Ch.9 Can't Get Me Back

I walked into school Friday morning and I was met by a smiling Brittany.

"Hey girl!" She called to me.

"Hey! What's up?"

"Band banquet is tonight!" She practically sang.

I chuckled. "Still wearing that red dress?"

"Actually, I found a really cute black one at DEB that I'm going to wear! Ha! I'm so excited."

"I'm happy for you. Are you going to bring anyone?"

"No, unfortunately, and Tyson…you know the guy I've been going on about…is busy."

"Aw. I'm sorry."

"LoL! It's ok. It's just exciting that he's interested in me!"

The warning bell rang.

"I'll see you at lunch okay?"

"Ok! Love ya Allyson!"

I walked to my Algebra II Trig class and sat down. We were learning trig this quarter…ie the unit circle.

The teacher split us into groups to do a worksheet and I was put with Nick, Keith, and Melanie. We worked through the problems, thankfully with out problems, and then we sat and talked.

We got onto the subject of Student Council and started talking about representatives and officers. Then the conversation trailed to marching band and sports, etc.

In the middle of our conversation about Godspell, the spring play, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

My face froze, and I glared at the table, because I already knew who it was.

"Allyson, I was wondering if you could help me with these problems…"

"No. Go away."

"Look, I just want help."

I turned and looked at him. "What part of 'go away' do you not understand?"

"Allyson, I just want to have an informal relationship with you. This has nothing to do with…"

"Ben, if you want me to have an informal relationship with you, you need to leave me alone so I can get over the formal. I told you that you would do this; You could have gone to anyone in the class for help, but you came to me because you want to remind me that you're still there."

Keith broke into the conversation. "You guys broke up? Dude, leave her alone. She's getting really pissed at you."

I smiled briefly at Keith.

Ben just kind of stared at him and then he walked back to his own table.

"Thanks, Keith."

Keith smiled.

"So who was that guy?" Nick interjected.

I sighed. "My ex."

"And he's still following you around? Sounds like he's not over you yet."

"You know, I think you're right." I smiled.

I drove the car over to Peter's house at 6. I walked up to the front door and knocked on it.

Peter's father opened the door. "Hey Allyson. Why don't you come in? He'll be down in a minute."

I smiled and walked inside. "Do you have a bathroom I could use?"

"Straight down the hall, first door on your right."

"Thanks."

I walked into the bathroom and checked my makeup. I had gone with rust colors to match my dress. I ran my fingers through my hair. I had decided to wear it curly tonight. I smiled in satisfaction and then walked out into the living room.

Peter was waiting there. When he caught sight of me, his jaw dropped.

I smiled and I closed it. "You don't look so bad yourself," I said, my hand resting on his cheek.

"You look…" then he smiled. "You remind me of the Bible."

I looked at him for a second, then I laughed. "I don't understand."

"When God stopped the sun, so that Joshua would have more time to defeat the Ammorites…"

"..if I could ask God one thing, it would be to stop the moon… to stop the moon and let this night, and your beauty, last forever."

I smiled. "I love that movie."

"I do too. Shall we go?"

"Are you driving or am I?" I asked.

"I'll drive."

We walked out the door.

We pulled into the OCF club on the base about 10 minutes later. We parked and then walked inside.

When we walked inside, I felt all the looks thrown at us.

I grabbed Peter's hand. "You ok?"

He slid his arm around my waist and smiled at me. "Where do we sit?"

I saw a table with my friend Brittany and I nodded towards it. "There."

He guided me towards the table.

"Hey Brittany!" I called.

She turned and smiled at me. "Hey!" She tapped the chair next to her. "Come sit."

Peter and I sat down.

"Everybody, this is Peter. Be NICE to him, ok? No evil pranks," I stated. "Peter, this is Brittany, Melanie, MJ, Stephanie, Jordan, Erin, Aaron, Eric, and Kevin." I pointed to each person.

Peter waved and smiled. "Hello, everybody."

Brittany pulled me over to her. "Peter as in Peter-PETER?"

I smiled and nodded.

Brittany grinned. "Good job!"

Peter had hit it off well with the guys at the table.

I felt a tap on my back. I turned. "Chaz."

He smiled. "Hey, Allyson. Can we talk somewhere?"

"Yeah, sure." I stood. "Where to?"

Peter glanced up at me with a question in his eyes.

"It's ok," I said and I winked at him.

Chaz guided me over to the drinks. "Who's the guy?"

I looked at him. "A guy."

Chaz rolled his eyes. "Duh. As in…"

"We're friends, Chaz."

"Looks like more than friends to me."

"Maybe it is."

"You got over Ben that fast?"

"Um…sure."

"So when did this start…with you and your friend?"

I stared at him. "Are you suggesting that I cheated on Ben? It started after Ben."

Chaz raised his hands. "Just curious."

I shook my head. "He told you to ask me didn't he?" I sighed.

Chaz looked away from me.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"Allyson, he just…"

"That's right…'he just' broke up with me. Tell him to leave me alone. He doesn't listen to me; he might listen to you." I turned and walked back to my table and sat down.

Peter turned to me. "What was that about?"

I shook my head. "My ex wanted to know who you are."

"That was your ex?"

"That was a friend of the ex."

Mr. Boyd, the band director, came to the center of the floor. "Ok people, were going to do awards. Seniors first…line up."

Mr. Boyd gave the seniors, including my sister Erika, their trophies and other awards. Then it was juniors. Then it was sophomores.

I walked up to the front of the room and along with all the other sophomores, got in alphabetical order.

"Amy Carlson…" I cheered for her as she got her award.

"Brittany Colbourn…Caleb Davidson….Emma Ergson…David Etheral…Carmen Florez…"

"Allyson Gerety…" I walked up to the front and I received my letter, pin, and student leader badge. Then I walked back to my seat.

After the sophomores, there was Freshmen, and then superlatives. Then all the band and band parents got in a huge circle on the floor.

"Now it is time to say goodbye to our seniors. It is an annual event at band banquet," Mr. Boyd announced. The seniors walked around the circle saying their goodbyes while the friendship song played in the background. There wasn't a dry eye in the band after the song was done.

After the Senior circle, their was a dance for the band students. Parents left, and a professional DJ came in.

I pulled Peter up to his feet. "Come on; Let's dance." I led him by the hand and pulled him out onto the dance floor. I noticed Ben watching me, but I ignored him.

For a few songs, I was sandwiched between Peter and Chaz, then it was just Peter and I.

I turned to Peter. "I'm going to go get a drink ok? You can stay."

Peter nodded.

I walked over to the drink and poured myself a huge class of water. I stood and watched the roiling mass of people on the dance floor. Then the DJ put on the electric slide. I smiled, finished my water and moved onto the dance floor.

After the slide, MJ and I started '60s dancing in the middle of the floor. We did the lawn mower, the sprinkler, the scuba, the swimmie, and flamingo, and every other step we could think of.

After an hour or so of dancing I went to the side and rested.

Somebody appeared at my side. It was Ben.

"You sure know how to ruin a good night," I said to him.

"Allyson, I still love you. Please give me another chance."

I smiled. "Ben, you lost your chance when you broke up with me."

"Please, Allyson! I don't know…"

Peter had seen us and had started to come over.

"Ben, it's too late."

"Allyson…"

Peter touched my waist. "Trouble?"

Ben looked at him. "Get your hands off my girl."

I pulled Peter's arms around me. "Ben, I'm not your girl anymore; you saw to that, and you can live with the consequences. You can't get me back."

I began to walk away and I pulled Peter with me.

The DJ put on a slow song, and Peter guided me out into the middle of the dance floor.

"The ex?" he asked me.

"Yes, unfortunately."

"He's trying to get you to go back out with him again?"

"And not succeeding."

"Good," Peter stated.

"Good?"

Peter smiled. "Because you're mine now." And then he leaned in and kissed me. And it felt so right.