Dance in the Rain

Chapter 12: Happy Birthday Dez!

It had been a week since the incident, since I saw Cassidy cheating on Austin with Tanner. The thing is we haven't had time alone, so I couldn't tell Austin, he already doesn't like being near me so it's difficult.

One morning Aunt June woke me up, and told me to go downstairs. I walked downstairs, next to Trish confused about what was going on. We were all downstairs, except for Dez, and Aunt June started to whisper goodmorning to us.

"This has to deal with Dez's birthday huh?" Trish asked and Aunt June smiled, "Yes it does." she replied, as we all sat down in the living room. It was 5 in the morning and we all weren't usually up that early, even me.

"Duh! His birthday is on Friday." Austin said, sounding grumpy. He probably wasn't a morning person, Trish just looked at him. "Shut up Grumpy!" she said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Shhh!" Aunt June said, and started to explaining all the details of his surprise birthday party. "Now remember we all have to act like we don't remember that morning okay?" Aunt June said, and everyone agreed.

"Is that it?" Austin asked and she nodded her head, "Good. I'm going back to bed." he said, getting up and slumping to go back upstairs. Aunt June giggled at Austin, then turned to me and Trish. "I'll be going back to bed too." she said, smiling at them and leaving us alone.

"Aren't you going to go back to sleep?" I asked, she just shrugged. "Nah, I think I'll just watch Tv." she said, turning the Tv on to some cartoon show. "Trish," I started, "Yeah?" she said, her eyes still glued onto the Tv. "How long have Austin and Cassidy been together?" I asked, she was quiet for a moment.

"I think they've been together for 6 months." Trish said, and I thought of another question to ask her. "How does Austin feel about her?" I asked, probably a stupid question to her. "I think he loves her, especially if he's with a girl that long and the fact that him and Elliot aren't friends anymore." she said.

I just looked at her, remembering what Elliot told me. "Oh yeah, it's a long story. But Elliot and Austin were good friends for about 3 years, and then Cassidy came along after her breakup with Tanner and it all just..." she rambled, but all I could think about was how Cassidy's ex was Tanner.

"Wow." I said, surprised at what I had found out. "Yeah, it's all complicated. Honestly I think Cassidy is just too complicated for Austin, she gets jealous easily and she always wants him to herself." Trish said, How was that fair that she wanted him to herself yet Austin didn't have her all to himself. I started to get upset and mad.

"Ally?" Trish said, "Yeah." I said, looking down. "You okay?" she asked, I looked up and faked a smile. "Yeah, I'm good. Just thinking." I said, "About what?" she asked, I didn't know what to say. "How complicated life is." I said, and she smiled. "That's life for ya!" she said, and I smiled a little.

It was Friday, the day of Dez's birthday party, he had woken up early and came downstairs all cheery. "Hey guys! Isn't it a lovely day?" he asked, with a grin.

Everyone continued to watch Tv, "Yeah." we all said in unison. "So what are the plans for today?" he asked, with a small smile on her face. "Your looking at it." Austin said, and we all heard Dez gasp.

"Something wrong Dez?" Trish asked, Aunt June changed the channel while Austin continued to text. As for me, I pretended to read an old book that I finished reading a year ago.

He was quiet for a moment, then his head hung. "I'm fine. I just need to go to the store to get something." he said, "Mom, I'll be taking the car." he added, already walking out.

"Okay hun, be careful." she said, and the door closed and immediatly we all got up. "He really fell for it!" Trish said, laughing. "You know how Dez can be," Aunt June said, laughing a little. "Now come on, let's get this place ready and start telling people it's time." she added.

We quickly decorated the place, and Aunt June started to place the food outside. I blew as much balloons as I could in 10 minutes and hung them up around outside and even inside. Trish was throwing the streamers everywhere, and then Austin hung up the Happy Birthday Dez poster on the free rails and we were ready.

After we were ready, people arrived and we all quickly hid when Trish announced Dez was here. I hid next to Dallas and Elliot who were behind some chairs, and then Dez came outside in the backyard looking confused. "Where's everybody?!" he said, and then we all popped up screaming Happy Birthday to him.

His confused expression changed to excited and joy immediatly and he hugged Aunt June, "I should've known you guys didn't forget." he said, hugging her tight. "Why would we forget your birthday, I know I can't, you were such a chubby baby to give birth to." she said, and we all laughed. "Well, I was worth it." he said with a grin and we all hugged him.

Throughout the party, we all ate, danced (except me of course) and laughed. It actually was a lot of fun, maybe it was because I was really getting used to them already. The thing I couldn't help but notice though was Austin, he tried to be happy but I could tell there was something bothering him.

I know he's usually his quiet self, especially when I'm around but he kept frowning and would stare at his phone like something was wrong. Towards the night, I noticed he had disappeared and I got worried.

I heard singing and quickly followed the music, it was near the rocks of the porch. I walked down the stairs and there was Austin sitting on my rock, playing his guitar that he had gotten fixed a week ago. It sounded like he was humming, he stopped when he heard me and turned to see me.

He turned back around and played his guitar, "Are you okay?" I asked, he was quiet. I walked up to the rock next to him, and sat down on it. "I'm fine, can I just be alone?" he asked, I sighed and got up but then I felt a hand on my arm.

I turned around surprised, Austin was holding my hand. "Huh?" I said, looking at his arm. "Actually, I don't." he said, and I giggle a little. "Are, Are you sure?" I asked, he just nodded his head.

I sat back down on the rock, and we were quiet for at least 5 minutes, then he started to strum his guitar. Then I remembered that Cassidy wasn't here, that was probably why he was upset. Then, I remembered where she might be and who she would be with.

"Austin, where's Cassidy?" I asked, he sighed. "I don't know, she was supposed to be here but she's not texting me back. I'm worried." he said, and I bit my lip.

"Austin, about Cassidy... I need to tell you something." I said, "What about Cassidy?" he asked, and I took a deep breath. "Cassidy-" "Is right here!" a voice interrupted, we both turned back to see Cassidy wearing a shiny silver top and some black shorts and silver flats.

"Cassidy!" Austin said, getting up and hugging her. I frowned, and looked at her and she just looked at me. He almost dropped his guitar, I had to grab it and hold it up.

"Why didn't you text me? Where have you been?" he asked, Cassidy glanced at me as they pulled away but Austin kept his eyes on her. "I-I, my parents wouldn't let me go." she stuttered, "Why?" he asked, confused. "I'm honestly not sure." she said, and he just looked at her.

"It's a long story, but let's go and have some fun. I'm starving!" she said, and he chuckled. "Sure babe." he said, and I shivered at the words. She didn't deserve to be called babe, Austin walked up to me to grab his guitar then slightly smiled at me, it was weird.

He started to walk up the stairs, but Cassidy kept staring at me. "You coming?" he asked, she turned to him. "Yeah, I'll be there, I just need to get the sand out of my flats." she said, and he nodded his head quickly leaving us alone.

"Cassidy," I said, "Look, you have no right to tell him anything." she said and my eyes widened. "And what right do you have to be cheating on him?!" I asked, she frowned at my words.

"I need to tell him." I said, and she walked up to me. "You can go ahead and tell him, but he won't believe you." she said, straight out. I couldn't believe what I was hearing and seeing. The once beautiful Cassidy I thought I knew was suddenly very ugly and different that what I thought her to be.

"He loves you, how could you do that to him?" I asked, so angry. "I don't mean to, okay!" she said, "Just leave my boyfriend alone. It's our buisness." she said, and left me alone.

I was so frustrated, angry, upset and I felt so useless, that I started to cry. I hadn't cried since the last time my parents had yelled at me, it felt like it was so long ago. Even though it was pretty much a month ago, and I just didn't know how to handle this, all I wanted to do was the right thing. Why was doing the right thing so hard?