the blonde girl. "Mia, you're quiet...do you want to say something?" He asks.

Mia finally looks up from the paper with tears in her eyes. She turns to Bryce with a guilt-ridden look. "Do you really think that I want you dead?" Mia asks in a whisper.

Bryce looks at her and Mia inhales as she reads his eyes. "Bryce...we have been through everything together, thick and thin. And...I..." Mia inhales and covers her mouth.

She closes her eyes, to keep her tears from falling. "It's okay, take your time..." Mr. Porter says.

Mia nods her head, "Uh--At a point in my life..." Mia looks at him. "I did hate you."

Bryce stiffens and braces himself for more. "Bryce...I have been through hell and back. And...there are some things I still have to overcome, but..." Mia sends him a small smile.

"One thing's for sure, I'm here for you...whatever you're doing to get better, I'm with you. Every. Step of the way." Mia says in a strong tone, she never breaks contact a tear rolls down her cheek.

Bryce stares at her with tears threatening to spill from his eyes. He nods his head and quickly wipes them. "Y'know what? Fuck it!" Mia says. She stands up and walks over to him. She wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him into a hug.

"You're such a fucking idiot..." Mia laughs quietly.

Bryce hugs Mia back and tears roll down his cheeks.