The next couple of weeks Hollyn kept spending more time with Erin as well, catching up with her and she also spent more time with Jackie too. She hadn't been hanging out much with Jackie and she felt bad for it. She also tried hanging out with Kylie, Grace, and Skylar too. And her friends in art club too, of course. It was a bit hard trying to hang our with everyone and catch up with them but she managed.

During this time she noticed her mom's behavior had changed and Hollyn had started to worry about her. She wasn't eating much anymore and she had lost weight. She knew she wasn't sleeping well either. Hollyn tried asking her what was wrong, but her mom always told her it was nothing. But Hollyn knew better. Something was going on, and she was determined to figure it out. So, one night when her parents were sitting in the living room, Hollyn was doing her homework in her bedroom. She left her door open and she eavesdropped on their conversation, trying to figure out what was going on. She didn't mean to snoop, but she was worried about her mom, and she needed to know what was wrong.

She was able to overhear bits and pieces of the conversation. Her dad sounded concerned and worried, and her mom sounded sad. But the one thing she heard clearly was that her mom was going to the doctor tomorrow. She wasn't sure what was wrong, but she hoped that her mom was okay. She would have to ask her tomorrow what the doctor said. She hoped that she would tell her and not push her away again.

The next morning, Hollyn waited impatiently for her mom to return from her appointment. She didn't have any homework, so she passed the time by taking care of the animals and cleaning around the house. She busied herself texting her friends and checking social media, but she couldn't shake the nervous feeling in her gut. What if the news was bad? What if her mom was sick? She didn't want to think about it, but the possibility was there. She knew her great grandpa on her mom's side had past from cancer, and she couldn't help but think that it could be something like that. But she hoped that it was just her worrying for no reason and that her mom would be fine. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the sound of the car pulling up.

"Hey, kiddo. How was your day?" Her mom asked as she entered the house.

"Good, how was your appointment?" Hollyn asked, hoping her mom would finally tell her what was going on. She noticed the sadness in her mother's eyes, and her stomach twisted into knots.

"It was fine." Her mom said dismissively, not wanting to talk about it. "I'm pretty tired, I think I'm going to take a nap."

Hollyn didn't believe her, but she didn't want to push her mom. She would give her some time, and hopefully, her mom would tell her what was going on later. "Okay, I'll let you rest."

Her mom headed upstairs to her bedroom and soon her dad came in from checking on the horses after he got home. She decided to talk to him about it. Maybe he could tell her something, even though her mom had said not to worry.

"Dad?" Hollyn called out to him as he walked in the door.

"Yeah, hon?" Her dad asked, hanging up his jacket and walking over to her.

"What's wrong with mom? She's been acting weird lately." She replied, unable to keep the worry out of her voice.

"She's just tired, honey." Her dad reassures her, giving her a small smile. "She's been working extra shifts at the hospital lately, and she's just worn out."

Hollyn didn't think her mom was just tired, but she didn't want to press her dad for answers. She trusted that he would tell her if something was really wrong. "Okay, if you say so."

"I do, and everything's going to be fine. I promise." He said, giving her a hug.

Hollyn nodded, trying to reassure herself that everything was okay as she leaned against him, hugging him tightly.

They spent the rest of the evening together, talking about school and work. Hollyn was grateful for her dad's reassuring words, and she felt a little better. But she couldn't help but worry about her mom, and what was really going on. She talked to him about her boy problem and how conflicted she was. She felt better after talking to him about it. He reassured her that everything would work out in the end, and she hoped that he was right.

****

Two weeks had gone by and Hollyn knew something was up. Her parents were acting weird, and she was starting to get really worried. Her mom hadn't been sleeping the best, and she had lost a lot of weight. She had been going to the doctor regularly, and Hollyn had a feeling that it wasn't just for a checkup. Her dad was trying to reassure her, but Hollyn could see the worry in his eyes.

Hollyn kept trying to busy herself with school and hanging out with her friends. She still had the problem with not being able to decide between Cole and Julien too. She hadn't spoken to either of them about her feelings yet, but she knew she had to make a decision soon. She couldn't keep putting it off, but she couldn't seem to bring herself to do it.

One day in between classes, she stood at her locker in the hallway, her head leaned against her locker. She hadn't been getting much sleep lately because she had been anxious and worried about her mom. She closed her eyes, trying to clear her head. She was so tired and stressed, and she didn't know what to do. She could feel the tears stinging her eyes, and she tried to blink them away.

"Holly, are you alright?"

Her eyes snapped open at the sound of his voice, and she looked over to see Alex standing beside her. She blinked rapidly to try to get rid of the tears, not wanting him to see her crying. She was surprised to see Alex standing there, she hadn't hung out with him much lately and she felt guilty about that too. Once upon a time, she and Alex used to be quite close. But with everything she had going on and with him spending more time with Jackie, she felt like they had grown apart.

"Alex! Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry, I didn't see you." Hollyn quickly apologized, giving him a small smile.

Alex didn't believe her. He could see the worry in her eyes, and he could tell that something was bothering her. He had known her all his life, he knows when something's not right. He could tell she was holding back tears by how her eyes glistened, he noticed her shoulders were tense, and the smile she gave him wasn't her usual bright and cheery smile.

"You can't fool me, Holl. What's going on?" He asked, gently placing a hand on her shoulder as concern flashed in his eyes.

Her fake smile faltered at his question and the gesture, and her eyes started to well up with tears. "I'm just worried about my mom, and I haven't been able to sleep because of it. She's been going to the doctor a lot and my parents won't tell me the truth." She sniffles, wiping away the tears that escaped with the back of her hand. "And I have a crush on two boys, and I don't know what to do about it and I'm so sorry I've been ignoring you lately, I didn't mean to, I promise. I just been so busy and overwhelmed lately, but I do miss you and I miss hanging out with you and I'm so sorry I've been such a lousy friend." She rambles on, sniffling as she tried to keep the tears from falling. "You probably hate me for ignoring you and I totally get that, and I understand. I would too. I've been such a crappy friend lately and-"

Her rambling was interrupted when Alex pulled her into a tight hug, his arms wrapped around her. She stiffened for a moment before relaxing and wrapping her arms around him. She rested her head against his chest, and her shoulders shook as the tears started to fall. She sobbed quietly, and Alex held her close, trying to comfort her. His heart ached for her, and he felt bad for not noticing that something was wrong sooner. Hed been so caught up in his own problems and spending time with Jackie that he hadn't been there for Hollyn when she needed him.

"Hollyn, hey, it's okay," Alex murmurs softly, rubbing her back soothingly as she cried. "You're not a lousy friend, and I don't hate you. I could never hate you."

Hollyn sniffles, pulling back slightly to look up at Alex, her eyes red and puffy from crying. "You don't?"

Alex smiles reassuringly, reaching up to wipe her tears away. "Of course not. We've been friends since we were kids. And I'm sorry if I haven't been there for you like I should've been. I promise I'll try to be better." He continued, his voice filled with sincerity as he looked into Hollyn's eyes.

Hollyn's heart felt a bit lighter hearing Alex's words. She appreciated his reassurance and felt a surge of warmth knowing that he was there for her, despite her recent distance. She sniffles, managing a small smile through her tears. "Thank you, Alex. I really needed to hear that."

He nods, smiling back at her. "Anytime, Holl. I'm here for you, always." He reassured her, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "And I mean it. If you ever need to talk or just hang out, I'm here for you, okay?"

Hollyn nods, feeling better after their talk. "I know, and I appreciate it. Same goes for you, okay?"

Alex nods, grateful for her offer. "I will. And don't worry about your mom, she's strong. Whatever's going on, I'm sure she'll be fine. Okay?"

Hollyn nods again, sniffling. "Yeah, I hope so." She replies, a hint of uncertainty in her voice. She wasn't sure if Alex's words were true, but she wanted to believe them. "Thank you, Alex."

He nods, smiling at her. "Of course. Now, why don't you tell me more about these two guys you have a crush on."

Hollyn felt a little embarrassed, but she told Alex about Julien and Cole and her dilemma. When the bell rang, they walked to their next class together and caught up a bit more. It was nice to spend time with Alex and to talk to him about her problems. He listened and gave her advice, which helped. She felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders after their conversation. They made a promise to spend more time together and not drift apart again. It made her happy knowing that she and Alex were still friends. Even though things had changed a bit between them, she was glad that their friendship was still intact. 

Alex was glad they were spending time together again, too. He had missed their friendship, and he was relieved he could finally help her. He could tell how worried she was about her mom, and he wished there was more he could do. But for now, he was just happy to be there for her and offer her a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen. He was determined to be a better friend, and he would do everything he could to support her.

****

That afternoon, Hollyn was working in the barn, trying to distract herself from her worries. She was brushing down her horse, Apollo, when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw a text from Alex, asking if she wanted to hang out. She smiled, glad that he had reached out. She quickly typed a reply, saying yes, and went to get cleaned up.

A short while later, Hollyn and Alex were sitting on her bed, laughing and joking around. She was grateful for his presence, and his attempts to distract her. It was nice to have a break from her worries, and to just have fun. They spent the evening watching movies and eating popcorn, and Hollyn couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so much. She was glad they were able to reconnect, and she was looking forward to spending more time with him.

Before they left her room, Hollyn hugs him tightly. "Thanks for tonight. I really needed this." She said softly.

"I'm glad I could help, Holl. You're one of my best friends and I care about you. I'm here for you, no matter what." Alex replies, returning her hug.

Hollyn smiles warmly as she nods. "Same goes to you. We should hang out more often."

"Yeah, definitely. I've missed hanging out with you." Alex agreed, returning her smile.

As they part ways for the night, Hollyn feels a sense of relief wash over her. She may still have a lot on her plate, but knowing that she has friends like Alex by her side makes everything a little bit easier. She's grateful for his support and understanding, and she knows that she can rely on him whenever she needs someone to talk to.

****

Hollyn and Alex kept hanging out more and catching up on what they missed out on each other's lives. Their friendship was strong and Hollyn was so glad she had him back in her life. The only thing was, he would tease her about her crushes. But he never pushed her to decide or anything like that. Which was a good thing because Hollyn was still conflicted and couldn't seem to pick who she wanted to date. She congratulated him with getting together with Jackie finally and she could tell how much he cared for her. She was genuinely happy for them.

Thanksgiving was finally here though and Hollyn was looking forward to it. She was happy to have the chance to hang out with her family. She was also happy to get a break from all the stress that came with her having feelings for two boys and being friends with both of them. She wanted a break and she hoped she would be able to have a peaceful Thanksgiving without any drama. Hollyn had been helping her parents out in the kitchen, helping with preparing food. Her aunt and uncle were coming over, along with her cousins. She hadn't seen them in a while and she was looking forward to spending some time with them. But she noticed her mom was still acting weird, and her anxiety returned. She decided to talk to her dad about it.

"Hey, dad? Have you noticed anything off with mom?" Hollyn asked him as she stood at the counter, chopping vegetables. She had been helping him with cooking, her mom was currently napping. She mentioned earlier she had a headache and went upstairs to lay down.

"What do you mean, hon?" He asked, looking up from the pot he was stirring on the stove.

"I mean, she's been acting weird lately. She's barely been eating, she's been tired a lot, and she's been going to the doctor more. I know something is going on, you guys keep reassuring me that everything's okay. But I can't help but think it's not." She admitted, a hint of desperation in her voice.

He sighs and walks over to her, putting his arm around her. "Holl, your mom is just going through a rough patch right now. She's not feeling well, but she'll be okay. I promise." He tried to reassure her, but she could see the worry in his eyes.

She was silent for a moment, debating if she should press him for answers. But before she could ask him more questions, her aunt and cousins arrived. The rest of the evening was spent playing games, eating and just enjoying each other's company. Hollyn did her best to forget her worries and just have fun, but it was hard. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. She just hoped her dad was right and that her mom would be okay.