Before you even start reading this chapter, I want to apologize for the jumping-around that goes on in this chapter… there's just so much that I wanted to get in here. I swear it gets better after the first two jumps. Just stick with me here :)


"Beg pardon?" Her soft voice broke the stillness.

My gaze snapped to her face, which wore an expression of shock that mirrored my own. For a moment, my eyes narrowed, infuriated by the thought of sharing anything with this woman, let alone something as intimate as an emotion.

"I said…" I turned to examine Austin, who looked like he was still figuring out what he'd said himself, "Ally's coming on tour with us, for a while." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, mouth pulled in a smirk too tight to be natural.

"Oh," she managed a small smile, still-wide eyes roaming our faces in silent question.

"Yeah… Ally was just wondering what it would be like to be on tour, and without college tying her down to one spot, this would be the perfect chance for her to find out." He tossed a grin in my direction, his mischievous eyes glistening almost darkly. "It'll be just like the old days."

For a moment, her smile fell, as her eyes flickered between the two of us.


I huffed, throwing my handbag onto the couch as I walked into the living room. For a moment, I stared at the couch before deciding that I'm too angry to sit.

I heard the door shut behind me as Trish tosses the keys onto the table.

"You don't have to do it, you know." she sighed, eyes flickering between where I stood and the couch with a torn expression.

I said nothing, but simply shook my head, watching as passing headlights streamed through the blinds. She was wrong. As they faded away, I opened the blinds to get a better look at the summer stars.

"You don't." She said simply, her voice sounding closer as she continued. "You never said that you would go- heck, you never said anything!" I scanned the stars slowly, waiting for her to continue. "He can't just speak for you like that… You have every right to say no. Just tell him you're not coming."

"But I can't." I whined. "That's just what he'd expect from me. Ally Dawson: the girl who'd rather watch clouds than a movie. Ally Dawson: the girl who always brings a book to a party. Ally Dawson: the girl who's never been further from home than North Carolina." I sighed, turning away from the window and starting down the hall, "Ally Dawson: the girl who chose college over her best friend's first tour."


Sometime later, I found myself on the patio, staring at the skies reflection in my mug of cocoa, thinking about the last time we'd talked.

Three years ago… had it already been that long? Had it only been that long? I still felt it like it was yesterday, but it seemed like it had been a lifetime since I'd last seen him.

We were out in front of Sonic Boom- my father had scolded us for scaring away the customers. His face was red and pained and frustrated. I would have thrown my arms around him and pulled him close if I hadn't been the one who had done this to him. But he stood there, two feet across from me, throwing his arms around in frustration: I wasn't getting the point.

I didn't have to be a starving artist. I didn't have to work my way up from the bottom. I didn't have to leave him…

"Ally!" Trish poked her head through the sliding glass door, "What are you doing out here?"

"Couldn't sleep…" I muttered, bending down to take a sip from the stars in my cocoa.

From the corner of my eye, I saw her shadow move to an empty chair by my side.

"It still hurts, doesn't it?" looking away, pretended not to know what she was talking about, "Come on, Ally… I didn't have to see you every day to know what it did to you. I know you better than that."

I sighed, choosing not to answer her question, yet not necessarily ignoring it either. Instead, I drifted back to our conversation from earlier.

"I did it before, Trish, and I'm not about to do it again."

"If this is what you really want, then why are you sulking around the house like this?" I turned to see her brows creased in genuine confusion. "Shouldn't this be a good thing?"

"He hates me, Trish." I stated, for once getting straight to the point.

"No he do-"

"We hadn't talked since the fight. I tried to call him, but he wouldn't pick up or return my calls. I never got a text or an email or an update…" The power in my voice seemed to fade away as relieved myself of all the emotions that had been weighing me down, "I wouldn't have even known whether or not he was still alive if it weren't for MTV." At that, a laugh escaped me, although it broke my heart to know it was the truth.

Trish's gaze had dropped straight to the concrete, which she now seemed quite fascinated with.

"I don't think he could ever hate you." She spoke softer now, and I suddenly felt quite uncomfortable. "You two had this strange, unbreakable bond that shouldn't have formed, but it did. You two cared for each other like no one else. That's not something that just fades away."

I feel myself shiver at more than just the breeze. Rubbing my arms, I grabbed my mug from the table and stood up.

"I think I should try to get some rest." I break the silence, inching toward the door.

"Yeah… yeah, me too." She mumbled, walking in the door behind me. "I only wanted to make sure that you were alright…"

I locked the door before making my way to the kitchen sink, cup in hand, as she started up the stairs to the guest room.

"Night, Ally," her voice echoed filled the silent house.

"Goodnight, Trish."


Popular opinion has voted yes for Dallas, so keep your eyes open for a cameo appearance or two by him at some point ;)

Also, I'm sorry it took me so long to update- I've been terribly busy.