And I hit the ground.

Hard.

Metaphorically, of course... If you, um, catch my drift.

"Oh," I say. "Okay."

"I'm gonna go," he says. "Really this time. I have an Irish Jig to learn by Monday."

With that, he releases me and leaves my house, taking his pop tarts with him. Before he gets to the front door, he turns around and comes back to the kitchen. My heart picks itself up and I look at him, waiting for him to say something. But he just grabs the box of pop tarts from off the counter along with the pack he already opened.

"Can I have these?" he asks, holding up the pop tart box.

"Sure," I say, still standing against the wall.

"Awesome, thanks," he says.

And he leaves. Really this time, like he said. I hear him close the door gently behind him. I run to my room, thunder so loud it seems to chase me down the hallway and up the stairs. I grab Dougie the Dolphin and climb under my covers, putting my pillow over my head to block out the lightning, rain, and thunder.

I didn't see Austin at all on Sunday. He doesn't come over or anything. He doesn't call. He doesn't text. He doesn't exist.

Well, I mean, I'm sure he exists, but he just doesn't exist in my life. Not anymore. If it's just a kiss to you, then... it's just a kiss. Then we tell our parents the truth and go our separate ways. Austin went his separate way, all right.

Sunday night, I take a shower and throw my clothes in the closet. I'm being so messy. I need to stop that before it gets to be a habit. I walk back into my closet and grab my clothes from today off of the floor. I toss them into the hamper. I pick up the ones from yesterday and something falls to the ground. I pick up a napkin, throwing my clothes into the hamper.

I open it up and see that it's Austin's song. Oh, well, I'll just give it to him tomorrow, I guess, when I give him a ride home. I go over to sit on my bed. I finish the ending quickly. I pick up my songbook and use the napkin as a bookmark. I'll put it in my pocket tomorrow so I can remember to give it to Austin. I pull my blanket up to my chin and fall asleep.

I sit in the cafeteria with Trish at the table we've practically made our own. No one sits here. No one will ever sit here until after we graduate. This is our table. I mean, people can sit here if they ask first, but otherwise, no.

Suddenly, I hear someone scream and my head snaps up. I look up and see Dez standing on a table at the front of the cafeteria.

"Sorry, that was the only way to get your attention," he calls across the room. "My friend, Austin Moon, has agreed to dance the Irish Jig for you!" Everyone laughs and starts to talk to their friends again. "No, I'm serious," Dez says. Austin steps up onto the table. I look down at the food on my tray. I rest my head in my hands and my elbows on the table. I don't even watch as he does his little dance. I just push my peas around my tray with my fork.

"Hey, it's Austin's wife-to-be!" someone shouts. A girl from the next table grabs my arm and pushes my up onto the table. She's probably one of Cassidy's friends since she's wearing a cheerleader's outfit. From up here, I see that Austin is only two tables away from me, a lot closer than I thought he was.

"Hey, Ally!" someone calls from the other side of the cafeteria. "Tell us the truth! Rumors have been going around about your engagement! Are you really in love with Austin?! Or are you getting married for some other reason?"

"Yeah, Ally, are you in love with Austin?!" someone else asks.

Yes, I think. Yes. I'm totally and completely in love with Austin Monica Moon.

When I said I hit the ground metaphorically, I meant that I hit the ground in the love hole. Sounds corny, I know, but that's the only way I can describe what happened.

But Austin doesn't feel the same way. I look over at Austin, who's staring at me intently. I realize that Austin told me how he felt but I never told him how I felt. He's probably wondering.

"No!" I shout. "I hate Austin Moon! I always have and I always will! Our parents are forcing us to get married because we've known each other since we were kids and they think we're one of those little love stories where the best friends grow up and fall in love! But we're not! We're just... Well, I don't know what we are! But we are not lovers!" Everyone just stares at me. I jump off of the table and walk over to Austin's. I take the napkin out of my pocket and hand it to him. "I finished it," I mutter to him before going to sit back down at Trish and I's table.

"Ally, don't you think that was a little harsh?" Trish asks me.

"Nope," I tell her, taking a sip of my milk. Everyone watches as Austin gets off of his table and races out of the lunchroom. I swallow. "Maybe," I say.

"Are you gonna go talk to him?" she asks me.

"He's already made his decision," I tell her, staring at the door he left through.

"What decision?"

I don't answer her. After I finish lunch, Trish and I walk to class. As I pass the band room, I see Austin in there, playing various instruments with a napkin in front of him. He looks like he's practicing hard for the talent show tomorrow even though I doubt he really needs the practice.

After school today, I wait on the sidewalk by the parking lot for Austin. "What are you doing?" someone asks me. I turn and see Trish. "School let out almost fifteen minutes ago. I figured you'd be gone by now."

"I'm waiting for Austin," I tell her.

She points past me. I look over and see the school football practice field. If I squint and look really hard and really fast, I can see the number 18 on one of the jerseys and a flash of blond hair under the helmet of the wearer.

"It's Monday, Ally," she says. "Doesn't his mom come to pick him up on Monday after practice?"

"Probably," I say. "Who's your ride?"

Right after I ask, Dez walks up. "Dez," Trish says. "We're going to his house so that he can bake things for me."

"Why?" I ask.

"Because I have something that he wants," she leans in and whispers to me. "He just doesn't know what it is yet." She points to her heart and it takes me a moment to realize that she's talking about Dez's "heart of Davy Jones."

"Got it," I tell her.

"There's my mom!" Dez exclaims and he grabs Trish's hand, dragging her to his mom's car. I could've sworn I saw the faintest hint of a blush on Trish's face as she turned to run with Dez. And maybe, Trish has finally realized that Dez does look like Dan...

And maybe I could find out soon that Austin and I are like Aiden and Ashley as well. And maybe, just maybe, we wouldn't break up soon after.

I take out my phone and call Mimi. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's Ally," I say.

"Oh, Ally, hello, what's up?" she asks. I never thought I'd hear those words come out of her mouth.

I shake my head to clear the thought. "Um, don't worry about picking Austin up from practice today. I'm gonna wait for him and give him a ride," I tell her.

"That's sweet," she says. "Thank you. While you're on the phone, I need to ask you: Have you thought about a date for your wedding?"

For the first time, I don't cringe at the word. "No," I tell her. "Austin and I will talk about that after practice is done if you want."

"That'd be great," she tells me. "Thank you. I'll see you when you get here. Bye, Ally."

"Bye," I say, and I hang up.

I walk over to the practice field and sit down in the shadows, watching Austin practice. He's really good. I don't know what position he plays and, honestly, I don't care. It's just amusing to watch him do something he's good at. I wonder if it'll be the same tomorrow, when I watch him sing at the talent show.

After practice is done, I follow them to the locker rooms and wait outside while they shower and change into regular clothes. After about ten or fifteen minutes, I watch as the players begin to walk out. Feeling like I should say something, so I won't feel weird for just standing out here, I raise my hand. The first person out high-fives me and I say, "Good job." Another comes out. "Good job." High-five. "Good job." High-five. "Good job." High-five. Hey, there's Wilson. "Hey, Wilson!" I say to him, as he high-fives me. "Good job out there today!"

"Thanks," he says. "You were watching?"

"Good job," I say to another player as he comes out and high-fives me. "Yeah, I'm giving Austin a ride home today when he comes out. Good job. Good job."

"Didn't you say you hated him in the cafeteria today?" Wilson asks me.

"Good job. Yeah, but... Good job. Good job. Just 'cause I said it don't mean that I meant it," I tell him. I stifle a small laugh as I realize that I just quoted Adele on accident. "Good job. Good—" Austin comes out and just stares at my raised hand as if it's a foreign object that he has no idea what to do with. "—job," I finish lamely.

"Thanks," he says and looks at Wilson with something like fire in his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"Your mom was busy," I lie. "So I'm giving you a ride home."

Austin struggles to keep a smile off of his face. "You're lying," he says, trying to sound indifferent.

"Maybe I am, but your mom isn't coming so you can either come with me or stay here," I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I guess I don't really have a choice then," he says.

"I'm gonna leave you two to it," Wilson says, walking off.

"Bye, Wilson!" I say.

"Bye, Ally-Cat!" he calls back.

"Let's go," I say to Austin. We walk over to my mom's car and get in. I turn the car on. "Um—"

"Let me say something first," he cuts me off. I look at him. "I'm sorry," he says. I raise an eyebrow. "For making you hate me."

I shake my head. "I don't hate you."

"But you said—"

"I know what I said," I tell him. "I know what I said." I pull out of the parking lot. "Mimi wants to know when you're ready to get married."

If Austin had been drinking something, he probably would have choked on it. "What?" he asks. "I... I thought we were going to tell them the... the truth."

"We can do that when we get home then," I tell him.

"Okay."

I sigh. I'll have to tell him some time or another.

"What's wrong?" Austin asks me.

"Austin, I don't hate you," I repeat. "I—Oh, shit!" I swerve around the small animal in the middle of the road. I smash into a tree. The airbags smack us in the face.

"Ally!" Austin exclaims worriedly. "Are you okay?"

I feel my head and everything else, looking for any injuries. "Yeah, I'm fine. Are you okay?" I push the airbag down.

"I'm good," he says. "Call your mom."

"But I need to tell you... I l... I lo... You're right, I lied. I called your mom and told her I'd give you a ride," I say, avoiding the actual point.

"It's fine," he says. "Just call your mom."

Austin opens his door and gets out. "I love you," I whisper. I get out as well and take out my phone, dialing my mom's number. I slam the door behind me, frustrated with myself and my inability to tell Austin how I really

Sorry it's so short and sucky! I'm about to leave for my other house again and leave my WiFi behind so I had to wrap it up and upload this chapter. I'll try to have a better and longer chapter later in the week. So review :D

LoVe, KeNzIe