She stared at the floor, blinking animatedly as her brain tried to gather in what was happening in this very moment. Ally Dawson wasn't one to be stunned, she wasn't one to ever have a brain that processed information slowly. This was the first time.

The words sat jumbled in her ear drums but didn't quite swipe and sink into her brain. She could still feel his body sitting next to her, she still felt the craving for his body heat and it was hitting her now that he is taking that away. He doesn't want her to crave his body heat anymore, he doesn't want her to have her lips on his mouth, or her arms wrapped around his torso. He doesn't want her anymore.

Ally's gaze fell to her hands that were in her lap. Her index finger twitched. She wanted to reach out and hold his hand and maybe cry out something stupid like oh, please don't leave! But he was definitely leaving.

"Ally?"

The boy's voice was shaky and nervous. He reached out and set a gentle touch on her shoulder. She flinched as it went right to her heart causing it to turn violently beneath her breast bone in the worst way. An alignment of goose bumps travelled along her body.

"But we..." she whispered, finally looking over and up at him. Her eyes were big and like a puppy's. It made him feel like cringing. She swallowed hard, feeling the lump there. Her eyes weren't wet so Ally knew that she was definitely still in shock but she was getting there. She was slowly understanding what he was telling. "I don't..." her words fumbled inside her mouth again, "What went wrong?"

"Nothing, Ally! God, nothing went wrong!" his eyes were wide with something that looked transparent to horror. "I just...people change, you know? Time goes on and things change, people change, relationships...change."

His eyes aren't quite apologetic anymore, just condescending, rueful, and full of pity. She wonders if he feels as awful as he looks. Her body felt slightly shaky and she couldn't tell if it was heartache or anger. She stared at him, accessing his eyes. They were a warm brown, the kind that looked like melted chocolate. Once upon a time she loved looking at them, but for some reason, now it hurts.

"Two years," she said, finding her voice again, "We were together for two years, in love, and then suddenly it changed?!" her nostrils flared.

"Ally," the boy sighed. His name was Dallas and Ally always thought it was cute that his mother named him after the city he was born in, now she thinks it's stupid. "I was...I got bored."

She blinked, "Bored?"

"Yes," he said, looking at her with an apology on his face again, "We've been doing the same stuff for two years, Ally. It was boring. I wanted something different, something outgoing, something...treacherous." his lips turned upwards slightly before he frowned as he focused on Ally again, "You can't give me that. You're shy, you like books, you read poetry at night, you like comic books, you think The Beatles are cool, you..don't like socializing, you get anxious at parties. It was tiring."

"I tired you? I bored you?" Ally questioned him, fists curling. He nodded.

"I'm sorry, Ally. You can't get mad at me for not feeling anything for you. I'm only human." Dallas said. Ally's eyes narrowed on him as he got up from the bench and started to walk away after a small wave to her.

"Wait!" Ally called. He sighed and turned around. "You told me it wasn't working out...You never said...You never said you lost...feelings." Her heart clenched inside. She loved this boy. Or so she thought. Her heart was breaking and his wasn't. She felt the string in her chest.

He realized what he'd said and then sighed. He looked at her again. "I'm sorry, Ally. My feelings for you started to change a couple months ago. I thought it might pass but it didn't. I just...don't love you anymore. I kind of...you know...see you differently. Like you're just a girl from my math class, no one else."

Her heart was gobbled up by her stomach. She stared at him, her eyes big and desperate again, like a puppy's. He walked away now. Her eyes focused on Dallas's backside until he was out of sight. There was a tear on her cheek, but none fell after it. It dried on her cheek. Her insides started to shake, but she wasn't sobbing. Her bones were quivering in anger.

. . . . . .

Austin's chest vibrated with laughter as he took a gulp of his beer. He leaned back against the counter on his elbows, his back leaning against the edge of the counter as he sat backwards on his barstool. "What happened to you?" he questioned, amusement in his tone.

Ally had a scowl on her face as she stared straight ahead. There was a filled shot-cup sitting on the counter in front of her. The tip of her pointer finger traced along the rim of it, her shoulders were square and her spine was stiff. "Nothing."

Austin arched a brow. Instead of the usual playful, sarcastic, or cheerful tone, he was given one that was filled with acid. She was not on a good day, obviously. He took another sip of his beer, not taking his eyes off of her. "Do you need to talk?"

"Nope." Ally said, popping the 'P' with her lips. She glided the tip of her tongue across her front teeth and then finally reached down for her shot and tossed it back down her throat. It burned. She didn't care.

Austin lowered his beer towards his lap. He glanced around at the sweaty bodies having a good time at the party. He then glanced down at the floor, contemplating whether or not he should say it. He decides he will. He looked over at Ally and gives her a soulful look. "I heard about...well, Dallas."

She doesn't turn her head to look at him or to even notice his soulful look that she could have appreciated if she'd only turn to look at him. "Wow, What version?"

"The version where you didn't tell your best friend about it so he had to hear it from outsiders around school." Austin said.

Ally sighed and looked down at her empty shot cup. "He got bored." she mumbled.

"What do you mean he got bored?" Austin questioned, shifting on the bar stool as he watched her scowl down at the counter.

"What do you think I mean?" she snapped, "He told me himself."

"Ally, that's ridiculous. You're awesome!" Austin assured her.

"Yeah, to you." Ally muttered.

Austin frowned, "Is that a bad thing?"

"No." she sighed, before recalculating her answer and mumbling, "Yeah."

Austin shook his head. "Ally, Are you seriously going to sit here and be sorry for yourself over some dude who probably only wanted to get in your pants?"

Ally was accustomed to Austin's thoughtless comments and uncompassionate demeanor, but this time she wasn't letting him get away with such a rude comment. She narrows her eyes at him, glaring coldly. Austin shifts in his seat, realizing what he said was wrong.

"He was my boyfriend for two and a half years, you insensitive swine." Ally snapped, reaching for another shot the bartender had set in front of her, but Austin snatched and tossed the liquid into his mouth.

"You don't drink." he said after a grimace from the shot burning his throat. Ally rolled her eyes. "I just don't think he's worth your tears."

"I'm not crying."

"Doesn't matter."

Ally sighed and looked over at him. "What did I do wrong?"

"Probably danced." Austin said. Ally smacked his shoulder, frowning. He laughed slightly before growing a solemn look on his face. "Nothing, Ally. It's him. He was a dingo anyway."

"A dingo?" she echoed, a small smile on her lips. Austin nodded his head. Ally shrugged.

"Lucky for you, you're talking to the right guy for this kind of situation." Austin said. That's when Ally remembered that Austin might be her best friend but he was also the biggest heartbreaker in the entire school. The biggest player. Austin's entire reputation was based on his failed yet successful relationships with women.

"Oh, right." Ally muttered, rolling her eyes.

"What you need, is to make him jealous." Austin said. "Guys get jealous easily, especially when the girl they were just with finds a new guy. And quickly." Austin explained. "All you need is to find someone else to make Dallas jealous and before you know it, he'll be on his knees for you."

Ally's eyes lit up. The grumpy look faded from her eyes as she let Austin's words sink in. He was right. If she wanted Dallas back, she was going to have to make him want her back. Dallas was the jealous type from what she'd remembered of their relationship, this would be a piece of cake.

Ally didn't want to involve any other guys in her life seriously. She just got out of a relationship and she didn't want to be known as a girl who toys with boys heart. "I can't do that, Austin. I won't hurt somebody like that."

"Then fake a relationship with someone. All you need to do is pretend like you have a boyfriend and soon enough, Dallas will want you back just like you want." Austin told her.

"So you'll do it?" Ally blurted.

"What?" Austin looked at her with furrowed brows.

"Be my fake boyfriend." Ally replied. Austin looked at her with wide eyes and surprise. "You're the one who came up with this, it seems you're the only person, other than me, who could actually play this right. You're my best friend, Austin, and you're the only guy in the entire school who holds a higher status than Dallas does. You would intimidate him and it would make him more jealous that his ex-girlfriend got with the coolest guy in the school."

"No." Austin said flatly.

Ally gawked, "Why not?" She felt like throwing a temper tantrum.

"Because you're my best friend and if people find out that I'm supposedly in a relationship, my rep will die." Austin replied.

"Thanks." Ally said, voice soaked in sarcasm.

"Not you," Austin shook his head, "The relationship will kill it. I'm a player, Ally, I sleep with girls and then break their hearts, you know that. I don't do relationships, they're a waste of time and although it would be fake, it would kill my rep and I'd lose everything I've worked hard for."

"Worked hard for?" Ally repeated, sending him an incredulous look.

"Fine. Earned." Austin said.

Ally sighed. "Austin, please," she begged, "Do this for me. It doesn't even have to last long, just until he gets jealous. Dallas is definitely the jealous type, you know that, he'll want me back before your rep will be ruined. It's just a dumb relationship and you can even tell people lies about me if it makes you feel better!"

Austin gave her a look, "Ally, I'm not going to lie about you to people to save my reputation." he said. Ally sighed and looked down. He glanced over at her. He knew how fond Ally was of Dallas, maybe she even loved him, he didn't want her to be heartbroken forever. Besides, she was his best friend and he was more than willing to lend her a helping hand. He gnawed on the inside of his cheek. "Fine. I'll do it. Only because you're my best friend."

Ally grinned wide. "You will?!"

He sighed, "Yes, I'll be your fake payback-boyfriend." Austin said. If possible, her smile widened. She wrapped her arms around him.

"I knew you'd come in handy one day!" she cheered, eyes sparkling. Austin frowned slightly before shaking his head and wrapping his arms around her, too. "We start tomorrow morning." Ally got up from her chair, grabbing her things.

"Tomorrow?" Austin gawked, looking at her with surprise and horror.

"Is there a problem?" Ally asked him.

"Yes, there's a problem, you're forcing me into this-"

"-Technically you volunteered." Ally replied slyly.

Austin sighed and frowned grumpily. He took a sip of his beer. "Fine. Tomorrow."

Ally grinned and pranced off. Austin watched his best friend leave the bar before he slowly turned back around. He then realized something else and sat up straighter, "Wait a second," he muttered, "When did Ally get a fake ID?" he wondered, before shaking his head.