In that moment, I thought nothing could ever hurt me again. But now I was sitting here, with Austin, Dez and Trish, and I felt like my world had just crumpled.

When I got up this morning, I was in a good mood. Last night was amazing, I'd slept well. And I had to admit the real reason I was in such a good mood: I could still feel Austin's hands on my waist. I could still smell him. And I couldn't stop smiling.

But when I walked into the canteen to get breakfast, my smile faltered. By then, I hadn't realized my world was crushed yet; but everyone in the canteen was dead silent. On the small stage that we had there, stood the head mistress, Mrs. Star. And she didn't look happy.

I spotted my friends and walked towards them very quickly. I shot Trish a questioning look, but she just shrugged. I was just in time, because Mrs. Star started to speak.

"I hope every single one of you has had a nice time last night, at our annual dance." I smiled. "But unfortunately, I have some bad news to temper the enthusiasm." She took a deep breath, almost like she was trying to compose herself. I suddenly got a little cold.

"We have just heard the news that the government has decided to lower the amount of money going towards arts in school. We are no longer getting extra funding. This means we cannot possibly keep up the way we do now." She sighed.

"I am honestly so, so sorry, but from now on, we can no longer afford music and acting lessons. They will not continue. Dancing will no longer be a separate class. It will now be a part of PE."

She continued talking about credits and other things that are probably really important, but I didn't hear any of it. I looked around the canteen. Everyone looked extremely sad, and some had even started to cry.

And I realized that for them, this seemed like the end of their dream. I never wanted to be a real performer anyway, but for them, the end of performing school would mean the end of their future. For the actors, dancers and singers under us, this was a nightmare. Realization dawned upon me.

Singers. Austin.

I turned around, just in time to see Austin storm out of the canteen.

Under normal circumstances, I would have went after him. But I just couldn't really move, so I just let Dez go after him. Trish, who never wanted to do anything in entertainment business, seemed unfazed, but she was the only one.

"Come on, Ally, it's not that bad! They didn't have songwriting class anyway, and you already play piano!" I didn't say anything. She couldn't possibly understand. She couldn't understand how this felt like home, more than home ever felt like home.

And it wasn't just because the people were nicer. It was because I was a part of something. Part of a group, with a love for the same thing. We all had the same goals, and even if we didn't get along personality wise, we always had that thing in common. When I was here, I didn't feel like a freak. I didn't feel like I was stupid for wanting to pursue this path, because here, there were so many people who had chosen the same thing. Who decided they wanted to take that risk.

The rest of the day was bad. Classes continued, but the teacher all seemed down. Ms. Knight, who gave English apart from singing, walked out of class halfway through. And for the first time ever, no one started talking.

There was nothing left to talk about.

Trish tried to cheer me up, but she couldn't, and after a couple of hours, she gave up.

I was on my way to my room, ready to cry in my pillow, when the intercom sounded.

"Will all students please get to the gym? Thank you." I recognized that voice. What in the name of love was Dez doing?

When I got there, the gym was already full. I spotted Trish. She, too, had no idea what was going on. All she knew was that Dez and Austin were standing on the bleachers, looking over the crowd that was forming, holding microphones. Soon enough, Dez started talking.

"Dear fellow students," he said, trying really hard to sound formal. "I know we're all very upset about the news we received earlier, that we would no longer get funding for our entertainment classes. But, I'm here, because I have not lost hope!"

He looked like he expected applause, but it was dead silent in the gym. Everyone looked like they were debating between laughing, crying and just leaving. Then, Austin stepped forward, and I felt my heart lurch. Please don't let him do something that gets him kicked out of school, I prayed silently.

"You probably think we're idiots," he said, and then he paused. It was such a long pause, that I was actually starting to wonder if that might be everything he had to say. But then he continued, and the longer he spoke, the bigger my smile grew.

"We are all very different. Most of us, we don't even like each other. But we have something in common. We love this school. We love art, music, acting. We love dancing, even if we're not all equally good at it."

I laughed at this point, knowing he was talking about me.

"But whatever we're not very good at, we do it anyway. Because we love it. And because we know that here, it will be accepted. Personally, I never thought I would feel at home in some weird school where people eat and sleep at and sing all the time. I never thought going to this school could bring me anything.

But it did. It did for me. For you. And it will, for everyone that follows us. We can't let this little setback change that. We can get funding. Not from the government, but from people. Rich people, that care about art like we do. The only thing we need to do is convince them we're worth it. So, Dez and I have an idea. We propose a talent show. Concert. Funding thing."

He stopped a second. The crowd seemed interested.

"Whatever your talent is, you have one. And you need to use it to convince people to give us money, so we can keep our favourite classes going. Tomorrow, we're having a sign in here during lunch."

"Do it, people. Let's give it a shot. Nothing gained is nothing lost, right?" Dez added, and then, as on cue, the crowd started clapping and cheering. And I clapped and cheered along, feeling really proud of my two boys.

Seeing as Austin and Dez were being swarmed by people with questions, Trish and I decided to let them be. I spent that night with Trish, having a girl night, watching movies. Trish decided she wanted to help organize the money-raising talent show, which I found a good idea, since Austin obviously would have to perform.

I didn't really know what Dez would do, since his thing was more filming and directing. From the directing part of it, I figured he wanted to organize the thing as well, but I didn't tell Trish, because I didn't know if she would still do it if she knew he was involved.

When Trish was fast asleep, I felt my worry grow.

Knowing I wouldn't be able to sleep for a while, I went to my roof. This time, it was empty. I lay on my back, watching the stars. I had always been fascinated with stars. Apparently there was a little bit of star dust in all of us. Wasn't that amazing? I could have a piece of Marilyn Monroe inside of me.

"I knew you would be here. Can't sleep, huh?" the familiar voice asked. I smiled. If anyone would have known I would be here on this particular night, it was him.

"You should be sleeping. You need your strength for the big spring concert next week." Austin came lying next to me, his arm brushing past mine, leaving it tingling.
"They will cancel it, now, with all the drama."
"They won't, I asked them." I turned around so I could look at him.

He wasn't kidding.

"Why would you do that?"
"Because you need to sing." I shook my head, turning away again.
"It's no longer a performing school. Therefor I do no longer have to overcome my stage fright in order to stay here."
"Ally, please look at me."

I did, knowing it was a mistake the moment I looked into his eyes. How could I possibly be focussing on what he was saying if he was looking at me like that?

"You need to overcome your stage fright. Not for this school, or for me. For you. Because it's holding you back, Als. You are an amazing singer. And I swear, if you would just show people that, you could have a future. Not just as a songwriter, but as an artist." I didn't say anything.

"You can do this. I promise. I'll be right there by your side. Remember, I can't fix you, but I can promise you you don't have to go through it alone."

I smiled at the reference to the song I sang to him last time we were here together. And before I could stop myself, I laid my head on his shoulder. And before I realized, his arm snuck around my shoulder, pulling me closer to him.

He was warm, comfortable. Safe. He was the only one that could make things right.

"Okay," I whispered. He smiled, not saying anything.

"Everything will be okay, Als. The spring concert, the fundraiser. It will go back to way it was."

I could feel that I was getting sleepy. Perhaps it was the way his voice seemed to sooth me, or the heath that radiated of his body, or the way his thumb was mindlessly making circles on my arm. But my worries were disappearing.

"They won't though, Austin. Everything has changed. But that's okay. Just… As long as it will be okay again." I paused. "Maybe it can even be better than before."
"It will be better. You'll have me here," Austin joked. I didn't joke back. Because he was right.

"You're almost asleep, aren't you?" he whispered. I didn't respond, again. "Go to sleep, love. It will all be better tomorrow, I promise." My heart fluttered when he called me love. And I smiled. It couldn't be better tomorrow. It was already perfect now.

"You're kind of my nightingale, you know," I muttered.

"What the hell is a nightingale," Austin muttered back, but my head fell on his chest, and I was fast asleep.