Okay, sorry it has been a few days- I was going to try and update every day until I was landed with 7 or 8 bits of homework that I had to do, so I'm sorry. I will try and update every few days but at the moment I can't promise because I'm super busy. Thanks for being patient though, and here's a longer chapter with some in Ally's POV, just for you guys xx please review and tell me if you like it so far :)

Once I had realised what a jerk I had been, I realised I better go and see if she was alright- that was the best I could do afterwards to check on here.

Honestly, I was slightly scared about what I was now feeling about this girl I had disliked since I was 7 years old. I didn't understand what I was feeling because all I had ever felt was annoyance, but this was something else.

I don't think I could say I liked her, but I did feel guilty, incredibly guilty.

I ran towards their house and banged with my fist on their white wooden door loudly. I looked around their front lawn waiting for someone to answer; they had many flowers. It was a pretty, little lawn covered in bright green, freshly watered grass, with flowers scattered around the edge, all different colours.

A white fence ran across the front bit of the lawn next to the pavement. My head snapped back to the door just as her mum answered the door, a look of worry clear on her facial features. I had only ever seen her from a distance, even though she was my neighbour and another flood of guiltiness washed over me.

How had we possible not even spoken to our neighbours before?

Ally's mum cleared her throat, shaking me from my thoughts.

"I'm sorry, is Ally available to talk?"

I saw no real emotion on her face, a similar expression I saw on Ally before she showed her hurt just moments before.

I looked more closely at Mrs Dawson and saw many similar features such as the same chocolate brown eyes, and the same, small nose, she really did look like Ally's mum and I hated the fact we had never got to know this family, and that thought frightened me. I cannot believe how different

I am considering 15 minutes I was awaiting the visit from my annoying neighbour delivering her stupid apples.

Why had it suddenly all changed so dramatically?

And why can't I just forget about it and go back to how I was?

"No dear, I'm afraid she doesn't want to talk."

And then she shut the door slowly until it closed, and I still hadn't moved. It reminded me of the amount of times I had just shut the door in Ally's face when she delivered apples, part from the fact it wasn't discretely like his mum had just done, but it was full on slam in her face.

I slunk back to our house, that had a pathetic front lawn now looking at the Dawson's- I had never noticed it before but now I could see it so clearly, but they had never mentioned it, probably because we had never really spoken to her parents.

Ally had shared her thoughts on many different things but never once had she even mentioned our garden.

I walked back inside to find my parents had woken up, and were in the kitchen eating corn flakes, with a glass of orange juice.

The lights were turned on dimly, and the blinds were tilted slightly open. They were having a normal conversation about the weather while my dad read the daily newspaper that had some headline about a missing cat or something equally unimportant.

I didn't know what to say to them, so instead I just walked straight past them completely ignoring their presence, but the minute I did that I knew they would sense something was up, but my mum called me back for something I had forgotten about temporary- the dinner. She was extremely happy, but it looked like my dad couldn't care less.

I glanced at the floor, scowling, before composing myself.

"It's your dinner tonight with Ally."

I didn't know what to say her that would possibly make this all better- I ran over the possibilities in my head about what I could tell them- something came up for her? She was suddenly deathly ill and couldn't come?

But throughout this decision making I knew that I could only tell the truth because any more guilt would have killed me, and because of this I decided that I would just say the truth.

I took a long breath, and my mum's excitement suddenly dropped off her face, as her sign of showing that she knew something was up.

"Yeah mum, I need to talk you guys about that." My dad looked up from his newspaper putting the cat story on hold, because apparently it was so intensely interesting that he was still reading it.

I smirked in my mind at my dad's weird quirks before focusing back on the current problem. Mum was watching me intently, a slight frown slowly started to appear.

"Umm we had a fight this morning, and honestly I don't think she will want to go out and …"

I finished off lamely, highly humiliated about what happened.

I looked down at our shiny tiled floor that my mum had recently polished, and I felt awful that she worked so hard, and she really wanted this dinner to go well, and I had mucked it all up. I managed to look up and I winced immediately when I saw the disappointment taking over her entire face.

I had to do something to make it better.

"But how about we invite them over for dinner tonight?"

My dad, who was drinking his juice at this point, spluttered, spitting his juice all over the table, his dark green eyes wide, and his jaw slightly ajar.

Sat next to him, my mum looked like she had just been offered a noble prize. Her dark brown eyes had also opened wide, but with excitement and she had this massive grin on her face that made her look 10 years younger.

She started bouncing marginally, and was getting so ecstatic that I started to worry slightly. I placed my arm carefully on her shoulder, and she stopped bouncing, but the excitement never left her sparkling eyes.

I had no idea why she was so excited.

"That is such a great idea, darling! And we have never had them round before and it would be lovely. Ooh I'll make a roast dinner, and I'll start now."

She abandoned the table immediately and run upstairs to get changed.

Dad just looked at me in despair, and then put his head in his arms groaning something along the lines of it being unfair. I just rolled my eyes, feeling a little less guilty and annoyed with myself.

My mum came down the stairs eagerly, dressed up in her best red dress that was about knee height, sequins across the neck, before grabbing the kitchen apron and humming to herself happily.

She looked around at me, the smile never leaving her face to the point that it was slightly creepy, even from my own mum.

"Oh, Austin, honey, can you go and tell the Dawson's please about tonight?" Of course mother, it would be my pleasure, I thought sarcastically, but nodded and kept my mouth shut never the less.

I slunk across the hallway, covered in family photos, ranging from my mum and dads wedding right till this year, including ones of me as a baby, because that's exactly what I need cute girls to see when they come round- my baby photos although sometimes it actually works, something about girls and babies…anyways back to today's problem.

Slamming the door shut I manoeuvred through our front lawn and out onto the pavement, letting our elderly neighbour, Mrs Dockery and her dog, Susie, go past, nodded courteously towards them before crossing over the road.

Once going through their gate I made my way up to their door, running through different ways to say it in my head- I was only here about an hour ago asking them to let me see Ally but now I was here for an entirely different reason.

Mrs Dawson once again opened the door to see me, looking slightly less worried although not too pleased to see me. She cleared her throat before speaking, looking down at her hands which were held at a 90 degree angle from her body, anxiously fiddling.

"Look, I've already told you Ally doesn't-"

"No, no, no, that's not why I'm here. Actually we were supposed to be going to a meal tonight, Ally and I,"

I explained with great hand gestures that caused Mrs Dawson to step back away from me cautiously as I continued to explain.

"I'm assuming that she doesn't want to do that anymore considering the circumstances that instead we propose the idea that you all come for dinner at ours, only if you're free of course."

I added hastily on the end, looking briefly instead their bungalow. It looked quite spacious instead but looks can be deceiving.

Like our house, family photos were hung in the hallway, a small table placed in the corner with a red rose instead, fully bloomed.

It was quiet instead, and I realised why when I saw Mr Dawson just pull up in his pick-up truck in the driveway, and of course Ally would be making herself scarce the minute I left my house, making sure not even to catch a glimpse of me, and the thought just made me angry, mainly with myself because it was a constant reminder of the fact that I had been a jerk to her.

I just hope she agrees to attend this dinner tonight, giving me the chance to talk to her in a civilised environment…hopefully. Mr Dawson carefully walked up to us slowly eyeing the situation at found.

He looked between me and Mrs Dawson not really showing any indication of what he was thinking, but had obviously finished inspecting because he walked straight past us and into the house.

Mrs Dawson looked at me remorsefully before shouting out to her husband that we had invited them over, but he didn't seem that thrilled, similar to my dad's response actually.

"That's nice."

Was all he had to say, or at least while I was there anyways. Mrs Dawson sighed exasperatedly and just said that they were looking forward to it and would see us at about 7.

She looked extremely wary about the whole dinner concept, but that was probably because of her husband's reaction, and Ally's estimated reaction after what happened only this morning between us both, and I couldn't blame her, but being the selfish being I was, I didn't care as long as she turned up and I get the chance to say what I need to say.

I walked slowly back down their drive, admiring their garden once again. I sensed somebody looking at me, from the behind me, so I turned around quickly to see a face quickly disappear from one of the top rooms, and I knew it could only be one person, and for some reason the idea put a massive smile on my face. Ally.

(Ally POV) (Finally…)

Well, what do I say? My life has been eventful over the years, and I couldn't believe that after all these years I had such a dramatic change of mind. 8 years ago was the beginning of this whole episode.

I was just minding my own business on one summer's morning, when I saw the sale sign across the road, where our lovely neighbours Mr and Mrs Reade had lived ever since I was born, and many years before then.

They were getting old, but they still managed to go out for a lengthy walk each morning, and sometimes I used to join them skipping in between them, as they laughed at me. I smiled fondly before running across the road wondering what was going on.

"Where are you going Mrs Reade?"

She looked up at me tears pricking in her eyes. I just looked up at her my eyes wide, an innocent smile playing on my lips.

"Oh dear, we're leaving, just for a while. I'm sure the people were moving in will be lovely. I've heard one of them is your age, you know."

At the time I didn't quite know that she meant permanently, so I just gave her a big hug, and giving Mr Reade one too, before skipping back my house wanting to play with my dolls.

The next weekend another van pulled outside Mr and Mrs Reade's old house, and I knew what they meant- we had new neighbours, and one was my age.

Little did I know this would all lead to many, many years dreaming about the boy that was moving in across the road.

My glimpse of him was a flash of blonde hair, and I got really excited, so I asked my mum if I could help- she agreed, knowing id only be just over the road. I looked around the place, before realising that they were in the van.

"Do you need any help?" I asked the blonde boy and who I assumed was his dad. They looked like nice people.

The boy shrunk behind his dad- aww he's shy. His dad just smiled down at me kindly.

"Umm, no, now shouldn't you be getting back- your parents must be worries." I looked up at them, wondering if they really wanted me to go back, but then it occurred to me that actually they were just looking out for me- how lovely!

"My mum knows where I am, and she said it is fine."

I replied looking around, trying to work out what I could take. I saw a small cardboard box labelled Austin's room. Perhaps that's what the boy's name was. I glanced at him sweetly, smiling.

"Let's take this box in and then I can help you set up your room." I grabbed the box and ran inside, hopefully finding his mum, who was in the kitchen.

I tapped her on the arm, who jumped when she saw me.

"Oh don't worry- I'm just from next door. If I stay for dinner, I can help more, and then you will get unpacked faster. Where's Austin's room?"

She just stared at me, and pointed towards a door on her left- she was pointing to Mr and Mrs's Reade's old study room. They really have changed it around. Oh well, I thought shrugging before going into the room.

He came to my birthday party soon after he moved, and he met Dez. I miss Dez, but I hardly get to see him anymore after what happened- my parents said I won't be able to handle it. Never the less it was a fun party, and I enjoyed it with all my friends, especially Austin.

I also went to watch his basketball practise, you know, give him moral support, well that's what good friends do, isn't it?

So I went along and supported yelling his name whenever he got the ball, and cheered for him. I felt really good about it, and I just hope he appreciated it.

I once realised I liked him when I was about 10 or 11.

It just occurred to me that that was why I always wanted to be around him. He smelled so nice, and looked so cute, that I just couldn't help myself.

I sat with him and lunch, and helped him in class, hoping that there might be a chance that he will like me back, but it was a long shot.

This year, the new girl Skye turned up at our school. Quite frankly she was beautiful and I knew that Austin would like her, I just knew it.

I tried to sound confident when his parents asked me about her, when I went round. She was popular already, and all the guys were staring at her with hope that she would like them once every single day of her life.

I guess she was used to it, but I didn't have a clue what it was like. The thing was, I didn't want everybody to like me, I just wanted Austin to like me.

My apple tree was starting to grow bigger, many juicy apples filled the leaves on my tree, and I had no idea what to do with them, because it was safe to say we couldn't eat all those apples.

I glanced around the neighbourhood and my eyes landing on the house that the Moon's now lived in. I could give the Moon's some apples and then they wouldn't go to waste. I ran into the garage and found an empty bucket, and filled it up with some of the apples of the tree in our backyard.

Excitedly, I went over the street, knowing I would see Austin again. I walked past their car, and knocked on their wooden door.

Mrs Moon answered and thanked me for the apples. It carried on delivering apples to them for a while, hoping that I wasn't giving them too many. I was picking some apples, when my mum came out with the phone in her hand.

I looked at her waiting for her to talk.

"Mrs Moon rang, she wanted to know if you wanted to go to the restaurant with Austin next week?"

I nearly fell out the tree when she asked me. Part of me excitement, part of me shear confusion about why he would ask me.

Perhaps he does like me, perhaps he does! I nodded manically excitement clear on my face. That would be awesome!

I delivered apples that morning.

This was the morning when I had a change of mind. I knocked on the door at exactly 8am, and about a minute later Austin answered, rubbing his eyes exhaustedly, still in pyjamas looking extremely cute.

We went through our little routine of apple delivering normal conversation, expect today I added that I was looking forward to the meal- I did it on purpose gaging his reaction as I said it, but no excitement appeared and all he replied was that's nice.

It was slightly deflating and it made me wonder why he was even doing it. I stood there for a moment trying to work it out when somebody bumped into me, so I turned around sharply only to be met face to face with Austin.

What was he doing out here..?

I looked to what was in his hands- my apples and the garbage bag. I frowned briefly trying to work out what was going, and then realisation dawned on me when I saw the rubbish bins out front.

"Why?"

I asked him, tears pricking in my eyes, my hands shaking with fury. He looked broken and devastated, but I was too angry to even register that. He was speechless and I just stared at him till he answered but all he said was sorry.

Pathetic.

"No you're not Austin."

Was all I could say. I looked at him for a second longer, and he didn't even bother to disagree with me, proving me right, and I felt a burn in stomach that I now knew as hate

I snatched the box of apples out of his hand, rubbing tears away from my eyes fiercely. I used to like Austin Moon, in fact I had since I met him 8 years ago, and I tried so hard to show him that, but he never cared.

He didn't want me, he wanted Skye, and guess what, he can have her- they are both shallow, they deserve each other. I was officially over him, and I refused to go back there. I no longer liked Austin Moon. I hated him. I had a change of mind.

So what do you think? This chapter was a little bit of a filler, but it showed you some insight to what Ally was thinking throughout all this, and I hope you enjoyed it! Please review and follow/favourite, it's mean a lot to me, and see you soon hopefully xx