Alison lay on the floor and let the feeling of the cold floor against her face comfort her. She heard a buzz of noise around her. She felt Donnie pulling at her. She stayed limp and watched as legs moved around her. Leather clad legs bent down to beside her.
"Alison, it's Felix. Can you move?" said Felix.
Joy fluttered in her belly. Felix. She wasn't alone.
"Ali, it's going to alright, I called an ambulance," said Donnie.
Donnie. She felt like she was going to puke. She closed her eyes until everything disappeared. Until he disappeared.
2004
Alison Scott ran around the track at Glendale Community College. It was her daily moment of zen, she could disappear around this track. She ran to get away from her problems, she ran to deal with the failure her life had become.
Two years ago she had been brutally rejected by NYU, Columbia and the National Theatre School of Canada. She had not made the cut. But Glendale accepted her in Drama, she studied and went to Toronto on weekends to audition if her agent got her anything. Mostly she was stuck in giant casting calls, where she was lost in the crowd.
She was graduating this week, and had nothing to show for it. A professional program certificate in Dramatic Arts.
Who did the world think she was? She was Alison Scott, straight A student, and dramatic sensation of Liberty Academy. Hadn't she gotten rave reviews after her portrayal of the titular Juliet, in Romeo and Juliet?
She was 19 years old, shouldn't she have a future?
"Ali," called out a voice from the distance.
She stopped and looked back and saw Donnie, waiting by his parent's beat up car. Sweet Donnie. She wasn't sure she was keeping him interested anymore. She was waiting to give herself to him in marriage, but over the past two years he was pulling away.
He had been a football player and she had been a triple sensation, with track, top grades, and dramatic society. He was the first boy who said he loved her. She loved that about him. Slowly she fell in love with him. He made her laugh when she was over her head with projects. He kissed away, her tears when she got too stressed out. He didn't make fun her her plan for they to have two children, a boy and a girl named Oscar for award, and Gemma for her grandmother.
"Donnie," called back Alison, "I'll be right there,"
She sprinted over to him, he was smiling from ear to ear.
"You're happy. What happened?" said Alison.
"I got it Ali, I got the job." said Donnie.
Alison searched her brain. Right, Donnie had been going to interviews, since graduating early with a degree in Finance from Humber College.
"Which one?" said Alison.
"I didn't tell you about it because I was worried I'd get your hopes up. But it's a real honest job. You are looking at the newest Junior associate at Freeman, Nixon and Carty. Starting salary is everything. We can buy a house, a car, and we can finally get married," said Donnie.
"Donnie- that's great. Wait- did you just ask me to marry you?" said Alison.
"Yes, I mean I was meaning to do it at dinner tomorrow night- but damn it Alison, you're the one for me and I want to tell the world!" said Donnie.
"Really- I was so afraid you were pulling away from me," said Alison.
"You're crazy Ali, I've just been worried I could never provide for you. I can work and you don't have to worry about living off your art, you can just go after it without stress. We can have those two kids. Everything will be perfect," said Donnie.
"I-I-" said Alison.
She had started to get used to the idea she was losing Donnie. But here was Donnie, standing in front of her looking like the adorable goofball she fell for.
"Do you have a ring? Because I'm making you do it again if you don't have a ring," said Alison.
"I knew you'd want one, or no deal," said Donnie.
He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a blue box. The blue box. Tiffany's. He opened it and kneeled in the dirt. Alison couldn't breathe. She just saw the sparkle. She would be his Audrey Hepburn.
"Oh Donnie, yes. Yes, I'll marry you. I love you," said Alison.
She reached for the ring, but Donnie held her hand and slid it on her finger. Perfect. Alison pulled him up and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, and held him close. Everything was perfect.
Later that evening after they had told their parents. Donnie sat alone on the park bench overlooking the peace and quiet calmed the nerves in his belly. He had really done it.
The bench creaked as someone sat down.
"It's done?"
"Yes, Mister Leekie. I asked Alison to marry me, and she said yes," said Donnie.
Donnie's hands shook in the cold, although it may have been his nerves. He was getting married.
"Good. Now remember what I said Mr. Hendrix, all you have to do his report back to me about the going ons with Alison," said Professor Leekie.
"And I get the money," said Donnie.
"Yes, and you get the money. Once you are living with her, we may have to run some tests. So you may have to let my teams in to examine her," said Professor Leekie.
"Examine her? You didn't say anything about that. You said you wanted to know about her, and if I keep a close eye on her, if I marry her, you would get me all the money I could ever dream of," said Donnie.
"Well, now Mr. Hendrix, you are right, the terms have changed. Do you want out?" said Professor Leekie.
"I'm marrying her aren't I. I just- I want to know if the terms are going to change. I get the life I always dreamed of, and Alison doesn't go off and leave me to be an actress. How did you fix that?" said Donnie.
"We have our ways, and we can't have Alison leaving you. So you make her happy," said Professor Leekie, "Or all that money, goes away and you are back to failing out of Humber and in debt. Do you love our girl?"
"I think I do. I know I did. She was my girl, always. I can make her happy, with the house and the kids. I know I can. And if she's happy, I'll fall back in love with her. I will love her Mr. Leekie. I promise," said Donnie.
"Good," said Professor Leekie, "I'm glad to hear that. We want to keep you two crazy kids together. I'll be in touch."
Professor Leekie started walking away.
"Why do you want to know about her?" said Donnie.
"All you need to know Donald is that she is special,"