Dear Mr. Pessimist,

104 days, over two hundred sticky notes, and a grin later, I have finally broke you. You aren't the same guy you were two months ago, and I'm happy every time I see the smile that lights up your face. To cut this short, I just waned to say thank you for an amazing summer. I love you, Bennett.

Love you,

Syd

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

I tossed the letter into the trash bin a few feet away, feeling my mom and Mike's eyes on me.

"I'll just go to the University with Bennett. Obviously I'm not good enough for any of these schools." I gestured toward the pile of denied applications, trying to fight the tears in my eyes.

"Syd, honey. Don't think-"

"I know, Mom. I know what you're going to say and I don't want to hear it." I wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand, "Maybe it's for the better. I'll get to be with Bennett." She rubbed my shoulder, kissing the top of my head.

"Honey, you're one of the smartest people I know, and I'm not saying that just because I'm your mother. You were reading and writing way beyond your years at a young age. You were helping people before he were even able to walk." I nodded, leaning my head back against her.

"Thanks, Mom." She kissed my forehead and pushed my hair out of my eyes as Mike rested his hand on my shoulder and shot me a reassuring smile.

"Remember, Sydney." He said, "Good things always come to those who wait and appreciate what they already have."

*

I pushed the door to Sydneys open. I had tried so hard to talk Bennett out of naming the shop after me, but he had been so set on it that he didn't budge.

I crossed my arms over my chest on my way across the shop, finding Bennett covered in pale blue paint.

"You're doing a great job with the place." I whispered, startling him so he fell back off the ladder, tossing the paint brush to the ground so he could regain his balance.

"You scared the crap out of me, Syd. Why didn't you text me that you were coming? I thought you were going through all your colleges apps." He tried to pull me toward him, but I pushed his arm away with a laugh.

"I wanted to surprise you." I replied, "And I didn't get in anywhere." I said, forcing myself to keep the smile on my face.

"They're idiots, then." Bennett muttered.

"That's pretty much what Mom and Mike said." I answered.

"Hey, don't be upset about it. You can go to the University with me and try to apply again next year." I shrugged, pushing a lock of my red hair behind my ear.

"I don't even see a point anymore, Bennett. If they don't want me now, why would they want me then?" He took my chin in between his dry paint splattered fingers and frowned.

"Don't be so pessimistic. That's my job." He cracked a smile a second later, "They're probably just full and couldn't accept you right now. Just promise me you'll try again next summer." He dropped his fingers from my chin and started to peel it from off. I stared at the freshly painted wall behind him a nodded slowly.

"I promise, Bennett." And I'd try to keep the promise as long as I could without feeling as if it were useless.

*

I felt my eyebrows furrow in confusion when we pulled up to a familiar pink building, one that stuck out like a sore thumb among the gloomy grey ones around it.

"Why are we here, Bennett?" I asked, a second too late. He had climbed out of the car and was walking around it, obviously waiting for me to get out a follow him.

"Bennett? Why are we here?" I repeated, grabbing his hand.

"I need to grab some of my stuff." Is all he said as we walked into the building.

To my surprise, they weren't terribly crowded. A few families were scattered around here and there and a couple people were waiting in line and talking to Abbey and some new guy behind the counter.

"I'll be right back." Bennett said before walking toward the kitchen, scratching the back of his head. I turned around to sit at one of the booths to wait, but felt my breath catch in my throat at the scene in front of me.

Tristan was sitting in one of the booths, facing me, but was staring a family dark haired girl with caramel highlights.

Jess and Tristan's hand were intertwined on top of the table, both of their heads bowed as if they were whispering secrets to each other.

I stared at them for a second, a small smile tugging at my lips. Tristan was actually making an attempt to help Jess, at least I hope that's what was going on.

"He got into MIT," Bennett's voice was behind me, "But he's not going unless Jessica goes with him. He. . . he wants to be there for the kid." I glanced sideways at him, surprised.

"He told you that?" I questioned.

"No, Syd. I read his mind." I slapped his arm at the sarcastic remark before nodding toward the door.

"Are we ready to leave now?" He shook his head, lacing his fingers through mine and shifting the small box into his other arm as we walked to the more secluded area of the bakery.

"Sit." He ordered. I sat down in the booth, my eyes on the small box in his hands.

"What's in there?" I asked, reaching for the box. He tapped my hand, waving his finger in the air.

"Patience." He said, pushing the box toward me. "Tristan told me your birthday was a few days ago, so I thought I'd give you a belated gift." I frowned as I pulled keys out of the box.

"Cool, what is it for?" I tried to sound excited about it, but the confusion must have been clear on my face because he reached over and jiggled them in the air.

"One of them is for the bakery. It'll allow you to get into the building and lock up if I'm not there for some reason. Another is for the register there, for obvious reasons." He moved on to the second to last key and slid them back across the table.

"And the last one?" I asked, playing with it. He avoided eye contact.

"Is a key to the condo my parents bought for me as a graduation present. I wanted you to have one just in case you want to come over, whenever." I stared at the keys, my mouth hanging open.

"Bennett-" I started, but he held his hand up and cut me off.

"I'm not saying to move in or anything, I know you don't want to take everything too fast. It's just, for whenever you need an escape from your house and the little kids that are now running around it." I stood up and threw my arms around him, burying my face in the crook of his neck.

"Thank you, Bennett." He pushed me away gently and kissed me, his hand barely touching my cheek.

"We should probably head out now." He breathed out, standing up and grabbing a small bag of cookies that had been in the box beside the keys, before he headed toward the entrance. Just as we walked out, I could see Mr. and Mrs. Banks step out of their car and stare at us for a moment.

I wanted to say so much, yet nothing would leave my mouth. They had hurt Bennett, beat him down until he'd had enough and broke. They had part in turning him into the cold man he had become, and didn't have any remorse or regret in doing it. If they had done everything that Bennett had said, the why couldn't I bring myself to stand up to them again.

"Come on, Syd. It's not worth it." I felt Bennett's hand wrap around mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. With one last glance at his parents, I bowed my head and followed Bennett to the car, fighting the urge to look back when I felt their eyes burning into the back of our heads.

*

"Sydney, sweetheart! There's something here for you!" I pulled my headphones out of my ear and glanced up from my Ipod and at my mom in the doorway.

"You don't have to yell, Mom. I can hear you." She laughed and held an envelope out to me. I took it, frowning a little as I opened the envelope and pulled out a piece of line paper in familiar writing.

"Bennett?" My mom asked. I nodded, a smile stretching across my face as I started to read it.

Dear Ms. Optimist,

You know I'm not good at writing these things, or expressing my feelings for that matter. But I figured I better let you know what I can't say just yet.

In my last note, I told you I couldn't get you out of my head. Now, I'm glad I couldn't. You were like one of those songs that I hated when I first heard it and ended up loving by the hundredth time I listened to it.

I love you, Sydney Hale. As a kid, I wasn't exactly sure what love was. I never felt it from my parents, from girls or anyone but Tristan. But you, you showed me what it was like to love, to live.

Hannah may have been my first love, or crush, as you might say. But you, you were the first person that actually believed in me and you don't even come close to understanding how much I love you for it.

That first day in June, I was Bennett Banks, the ass rich kid that had no life, no girlfriend and child. I was a disgrace, a piece of crap. When you walked through the front door, I wished you would just turn around and run back to your CEO daddy. I regretted the thought after a few weeks, because you started to grow on me.

But you've heard this all before, Syd. What I really want you to know is how great of a person you are.

You made it your goal for the summer to get me to appreciate the world and myself. But Syd, you should look in a mirror. You change people's life, you make them start believing in themselves again. There aren't many people in the world left that can do that.

In the beginning, I didn't believe I was worthy of someone as happy and optimistic as you in my life, in my black hole that only seemed to be getting bigger. All those people, even Zey, needed you. You helped us, Sydney. That's something you shouldn't ever forget, that you should be proud of.

I paused, feeling my eyes stinging with tears. I saw my mom peek out of the room and after a second, Jess came in and sat down beside me, immediately pulling me into a hug. I knew that it was for her, she needed it more then I did.

"You all right?" She asked. I nodded, letting out a shaky sigh as the smile grew on my face. I could feel my stomach fluttering as I realized there was only a paragraph left.

Maybe there will come a time when I see what you see in the world around us, Syd. One day I hope to be able too. For now I'll stick to being the pessimistic one. Love you.

Your One and Only,

Mr. Pessimist

***AN***

There it is. The last chapter! 

Hope you guys enjoyed! I'm crying as I'm writing the epilogue, I have the tissues if you need any!

Love you!

~ChasingMadness24