Chapter Six

Sitting on the balcony at the Beacon, Allie listened attentively as Sandy opened his soul to her. She couldn't believe that she'd given him the comfort to speak this openly on their first date, but that had to be a good sign. A frown on her lips, as Sandy spoke of not knowing his mother until he moved to Springfield, she reached across the table and touched his cheek gently, brushing off a small tear. She felt connected to him all of a sudden, especially now that she'd seen him cry in front of her. Most men wouldn't cry in front of anyone, but Sandy was opening himself like a book to Allie, and all that it took was a little concern. That showed Allie that Sandy had really had it rough in life (along with the fact that pouring it all out took three and a half hours). A lot rougher than most people did.

She placed her hand on his cheek and looked into his eyes, her kind expression unwavering. Sandy had been through so much. He told her about his father abusing him when he was a child, the fact that he had no friends...all of the reasons that the Mole came into his life, and became his best friend for a long time. She breathed in a deep sigh, exhaled slightly, and walked around the table and wrapping her arms around the tearful Sandy in a caring hug. "It's okay. That's all over now, and I'm here. I'm always available when you need a friend, okay?" she asked, caressing his hair gently.
Sandy hugged her back, smiling a little, though all his tears. "That means a lot, Allie. Just to know that someone cares makes me feel so much better..." he told her gently. "I appreciate the fact that you listen to me. No one else even takes the time to do that. You're an amazing friend..."
She flashed him a sweet grin and kept eye contact solid. "Thanks. I learn it all from Marah...you know, Marah is the best of the best..." she laughed a little. "She's like a sister to me..."

He nodded and wiped his eyes, flashing a grin. "She is a sister to me. I mean, it didn't start well, but I guess I could have told her a lot sooner, you know?" he confessed to the one oversight he had with Marah.
She nodded in agreement and shrugged a little bit. "Yeah. I wasn't really supposed to say anything about this...but she told me that until she found out you guys were related, she kind of had a thing for you..." she explained, watching as his eyes widened a little.
He looked utterly shocked, then grinned slightly. "Actually, I shouldn't act surprised. I kind of sensed it when she tried to get close to me. Of course, she's over that now, right?" he laughed a little.
Allie laughed and shrugged, nodding a little. "I hope so. I don't think Mar is that twisted. And if she is...I need to have a really serious talk with her. I'm just glad she and Tony worked things out..." she smiled as she peered back into the party to see Tony and Marah dancing close.

Sandy followed her glance and nodded a little. "Marah definitely deserves happiness. I really wish that Marina and Shayne could be here, though...I mean, they deserve a little break from all of the...insanity, you know? They were so close to breaking up at one point, and if they were to break up? I think I'd lose all faith in any love whatsoever. I mean, they're perfect together," he shrugged and frowned a little.
Allie noticed the slight frown when Sandy talked about perfect couples. She knew where that came from, though. She'd had a lot of the same thoughts that he'd had on that topic. "Yeah. It's like all of Springfield is paired off, or something like that. My mom and Jeffrey O'Neill, my dad and Olivia Spencer, your mom and Josh, Marah and Tony, Marina and Shayne...even Lizzie and Eden have Joey and Bill..." she shrugged.
He reached to the middle of the table and put his hand on hers. "Maybe the world is just trying to tell us to hold out for something better," he flashed a smile.

She smiled as she looked into his eyes. Something better...hold out for something better. What if I just found it? She asked herself, watching as his hand rested on hers. "Yeah, I mean, all this waiting has to amount to something. I can't have passed up on everyone else for nothing..."
He shook his head abruptly, and turned her hand over, holding it in his. "If a woman like you stays single forever, this world is definitely screwed up. I'll assure you of that, Allie..." he gently explained.

~~

Eden glanced subtly out the window, watching as Sandy and Allie opened up to each other. Oh God, Allie. What are you doing? I need to stop you, but I know I can't do it alone. Who in here will help me? She glanced toward Marah and shook her head. How about Marah? She asked herself. No. Marah is all for them being together. So is everyone else in here...except...Lizzie! Allie's sister hates her passionately. I need to talk to Lizzie...she looked at Bill and yawned a little. "Uh, Bill, can you get me something to drink?" she asked. "I need to sit down for a second, if that's okay with you, anyway..." she shrugged.
Bill nodded, smiled and planted a soft kiss on Eden's cheek. "Sure. I'll be right back..." he turned and walked to the table to get Eden a drink.

Eden seized the opportunity and walked over to Lizzie. "Hey, Lizzie. Would you mind terribly if I interrupted this little dance, so we can talk for a second?" she asked, flashing a slight smile at Lizzie, who smiled back. "I think I have an offer that you'll be interested in. It's about Allie."
Lizzie nodded, held her index finger up to Joey and followed Eden to a secluded corner, away from everyone, so they could talk privately. "I'm listening...what about Allie?"
Eden pointed out the window, where Allie and Sandy were smiling and staring into one another's eyes. "I need to keep Allie away from that stupid creep. He finds stuff out about people and uses it against them on his stupid little radio show there..." she cringed and glared at Sandy.
Lizzie shrugged and laughed a little. "Maybe a little humiliation would do the bitch good, huh? Maybe we should let their little relationship take its course and let her get hurt in the end..." she curled her upper lip at her older sister.

Eden shook her head and held up her index finger. "Hear me out, Lizzie. I have a plan. I think losing Sandy would make her a lot more miserable, at this point, anyway. Not that I want to make her miserable, I just want to keep her from him. He's bad news..." she explained. "So...if we work together..."
Lizzie became more and more interested in Eden's plan. "I see where you're going with this. And it's sounding better and better every second. Count me in. Where can we meet to start planning?" she asked with a smile. Maybe in the process of ruining Allie's happiness, she could get rid of her.
Eden smiled a little and looked at her watch. "Tomorrow night at my place...at about nine? Bill is gonna be out with Remy, so we'll be able to plan as loud as we want..." she explained. "What do you say?"
Lizzie nodded and turned back to go see Joey, knowing they had to keep their plan secret. "See you tomorrow, Eden. Looking forward to working together..."

~~

Allie pushed some of her hair behind her ear, laughing a little at the fact that Sandy looked unbelievably nervous. "I am having so much fun, Sandy. I mean, aside from our small moment of drama there. You need to loosen up a little and stop being so nervous. Let's go back in and talk for a little while..." she stood up.
Sandy nodded and stood up, holding his arm out for Allie. "It's one minute until midnight, anyway...we don't want to miss the countdown..." he grinned a little bit.
Allie grinned in reply, then winked. "Or the midnight kiss, right?" she whispered in his ear, causing a smile to crawl across his lips. "That's the most important part..." she laughed.
Sandy gave off a full out grin and opened the door for Allie. "After you, Miss Spaulding..." he winked and joked a little, as Cassie announced that there were twenty seconds left until the New Year.
"Thanks, Mr. Foster..." Allie laughed and looked up at Cassie. "SEVENTEEN, SIXTEEN, FIFTEEN..." she counted along with Cassie and Marah's loud voices, which were soon joined by Reva and Josh. "FOURTEEN, THIRTEEN, TWELVE, ELEVEN..." now, all the voices in the room were counting down, except for Cassie.

She looked around the room, putting her arm around her boyfriend Edmund Winslow. "Okay, now everyone grab your date and when after we all shout Happy New Year...kiss them!" she smiled as everyone slid close to their significant other. "FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE..."
Rather than burst out and shout Happy New Year, Sandy and Allie turned their glances to one another and smiled. Allie looked into his blue eyes as he leaned down and pressed their lips together. She closed her eyes and relished the brief moment in time, wrapping her arms around his neck and feeling his hands crawl around her waist. After a few more seconds, when they finally needed air, she broke loose from the kiss and stared into his eyes. "Happy New Year..." she grinned.

~~

Even after he got home, all that Sandy could manage to think about was Allie. She looked absolutely gorgeous, she smelled amazing...she was basically perfect in every possible way. He lay in bed, watching something or another on TV, but not even slightly paying attention. His head was still on the kiss. He'd definitely never forget that kiss. He hadn't kissed many people, but he could easily say that he'd just had the best kiss he'd ever have in his life. Alisha Spaulding was amazing, and nothing on Earth could tell him otherwise...not that he thought that anything would try. Allie was the sweetest girl in town, and anyone who could speak an ill word of her, didn't deserve the absolute blessing of her presence. She had to be something special. She'd understood him and his crazy life.

She understood everything. He'd told her about the Mole, and why it came into his life, and she just paid attention, quietly listening to every word he was saying and taking it in. Most others would call him a nut, slap him in the face and beg for him never to come near them again, but Allie...she wiped his tears away and hugged him, not only just getting rid of the tears, but taking his breath away as well. Not many people in the world were like her, it was safe to say. He thought about it for a second. She's a Spaulding? Allie is a Spaulding. Wow...she must be made of a whole different mold or something. There's the Alan clone Spauldings...and then there's...well, I don't know. I can't even think of a kind Spaulding to compare to Allie. She broke the mold.

The look in Allie's eyes when she spoke to him was absolutely amazing. She seemed to hold respect for him. No one had ever respected Sandy in his entire life. He lay his head on his pillow and closed his eyes, thoughts of that night still coursing through his mind at a million miles an hour.

~~

Allie, rather than go back to her house, left a message with the butlers, Thomas and Nolan, and her grandpa Alan, to tell Phillip and Beth when they got home, that she was going to Marah's for the night. She looked to Marah, who had been flashing her a knowing glance since the moment she'd walked through the door and asked if she could stay for the night. Allie could tell that she was glowing with happiness, and she knew why, too. She definitely had feelings for Sandy Foster. He was an incredible person, who's life had been spent with people who misunderstood him or didn't care about him. She had to stand out. She had to be the one that cared and understood. Then maybe he'd feel for her like she was beginning to feel for him.

Marah could tell, by the happy look on Allie's face, that she was feeling something for Sandy. Of the few months she had known Allie, never once did she get a look like that on her face. It was Marah's life mission to make all of her friends happy, and if it made one of her brothers happy in the process, it was all that much better. She knew, though, that if she made it obvious that she was prying into Allie's life, she would get defensive. Allie had gotten one thing from the Spaulding family...her secretive attitude. She knew that it would take a lot to get her to talk, and admit that she felt something more than friendship toward Sandy, but it would happen sooner or later...