A/N: Hope that made up for last chapter. Thanks once again for the reviews. Some of them kind of made me laugh in a good way. I actually consider some of your reviews and some of you had helped me to write this chapter. I thank you all for that. Well, hope you like this chapter even though it is a bit emotional. I wanted a little tearjerker, but I'm not too sure if I succeeded. If not, oh well. I just need to work on it more. Happy reading.
Chapter Eleven
They were at Sonic Boom, up in the practice room. Ally didn't want to answer in such a public place with something as personal as the subject at hand. Austin stared at her hopefully, but Ally had an opposite reaction. She looked at Austin, Trish, and Dez with a sad and hesitant look. Austin eyes widened, knowing full well that look meant and he could hear his heart break into pieces.
"Austin. Dez. Trish," Ally called their names carefully and hesitantly, "I already forgave you guys for a while now. As for our friendship, I'm sorry if I lead you guys on, but I have no intention of going back to what we once were. What happened three years ago had changed us, and I cannot bear to go through that again. I'm sure you guys would feel the same. The powerful bond we used to have has been broken, and it can't be fixed like it used to. You guys have come so far without me; there's no need for me to be in your lives anymore. And anyways, I can't support you guys like I used to because you already have Cassidy. There's no room for me anymore. I already have Alton, Trina, and Dan. They need me more than you guys need me."
"But Ally!" Trish yelled, her eyes brimming with tears as she shakes her head, not wanting to acknowledge Ally's speech. "We can fix this! We just need to make a fresh start."
"Yeah, Ally. Don't do this to us. We do need you. Ever since you left, it hasn't been the same. Sure, Cassidy replaced you as Austin's songwriter. Sure, Cassidy had more time with us, but I miss my best freckled friend. I miss the Ally who cared about me when no one else would. I miss the Ally who accepted me and let me off to do crazy things and who tried to hold in her anger after I kind of broke a few things inside her dad's shop but always managed to forgive me. I miss the Ally who would spend time with me when Austin and Trish were too busy. I miss the Ally who would spend her time with me to watch romantic movies and be my crying buddy," Dez stated emotionally, his body shaking from the sadness inside him.
Ally felt her heart break watching them become so emotional like this, and she found herself at a loss. She wanted to comfort them and to cry with them, but she couldn't because it is no longer her right. Ally could feel the tears starting to enter her eyes. She wanted to accept them so bad, but it wouldn't be fair to Alton, Trina, and Dan. Wasn't there a way for her to accept both these teams?
Austin watched them, and he became emotional as well. It wasn't fair! She was supposed to say yes. She was supposed to hug them and they would go back to being Team Austin. And after that, she would kick Alton, Trina, and Dan out since they were their replacements anyways. Anger then replaced his thoughts. And inside his mind, it was saying that Ally had to screw it up. Like always.
"Why do you always have to do that to us, Ally?" Austin asked angrily. Ally looked at him with widened eyes, shocked to see him angry at her and his gaze seemed so full of hatred. Ally knew for sure this was not the Austin she used to know.
"Hey, watch it!" Trina yelled, glaring at Austin.
"You watch it," Austin spat back. Dan gasped and looked at Austin angrily.
"Hey, don't speak to Trina like that," Dan spoke up.
"I can speak however I like," Austin retorted.
Dez and Trish gasped at Austin. Their hearts were racing as if they knew Austin would say something he would regret because of his anger. Again. Dez tried to hold him back, and Trish tried her best to cover his mouth, but Austin exploded and tore away from them. Austin stomped and stood in front of her, glaring down at Ally. Alton, Dan, and Trina were about to come over and protect Ally, but she signaled them to stop with her hand up. The trio stopped but had a rather worried look on their faces. Ally stood her ground, looking up at Austin. The years of being attacked by Austin Moon's fans after their blowout had given her a thick skin.
"Why do you always make our lives miserable, huh?" Austin asked angrily, "After all we done for you, is this how you repay us? How come we didn't get a second chance while you let others have one?"
Ally calmly sighed, staring at his cloudy brown orbs.
"Austin, you blame me for everything bad that happens even when it isn't my fault, and I'm sick and tired of it. Yes, you apologized all the time, but I'm not going to let you put me under the bus any longer," Ally said. She looked to Dez and Trish and then Austin again.
"If you guys had asked me to come back those three years ago, I would have welcomed you with opened arms, but the circumstances have changed. I once believed I couldn't make it without you guys, and that my world ended when you guys turned your backs on me. But here I am, standing here and moving on. I fought so hard for you guys back then. I fought so hard to make it work for us because I couldn't be there, and I felt bad for not being there with you guys. But all that hard work I did, it all crumbled when you guys kick me out of your lives. You don't know how incredibly depressed I was to know my best friends would just lock me out of their lives with no contact whatsoever. Not only that, but you guys said the most hurtful things to me. Useless. Boring. Bothersome. A disappointment. Remember that? You three blamed me when things didn't work out because I was always the one that didn't fight back. I took it in even when it hurts because you guys were my best friends. After our fallout, I wanted to see you guys again so I took my chances to fly to where you guys were and try to make up with you guys. But just as I got there and asked to see you three, I was told I was forbidden to see you guys and that a restraining order would be made if I tried again. I even asked why I would have a restraining order against me. You know what that person said?" Ally asked, her eyes tearing up from remembering.
"That person said you guys were the ones that made it because I was stalking you and made your lives a living hell. Did you know hurtful I was? It felt like I was the only one trying to make our friendship work, but I would always be at the short end of the stick . I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but our friendship was over the moment you guys stopped trying. Like I said before, you have your lives, and I have my own." Ally stared at each of her old friends in the eyes. It finally settled on Austin's with such a hurtful look.
"Austin, you said I haven't given you guys a chance. I have. But that restraining order was the last chance I've given you guys. I think it's best we went our separate ways," Ally stated. She then looked over at Dez sadly, "I'm sorry Dez, but I guess that movie would have to be done without me. I just can't give you guys a chance anymore after all that heart break. I'm not ready to risk being hurt again by the people who I thought would never hurt me." Ally finished with tears finally falling down her eyes as did Dez and Trish. Austin stood stock still and tears started forming in his eyes before he fell on his knees. He leaned over and cried. Ally watched. She wanted to so much to comfort Austin, but she did not want to give him hope. She just turned away and walked to Alton, Dan, and Trina. Alton immediately comforted her. Trina and Dan looked over at everyone with saddened eyes.
"It's not fair! Not fair!" Austin yelled. Trish and Dez got down on their knees and helped Austin up.
"We... We're so sorry, Ally," Trish said before the trio left without another word. Ally watched them leave before breaking down.
"I feel so heartless. It hurts, you guys. It hurts so much. Why? Why did this have to happen?" Ally cried. Alton clutched her to him a little tighter. Trina rubbed Ally's back in circles as a way to comfort her. Dan merely watched her and then to the door. He sighed and shook his head before closing the door.
"You are only human, Ally," Alton whispered, "You can't always be accepting when you aren't ready to."
"But Alton, I was really ready to accept them. I wanted to so much, but then I thought about you three and I found it unfair for you guys. You guys needed me more than they ever will," Ally said through her tears and sniffles.
Dan and Trina looked at her with a saddened yet pained looks on their faces at her confession. They sighed and looked over to Alton. He looked sad as well, but they don't know he was saddened for a different reason. Alton always wanted to see Ally to be truly happy. She may be all smiles and enjoying herself with them, but Alton always knew. He always knew something was always missing in her just as he had a missing part inside him as well.
"Ally, if it means so much to you, we could always make things work between us and them," Alton suggested. Ally looked up at him with a surprised look, but Alton seemed to turn his head to Trina and Dan before he could see her expression. "Don't you guys agree?"
Dan and Trina looked at each other for a moment and then at Ally. They smiled knowingly and nodded.
"I wouldn't mind. I do like a challenge," Trina stated.
"It won't hurt to try," Dan said with a bright smile. Ally smiled in return but looked sad again.
"But after what I said, would they still want to come back?" Ally asked.
Alton smirked before winking at Ally. Ally rolled her eyes at the way he seemed a little cocky. Trina and Dan eyed Alton, waiting for an answer from him.
"I'm sure they will with our help. And for an added bonus, they will be working to gain your trust and friendship," Alton said.
Ally looked at her friends with a smile and started tearing up again.
"Thanks, guys. I owe you guys so much," Ally stated. Her three friends laughed and shook their heads.
"Ally, the point in friendship is to look out for each other. When a friend is need, we help them. Saying you owe us means we aren't much a friend to you," Alton said, "And anyways, you owe us nothing because it would be us owing you. You saved our lives, Ally. Much more than you know."
Austin, Dez, and Trish were walking solemnly to their limousine. Uncomfortable silence filled the air among them. Nothing seemed to matter to them anymore. Trish laid her head against Dez's shoulder, in which he didn't seem to mind. Their animosity for each other will have to be put to the side. Austin felt the anger filling him again.
"What so great about Ally anyways? She's just someone we used to know. She's nothing special," Austin said. Dez shook his head and Trish started crying again.
"Just stop, Austin. Just stop it," Dez said in a calm voice. Austin growled angrily at him.
"Don't tell me what to do," Austin told him. Trish cried even harder. It was ironic to find out Trish, the one who is most thick-skinned, was crying.
"Don't cry for Ally, Trish. She's not worth it," Austin said coldly. Trish sat up and shook her head, tears still spilling down her eyes.
"She is worth it. She's been my friend since kindergarten. I let her down and broke her heart. I was supposed to be the one to protect her from getting hurt, but I'm one of the people that had hurt her," Trish said before she cried even more. Dez held her and comforted her. Austin stopped, and his anger was gone. His head lowered as he clutched his hand into fists.
"Yeah, I promised her that I wouldn't hurt her too, but I did. I'm such a jerk. Ever since the bad publicity came up, I started drinking and my anger just skyrocketed. I should have not blown up on Ally, but I just couldn't stop. The words leave my mouth before I could even stop it," Austin explained, "Something is wrong with me, and I don't know what to do."
Dez stared at his long time friend with sympathy. He could clearly see a broken man in front of him. There was nothing more painful so far in his life so far than to watch his friend fall. Dez could have done something, but he was so absorbed with his own problems that he didn't notice anyone else's problems. He didn't see Austin's problems. He didn't see Ally's. He didn't have time to see Trish's problems either. He could have done something, but he didn't and it costed him greatly. Fame really changed lives, but sometimes it destroyed them. That was what happened to them. They let fame take away the most important thing in their lives: their friendship.
"Austin, it's time for change. We need to seek help for our problems," Dez said. Austin stared up at him, confused.
"Where in the world would we find help?" Austin asked, but then his eyes widened in realization. "You mean we should see a psychiatrist?"
Dez nodded. Trish looked down on her lap. Austin clenched his teeth but sighed.
"Okay," Austin mumbled, looking out the window, "I don't want to leave Miami. I want to go back to Ally to apologize and try again. After spending time with her again, she made me feel again after so long. I wanted to get her back into my life. I finally understand how much I couldn't make it without her because she is the spark that gives me life."
"We feel the same," Trish said, "I miss my best friend."
Dez nodded and smiled.
"All right then we agree to find help while at the same time get Ally back into our lives?" Dez asked. Trish and Austin nodded. They started putting their hands in and yelled out Team Ally in excitement before putting their hands back to their side.
"Wow, the sound of Team Ally sounds nice," Dez stated.
"Yeah, it has a nice ring to it," Trish said in agreement.
"It's Ally. She's adorkable," Austin pointed out, "It must be her sparkling eyes or her adorable laugh. Ooh, maybe it's the way we could talk to her about anything. Or maybe it's her awkward yet somehow cute dance moves that could either hurt or entertain us. But then again, I'm sure it's the incredible way where she just makes us happy without reason even by the slightest of touch."
Dez and Trish looked at him astonished and wondered what he was babbling about. But then again, they could also see the lovesick grin on his face. Yup, they are seeing the old Austin again. And for some reason, they felt happy and good again. Nothing seemed right as they did now. The only thing or person missing is their own Ally.
It wasn't long before they got to their hotel. Their thoughts were still on Ally, and the hope to have her friendship back still there and with more vigor. It was time they settled on their problems by getting professional help. But just as the trio entered with their resolve, there stood in front of them was a blonde-haired woman looking at them with her blue eyes.
Austin stopped his tracks and so did Trish and Dez. They stared at the woman with shocked expressions on their faces. Her eyes gazed at them with a soft look and sighed.
"C-Cassidy?" Austin squeaked nervously.
The woman nodded.
"Yeah. Care to tell me why you guys secretly left L.A. to Miami without telling me?" Cassidy asked, her arms crossed and her right foot tapping against the floor beneath her. She didn't come across as angry or frustrated. She seemed to be just waiting for the answer to her question. Her eyes looked kindly at the three. She just wanted the truth, and she's waiting for at least one of them to answer her.