“Hello, Goodbye, And Everything In Between” is exactly what the title suggests-a teen romance that starts with a hello, ends with a goodbye, and in between, we experience how they fall in love with one another. A cringe-worthy teen romance with stereotypical characters whose repetition instigates an involuntary repulsion. We are introduced to Clare, a career-driven teenager who has seen her parents’ marriage fall apart and wants to stay away from commitment during her high school years, and Aidan, a confident high school heartthrob and a musician, whose charm Clare could not resist. And thus began an age-old tale of not wanting to fall in love, but then again, the heart wants what it wants, right?
Spoilers Ahead
‘Hello, Goodbye, And Everything In Between’ Plot Summary
At a Halloween party, Clare met Aiden. Even though she was not too keen on attending the party, her friend, Stella, managed to convince her. Clare preferred the quiet over parties, but Stella believed that they should experience high school to the fullest since, in a few months, they would graduate. After a brief conversation with Aiden, he took over the stage and performed karaoke. He was a crowd favorite, oozing confidence. Clare felt an immediate attraction, and she learned from Stella that Aiden had moved to town right after Clare left. The two left the party together and went on a spontaneous date. Clare discussed how she had been moving through states and never got a chance to make too many friends. She chose to focus on her education as she was determined to be a lawyer and help people fight for their rights. Aiden was quite the opposite, though his life was not as simple as it seemed. He wanted to be a professional musician, but his parents were against his choice. Both his parents were doctors, and they wanted him to keep the tradition alive, but Aiden was not too sure if that was what he wanted to do. From stealing candies from a local shop to enjoying the rides at a neighborhood park, they enjoyed their night together even though they had just met.
They could feel a spark igniting, but Clare did not wish to give in to her emotions. Her parents were high school sweethearts who got married, but love left the room soon after. They got a divorce, and from then on, Clare’s mother had been settling wherever she found love, and this time she was in love with a man named Steve. Even though Clare thought it was childish of her mother to keep on trying, Aiden believed she was a romantic who never stopped believing in love. Clare was practical, whereas Aiden was romantic, and this difference in characteristics was perhaps the reason why they were attracted to one another, but at the same time, it was the reason why they could not be together in the long run. As Aiden approached to kiss her, Clare declared that she did not want to have a boyfriend. She believed that a relationship would hold her back in college since they had only seven months left to graduate high school. Aiden proposed a deal: they would be together for the remaining months of high school, and on their graduation day, they would go their separate ways. This plan appealed to Clare, and she kissed Aiden, and that was the beginning of their high school romance.
While a practical approach to love sounds about alright, it is not something that is meant to last. Even though Clare wanted to believe that it was the best deal and they were setting an example for modern romance, they were falling for each other. In the end, love cannot be a calculated affair, and Clare learns much about it.
How Did Clare And Aiden Spend Their Last Day Together?
As summer approaches, it is time for Clare and Aiden to go their separate ways. After graduating from high school, the two celebrated with their families, who thought the teenagers were naïve to give up on love. Nonetheless, Aiden planned to make their last date a memorable one, and he made sure that Clare remained clueless about his itinerary.
The first stop was a musical performance by Milk & Bones, the band Aiden used to be a part of. It reminded Clare of their first date when Aiden performed for her. The two danced to the song as well as they cherished a heartwarming memory from their time spent together. Next, Aiden drove Clare to the ice hockey stadium, he had booked the area for an hour, and he intended to correct the wrong. The couple had their first fight there, and Aiden thought that the place deserved a second chance. The two quarreled about Aiden’s need to be perfect. Clare wanted him to be honest, whereas Aiden wanted to maintain his perfect image. This time though, he confessed that he lied the first time, and the two played ice hockey together after mending their differences. The third stop was a date on a speedboat. During their dating period, the couple had gone on an adventure with their friends, where they indulged in water sports. Clare had flipped from the floater and had to swim back to Aiden. After Clare successfully swam back to the floater, Aiden confessed his love for her, to which she replied, “easy-breezy.” Blown by the minor accident, their friend, Scotty, had remarked that Clare had rocketed, and to freeze that memory, Aiden gifted a rocket-shaped key ring to Clare, with “easy-breezy” written behind it. Clare never stated in words her love for him; thereby, he chose to remind her of what she had missed the first time.
The unending gesture of love gradually started to overwhelm Clare; she was a headstrong girl, but Aiden made her doubt her decision. She struggled to get through the day, knowing that she would have to leave Aiden in the end. She texted her friend Stella to accompany her to the next stop, as she figured that she could not deal with it alone. Meanwhile, Aiden planned the perfect night, hoping that she would choose to not break up with him and the two could remain the lovers that they were.
‘Hello, Goodbye, And Everything In Between’ Ending Explained: Did Clare And Aiden Rekindle Their Romance?
When Aiden approached Clare in the restaurant after changing into a tuxedo, he noticed that Stella had joined what was supposed to be their perfect date. The dinner date had now turned into a friendly dinner with Stella and Scotty, who worked at the restaurant. Scotty mentioned how he did not tag the school wall, and Clare suggested that they do so before the day ends. Aiden was visibly irritated by the change of plans, but upon Clare’s insistence, he agreed to break into school for Scotty. Even though Clare thought she would get away from anyone noticing her actual intention, Aiden knew what was going on. He asked Stella to drop the act since he knew Clare was simply trying to divert their romantic date. Clare discussed with Scotty how she had hoped for a clean break, to which Scotty replied that it was always going to be messy no matter what they tried to do. Clare thought that they could have easily parted ways if she knew that he was going to his dream college, Berklee, since that would have made it easier for him. Her college life was what she was looking forward to, and she believed that if Aiden had had a similar passion, it would have been easier.
While escaping the school premise after an alarm went off, Aiden injured his hand. He was taken to a hospital, and his mother took care of him. As Aiden was discharged, Clare had a word with his mother. She expressed how her son did not get into Berklee, but he looked forward to having Clare in his life. Aiden had never shared this information with Clare, and she was furious at his need to always be the perfect version of himself. She confronted him, stating how she was tired of his dishonesty and doubted if he even intended to say goodbye. They spent most of the night apart from each other at the party, and to end it on a happy note, Aiden decided to play music for her, but that angered Clare even more. Aiden admitted to having never taken the deal seriously, and he wanted to desperately save their relationship. Clare, on the other hand, was serious about the deal. She never wanted to go to college in a relationship. Aiden tried to make Clare realize how love could not be controlled, and things at times change even if they did not plan for it. But Clare refused to accept it. She believed she was being realistic. She also hated his guts for not confiding in her the truth that he had applied to Berklee and failed. She believed that she could have suggested other alternatives for him to have a career in music, but he chose to keep it a secret because he was ashamed of his failure. She wanted him to be honest, and the fact that he continued to portray an image of perfection bothered her. When Aiden expressed his love for her, she could not say the same. Aiden was heartbroken, and he left, knowing that their relationship had truly come to an end.
Clare’s mother helped her to realize that a relationship could never work if they decided when it would end before it even started. Clare intended to end it with Aiden on the right note and texted him to meet her. She confessed her love for him, and they decided to swim to the buoy, a graduation tradition. After swimming to the buoy, Aiden expressed that he now agreed with Clare; he believed that she was right even if it was going to hurt. He decided to defer a year and go to LA to fulfill his musical ambitions. Clare left for Vermont the next morning. Clare focused on her studies, though she always checked Aiden’s social media updates. Aiden worked as a musician in LA and had released his own song online. After Clare texted him saying how much she loved his music, the two decided to meet again during Clare’s summer break. They met at the park just like they had the first time they met.
In the end, “Hello, Goodbye, And Everything In Between” suggests that the two might be romantically into each other, considering how they managed to stay in contact even after parting ways. They were visibly excited to exchange texts, even in their busy lives. Though what Clare had suggested was necessary considering how Aiden could work on his interest rather than settle for a life, simply to save his love, that he would have never enjoyed. It was the arrangement that helped them realize that their individual interests were primary and that if they truly fell for one another, then they would surely find a way to make it work without compromising their career.
“Hello, Goodbye, And Everything In Between” is a 2022 Drama Romance film directed by Michael Lewen.
