Ch.8 Coming back

After school got out, Meagan, Brittany, Sarah, and I met in the band hallway. Then we drove over to the mall. We parked on the top of the parking garage and walked into JC Penny.

The minute we were inside, Brittany stopped with her hands on her chest. "That is SO CUTE!" She walked over to a display.

I sighed. "Brittany, hun, we are not shopping at the JC today, ok? We gotta go to H&M and Abercrombie and stuff like that." For the second time that day, I pulled her along like a little kid.

We went to H&M and we all tried on outfits and had a blast.

Sarah came out of the dressing room looking wiped. "Man, there are WAY too many swimsuits in this store. And I felt compelled to try them on. I need some Coldstone. Anybody else up for it?"

(A/N: For those of you who don't know, Coldstone is like a Ben n Jerry's, or Baskin Robins, just more upscale)

So we walked up to the food court and Britt and I sat as Sarah and Meagan got some icecream. After paying, Sarah and Meagan sat down by us, and we began our usual band gossip.

We started talking about the brass line, and who was cute and who was not.

"OMGSH! Remember David Rieker at the beginning of the year? And he had us crush on like all of us?" Brittany began.

"Yeah, especially that time when he had that crush on Allyson after the Carlile show?" Meagan added.

I grimaced. "Yeah, well, sorry…" I grinned at Brittany. "I don't want that lumpy thing anywhere NEAR me."

(A/N: when thinking about lumpy things…think non-circumcision.)

They all just died laughing.

Meagan wiped her eyes, still chuckling. "O man. I think you got it where it counts, Allyson. Ben and you are so CUTE together! I think you definitely chose the better baritone player."

At the mention of Ben's name, my smile slid off my face and my heart dropped. Do I tell or not?

I sighed. "Actually, Meagan, I don't own any baritone player anymore."

Meagan and Sarah just STARED at me.

"Are you serious?" Meagan asked.

"Is this old news?" Sarah asked. "Cause I certainly didn't know about it."

"Ah, no. It happened today."

Meagan grimaced. "Well, I was going to say…if I didn't know about it…"

"I'm sorry, Allyson," Sarah said.

Meagan sighed. "Me too."

"You're too good for him anyway," Brittany added.

I chuckled. "Thanks you guys, but I don't need a pity party. Though it really means a lot to me that you guys care. But, let's talk about something else…like band banquet on Friday?"

"Omgsh! I'm so excited!" Meagan supplied.

"What are you going to wear yall?" Brittany asked.

"I'm going to wear a black sequin dress! I have the cutest purse to go with it!" Sarah said.

"I'm wearing a red dress, tango style," Brittany said.

"To go with your hair!" I added laughing.

Brittany feigned total vanity. "Of course! What are you wearing?"

"I'll probably wear my homecoming dress…its maroonish and its also tango style," I said.

"I'm wearing a blue halter! And I'm going to get my hair done!" Meagan squealed.

We went into other topics, and thoughts of Ben and break ups just seemed to drift away.

Meagan and Sarah finished their coldstones amongst other chatter, and then we all left.

Meagan dropped me off at my house around five. I walked inside and just thought about the days events. And then I grimaced. I was going to need a date for band banquet on Friday. Who could I ask? I thought for a bit. And then of course the answer came. Peter! Of course.

I picked up the phone and dialed Peter.

The phone picked up after 2 rings.

"Ello?"

"Hi, this is Allyson, is Peter available?"

"Hi, Allyson."

I chuckled. "Hey."

"What's up?"

"Do you want to go with me to my band banquet on Friday?"

There was silence on the other end.

I bit my lip, waiting.

"Well, I CAN, but…what about your boyfriend?"

"Ah, yes… well, um, we broke up."

"Oh…sorry."

"It's okay."

Peter sounded a little pissed off. "So I'm just a fallback then?"

"No! Where did you get that idea?"

"Well…"

"Peter, you were my first choice. Then you weren't interested, and later I was taken. But now it works out. It was always you I wanted."

This time the silence was more positive.

"Really?"

I smiled. "Yes."

"Ok."

"Is that an ok to the banquet?"

"Definitely. Count me in."

"Awesome. We'll pick you up at 6?"

"What should I wear?"

"It's semi-formal. I'm wearing maroon so whatever doesn't clash." I chuckled. "Ask your mom for help."

"Right….ok, see you Friday."

"Hmm..bye."

When I got up in the morning, I steeled myself for the day, because I knew it would test me. The day after is always the worst. When I got to school in the morning, I walked into the band hallway and silence immediately filled it.

I half-smiled. "I guess word gets around quick, doesn't it?" I said to the group.

Chaz came forward. "I'm sorry, Allyson." He hugged me. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm better now."

Chaz patted my shoulder and then I drowned in a pool of band friends expressing their condolences. After the flow of hugs stopped, the band hallway was still filled with silence.

I chuckled. "People, it's not like I died. You can be normal around me, I promise."

Right after I said that, Leora Keynreim skipped into the band hallway. "Hello everyone! O my gosh! I went shopping yesterday and I got this totally awesome jacket! And my modeling manager set up a show for me this Saturday! Aren't you just so excited for me!…"

She looked around. "What's wrong everyone?" She spotted me. "Oh…that. Well, that's the way it goes… But my modeling is really starting to take off…"

I looked around and spotted Brittany in the back. I gave her a little look, along with a let's-get-out-of-here gesture with my head. She nodded and rolled her eyes at Leora. We both edged out of the band hallway and down to Brittany's locker.

"Gosh, she is SO insensitive!" Brittany muttered. "I frickin hate her!"

"Don't you wonder how someone could hire her to be a model?"

"Ah, yeah. No offense, she doesn't have much."

I shrugged.

We walked into her biology room and I froze. Ben was standing by the door with some friends.

"Come on," Brittany whispered. "Pretend like you don't care." She pulled me to her desk. She dropped her bag on top of it and then picked up her purse.

I turned to leave and walked right into Ben. To keep me from falling, he grabbed my waist. I looked up at him and then began to walk past.

"Allyson, wait." He grabbed my hand.

Reluctantly, I turned around. "What?"

"I'm sorry."

I chuckled. "Shut up, Ben. How could you be sorry? You broke up with me."

"I…"

I shook my head and walked away.

Brittany met me outside. "What was that about?"

I snorted. "He was apologizing."

Brittany shook her head. "Men are stupid."

"I totally agree…"

I was very ready for the final bell by the end of the day. The confrontation with Ben and all the pity, hugs, and 'sorrys' were just too much, and I was ready to scream. I hoped tomorrow would be better. Unfortunately, it wasn't.

Thursday was much the same as Wednesday, but people were actually acting somewhat NORMAL around me. Unfortunately, I still had another episode with Ben, at my locker after third block.

I was putting my binders in my locker when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I stood up and turned around.

"Ben." I turned back around and picked up the books I would need for homework that evening.

"Allyson, we need to talk."

"Hmm…" I slammed my locker shut and started walking. "About what?"

Ben matched my pace. "I know that you're irritated with me…"

"Irritated? Try wrathful."

"Whatever. I just think that you're taking it a little hard…"

"Ben, honey, every break up is hard. Why are you treating this one differently? Usually after a break up, the other person needs space. So why aren't you giving me any? You're making it even harder for me."

We had arrived at the band hallway.

"Allyson, I'm not trying to make it harder for you."

"Well, you are. You're making it practically impossible for me to get over…" I trailed off. "O my Gosh! You're doing it on purpose! You self-centered, sick son of a pig!"

"What?"

"You're trying to keep from getting over it, because you still want me to like you, even if you broke up with me and don't like me anymore. You are such a dick!

Ben went red, and I just shook my head.

"How could you do that Ben? To me? To anyone?"

"I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I said I'm sorry! Its natural to want your ex to keep liking you."

"It's also cruel. Are you telling me all guys are cruel like that? I don't think so."

"I'm sorry, ok? I can stay out of your life if you want."

I smiled. "Oh, but you won't. You'll keep finding ways to come back, and you know it." I shook my head. "Get some help, Ben."

I turned and walked away.