Ally couldn't believe her eyes. She didn't really look like Donna. At first, Ally thought she was a completely other person, but the eyes don't lie. She turned away from the sight to see Matt's eyes still trained on her. "What happened to her?" Ally asked anyone who would listen.
"Its not our problem anymore," Catherine shook her head,"After what she told us, you, Ryder, she's just not worth it anymore." Ally was a little surprised that Catherine would talk about Donna this way, but it was true.
"But I just thought she was mad at us," Ally thought back,"After a while we would make up. I didn't realize that she was going crazy." She didn't really know if this was a crazy case, but the word felt right.
"Crazy?" Cassidy had a weird smirk,"More like far off the deep end. I've heard those girls are crazy. You should know Matt."
"Why should I know?" his eyes looked down. He was trying to avoid conversation. Ally studied him as he became nervous.
"Because they are in your class," Cassidy nudged him. His eyes glanced up at her then they focused back on his breakfast.
"Oh, yeah," Matt shrugged,"They're okay I guess. I don't really know them that well. Enough with the interrogation?"
"Jeez I asked you one question," Cassidy crosses her arms,"You don't have to get defensive."
"I'm not getting defensive," Matt fought back,"Whatever. Have a good day gals." He stood up to put his tray away. Ally studied him closely as he glanced Donna's way multiple times.
When he was out of earshot, Cassidy spoke. "What's with him? He really got weird after I mention the triplets and Donna."
"The triplets?" Catherine laughed a little.
"Yeah," Cassidy shrugged,"Cause they all look the same just different hair." She and Catherine laugh while Ally continues to study Matt as he stands around a little. Derek walks to him. Matt says something and nods towards Donna. Derek turns and does a double take. After a few moments of talking. Matt begins to walk out of the castleteria to the dorms and Derek goes into the high school.
Ally was about to get up and follow one of them, but then was stopped by Cassidy saying her name. Ally looks to see that Cassidy was talking to Hyde, who had just sat down. "He just got really weird," Cassidy was explaining what had just happened.
"What happened?" Brandon asks Ally. She turned towards him and points behind her. He glances over to Donna and his eyes widen. "Whoa, she looks different. What's the big deal?"
"I think something is up with her," Ally tells him. She was about to say something else, when she is cut off.
"Hey guys," Ryder took a seat after planting a kiss on Catherine's cheek. Her cheeks turn red as he says. "What's up?" Ally had forgotten about Ryder. He wouldn't take this very well. She tries to think of something to say, but its too late. "Why does my sister look like that?"
"We don't know," Brandon shrugs.
"Its not our problem anymore Ryder," Catherine reaches across the table and places her hand on his. "You don't need to worry about it." Ally knew from Catherine that Ryder was still really stressed about the situation. She wouldn't tell Ally what he said, but Ally was sure that he thought there was something wrong. That's when she remembered Matt and Derek.
"I forgot my phone up in the dorm," Ally made up this lie quickly. She got up without any questions asked of her. She put her tray away and walked into the dorm up to the dorms. Once she was out of sight of the castleteria, she went into a full sprint. She had no clue where Matt was headed, but was determined to find out where he was going.
Footsteps going up the stairs made her run. She was sure he was going to his dorm, but she didn't know where it was. Ally ran to the second year dorm level. A shuffle of feet on the carpet near by made her run again. Her blonde hair flew behind her as she went to the boys side. The footsteps had gotten faster. She was getting close. As she rounded the corner she heard a door slam. It was in this hall, but didn't know which door it was.
Ally sighed and leaned against the wall. She missed her opportunity. There was no way she could find which door Matt went in, if it was Matt at all. It was too late to try to find Derek, so Ally decided to give up for today. Maybe her suspicions weren't true, and it was just a weird situation. But something in Ally told her that Matt knew something she didn't.
She straightened her glasses and headed back down to the castleteria.
The rest of the day went by quickly. Everyone was talking about Donna's new look. Ally couldn't help but stare at Donna during Riddlish. She acted different too, she slouched back in her chair and acted as if she owned the classroom. It was so unlike her. What could've twisted Donna to change this way? It felt like sitting next to a completely different person. Matt had picked up on this too, at least Ally thought with all the glances. She saw him scribbling on a piece of paper while he looked at her. This only fueled her suspicions from this morning.
Ally, Catherine, Brandon, and Ryder all sat in the empty bleachers to watch the bookball practice. It was a nice, warm day. Ally hoped it would be this nice for the game, then she would look less pale when giving her statements.
"Brandon," Catherine shook her head,"When will you let us sign your cast?" He turned to Catherine and looked at her with an eyebrow raised.
"I like it clean," Brandon shrugged,"Why would I want it to be ruined?"
"Because I already did," Ryder laughed as he got off the bench. Ally looked to see Ryder signed his name on Brandon's cast with permanent marker.
"Ryder!" Brandon hit him in the side with his cast arm. Ryder held his side for a little bit while he laughed.
"Well now you have to let me sign," Catherine held out her hand for the marker. Ryder jumped up a bench and sat behind Catherine before handing it to her. Brandon didn't resit as Catherine signed her name in fancy writing. "Ally?" Catherine handed Ally the marker.
"I guess," Ally shrugged and signed her first name.
"You get it off soon right?" Ryder asked as Catherine leaned back on his knees to use as a back rest.
"Couple more weeks," Brandon shrugged,"Then the real healing begins."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ally asked.
"Are you kidding?" Catherine laughed a little,"Mom and Dad are going to be on top of you for a year." Brandon nodded. I guess that makes sense. She did see the way Briar had reacted to Brandon breaking his arm. It must be a tight leash for him.
"Look at Hyde," Brandon quickly changed the subject. "He's going pretty easy on Cassidy today."
"Well of course," Catherine rolled her eyes,"How do you not know they're together?"
"I know," Brandon defended,"I watch with Ryder all the time and trust me, they do not going easy on each other." The conversation carried on without Ally. She focused on Derek. He was the lead player. As a freshman, it was quite impressive, but he didn't seem too thrilled. She remembered how her mom would tell how Daring would carry the team with great pride.
"Derek?" Ryder questioned. This brought Ally back to the conversation. "He's barely talked to me for the past week. I've seen him with Matt, but otherwise he's gone all the time."
"I'm glad he apologized for breaking my arm," Brandon shrugged,"It wasn't his fault." Ally thought about it. It seemed almost intended with that hit.
"Its a little weird though," Ryder continued,"Ever since me and Derek tried to talk sense into Donna, he never seemed the same. We all haven't I guess."
"Yes," Catherine piped in,"But we shouldn't let Donna's choices get the best of us."
"What if Donna's in actual trouble?" Ally couldn't help it. After this morning and the dream, Ally felt different towards the situation.
"Like what? Drugs?" Brandon asked.
"No," Ally really didn't know,"Well when our parents were back in school, Apple was possessed by the Evil Queen."
"But now she's dead," Ryder cut off Ally's thoughts,"So we don't have to worry about it. My mom worries of her return, but my dad said its impossible."
"Face it Ally," Catherine said in her old shy voice,"People change, and Donna is the one that left us. You can't blame yourself. She is influenced by those other girls." Ally nodded before the final whistle blow signaled the end of practice. Ally stood, and shoved all the stuff about Donna out of her mind. The rest of them followed her as she went down to the field. The players disbursed from the huddle and were walking back to the locker room.
Once she spotted Derek, Ally ran over to him. He couldn't get away this time. "Derek!" she called as she approached. He stopped and turned to her. His eyes looked empty, but once they laid on her they sprang back into life. She smiled at him brightly before pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.
"Ally," he grinned without teeth. He looked her straight in the eye, and Ally almost forgot what she was going to ask her. "I'm surprised you're talking to me." Ally remembered the last couple times they spoke were quite hostile. She remembered the way he flipped on her. Should she even ask him? Her mind then went through all of the times he was sweet to her.
"Don't be," Ally continued to smile,"I was wondering if you would be in favor of my campaign for class president? You would stand on stage during the break and say that I have your vote. Since you're the star player and the ladies man, I think it would be great for your rep to be involved in some other aspects of the school. Since we know each other well I think you'll make the right decision." She digs out on of her campaign pins from her bag and holds it out to him.
"Ladies man?" Derek raised an eyebrow,"You really don't me then."
"Sure I do," Ally continued to hold the button,"With your charm, you enjoy all the ladies swooning at your smile. Will you do it or not?" He looked at the pin for a few seconds before taking it. This put Ally's mind at ease. "Thank you."
"No problem," Derek examine the pin before putting his hand down,"You know, I only enjoy one lady, not swooning, but mirroring my smile."
"Who's that?" Ally asked, but then it hit her. This was a move on her. Derek laughed and flashed that Charming smile. Ally smiled back. They locked eyes for a few moments before Derek took his phone out of his gym bag.
"I gotta go," Derek put the phone back in his gym bag,"Catch you later." He ran off the field. Ally didn't have time to respond. She watched him as he went. The smile faded from her face when he didn't run into the locker room, but the school. This was weird to Ally. What was so important he couldn't drop off his things in the locker room? Where did he go after talking to Matt this morning? Suspicions began to rise in Ally once again.
