Derailed Chapter 2

. . .

By 5th grade, when Austin was 11 he was getting really good at basketball and made some new friends he played with at recess. He still did things with Dez after school and occasionally with Ally, but during school was different. He was getting popular and acting a little differently toward his old friends.

Ally noticed the changes but he denied them when she tried to talk to him. She had glasses now, which she got because she was having a hard time reading things in the front of the classroom. This had brought on some teasing from other kids which she hadn't worried about since Austin stopped Tilly from bothering her in 2nd grade. Now several people made fun of her including one of the boys Austin played basketball with named Tyler. He was in her class while Austin was not so he didn't see it. Halfway through the school year Tyler was seated on the row behind Ally and he constantly whispered rude things and threw small wads of paper at her. Because of his basketball skills he had great aim.

She put up with the teasing and was able to ignore it for the most part, although it hurt. But one day in the spring during recess Ally and Trish were walking around the playground talking about their favorite movie. When they passed the area with a few basketball hoops and Austin's group of friends playing, Tyler threw the ball directly at Ally's face. The ball hit and broke her glasses right in the center as well as giving her a bloody nose. Trish helped Ally back into the school to the nurse and Austin stood watching in silence.

That afternoon when Ally saw Austin waiting at their usual spot to walk home together she ducked into a group of kids walking by so he wouldn't see and she walked down a different street, taking a longer way home so she wouldn't see him.

Ally was getting ready to walk out the door for school the next morning when someone knocked. She opened it to see Austin standing on her porch.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"It's time for school." Austin said.

"I don't want to walk with you." Ally said.

"Why not? We always walk together." he asked.

"Because you just watched when Tyler hit me yesterday. You didn't do anything!" She accused, her voice rising in anger.

"What could I do?" Austin asked.

"You could have helped me, or beat him up, or said something."

"Trish took care of you. And I can't control what other people do. I didn't know he was going to throw the ball at you."

"You could have defended me, like you did with Tilly."

"That was different." he said.

"No it's not. He teases me all the time. I hate him."

"He's not that bad most of the time." he responded weakly.

"Did it even bother you? Because it doesn't seem like you care about our friendship anymore. So maybe I don't care either." Ally said and folded her arms.

"Okay." Austin said. He turned around and walked away.

Austin and Ally walked to school separately for the last two months of the school year. That was the first time they drifted apart since they were 7 years old.

. . .

Ally became more and more shy as 5th grade drew to a close. The teasing continued, led by Tyler. Austin didn't participate directly, but he didn't put a stop to it either. Without her outgoing neighbor to protect her or push her boundaries, Ally became more introverted and quiet. Soon Trish was the only person at school she would talk to other than teachers. This worried Lester and Penny Dawson and they searched for a way to get their daughter to branch out socially again.

When school got out Ally was fitted with braces and Trish came over every day because Ally refused to leave the house. Despite several arguments on how best to help their daughter, the Dawsons finally found a summer camp for creative kids and sent Ally there for 6 weeks from the end of June to the beginning of August. She was able to take music and crafting classes and within a week of being there she wrote home about several friends she made with similar interests to her own. She sounded happier than they had heard her in months and they knew they made the right decision.

When Ally got home from Camp Craftamonga she kept talking about her camp friends: Cynthia, Elliott and Rain. She kept in touch with them through email and she acted more like her old self. She got together with Trish often to enjoy the last two weeks of freedom they had before school started again. Her mood was dampened, however, when she noticed her parents arguing frequently. And then there was her old friend next door. . .

Ally saw Austin shooting baskets in the space between their houses on the weekend but didn't go out to talk to him like she used to. Their friendship was broken and she didn't know how to fix it. What worried her most though, was the relief she had felt being away at camp with complete strangers and how she was more comfortable there than she was here with him now. They had been friends so long and she relied on him in school for years, but that was gone now. She didn't trust him to be there for her like she used to. It seemed clear that he didn't need her in his life now that he had new friends.

. . .

Sixth grade began and Austin and Ally were in the same class again. She saw him across the room while they all searched for their assigned seats at the beginning of the day. They made eye contact and he did a double take at her new braces. They didn't interact at all that day during school.

They didn't walk to or from school together anymore, but they found themselves leaving the school grounds about the same time that first day of class. Austin sped up a little when he saw Ally just ahead of him and he fell into step beside her, easily matching his gait to hers like he used to.

Ally didn't say a word or acknowledge him. Instead she studied the sidewalk ahead of her, noting places where trees or bushes met the sidewalk where she could be ambushed. If Austin was a distraction she wasn't going to give in and get beat up.

Beside her Austin sighed. "Come on Ally, can't you even say hi to me?" he asked.

"Hi." she muttered quietly.

"You got braces." he said.

"Yes. Something else Tyler can tease me about." she said.

"I'm sorry about Tyler, I know he's a jerk. . ." Austin began

"Yes he is." she cut him off.

"Ally. Can we talk? I just want to be friends again." Austin said.

"Is this a trick?" Ally stopped on the sidewalk and faced him when he stopped as well.

"What?"

"Are you keeping me busy so Tyler and the rest of your friends can do something? Because if you are then I swear I will get you back. I know how to sneak into your house and I could do it." her voice rose as she threatened him.

Austin stared at her in shock. "I would never do that."

"Whatever." Ally huffed and started walking again. Austin quickly caught up.

"I miss you." he admitted.

"Why?"

"You are usually easy to talk to, and I don't know, I just miss having you as a friend." he said.

Ally slowed down a little and glanced at him. He gave her a hopeful smile and her heart melted a little.

"Me too." she finally said.

They walked quietly side by side for a minute.

"It rained last night and all I could think of was you." Austin said.

Ally wasn't sure what to say to that. She thought back almost three years to the time he stayed at her house. Then Austin began to hum. He quietly sang the words of a song she sang to him back then.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray." He sang. She liked the sound of his voice.

Ally turned her face to see him watching her. She hummed the next line and finished very quietly so no one else could hear. "Please don't take my sunshine away."

Austin smiled at her. "So, friends again?" he asked.

Ally nodded. "Friends. But I still don't like the way you act around the basketball guys." she said.

"I'll do better. And I'll tell Tyler to leave you alone or he has to answer to me." Austin promised.

Ally finally gave him a genuine smile. She looked different with the braces on her teeth, but it was still her and he was glad to see it.

. . .

True to his word, Austin did act differently after that. He still played basketball because he loved it, but he also acknowledged Dez, Ally and other friends during school too. He and Ally began walking together again. Tyler's bullying stopped almost immediately and Ally noticed that Austin kept a close eye on Tyler anytime he was near her. Ally was glad to have her Austin back.

She didn't know just how much she was going to need him either. By the time Christmas break hit during sixth grade Ally's parents were arguing on a daily basis. More than once Ally fled to Austin's house after dinner to escape the yelling and negativity flowing through hers.

For Christmas Austin got the guitar he had asked for. He began to teach himself some chords and Ally helped quite a bit with her background in piano and her innate sense of music. She bought some sheet music from her dad's store for him as well so he could learn some of his favorite songs.

While they were out of school for Christmas break Ally spent the majority of her time in Austin's room, humming along while he played his guitar. If his parent's weren't home to hear her, he even convinced her to sing along out loud with him a few times, his voice finding a natural harmony with hers. These times were an island of happiness in the midst of her parent's marriage crumbling around her.

In February Ally turned 12, officially joining Austin as a young teenager. She scoffed whenever she heard people describe kids her age as being melodramatic, because in her eyes she was a great deal more calm and drama free than her adult parents were. Later that spring she heard the dreaded word come up more and more often in their conversation: divorce. She continued to turn to Austin and Trish for support and to escape the bad yelling matches her parents frequently got into.

. . .

One evening in May when Austin and his parents got home from a basketball game he had across town there was a frantic knock on their door. Austin listened from the kitchen where he was drinking some water and heard Penny Dawson's panicked voice asking if they had seen Ally or had any idea where she was.

Austin went closer to the front door to hear better. Ally came home from school as usual, but he already knew this because he had walked with her. Lester and Penny were having a discussion about something at the time so they barely noted her coming home. Then they didn't see her again. Austin could guess that their 'discussion' had been more of a yelling match and he knew exactly why Ally didn't stick around. Their fighting was stressing her out a lot lately.

"I'll look for her." Austin offered.

Penny looked past Mimi and Mike to him and her grimace lightened slightly.

"Thank you Austin. I just don't know what to do and it's getting late." Penny said.

Mimi comforted her as Austin walked away. He left his glass in the sink and grabbed a clean sweatshirt from his room before leaving his house as the sun began to set. First off, he checked the Dawson's house quickly to make sure she wasn't there. She was getting a bit old for the hiding spot in the guest room closet, but he didn't want to miss anything. She wasn't in any hiding spot he knew of in her house. Next he jogged down the street to the park carrying the sweatshirt in one hand. She wasn't on any of the equipment so he checked some of the nearby trees they used to like to climb. Nothing. He continued checking favorite spots of theirs, some from years earlier, in his attempt to find her.

As night fell he ended up at the mall, a more recent hangout of theirs. Lester was in his store, looking despondent, and he let Austin up to the storage room even though he had checked for Ally there hours ago. Austin walked out of Sonic Boom disappointed. He was out of places to look now. She wouldn't go to the school building because it was closed and she always obeyed the rules. He had already called and texted Trish who swore Ally was not hiding at her house. Dez didn't have any ideas either.

Then, in the darkness and twinkling starlight he remembered something she had mentioned to him in passing the other day as she lamented the days he was gone for school games or practice. Austin sprinted through the mall to the quiet and often forgotten duck pond at the edge of the parking lot. Ally was there, sitting on a bench with her knees pulled up to her chest and arms hugging them as she shivered. She still wore the same shorts and t-shirt she had on at school and it was cooling down now that the sun was gone. Austin hurried over to her and saw that she was crying.

"Hey." he said, sitting next to her.

"Hi." she said quietly.

"Do you want this?" he held up the sweatshirt he brought for her.

Ally nodded and unfolded her body so she could pull the warm sweatshirt on. She looked down, playing with the hem and avoiding eye contact with Austin, prodding the dirt with the toe of her sneaker.

"Everyone is looking for you." he said.

"How mad are they?" she asked.

"They are worried, but not mad."

"Yet." she said ominously.

Austin wanted to tell her it would be okay, but he wasn't sure of that right now. He didn't know what to say, so he put an arm around Ally's thin shoulders. She instantly leaned into him and her body shook a bit as she cried silently.

A few minutes later when she stopped he asked the question he knew he probably shouldn't because it might just upset her more.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Mom got a divorce lawyer and brought home the papers today." Ally told him.

So that was it: her parents were getting a divorce. No wonder she was freaked out. Austin pulled out his new phone and sent a quick text to his mom telling her he found Ally and she's fine, but upset. They would be late.

His phone dinged with the response that Mimi would tell Penny and for him to call if he needed anything.

"Who?" Ally asked.

"My Mom. Told her I found you. Everyone is worried about you." he said.

Ally sat forward, leaning her arms on her knees and looking down at her sneakers. "I guess I have to go back now, huh? I wonder how much trouble I'm in."

"We can sit here for a little while." Austin offered.

Ally glanced at him and bobbed her head. "Thanks."

They sat quietly for a while and Ally appreciated the solid warmth of Austin beside her. It was comforting to have him there and he was kind enough to not make her talk or do anything.

A half hour later Ally told him she was ready to go home. She still dreaded what she would find there and how her parents would react once Austin left, but she knew she had to face it.

The twelve year olds walked slowly home. Halfway there Ally reached out and hooked her index finger around Austin's pinky, forming a tiny physical connection with him. After a few steps he grasped her hand fully in his and held her hand the rest of the way home. Penny was watching from the front room and was out the door and hugging Ally the moment they walked onto the porch.

"I was so worried! Where did you go? What were you thinking?" Penny rattled off as she held her daughter.

Austin took a few steps away, gave Ally a small wave goodbye and then went home.

Ally let her mom pull her into the house. Lester was there too and the three of them had a talk. Her parents didn't want to fight, but they had a hard time avoiding it too. Their solution was to get a divorce and have some time apart. Penny wanted to pursue her career more since Ally was quite responsible and didn't need her so much anymore. Lester disagreed and wanted her home and available to Ally. Penny had the chance to go full time at work and possibly travel in the future to study primates. Lester didn't want her to go. These were the problems they were facing. They were sorry it had upset Ally but they felt like this might be the best solution.

. . .

After that Ally rarely saw her parents together. They were avoiding each other, but trying to coexist in the house for Ally. Penny slept in the guest room and boxes began to appear around the house.

Sixth grade ended and Austin went to basketball camp while Ally was sent to Camp Craftamonga for the summer. Her mom was going to move out while she was gone so Ally didn't have to see it. Ally would keep living with her dad and Penny would be free to do other things. Ally was just happy to get away from her house for a while and reconnect with her camp friends. Elliott and Rain were there again and the three of them had a great six weeks at camp.

When Ally got home her dad was waiting for her. She was nervous to go home, knowing her mother would not be there. They walked into the house and an intangible sense of change settled on Ally. It was subtle and, outside of Lester's room perhaps, the changes were small. But Ally noticed it. Here and there things were missing: photos, books, knick knacks, little things here and there were different. She could tell they had moved things around, tried to fill in the spaces and make it less noticeable, but she could feel it deep down despite their best efforts. Penny's things were replaced by Lester's old things, objects that had been packed in boxes for years finally saw the light of day again as he filled the spaces and tried to keep the home a nice place for his little girl.

The day after Ally got home Penny came by to pick her up. They went out for the day, shopping and eating lunch at a restaurant. Penny showed off her new apartment and Ally tried to be happy for her. The whole time she just kept thinking that mom ought to be home with her and her parents ought to be grown up and work out their differences. But she couldn't tell them that. So she smiled and tried to have fun with her mom who admittedly did seem more happy. That was the saddest part to Ally.

Ally kept herself busy with Trish and Austin for the last remaining weeks of summer. Then it was time to get serious. They started 7th grade and middle school: a whole new time in their lives. They had English and math together which was nice. Ally was still a little awkward with her glasses and braces, but she made a few new friends in her classes as well. Trish was as fun and tough as ever, quickly finding her niche in school. Austin was welcomed whole heartedly by the coaches and immediately put on the basketball team. He made new friends, but was careful not to repeat the mistakes he made the first time with Tyler and the others. He still took time away from sports to hang out with Dez and with Ally when she wasn't being traded off between her parents.

The year passed quickly and was fairly uneventful. Summer brought camps and separation for the kids again, which only made the end of summer that much sweeter as they reunited and got ready to start 8th grade.

Ally got a little quieter again that August but Austin wasn't about to let her pull back into her shell. She had started wearing really baggy shirts that summer and her hair was longer than it had ever been. She kept it loose around her face and hanging over her shoulders a lot and Austin merely noticed the changes in passing, not thinking much of it. Then when she got home from camp she kept talking about some nerdy camp guy named Elliott and he tried not to let it bother him. He could talk about girls, but there weren't any at his basketball camp. The girls camp was separate so he only had guys to talk about too and that wasn't any fun. He couldn't help making fun of Elliott though, because all Ally talked about were crafts and what thirteen year old guy likes crafts?
. . .

What do you think? Am I getting the ups and downs of growing up alright here? Thanks for reading!

weesh