"Simon..." called out a distant voice (or that was the way it seemed, anyway). "Simon, can you hear me?"
Peering over Simon as he woke up was Ally.
"Oh, thank God. Are you okay?" She held out her hand as he picked himself up, realizing he seemed a little down. "I knew I'd find you here."
"How'd you find me?" Simon asked.
"I guess I just know... Why do you look like you were crying?"
Simon just glanced at his feet, not answering Ally's question and looking like he was about to cry again.
Ally grabbed his hands. "It's okay. You can tell me anything. You know that." She sat the both of them back down and put her arm around his. "Now, just tell me what's wrong, Simon. I'm sure it can't be that bad."
He put his head in his arms. "When one of your bodyguards chased us out of the coffee shop, I was able to get home. But when I walked in, Alvin started yelling at me because I was hanging out with you, so I stormed out." Tears were coming to his eyes. "He scolded me about how I seem to ruin everything and that I was the reason our parents had moved on." He ended up breaking down in front of her, something he had not originally wanted to come to. "And the worst part is, I am the reason they left."
Grabbing Simon and pulling him in to hug him, Ally tried to calm him down. "I'm so sorry, Simon," she said, moving her hand under Simon's eye, trying to wipe away a tear. "If you want, I'm still hiding from Ian. I never went back home, and I can stay here for as long as you need me to."
For the first time since earlier that day, Ally saw Simon smile. "I never want you to leave."
Ally suddenly had an idea. "You're probably pretty cold, aren't you?"
Simon started to shiver. "Yeah, just a little."
"Well, I brought a few things from home after Wendy picked them up for me. There should be something to cover you up in here." She pulled out a blanket from a small bag and started to wrap it around Simon. "There, that should do it. You okay?"
He simply just nodded, still shivering a little.
Why does she seem so motherly? he thought to himself. She's nothing like my mother... My mother was never there for me even when she was home. It was always about what my father wanted. He came first before us, and she never made time for us.
Alvin was right. We have no parents, only shadows of the people they once were in their place.
He was suddenly filled with memories of them again, and he started shaking because of all the tears. "I'm sorry for breaking down like this." he managed to say through his tears.
"It's okay," Ally replied. "The good news is: I'm here for you, and that's all that matters."
Simon began to feel a little dizzy. "I don't feel too well."
Ally smiled. "It's okay. Just lie down, and you'll be fine."
"Lie down where exactly?"
She giggled. "Next to me, if you want."
After adjusting himself in the blanket, Simon put his head on her shoulder.
Just then, Ally had an idea. She knew Simon was on edge, so she wanted to calm him down the only way she knew how: singing.
She placed her hand on his shoulder as she began to sing:
Lonesome stranger
With a crowd around you
I see who you are
You joke, they laugh
'Til the show is over
Then, you fall so hard
If you're needing
A soul to soul connection
I'll run to your side
When you're lost in the dark
When you're out in the cold
When you're looking for someone
That resembles your soul
When the wind blows your house of cards
I'll be a home to your homeless heart...
By this time, Ally had grabbed Simon's hand, holding onto it as hard as she could. She could see rain coming down and took the blanket off of Simon to keep the rain out.
Open, close me
Leave your secrets with me
I can ease your pain
And my arms will be
Just like walls around you
Come in from the rain
When you're runnin'
In the wrong direction
I will lead you back
When you're lost in the dark
When you're out in the cold
When you're looking for someone
That resembles your soul
When the wind blows your house of cards
I'll be a home to your homeless heart...
Broken, shattered like a mirror
In a million pieces
Sooner or later
You've got to lose
Something, someone
To find you and save you...
When you're lost in the dark
When you're out in the cold
When you're looking for someone
That resembles your soul
When the wind blows your house of cards
I'll be a home to your homeless heart...
When you're looking for someone
That resembles your soul
When the wind blows your house of cards
I'll be a home to your homeless heart...
I'll be a home to your homeless heart...
Ally noticed Simon was asleep.
Great, she thought. And then, she thought, He looks so cute when he's sleeping.
She curled up next to him. "Good night, Si."