Ally's POV
The day my best friends were flying back came faster than I'd originally anticipated. I'd helped them pack, and given them Alyssa's presents, and watched the hours go by until finally, I knew our time together was at an end. I came to the airport with them and we got there a few hours early just to hang out.
"I can't say I'm glad to go back home, if I'm honest," Austin said, grimacing.
"We still have like three hours before check-in time. Let's go get something to eat," I suggested.
"You guys can go, I'm gonna chill here," Trish said.
"Same," agreed Dez. Leaving us a little alone time. How considerate. I really did love my best friends.
We walked to a nearby restaurant and sat down. He gave me a small, sad smile.
"So I guess this is it then, right? When will I see you next? 2018?" he gave a small laugh and looked at the table.
"I told you I might come to Miami in the next two weeks-"
"Oh please," Austin interrupted. "You're living it up in Paris. You're not coming back...stop trying to convince us that you are."
"Living it up," I scoffed. "Pfft."
"You really are happy here, and I can see that. Even if it means we aren't in your life. I don't want you to come back if you hate it-"
"Of course I hate it, Austin! Why can't you see that? Our parents hate us, and we're their children. They hate each other. Mine hate you. Yours hate me. The paparazzi buzz off of everything that goes on in our lives. Please don't lie to me when I ask you this one question. When I was gone, and you were with Cassidy, did you ever feel the way you did when the paparazzi constantly followed us around, or wrote false stories about us? Did you ever consider, just for a second, that the way you two were together was so much better than the way we were-"
"Stop, Ally. Just stop saying that. Why you keep acting like me and Cassidy could have worked I just don't understand," he sighed. "I didn't ever feel for her the way I feel for you. That's the bottom line. And I guess that even though I hate the way you've pushed us all to one side, all I really care about is that you're happy. And you weren't in Miami. And that's good enough for me, I suppose."
He looked unsure.
"I am happy. But don't forget that when I was with you I was more than happy. Don't confuse me hating everything else with me hating you. Because I don't-"
"I'm not-" he interrupted.
"-want to be with you if every single person on this planet, quite literally, is judging us, whether by writing 140 characters about us on Twitter, writing stupid hashtags, or just simply hating us like our parents do! But make no mistake about why I left Miami. It wasn't because I hated you or what our relationship had done to us. It was because I love you!" I interjected. "And I'm going to love you whether you're in a hotel a few streets away from me or even if we're miles apart."
"I love you too," he said back quietly.
"We just can't be together, Austin. And I think if you look deep beneath how stubborn you're being right now, you'll see what I see too."
"I'm not being stubborn. If anything, you're being stubborn," he retorted, and folded his arms.
"See? Real mature, Austin," I mocked, tucking into my food.
"Like you're any more mature? You're behaving like we can't rise above the hate, can't make new lives for ourselves. You left three years ago, Ally. And like you yourself said, things have changed. We're twenty years old. Do you not see us in your future?"
"Of course I do-"
"Then make up your mind! We're not getting any younger. Another three years will go by and another and then another. Then you'll be thirty. Where will you be then? Paris? And then another three years, and another, and another-"
"I get your point," I broke in, sighing. He was right. "This just isn't the right time for me to come back."
"I'm sorry if I upset you. I just want you to understand how much we miss you and how worried we are that you're slipping further and further away from us. Please tell me you understand where I'm coming from," he pleaded with me.
"I do," I said quietly. "I've been thinking about that too, actually. What if one day I come back, just for the banter, and you're all married with children?"
I gave a half-hearted laugh.
"Considering this is the first time I've been next to you in three years, I wouldn't be surprised," he said. "Let's go back to the other guys. I'm finished anyway."
We left the hotel, and all the while my heart was growing heavier and heavier. I knew it would be time to say goodbye any time now.
"There you guys are. The flight's coming earlier than scheduled, so I think we can check in now," Dez said when we caught up with them.
Trish looked sadly at me. "I guess this is goodbye, then. For another three years."
"For now," I said adamantly. Trish looked at me, uncertain. I pulled her into a hug and sighed.
"I love you, Trish. You're the best best friend anyone could ever wish for, seriously. You don't know how badly I'm going to miss you," I said.
"I'm gonna miss you too, Ally. Please come home," she said, pulling away and looking closely at me. "You can't run away from the real you forever."
After I'd said my goodbyes to Dez and Trish, I knew it was time for the hardest part of it all.
"I'll see you soon, Austin," was all I could manage, through my thick throat and already tearful eyes. He took my face in his hands and stared deeply into my eyes.
"Come home. Even if it's not today, or tomorrow, or next week, or next month. Please just come home. But just so you realize this if you haven't already, every single day you spend without us is one less day I get to spend with you, the love of my life," he said quietly. "One less movie night, one less day out shopping, one less lazy day where all we do is lay in bed together laughing." He paused. "One less day I get to show you how much I love you."
He pulled away from me, and gave me one last look, before hesitating and kissing my cheek. All the while, I stood there speechless.
And then he didn't smile at me, or hug me, or do anything, for that matter. He just backed away, grabbing his luggage and joined Dez and Trish. All I could do was stare in amazement at how stupid I was. All I could do was bask in the stupid imaginary world I got myself into. And I hated it.
So I went back to my hotel, poured myself a hot, HOT cup of coffee and curled up in my bed. And got even angrier with myself. How could I be so damn stupid? If I knew I was never going to go back home, why did I decide to meet up with them? Why did I sleep with Austin? Why didn't I cancel the show? Why did I let myself get so caught up in my feelings like I always did? I stripped the entire bed of its bedclothes and put the entire lot in the washing machine to erase any remnants of the events of a few nights ago. And then, on my itchy mattress, I curled up again into a ball, and cried my eyes out, hoping that crying myself to sleep might help.
I slept all the way through till the early hours of the morning, then fell asleep again. I could hear my phone pinging, and was pretty sure that I had something important to do that Tuesday morning, but at that point, I really didn't care. It was only as my phone started pinging and pinging at around three in the morning that I forced myself out of bed and grabbed my phone from my bedside table. I swore quite loudly, and my head was buzzing and spinning, but when I scrolled through the list of notifications on my phone with my blurry eyes, I was shocked to see how long it was.
It was our group chat. I rubbed my eyes and started reading from a random message.
Trish: Austin, calm down! She's going to be okay
Dez: Yeah, you're going to scare Ally when she wakes up
Austin: She should be scared! I come home to find out that my little sister is in hospital with bruises all over her body and you're telling me I shouldn't freak out?
Trish: Okay, freak out but why did you write it on the group chat? You're going to worry Ally sick
Oh my gosh.
Alyssa was in hospital?
I scrolled further towards the bottom.
Austin: I just thought she should know, alright? Ally, if you wake up and see this, I don't want you to be worried. She's gonna be fine
Trish: THEN WHY DID YOU TELL HER FOR CRYING OUT LOUD
Ally: Oh my gosh? What happened? Actually don't say anything, I'm on my way ASAP. Message the hospital room before I board, which will b ASAP
I went into my storage area and grabbed a small suitcase, the smallest one I could find. I needed some sort of excuse not to start living there again when I went back to Miami. Then I ran to my wardrobe, clipped my hair back and literally grabbed random piles of clothes and stuffed them in the suitcase.
"Siri, when is the next flight to Miami, Florida?" I asked, my breath heavy.
"The next flight to Miami, Florida is in one hour and fifteen minutes. You will be able to check in now. The gate will close in approximately forty five minutes," the automated voice dictated to me.
I swore again, realizing how little time I had to get to the airport, and grabbed a few pairs of shoes, then ran to the bathroom to assemble an emergency makeup bag, all the while swearing. I looked at myself in the mirror for a brief moment, and nearly burst into tears, realizing how bad my decision to stay here was.
"Ah, mademoiselle," the receptionist called to me, confused as to why I was in such a rush at three in the morning. "Where are you off to so early?"
"Miami, Jean-Paul," I said hastily. "Here's my key for safe-keeping."
"Your hometown? Ah, I do so hope you return," he said.
"Of course I'll be returning!" I scoffed rather rudely. Why did everyone think I didn't belong here? "My heart belongs to Paris. I'm sure of it!"
And with that, I literally legged it to my car, realizing there'd be no taxis that time of morning. I drove faster than I would have ever dared before finally arriving at the airport, checking in, passing security and crossing straight into the gate after purchasing a last minute ticket. Don't even want to go into how much it cost, not to mention how much parking my car in the long-stay car park cost. But it was for my angel Alyssa.
All through the journey back home, I tried not to think about facing my home. The home that all four of us had poured half of our earnings into, yet I abandoned it like it was nothing to me. I couldn't bear the thought of opening the door to my old room, seeing all the things I hadn't even been bothered to pack, all the books I had left to read, all the clothes that I probably would never even look at again.
"Heeeeeeeeeey," I was interrupted by one of the air hostesses who had nervously made her way over to me. "Aren't you Ally Dawson?"
"Um, yeah, I am," I smiled forcefully at her, half grimacing. I knew in my head that this air hostess would tell her best friend back home that she'd seen me who would tell her boyfriend who would tell his sister who was a famous Hollywood blogger and just like that, stories would rise up about the long lost Ally Dawson finally coming home to her roots and her boyfriend.
"Uh, sorry," she said awkwardly, "I'm a huge fan actually, and I was wondering why you were going back home, considering..."
"The fact that I haven't been there in three years? Well, I have some family issues to attend to," I said again, forcefully. The only thing worse than having stories written about you is having stories about you being a stuck-up, rude role model written.
"Ah, well I'm sorry for invading your space or anything, but could I please have a picture with you? Like I said, I'm a-"
"Sure," I said quickly, trying to speed up this awkward moment, and smiling for her camera, before giving her a quick nice-to-meet-you, which was her cue to leave.
"I am pleased to announce that we are beginning our descent and should be arriving in Miami, Florida within the next twenty minutes. Please will you fasten your seatbelts and return your seats to the upright positions as we begin our descent. It seems to be a particularly unpleasant day here in Miami, with highs of around 28. We would like to thank you for choosing to travel with us, and hope you have had a pleasant journey."
Well then.
I glanced out of my window nervously, expecting some kind of terrible weather, but all I could see was sunshine. It was Miami, I realized, and found myself smiling at how used to I had gotten to Parisian weather, and that 28 degrees in Miami was regarded as terrible weather. When I got out of the plane, I whisked myself out of the airport as soon as I could, so as to avoid anyone snapping a picture of me, and I got into a taxi as soon as I could. I can confidently say that the weirdest part of my day was telling the taxi driver to take me to my home. I hadn't done it in so long, yet it came out of my mouth like something I said every day.
I took a deep breath, and fumbled through my bag for the keys that I hadn't reached for in three years. I opened the door.
Everything was the same, and I couldn't help but feel happy, just for a second or two that I was home, that I was in the vast, beautiful hallway of my home, and that maybe, just one day, things could go back to how they used to be.
"Ally?" my mom's voice came. I looked up at her. "Sweetheart! I didn't know you were planning on coming home for Christmas. I could have-"
"Spare me, mom. Where are the others?" I interrupted, shutting my eyes. I could sense the shock on my mother's face. Before I'd left, I wouldn't have EVER dared to get rude to my own mom.
"T-they're at the hospital," she said quietly.
"Great. I only came here to drop my luggage anyway," I replied bluntly.
"Ally, I-" she started.
"What the hell are you doing back home?" I heard Austin's mom ask, coming down the stairs, folding her arms, giving me an evil glare.
"Are the two ladies having an argument again? GIVE ME A BREAK!" shouted his dad, storming in the hallway before stopping when he saw me, his face turning pale and his eyes narrowed, glaring at me. "What is she doing here?"
"I could ask you all the same question, actually," I replied coolly. I was not in the mood to be nice today. "Just so you know, I'm home now. And I'm angry. If any of you two dare ask me what I'm doing in my own house ever again, you will be out. By hook or by crook. I am done with each and every one of your bullshit."
"You would never kick us-"
"I have lost every inch of respect that I ever had for every one of you. Your daughter is wound up in hospital right now-"
"How dare you tell us how to raise our own child?" Mimi shouted, angry. I glared at her, unable to understand how horrible she was to her own child.
"How dare I? I'll tell you why! Because you're standing in my house, sleeping in my rooms, bathing using water I pay for. Because you hurt your own child in my house. Because that child of yours is important to me! Because while you and my parents squabbled day in and day out while your child was a baby, I looked after her. I cared for her, I nurtured her. I raised her into the lovely little girl she turned out to be."
"Yeah, and you turned your back on her," Mike scoffed.
"I didn't turn my back on her, you soulless man," I snarled, "I turned my back on you."
And with that, I dropped my suitcase by the staircase and left the house again to catch a taxi. I didn't regret a word I'd said, but all I did know, is that this time I wasn't playing around.
"Where is she?" I asked frantically to myself, since my phone wasn't working. "Um, would you be able to tell me which ward Alyssa Moon is in?"
"She can only be visited by family. May I have proof of ID?"
"I'm basically family. Ally Dawson."
"Oh," the receptionist said quietly, processing this in her head. I shut my eyes, telling myself I was not going to get angry at her, even though I was fully aware I was about to snap. "So you're back in Miami-"
"Cut the crap, woman. Tell me where she is, now, before I lose. My. Shit," I said through gritted teeth.
"Level three, ward B," she said, shocked.
I literally ran up the stairs to the ward where I finally saw three heads all looking over a bed.
"Guys," I panted, making my way over here. "I made it."
"Shhhhhh," they all shushed me. I peered over them, and covered my mouth, both to keep myself from screaming and to show my shock.
Sure enough, there she was, laying there like a fallen angel, her loose blonde curls laying around her head. Her face had two huge bruises on them, and I didn't even want to see the rest of her body. I closed my eyes and sat praying for a little while. I wasn't a believer, but I knew someone or something out there, some kind of divine force could at least try to help her. Then I opened my eyes and grew angry again. I pulled Trish by her shirt and walked out of the ward to where we could talk without waking Alyssa up.
"What happened?" I practically screamed.
"She was in hospital when we arrived," she said shakily. "We got home and the first person Austin wanted to see was Alyssa, and he couldn't find her anywhere, and his stupid parents wouldn't say anything about it. And your mom wasn't home and your dad wasn't there, and..."
"And then?"
"And then Austin had to get in a physical fight with his dad to get an answer out of him. He wasn't even ashamed," Trish whispered, her eyes filling with tears.
"What did he say? I'm going to scream in a second. Is it even physically possible for a parent to feel inclined to do this to their child?" I asked, disgusted.
"He said that she kept crying for you, and he kept telling her that you were never coming back, and that you were a...a terrible person," Trish said. "But Alyssa wouldn't take it. She threw a tantrum, and even fought back when he said terrible things about you, and then he just snapped and lost it, and started... beating her."
"We need to tell the police," I said. "That's not safe. That's child abuse."
"Ally, we can't," Trish said quietly, and only then did I look up and get really confused.
"Why not? Have you seen our beautiful girl's face?"
"Yes, but we can't. What will we do about the mom? She'll still be there, and she's not exactly nice to Alyssa either. Also...Mike told Austin he shouldn't even bother taking him to court, as there's no real proof that it didn't happen at school, and he has lawyers that will twist the story completely if he wanted to."
"But what about Alyssa herself? She'll talk, she's a brave, strong girl," I said.
"She can't even bear to look at him. He came to the hospital once and she bawled her eyes out. We had to make him leave," Trish explained. "She's terrified of her father."
"She should be. Let's go back," I said quietly. "Trish, this isn't right. We have to do something about this little girl before she grows up scarred. At least whatever's happening to us now didn't happen to us since when we were born. This little girl has had so much happen in her life since she was like one year old. If we feel like this now, imagine how she'll feel when she's our age."
"You're right," she whispered back. "It's just how we go about it that's the hard part."
"Don't worry," I said. "I have a few ideas of my own."
When we went back to her little bed, she was wrapped up in Austin's arms. When she heard approaching footsteps, she quickly glanced over at us as if she were scared, and immediately my heart felt like it was tightening. I was going to lose it. How could such a beautiful girl be a victim of something like this.
"Hi my princess," I spoke quietly, my breath heavy.
"Ally," she replied. "You said you would come and you came!"
Instantly, she looked happier and more excited. Her innocent mind was something I often envied. Little did she know that I wasn't originally going to keep to our little promise.
"Yeah!" I said, trying to look happy for her. "Of course I would come. I've missed you too much, beautiful." I took her in my arms, where she started crying again, and I started shushing her gently, before realizing it was best for her to cry and cry and cry until she had gotten it all out.
"It's gonna be okay, I promise," I said, and gently rocked her, kissing her forehead. Austin sat on the other side of the bed, shaking his head, worried.
"This isn't safe for her," I mouthed to him. He shrugged as though he simply couldn't bear to think about it any more.
"Good news, Mr Moon," a nurse came and sat by the bed. "We think it's safe to discharge her tonight. Is that okay with you?"
"Yes, that'll be great. You're coming home, Alyssa!" Austin said enthusiastically, although we all knew, including the innocent five year old, that there was nothing, and by nothing I mean absolutely NOTHING great about taking her home.
I didn't stop carrying her all the way home, even though she insisted upon walking.
"I can walk, you know, Ally," she said, unsmiling.
"Of course you can! But princesses don't walk," I said. I looked at her while we walked. "I know you're upset, baby. I'd be really upset too. But you can't be upset forever. Look at your brother and all of us. We love you so much. All I want is for you to be happy."
"But you gonna go," she said gloomily.
"I am not leaving your side. I swear it," I told her.
"Really?" she asked in her high, innocent voice.
"Really. And I've bought you so many dolls to play with when we get home, alright?"
When we got home, we were, surprisingly, greeted by all four of our parents.
"Oh, darling!" Mimi squealed, rushing over to collect Alyssa. As if she cared. I moved aside and Austin blocked her view.
"What the hell are you doing again?" Mike asked. "Give her to us, now."
"I don't think so," Austin said adamantly. "She doesn't want to be with you two right now."
"And who the hell do you think you are to be judging that?" Mike's voice grew louder.
"Oh, for crying out loud," Dez burst out. "This is a little girl. Stop scaring her more than you already have."
"Give her to us. Now," Mike said. I grew scared. If this was going to grow into a physical fight, I didn't know what I was going to do.
"No," Austin said. "Move out of the way now."
"I'm not going anywhere until you give me my daughter. She's mine," Mike insisted.
"Like I said when I first arrived," I stepped out and said, "You are standing in my house. Therefore, you live by my rules. Austin may be afraid to file a report entitled child abuse, but let me assure you of one thing. I'm not. Trish? What's your say?"
"I agree. I want you all out of our house as soon as possible," she said. "I'm tired of all this. We aren't children anymore."
"Fine," Mimi said. "You'll have to give us Alyssa for that."
"Over my dead body," I retorted.
"Then tell me, you oh-so-clever girl," Mike said, and I flinched, "What exactly are you going to do? I know you like to think that Alyssa is your child, but she isn't. I hate to break it to you."
"Oh, she may not be my child by genetics," I spat, "But I've definitely proved to be more than a parent than you two ever did."
"That's it," Austin said. I could tell he'd had enough. "I'm calling the police right now to place a restraining order. Alyssa will be safe in our custody, and all of you lot can sod off for all I care."
"Austin, dear!" Mimi exclaimed in shock.
"Don't 'Austin, dear' me, mom. I want you all out. Now," he said quietly. "She doesn't deserve this."
"Fine, Austin. I'm sorry. We're...sorry," his mom said. "We won't talk to her or do anything to her. You..you know we have nowhere else to go, son."
"Neither do I, Ally. I'm sorry," my mom said.
"Stay, then. It's only out of pity," I said, addressing both our parents. "And if you," I said, pointing to Mike, "Do anything to this little girl, you won't see the end of this matter. I swear it."
It was late at that time, so I pushed everyone out of the way and took the little girl to my bedroom. I felt safer with her sleeping with me. I tucked her into bed, and told her not to worry.
"I'm here with you, beautiful. Nothing's going to happen so long as me, Austin, Dez or Trish are here with you."
"I love you, Ally. I missed you a lot," she said.
"I missed you too, Alyssa."
"Mind if I intrude?" came Austin's voice.
"Come in, Austin," I said.
"Are you okay, princess?" he asked her.
"I am now you are both with me," she replied, and I smiled. "He told me that you were the worst thing to ever happen to our family, Ally. I told him he was wrong." I couldn't speak. She slowly drifted to sleep, in both of our arms, and somehow, Austin managed to gently lift her off us before tucking her in properly and locking the door to my room when we left.
"Austin, this house isn't safe for her. What are we going to do?" I asked him once we were out of anyone's sight.
"I have no idea," he replied bluntly.
"Are you...like...annoyed at me or something?" I asked awkwardly. I didn't know why he was acting so weirdly.
"No, Ally, I'm not annoyed at you, but if you must know, I'm just a little...annoyed...that it took Alyssa being admitted to hospital for you to come home. That's all," he said, and stormed off to his bedroom.
Welcome home, Ally. Welcome back to all the drama and all the fights and all the not wanting to get out of bed because something bad was bound to happen. It was foolish for me to think I could forget about everything, anyway. There was no point in getting angry at myself. I loved Alyssa too much to sit in Paris not knowing what was happening to her.
I was sick of my life being like this.
I had to do something. And even if that something didn't include me sorting my own life out, I had to at least create some sort of better future for this little girl. And I was going to.
A/N: PLEASE REVIEW
HOPE YOU'RE ENJOYING THE STORY. IF U HAVE ANY QUESTIONS JUST ASK THEM IN THE REVIEW BOX PLEASE AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. X
WHICH IS COMING V SOON!