THREE DAYS LATER
It's been exactly three days since the worst day of my entire life. Three days since my heart broke into a million pieces. Three days since I broke someone else's heart into a million pieces. Three days since I ruined the best relationship I've ever had. Three days since I exposed myself to my friends who I really am. Three days of lying in bed staring at the ceiling being completely and utterly depressed and drained from everything.
"Ally, you can't stay in bed forever." Cassidy stated frustrated as I ignored her laying on my side staring at the wall.
"You need to get up, Als. You need to go outside and get some sun. Being here is not good for you at all." Trish added as I covered my ears with a pillow trying to block their voices out.
"Will you at least eat? I brought you some blueberry muffins, which are your favorite." Cassidy said happily trying to cheer me up.
"Look..." She said coming over to my side and sitting down placing her hand on my leg.
"I couldn't imagine what you're feeling. I'm not even gonna pretend to understand it because I don't...but I know that you are strong enough to get through this. As your best friend, I'm not gonna sit here and allow you to be miserable over some guy." She says as my eyes fling right open as I sit quickly taken her and Trish back.
"Except he wasn't just some guy, Cassidy!" I yell in her face as she doesn't look shocked but sad for me.
"He didn't cheat on me and we didn't grow apart, okay? It wasn't a normal breakup, it was the worst pain I have ever felt in my life so will you just stop?! Stop acting like getting over him should be the easiest thing in the world!"
"Ally, I didn't mean to imply th-"
"But you do. Every time, you come in her begging for me to leave the house because he's not worth it, right?"
"That's not fair. I've never said that. Austin is my friend too, Ally."
"Then why don't you comfort him? I'm sure he needs it more than me." I say looking in her eyes coldly.
"I'm not gonna take anything you're saying personally because I know you're just upset and angry." She says as I roll my eyes annoyed by everything.
"Also, this is the first time you spoke in three days so I'm just gonna take that as a win." She adds with a slight nod standing up from the bed and walking away as I can see hurt in her eyes.
Trish looked between the two of us before walking over to where I was still sitting in the bed while Cassidy decided to keep a distance.
"You don't get to do that." Trish comments bluntly as I look at her with no emotion.
"You don't get to treat Cass like shit just because you feel like it."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me, Ally."
"We both have been there for you before we knew who you were and after. You don't get to treat us horribly because things didn't work out how you wanted." She said as tears filled my eyes and anger filled my veins.
"Well, maybe she shouldn't try to invalidate my feelings."
"No one is trying to invalidate your feelings, Ally! We love you and we're so sorry that you have to go through this pain but you have to stop taking it out on us." Trish told me upset as I looked at her and Cassidy for a few seconds before lying back down and closing my eyes.
"I would like for you both to leave, please." I say lowly under my breath as I hear both of them sigh before hearing the door open and close.
Austin's POV
It's been exactly three days since the worst day of my entire life. Three days since my heart broke into a million pieces. Three days since my ex girlfriend ruined the best relationship I've ever had. Three days since she exposed her true self to me. Three days since I found out I was dating one of the world's biggest pop stars. Three days of lying in bed staring at the ceiling being completely and utterly depressed and drained from everything.
"Dude, get up." Dallas said standing next to Dez and Chris as I lay on my back staring at the ceiling.
"He's not getting up. He hasn't for the past three days." Chris tried telling him over and over again.
"They say three times the charm." Dez said coming over to me.
"Get up, Austin." He said as I didn't move at all still staring at the ceiling.
"I guess not." Dez responds after trying his method.
"The man is still in shock. Hell, I am! Amy is fucking Ally Dawson? I still can't understand how I missed it." Chris said as Dallas shook his head.
"Dude, shut up. You're not exactly making it easier." He said motioning to me that I shouldn't hear it.
"Sorry, it's just weird. The missing pop star has been under our nose this entire time." He said as no one said anything and he continued.
"I can't believe Ally Dawson, one of the world's best performers from our generation has been eating lunch with us, having classes with us, deep conversations with us, was friends with us and hanging out with us. My mind is still blown away." Chris finished as we all thought about it heavily.
I talked about Ally Dawson to her face and about the project I had to do on her and she just smiled in my face as if she wasn't her. Like what she was doing to me wasn't wrong. Did she not think about my feelings or how much she would hurt me? How selfish can she be?
"All this time." I finally say as they all face me.
"How didn't I know all this time?" I say more to myself sitting up and throwing the ball down on the ground.
They all look at me feeling badly before Dez sits next to me on the bed putting his arm around my shoulder for comfort.
"It's not your fault, buddy. She never told you about who she was." He told me.
"Yeah, man. There was no way for you to know. None of us had any idea." Chris added.
"Well, I did." Dez said.
"Dez."
"Sorry." He said getting up from next to me.
"Austin, you laying around all day isn't gonna change what happened. Hell, she isn't my girlfriend but I'm still in shock but I'm putting that aside because you're hurting the most from it." Dallas spoke calmly.
"I don't get how she could have lied to me this whole time. Every second of every day I saw her she had the chance to come clean but it just was lie after lie after lie. I mean, was her mom in Michigan made up? Did she really even live with her? Is she actually from Michigan?" I say starting to go crazy asking questions as I think about the betrayal more and more.
"You can only get those answers from her." Chris told me as I rolled my eyes standing up and getting one of my small balls from my game room.
I pick it up and lay back down again on my back as I start to throw it up in the air and repeatedly catching it.
"Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Bangs." I say scoffing and laughing dryly.
"She completely made up an entire facade and I stupidly fell in love with a girl who doesn't exist."
"You're not stupid. It could have happened to either one of us. She covered it well." Dallas stated.
"Yeah, too well." I say quickly as they sigh.
"I can't believe this happened to me. This actually happened to me." I say throwing the ball harshly against the window before covering my face with my hands.
"My girlfriend who I was ecstatic about going to college with in a few months is a fucking pop star. Wait, was she even really going to college?!" I shouted sitting up as all there faces looked away feeling bad for me as I just get extremely pissed.
"She has lied to me over and over again and who knows about what else? I never want to see her face again. I'm so done with her."
"Maybe she had her reasons, Austin. Well, that's what Cassidy tells me at least."
"Cassidy has been talking to you about her?" I asked curious.
"Yeah. Apparently, she's just as screwed up as you are, maybe worse. She hasn't left the house since." He admits to me as I don't say anything for a while.
"Great. I hope she's feeling all the pain she caused me, worse than me." I finally say as they all look down feeling overall sad about the entire situation.
"I don't know, man. I mean come on dude. This is Amy. She's a good person!" Chris speaks.
"Ally!" I shouted correcting him as they look at me a bit shocked.
"Her name is Ally. Amy Russo is not real, when are you going to get that, man?"
"But that doesn't mean who she was when she was with us wasn't real." He replied as I thought about what Ally told me.
That everything she did with me, all her opinions and likes and dislikes were all real, just not the physical. It didn't matter anymore because the real damage is already done.
"Why the fuck does it matter?"
"It matters if you still have feelings for her. Did this really change them?" He asked as Dallas and Dez looked at me waiting on the answer.
"Of course it did! She's not the same person, I don't even see my girlfriend anymore. I see a stranger who took advantage of her stay here by letting people get involved in her life knowing who she really was." I say as they look as if they don't believe me.
"This can't be the end." Dez said lowly.
"I mean...it's you guys. It's Austin and Am-"
"Ally." I correct him as he just sighs and the room fills with tension again.
Ally's POV
Trish and Cassidy finally left earlier leaving me alone just like I wanted but unfortunately it only lasted an hour before I heard the door open again.
"It's us again." I hear Trish say.
"I figured." I reply without a care in the world.
"We thought you should know Carrie is here." Cassidy said as I turned around in my bed to face them.
"Don't worry, she's downstairs. I told her I would have to ask you first."
"Ask me what?"
"She really wants to talk to you. If you'll let her." Trish tells me.
"Why would she want to?" I whispered lowly to myself.
"Because she's your friend...and she loves you." Cass says trying to make me feel better.
"I'm guessing Kira and Cheryl don't feel the same way." I say considering I haven't heard from them either for the past three days.
"They just need time, Als." Trish told me.
"Different words meaning they hate me too."
"No, they don't!" Cass shouted getting frustrated.
"And Austin doesn't hate you either. He's just hurt. A lot of people are hurt because they were lied to but they'll get over it!"
"How do you know that?"
"Because that's what we do here. We forgive people. We all make mistakes and we forgive because we love each other."
"This isn't the same Cass. This wasn't just a mistake. People lives were involved and it's all my fault." I say as she sighs seeming exhausted from this entire situation.
"Can Carrie please come up Als? She just wants to talk to you." Trish asks me as I think about it.
"Whatever." I say meaning yes as they both walked out the door.
A minute later I hear some mumbling outside of the door before it slowly opens and I hear shy footsteps knowing instantly it was my tall, sweet, blonde friend.
"Carrie, hi." I say lowly turning around and sitting up in my bed as she smiles softly sitting down on top of it as I hold the covers over my legs.
"Hi, Ally." She replied kindly even though I could tell how weird it is for her.
"You can still call me Amy if it's too weird." I told her even though I never wanted to be Amy Russo ever again.
"No, it's fine. It's a little strange getting use to it but I will. I just want to get to know you. Ally Dawson." She says with a smile placing one of her hands over mine.
I sigh looking at her because I could never ever be mean to her and I don't know a soul who could because she was so innocent and the best person I know. She has always cared about her friends and never was shy showing it.
"Ally Dawson sucks Carrie. She doesn't deserve a friend like you." I tell her as an expression of sadness washes over her.
"Please, don't say that. You made a choice and you shouldn't be punished for it forever." She told me.
"Why shouldn't I? I broke someone's heart, I lied to my friends and for the rest of the world, I am missing. I am the worst person ever." I say shaming myself.
"No, you're not. Would you think this if Austin reacted in the opposite way he did?" She asked as I didn't say anything because I knew what she was hinting at and she was right.
"Exactly. You're not a bad person, you just did a bad thing...and you had a great reason for it."
"No, what I had was an excuse. It doesn't make up for what I did."
"You think everyone hates you."
"They do!"
"Then why have Trish and Cassidy spent all of their time the past three days making sure you were okay?" She asked as I didn't say anything because I haven't really thought about it.
"What? Did you think it was pity? Or sympathy? No, it's because they love you for who you are and they have known longer than the rest of us. I mean come on, Ally...it had to be a reason for why you chose to tell them."
"Not really. I was accidentally caught by Cassidy and I called Trish over because she helped."
"And you trusted them to keep it to themselves?"
"Yes..."
"You didn't dodge out of town after that or threaten them. You just trusted them."
"Of course, because they're my friends."
"Exactly, they're your friends." She said as I sigh realizing how I was being unappreciative of their care for me.
"I don't mean to be ungrateful...I'm just so...I never felt this much pain in my life before." I admit as she smiles sadly rubbing my arm.
"I've never had my heart broken so I won't pretend that I know what you're feeling but I would hope if I ever do, that my friends will be there right by my side the entire journey." She says as I sigh softly before flashing a small smile for the first time since that day.
"Do you maybe want to get out of here? Get some fresh air?" Carrie asked hesitantly not really confident of my answer.
"Um...alright..." I answer lowly as her eyebrows raise before she perks up even more.
"Okay, great. I'll give you time to wash up and get dressed." She said getting up.
"Before I go, let me just open these curtains to bring some light in." She said opening them as I got up out of the bed and soon, I'm looking straight across into Austin's room right at him, Dallas, Dez and Chris talking.
The guys turn around because of the movement of the curtains in the corner of their eyes and they look a bit shocked seeing me since I disappeared off the face of the planet for three days straight.
Austin makes eye contact with me for what feels like a million years before he angrily gets up off his bed and closes the curtains pissed which broke another piece of me.
"I can't do this." I say turning back to Carrie.
"I'm so sorry, Ally. I had no idea they were all going to be there."
"I know but I still can't do this. I'm not ready. I just...I'm sorry, okay? Just leave please." I tell her getting back in the bed.
"Come on, Ally. You can't let a guy keep you locked away forever."
"Carrie."
"Ally, it's just some fresh air."
"Carrie."
"You're gonna regret it if-"
"Leave now!" I yell as she steps back from the loudness of my voice as I instantly feel bad. Yet instead of apologizing, I just bury myself under the covers so she gets the memo to leave.
There's no fixing me this time.
Austin's POV
"There's no forgiving her for this." I say again as Dez tries to plead her case.
Suddenly, we all see something out of the corner of our eye causing us to look and we see that Ally's curtains are opened by Carrie who looks shocked to see us along with a sleepy looking Ally who gets out of bed.
My heart beats a million miles a minute as I see the woman who crushed my heart so badly that I get angry just seeing her stupid, beautiful face.
I get up with the anger boiling in my veins and stomping over to my curtains and making sure I make eye contact when I close them pissed off.
Next thing I know before I can even comment on that, the doorbell rings.
"Can somebody get that?" I asked not feeling like moving from my room.
"You get it Austin. It'll give you an excuse to leave this room." Chris said.
"I don't want to."
"Exactly, dude." Dallas replied as no one went to go answer it.
I sigh because I realize I didn't have a choice anyway. I make my way downstairs and to the door opening it to see Cassidy and Trish.
"What do y'all want?" I ask confused and irritated as the guys came downstairs as well and stood behind me.
"Watch the tone, Moon." Trish warned fiercely as I took a step back.
"Hey babe." Dallas said to Cassidy as she threw a quick smile to him but I could tell that wasn't where her main focus was.
"How may I be of service?" I ask sarcastically wanting to go back to bed.
"Ally loves you. Ally loves you so much, okay?" Cassidy said as I rolled my eyes.
"Ally was also Amy three days ago." I reply as they sigh frustrated.
"We get that and I'm sorry she lied to you-"
"Except she wasn't the only one? What about you two? You guys knew the whole time and never said anything." I said upset.
"We couldn't. She trusted us and she's our friend."
"And I'm not?" I say as they look down guilty.
"I knew you guys since the 5th grade and you made me look like a fool."
"Come on, Austin. That's not fair. They were trying to protect someone they cared about. I'm sure they'd do the same for you." Dallas said as I looked at him strange.
"So, I should forgive everything just like that?"
"I didn't say that."
"Then what are you saying?"
"That maybe it wouldn't hurt listening to what she has to say."
"There's nothing left for her to say, Dallas. Her name is Ally Dawson and not Amy Russo. I'm pretty sure nothing else matters."
"Everything matters idiot!" Trish shouts getting all of our attention again.
"You fell in love with this girl and hard. That doesn't just go away over night."
"I never said it was easy." I say losing eye contact as she just closes her eyes before taking a long deep breath and opening them again to say something important.
"She made a huge mistake and trust me, she knows it. You don't know what it's like to be her. To be in the spotlight 24/7 of your life. She didn't come to Marino High to fall in love, Austin. She went there to experience what it's like to be normal for a few months. You really think she expected to meet and fall in love with you? No! But...you were there and feelings appeared faster than she could have stopped. No one can predict that stuff." Trish said as I didn't say anything as everyone else was extremely quiet because it was that intense.
"It doesn't change the fact that she lied to me, Trish. I keep thinking about every single chance she had to tell me the truth and she didn't. Our first date, our first kiss, even prom but still nothing."
"There were times she was gonna tell you, though. Including your first date." Cass said stepping in.
"Then why didn't she?" I asked shouting a little.
"Because she kept psyching herself out that if she did tell you, you would take advantage of her being famous when she was just getting to know you. Then, when she did trust you, she was afraid you would never love the real her like you did Amy Russo." Cassidy explained.
"That was my choice to make."
"And yet, you're proving her right." Trish spoke as the air thickened.
"Please, go easy on him ladies. The dude got his heartbroken. It's not his fault for that." Chris commented taking up for me.
"We understand and we're truly sorry, but all we see is two heartbroken people who could fix that by just simply talking this out." Trish stated impatiently.
"It's not that easy." I reply.
"No, I guess not." Trish said aggravated by my stubbornness but she doesn't have any idea of how I feel right now.
The guys and I watch as Trish and Cassidy walk away upset and feeling unsuccessful from what they were trying to do.
"Hey, we should head home and give you some space." Dallas says stepping past me as the other guys do too.
"I think that's a good idea considering I didn't invite you guys over in the first place." I chuckle dryly as they smile but it's forced because we're all uncomfortable now.
"We'll be back tomorrow and every other day until you leave this house." Chris tells me as I roll my eyes knowing they're telling the truth.
"Yeah, so you should just stop fighting us on it buddy." Dez added as they gave me bro hugs before Dallas put his hand on my shoulder.
"Dude...I'm really sorry you're going through this and about Cassidy...she didn't mean-"
"It's fine." I say quickly in response to his defense for his girlfriend.
"I'm not really mad at them. I shouldn't have made them feel like it was partly their fault just because they protected a friend. I'm just mad at myself for not knowing all this time." I admit as they all get sympathetic looks which I hate because I hate feeling fucking weak.
"You literally did nothing wrong, man. Just keep your head up." Chris tells me in the back of Dallas.
"Man, we're gonna be here for you. Even when you don't want us to...we're still gonna be here." Dallas reassured me as I nodded grateful for all three of them before they walked away and I closed the door.
No One's POV
Trish and Cassidy make their way back over to Cassidy's house after their attempt to make Austin see and forgive Ally failed. They walked upstairs waiting outside the bedroom door with the hope of their sweet friend finally able to breakthrough to Ally.
Carrie sighed heavily before walking out of Ally's room by herself.
"So, how did it go?" Cassidy asked worried walking up to Carrie with Trish by her side.
"It went well." Carrie started out as they both smiled widely.
"I knew you would get through to her. I knew it! Everyone is a sucker for you, Carrie because you're such a sweetheart." Cassidy stated as she felt bad.
"I told ya, Trish. I was right, and you were wrong." She teased their curly haired friend.
"Yeah, yeah whatever." Trish replied looking back at Carrie.
"Um, you didn't let me finish Cass. I got through to her but I um...decided to open the curtains so she could get a bit of sunlight and we saw Austin in his room with Dallas, Dez and Chris." Carrie told them honestly as they both looked at each other before sighing knowing what she was getting too.
"Yeah, he saw her too and harshly closed his curtains so he wouldn't have to see her face and she instantly crawled back in the sheets pleading for me to just leave her alone." Carrie explains as Trish holds the bridge of her nose while a very frustrated Cassidy leans her head against the hallway wall annoyed.
"Guys, I'm so sorry. You asked for my help for our friend and I let you down. I should've tried harder." Carrie apologizes blaming herself for Ally's actions.
"Hey, we don't blame you. You did everything you could and so did we. I guess we just have to allow her to stay broken for a while in order to really heal." Cassidy spoke calmly and sadly as Trish shook her head in disagreement.
"As her friends, it doesn't feel right...just letting her lie around moping. I hate seeing her like this, I really do." Trish really expresses for the first time letting them know it hurt her to see Ally hurt.
"I just want to make her laugh but all she does is cry. I can't blame her but at the same I want to scream at her to get her shit together, but of course I can't." Trish said upset shrugging her shoulders with a big sigh.
"Unless...I can-" Trish started walking towards the door when Carrie and Cassidy both stop her.
"No, you're not gonna yell at a heartbroken girl. You'd be a monster, you know that right?" Cassidy asked her.
"At least, I'd be a monster who was able to help my best friend." She replied as Cassidy and Carrie both gave looks of defeat.
Ally's POV
Words can't describe how guilty I feel about kicking sweet Carrie out...but the little hope I had inside me was all destroyed when she opened those curtains and Austin looked at me with such disgust on his face.
It's a huge difference from the love in his eyes he use to have for me.
My heart saddened once again and I no longer have the need or desire to get out of this bed just like the past three days.
Suddenly, my phone rings which hasn't since that day. I look at it with irritation but the slightest hope of who it could be then I remember his face when he saw me. Yet, I drag myself out of bed and pick up the phone after not recognizing the number.
"Hello, Amy Russo?" Someone questioned as I got suspicious.
"Yes?" I reply lowly.
"Okay, good. This is your guidance counselor for your senior year, Miss Perkins." She told me as I recognized her voice now.
"Oh. Hi..." I say non enthusiastically.
"Hello. The principle wanted us to call all the students who left some items back at school that they seemed to have forgotten. You can pick up some things from your class such as projects or from your previous locker. The school is allowed to keep it if you don't come get it, but they're probably gonna go in the trash." She said honestly.
"Well, do you know the specific things I left behind?" I asked not really feeling like getting out of bed.
"No, sorry honey. I'm just the messenger who reads the students names off a list."
"It's not your fault. Well, okay...thanks for letting me know." I tell her dryly before hanging up and not giving her the chance to say goodbye.
I decide I have to pee and go to the bathroom and when I come back out I see Cassidy in front of her bed emptying a huge purse.
"What are you doing?" I ask scaring her a bit coming out completely.
"Oh, Als. I got a call from our counselor that I have some things at school I might still want. Just making some room for the things I want to take with me." She tells me.
"I got one too."
"Really?" She turned around hopeful.
"Great. We can go together."
"I'm not going. I have nothing I want to keep." I say as she sighs.
"How could you possibly know that? They didn't say what the things were."
"It doesn't matter. I don't want to keep anything."
"I didn't want to do this but you're forcing my hand." She said as I gain confusion as she screams Trish's name.
After a while, Trish enters the room with a smoothie in her hand.
"What? I was in the middle of binge watching Gossip Girl." She said frustrated.
"You know that call I got from our counselor?" Cassidy says to Trish folding her arms against her chest but remaining fierce eye contact with me.
"Yeah..." Trish replied not knowing where this was going.
"Ally got one too but she's refusing to go because she claims they don't have anything she wants to keep even though she has no idea what it is." She explains to Trish.
"You are really pushing my nerves you know that?" Trish says walking over to me.
"We have done nothing but coddle you these past three days and comfort you and you return our friendship by being a complete ass." She shouted as I was taken back by the words that I probably deserved.
"We have done everything you wanted and gave you everything you needed including space, but I am not gonna sit here and watch you throw your life away over a boy. Yes, Ally I called Austin a boy! Because that's what he is. I get that you were in love with him but your life doesn't revolve around him." She says as I look down in shame.
"So, you know what you're going to do?" She asked with a deepness in her voice grabbing my shoulders making sure I made eye contact.
"You are going to that school, so go get in the shower and get dressed NOW!" She shouted as I nod exceedingly jumping out the bed and running into the bathroom.
"And this is why I love you." I hear Cassidy say to Trish from inside the bathroom and I roll my eyes that it actually worked.
The hot shower I had felt absolutely amazing on my skin considering I hadn't showered in three days. My headache starts to return when I realize I have to wear my disguise in order to go back to school. I feel disgusted just looking at it now because every time I see it, I see all the deceiving I did.
I walk out of the bathroom in my typical Amy Russo looking outfits. A short pink dress with white wedges.
"You look nice." Cassidy tells me as I roll my eyes because that's not something I want to hear with my blonde wig and blue eye contacts in and this fashion style that's not really me.
"Whatever. Can we just go?" I say walking past her and Trish, going out the room as I walk downstairs and outside waiting by the car.
I look over at Austin's house and notice that his car is gone. I sigh assuming that he left clearing his mind after seeing me. I don't blame him.
"Don't worry. He'll come around." I hear Cassidy say confidently walking out the house with Trish.
"Yeah, is that what he did today? Come around." I comment getting in the passenger seat, while Trish gets in the back.
"What are you talking about?" Cassidy asked confused turning the car on and pulling off.
"I'm not stupid, Cass. I know you guys wanted me to talk to Carrie so you both could go over to Austin's." I say as she sighs from getting caught.
"I didn't know you knew about that. I didn't know it was obvious."
"It was definitely obvious. Go ahead and tell me what happened. He hates me more than ever. Just like Kira and Cheryl."
"Are you kidding me? No, they don't. You don't see how they talk about you Ally. They are amazed at what you managed to do and the reason you did it." Trish cut in not liking what I was saying.
"Don't think I didn't notice that only Carrie showed up."
"They are scared that the girl they became friends with is not who they thought she was and they need time to get use to it. You have to understand that." Cassidy tells me.
"I don't. Kira hates me. Cheryl hates me. The love of my life hates me."
"Ally, he's just hurt."
"You keep saying that word."
"Because it's true! Do you honestly think someone who was that in love with you, could just hate you that easily? Seriously?" Trish said frustrated as I stare outside the window.
"The key word is was." I reply lowly as we don't say anything else for the rest of the car ride.
We arrive at the school and I get out not saying anything as I hear Cassidy get out as well as Trish stays in the car because she doesn't have anything to get, she just went along for the car ride.
The counselor lady looks at my name on the list and tells me to check all my classrooms and locker.
I head on my way to my locker first which had nothing I wanted. Then I went to some different classrooms picking up some projects that I was super proud of and other rooms that had none of my stuff.
When I'm pretty sure I'm done, I go past the room I spent most of my time in during free periods. The music room.
I walk into there and I'm weirdly amazed at all the instruments still in the exact same place which is strange because graduation was only three days ago. I guess I just figured that the school faculty started making changes right away but nope.
I make my way over to my favorite instrument in the world. The piano. I made some of my best original songs on that thing. In fact, I wrote a song over the course of these three days.
I know what you're thinking. You were heartbroken, when did you have time to write a song?
Yeah, any time Trish or Cassidy would actually leave me alone, I took out a piece of paper and got to work writing down all my feelings.
I can't help it. Whenever I'm happy, sad, ecstatic or heartbroken...I write. It's what I do. I'm not just a singer. I'm a songwriter and so that's what I did when my heart broke. I wrote a song.
I sit down in front of the piano and softly place my hands on the keyboard and a smile slowly appears on my face and suddenly, I wasn't here anymore. Instead, I am in a beautiful field with just me and this piano. It's perfect.
I hear a little movement behind me but I ignore it because I'm too much in the moment as I feel my fingers start to move on the piano as they start the melody of the song I wrote.
I've cried enough tears to see my own reflection in them
And then it was clear
I can't deny
I really miss him
To think that I was wrong
I guess you don't know what you got 'til it's gone
Pain is just a consequence of love
I'm saying sorry for the sake of us
He wasn't my everything 'til we were nothing
And it's taken me a lot to say
And now that he's gone, my heart is missing something
So it's time to push my pride away
'Cause you are, you are, you are my everything
You are, you are, you are my everything
I know you're not far, but I still can't handle all the distance
You're traveling with my heart
I hope this is a temporary feeling
'Cause it's too much to bear without you
When I lose sight, ain't lookin'
If I go tomorrow, just know I'm yours
'Cause what we got is worth fighting for
'Cause you were, you were my everything 'til we were nothing
And it's taken me a lot to say
And now that you're gone, my heart is missing something
So it's time to push my pride away
You are, you are, you are my everything
You are, you are, you are my everything
You are, you are, you are
You are, you are, you are my everything
Wow. It was much more powerful when the lyrics were put to music. If I never have anything else, I'll always have music. It's the one thing that's always been constant in my life.
I sigh taking a deep breath before standing up and turning around and I'm faced with, you guessed it...Austin.
My mind suddenly realizes that he heard the entire thing and he must have been the small noise I heard in the back of me before I started the song. Well, it was about him. Only right if he hears it.
I notice his appearance and he looks as though he hasn't left his room since the day I told him who I was. His clothes looked like they hadn't been washed, and his hair was all over the place and yet, he was still the most handsome guy I've ever seen.
My breath hitches as I make eye contact with him and he doesn't say anything but stare into my eyes. My fake, blue eyes which irritates me even more because this is the last thing he needs to see me in after knowing who I really am but I didn't have a choice if I was coming back to school.
"Mmm." He coughs trying to act casual as if seeing me doesn't bother him.
"Um...great song." He says surprising to me as I quickly glance at the piano and back at him.
I wearily walk over to him until I'm about five feet away and he shockingly doesn't move, but just stays completely focused on my entire face.
"Thank you...it came from the heart." I tell him honestly and nervously because this is the first time I've talked to him since that day.
Austin looks deep into my eyes and then begins shaking his head upset and irritated by my disguise and just me in general I guess.
"I just don't understand how-" He starts but can't finish.
"Why would yo-"
"I didn't deserve-" He stops trying to form a sentence sighing as I look down in complete and utter shame and disappointment in myself.
After a couple of seconds, I look back up at him making eye contact and he's extremely emotional. I know it because I can see it all in his eyes.
"Who are you?" Austin said with hurt, pain and anger in his eyes.
Before I can answer, he shakes his head as a motion to tell me not to.
"Never mind, it doesn't even matter anymore does it? You are going to go back to your real life. Have fun in Hollywood, super star." He said adjusting his book bag on one of his shoulders walking out of the room as a few tears falls and I quickly wipe them away before walking out myself.
After I meet Cassidy at her car, we get in and she pulls off heading back to her house. Trish asks us about the stuff we got but I don't answer because I don't feel like talking but Cassidy does.
When we arrive back at Cassidy's house, we see Raina outside of it holding a bouquet of beautiful flowers.
"Raina, what are you doing here?" I asked as we got out the car and Cassidy opened the door motioning for all of us to go inside and we did.
"I needed to tell you something, but first here you go." She said handing me the pretty flowers in her hand.
"You got me...flowers? Why?" I asked confused as she shook her head.
"No, not me. You're blonde friend, Carrie?" She questioned not knowing if she got the name right.
"Carrie came by?" Cassidy now asked confused since she was there earlier.
"Yeah, she wanted to give you these in person but she saw that Cassidy's car was missing and figured you guys got Ally to finally get out the house." She told us.
"But why did she trust you to give them to Ally? She never even met you?" Trish asked curious.
"She asked me who I was and I just told her I was a friend of yours. She didn't really question it."
"Yeah, she's so sweet that sometimes it makes her naive. It's her only flaw." Cassidy informs Raina as I smell the flowers and I knew they looked familiar.
"She says she remembers you two having a conversation one time about the flowers you and your mom would smell in your favorite garden when you were a kid." She said as I look in awe.
"There's a note too." She tells me as I look for it, find it and then read it in my mind.
I know you didn't mean what you did earlier. I also know you're stronger than you know and I'll always be here to remind you. -Carrie
I read out loud as a tear falls down my face while my heart breaks at the beautiful gesture.
Carrie got me something so nice after I was so mean to her. I feel like such a bitch for being such an ass to the nicest person on the freaking planet.
All of this is just reminding me of how amazing Trish and Cassidy truly are.
I have been been treating them like shit because my own heart is broken when they don't deserve it at all. They have been here with me this whole time and never gave up on trying to make me feel better. I don't deserve their friendship.
"You guys are amazing, you know that?" I say as Trish and Cassidy look at me in shock.
"Yeah, yeah I know..." I say chuckling a bit.
"I have been a complete ass to you both these last couple of days and you didn't deserve any of it." I tell them.
"Als-"
"Let me say this." I say cutting Cassidy off.
"Yeah, I wanna hear this." Trish replies in typical Trish fashion.
"I can't explain to you the amount of pain I feel every time I wake up or think of him and just every second of the day really. It's so hard feeling so lost and broken and knowing it's completely my own fault. So many people warned me and I didn't listen but yet...I don't regret it for the world." I say as their eyebrows raise in surprise.
"I know that may come as a shock to you guys considering how much heartache I've been going through but if I regret it, that means I regret meeting you...and my friends are the best treasure out of this experience." I tell them as they smile slightly towards each other.
"I would never want to erase the friendships I made because you guys have taught me so many things I never got the chance to learn before. You guys helped me feel normal and for that I'm forever grateful." I say putting down the flowers on the stand and facing them again.
"I am so sorry for taking advantage of your friendship lately. You're both amazing and I'm not worthy of your friendship." I tell them as they both smile.
"Als, we meant it when we said we were here for you. The bond we have will never go away no matter what." Cassidy assures me.
"Yeah, this sisterhood between us is forever pop star. Deal with it." Trish says with a smirk as I chuckle a little wiping my tears hugging them both as they pull me in tighter.
"Wait, Raina. What did you want to tell me?" I asked pulling away from the hug.
"Huh?"
"You said you came here to tell me something." I say as she gets a look of remembrance on her face.
"Oh right. This whole thing has got me a little emotional." She said reflecting us making up as I smile a little.
"I wanted to let you know that I don't mind extending the stay by two weeks, Als. I don't want to bring you back depressed okay? It would also defeat the purpose of coming here in the first place." She said as I nod grateful.
"That's sweet, but it'll take a lifetime to get over him." I say dramatically as she sadly rubs my back when a knock appears at the door.
We all look at it and I slowly go to it. I take a long deep breath not even knowing who it is and opening it when I'm face to face with two of my greatest friends. Kira and Cheryl.
"Hi." Kira and Cheryl both say with awkward smiles on their faces.
"Hey..." I reply lowly looking back at the girls to see if they were up to this but Trish and Cassidy seemed genuinely shocked that they were here.
"What are you guys doing here?" I asked stunned that they actually came to see me after what I did.
They glanced at each other before looking back at me sighing with a face of shame and regret.
"We overreacted that day. Especially me." Cheryl apologized feeling badly.
"Yeah, we sucked. We could've handled it better." Kira added on as I shook my head disagreeing.
"No, no no. You acted just like any sane person would have. One minute I was this blue eyed blonde haired chick and the next I'm pop star Ally Dawson. That's a lot for anyone to take in." I say shrugging sadly.
"We're so sorry it took us this long to come see you but if it's okay with you...we're now ready to get to know the best friend we met five months ago." Cheryl stated with hope in both her and Kira's eyes while I stare in shock.
Though, a wide smile couldn't help but spread across my face as I take a couple of deep breaths reminding myself this is real.
I can't believe it. I literally have all the best friends in the world. My heart was broken and I took out my pain on Trish and Cassidy and what do they do? Stay by my side every step of the way. I kick Carrie out after trying to help me and she sends me flowers and note that reminds me that she'll always be there for me. I lied to Cheryl and Kira about who I was and they apologize to ME when I'm the one who had secrets.
My heart is completely shattered after that really horrible breakup with Austin but I know that I'll be alright because I have the best friends a girl could ever ask for.
I take a deep breath before hugging them tightly as they are taken back at my openness from their apologizes but they have nothing to be sorry for.
"Yeah...I would like that." I say as a smile slowly appears on my face as one shows up on theirs during our emotional embrace.
Cassidy, Trish and Raina watched with smiles on their faces knowing that I was going to be okay, no matter what happened from here on out. Even if it broke me now, I'm not gonna let it break me forever. I'm too strong for that and seeing my friends look at me...they know it too.
END OF CHAPTER REVIEW QUESTIONS
1.) Who's side are you on? Austin, Ally or both?
2.) Thoughts on A&A's brief scene?
3.) Fav Part/s? If there is one. This chapter was really sad lol.