A/N: Okay, so this is going to jump around a bit and isn't every single message, just a few examples of what's going on for them.
. . .
Derailed Chapter 6
. . .
From: AustinMoooon
To: Allycat88
July 16th
Ally,
Judging by the calendar you left me to count the days till you get home in a year, you should be somewhere in an African jungle right now. You only left a few days ago but I miss you already. Your dad works all the time and your house is just empty and sad. Oh well. We can do this.
I can't wait to hear about the jungle and the gorillas. Tell me if you see any cool tribes or get to go hunting with poison darts. That would be awesome!
Reason #1 I wish you were here: YOU.
Reason #2: your hugs.
Reason #3: hearing you sing.
Write soon,
Austin
. . .
From: Guesswhogotemail
To: Allycat88
August 28th
Ally,
No one has heard from you yet and we're starting to get worried. Did you get a stupid guide who got you lost in the jungle or something? This is my fourth email to you. I better hear back soon! Miss you chica!
Trish
. . .
From: Allycat88
To: AustinMoooon
September 5th
Austin,
I've been in Gabon for almost two months now and they finally repaired the satellite dish so I can send you this email. Mom won't pay for my phone to make or receive international calls so we can't talk, and Henry the head scientist here told us that video and live chats rarely work because the signal is so weak coming this deep into the jungle. I have spoken to Dad twice on a satellite phone mom borrowed from one of the other scientists, though, so that's something I guess.
This whole thing is all messed up and I miss you. I wish we could talk so I could hear your voice again.
I am jealous that you started high school, but good luck and have fun. Take care of Trish for me. (not that she needs it - she's tough – especially judging from all the threats in her emails. I am sending her a long email right now too.)
I just barely read the three emails you sent and I'm so sorry I couldn't answer sooner. No I haven't forgotten you and I haven't been eaten by any wild animals unless you count a few mosquito bites. And back to that first one: I could never forget you.
I miss you. I know I said that already but it's true. I think about you every day. Whenever something happens I want to tell you about it. When I feel sad and miss home I want to talk to you. There are a million ways that I miss you and this stupid little email isn't enough. You don't know what I would give to see you or hear your voice right now.
Please keep writing and don't give up on me.
I miss you.
Ally
P.S. Next email I will tell you all about the study camp I am in and the other people here. I just wanted to send this so you know I am here and still alive.
. . .
From: AustinMoooon
To: Allycat88
November 1st
Ally,
Thanks for the late birthday wishes. Being 16 rocks! Your internet really is terrible there. But I'd rather hear from you every month or two than not at all, so I guess we put up with it. Only 7 more months.
Anyway, I got my license and now I can drive! Also my first record came out last week and is doing well. Dez and I shot two more videos since you left to go with the new music and get my fans online. We had comments from people all over the world. This is crazy! But I'm making money and I want to buy a car so I don't have to borrow my mom's all the time. I really hate driving a car that says Moon's Mattress Kingdom on the side. And when you are back I can drive when we go on our second date.
Reason #27 I wish you were here: right now you would have your permit and I could teach you to drive. Alone.
miss you,
Austin
. . .
From: Allycat88
To: Guesswhogotemail
December 15th
Trish,
I'm going to wish you an early Merry Christmas right now because I don't think I'll get to write again until next year. Next Year! Ha! That's so much fun to say, or write in this case. But I really do hope you have a great Christmas. Tell your mom I miss her tres leches cake and her homemade flan. It won't be Christmas for me without them.
Yes, I will admit that the jungle is beautiful and there are some amazing animals here. But the days get long and boring sometimes too. I can't go anywhere or do much because it's also dangerous. The camp isn't very big and everyone here is pretty busy so they don't have much time to just sit and talk except at night. But that's when mom wants to talk and tell me every single detail about her work. Yes, it's kind of fascinating, but I'm just not as interested in primates as she is. So I do a lot of studying. I'm probably a few weeks away from finishing all my 10th grade study material. The only bright side to finishing? Mom said she will take me into the nearest village to celebrate and use a more reliable internet connection for me to do some testing with a friend of hers at the university. Because I've been doing so well, she's already collecting stuff for my 11th grade studies. More homework. Yay!
I miss you so much. I can't wait to see you next summer.
Ally
. . .
From: Allycat88
To: AustinMoooon
December 15th
Austin,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I'll be thinking of you at midnight, wishing I could see you, hold your hand, kiss you, be on the same continent. Okay, I think you get it. But seriously, my first New Years with a boyfriend and I still can't get a kiss! At least you can know I'll be wishing for it and dreaming I could be with you.
I finally got the package you sent with your cd. Thanks for all the fun stuff. I put the llama bobble head Dez sent on my desk where I study all the time so it keeps me company. Your songs are great and your voice sounds amazing! I've been listening to it every night since it came. I'm so proud of you. And congrats on working on your next album already. I'm sure it keeps you busy since you have school and basketball too.
The jungle is still the jungle. No, I still haven't met any cool tribes or been hunting. Somehow I don't think all the scientists I currently live with would approve of hunting any animals here. . . Mom has been having me spend a day with each of them to learn what they are doing. I know she hopes I will want to study alongside her, but biology isn't my favorite subject. She still dismisses my songwriting as a hobby and it's kind of killed my desire to write at the moment. Sometimes, when I think of you, a tune will come to mind or some lyrics, but I haven't had time to really work on any music and I miss it terribly. Remember how we used to spend hours playing instruments and singing together? I loved those times. You are so lucky to still be making music. I can't wait to hear what you create next and see you live in concert.
Gotta go, Mom is bugging me to finish but I keep getting lost in memories and daydreams of you.
I miss you, rockstar!
Ally
. . .
From: AustinMoooon
To: Allycat88
March 2nd
Ally,
You said to keep writing and I am even though you haven't written back in 3 months. The jungle sucks. Seriously.
School is okay. I'm passing my classes and that's all my parents want. Jimmy is still happy about my last record doing well and we are working on another one. I miss writing music with you. Promise you aren't mad that I work with other songwriters now?
I know I wished you happy birthday in my last email but every time I drive to school in my car I think that if you were here you'd have your license too. I would let you drive my car any time you wanted.
Do your parents think that 16 is old enough to date? Because I figured out something awesome for us to do when you get home. There is one problem though - I may be pretty busy this summer. Jimmy is trying to plan a U.S. tour for me so I could be playing concerts when you get home. But as soon as I can I am going to take you on that second date.
I'm trying to win your dad over. I've played a few small free gigs at Sonic Boom and it's brought in more customers so he's happy. Except sometimes he looks at me and seems to get sadder. I know he misses you. I don't know what I can do to make your mom like me more though.
I miss you. Write back soon.
Austin
. . .
From: DirectorDez
To: Allycat88
April 20th
Ally,
Hey, I know I haven't written a lot since you left but I have something really serious to talk to you about: Prom. Austin won't go. So I need you to help me convince him to get a date and double with me and my date. Please Ally! I need your help! Prom won't be right without my best buddy by my side and our smoking hot dates!
Dez
. . .
From: Allycat88
To: AustinMoooon
May 16th
Austin,
I love getting your emails. It's rough though because I get two or three all at the same time and I can't just enjoy each one for a while. I'm missing so much.
I'm happy for you though and how well your career is going. I wish I could have been there to see you perform at Prom. But if I had been there I would have wanted to dance with you too and it didn't sound like you had much time for that since you were the entertainment half the night. Dez wrote to me and he's mad that you wouldn't get a date and double with him, but I can't sympathize. I would have been too jealous if you took another girl. That's really selfish isn't it? But it's true. I can't wait to go out with you again.
Also, a big huge CONGRATULATIONS on your summer tour. You are going to play 12 cities - that's incredible! Hopefully I can catch one of the last concerts closer to home once I'm back in Miami. I've been across the ocean to Africa: my parents better let me go one state over to see my boyfriend in concert! You are so talented and I'm happy everything is going so well for you.
Things are still pretty boring here. Mom keeps trying to get me interested in her research and I listen and it is interesting but it's not what I want to do with my life. Why can't she understand that? But I've been studying everything else I can get my hands on too. You know that I finished the 10th grade material a few months ago, well, I'm almost done with 11th now too. So by the time you go on your summer tour I will be a whole grade ahead of you in school. Not that I want to be, but there is nothing else to do here.
I guess I hope that if I prove myself mom will trust me more. I can handle my own education, I have drive and I get things done, so hey, I deserve a break and some dates with you when I get home. I really hope this helps anyway.
I miss you!
Ally
. . .
From: SonicDad
To: Allycat88
June 23rd
Ally,
Yes, I got your email about coming home but I don't know if it's a very good idea. Your mom is so happy about her study being extended and she loves having you there. I'm really busy with the store, business is great! But that means I won't be able to give you the time and attention you need and deserve. Mom told me how well you've done with your studies though. You've really flown through the homeschooling stuff and I'm so proud. But I knew you'd do well – you are so smart sweetie. Just hang in there and learn everything you can from all the scientists surrounding you. I can't give you that kind of education.
I miss my little girl. Please don't think I don't want you here with me. I'm just trying to make sure you have the best and get what you need. Your mom can do that better than I can right now. I love you so much.
Dad
. . .
From: Allycat88
To: AustinMoooon
June 29th
Austin,
I've been sitting here trying to decide how to say this for 30 minutes but there is no good way. My mom's study got extended for another year. I begged both her and dad to let me come home to Miami and they said no. I'm stuck here in the jungle for another year.
You can rip up that stupid calendar I left with you. And you are probably better off forgetting about me altogether. I feel like I'll never get out of this place. So I can't hold you to being my boyfriend any longer. We were really only together for about a month anyway before I left for Africa. So, you are free and Dez doesn't have to hate me anymore for ruining your dating life. I just want you to know that our first date was the best and it means the world to me.
If you stop writing I won't be mad. Keeping up a long distance friendship isn't easy.
I will always care about you.
Ally
P.S. This bad news did one good thing: I finished writing a song for you. I've been playing with some of the lyrics and melody for a while and it finally came together. It's probably too cheesy or girly but here are the lyrics anyway. It's not finished but you can do what you want with it. I've included the lyrics and chord progression below.
.
And I wonder if you miss me too,
If you don't here's the one thing that I wish you knew:
I think about you every morning when I open my eyes.
I think about you every evening when I turn out the lights.
I think about you every moment, every day of my life.
You're on my mind all the time, it's true.
I think about you, you , you, you, you.
I think about you, you, you, you, you.
.
Would you know what to say if I saw you today?
Would you let it all crumble to pieces?
Cause I know that I should forget you if I could.
I can't yet for so many reasons.
.
I think about you every morning when I open my eyes.
I think about you every evening when I turn out the lights.
I think about you every moment, every day of my life.
You're on my mind all the time, it's true.
I think about you, you , you, you, you.
I think about you, you, you, you, you.
.
How long till I stop pretending
What we have is never ending?
Oh, oh, oh
If all we are is just a moment,
Don't forget me cause I won't and
I can't help myself.
I think about you. Ooh ooh.
I think about you. Oh.
.
I think about you every morning when I open my eyes.
I think about you every evening when I turn out the lights.
I think about you every moment, every day of my life.
You're on my mind all the time, it's true.
I think about you, you , you, you, you.
I think about you, you, you, you, you.
. . .
From: AustinMoooon
To: Allycat88
July 2nd
Ally,
I don't even know what to say to your last email. What do you mean your mom is staying for ANOTHER YEAR and won't let you come back to Miami? You are 16 ½ - kids way smaller than you fly alone all the time. You can totally handle it and you should be coming back.
And you're breaking up with me? I know the long distance thing hasn't been easy but I've been true to you. We did it, we made it a whole year apart and we still love each other, even with all the crappy internet and no phones or anything. I don't want you to set me free
Tell me it's a joke or a typo or some kind of mistake. You have to come home Ally! I need you.
Austin
P.S. If flying home is about money I will buy you a plane ticket. I know it's expensive but I don't want that to stop your parents from letting you come back.
. . .
From: DirectorDez
To: Allycat88
August 24th
Ally,
I know I once bugged you about getting Austin to date. I think I was wrong. I didn't want you to break his heart. The poor guy is sad without you, and I thought we went through all this pain when he moped about you leaving a year ago. Do you think you'll change your mind?
Dez
. . .
From: Allycat88
To: AustinMoooon
September 30th
Austin,
You haven't written in a while. You told me you weren't mad about the breakup but your silence feels like it now. My dad sent me a list of your concert dates this summer and it looks like you've been busy. Maybe you just haven't had time. I really hope your tour went well. I'm so sorry I didn't get to see you perform - I'm sure you were great. I always loved hearing you sing when we played music together and wrote songs.
I miss music. I don't even have a little keyboard or anything here. I did have a ukelele for a few months but it went missing. I still listen to your cd at night with headphones when we have enough power. All of the people working here get mad if I play anything that they can hear. But I like listening to it, hearing your voice and imagining I'm not so far away.
You are probably starting school again right now. I wish I was there with you. My mom and her colleagues are all really excited about something and I am just out of place or in the way, I can't decide which. So I'm starting my 12th grade curriculum to keep busy. Maybe if I finish my GED early mom will believe I'm responsible and let me go home.
I don't feel right letting you spend money on me for a plane ticket, and even if I did use it I don't know if dad would let me come home. He seems really set on me staying here and I don't think he wants me to live with him anymore. Then what would I do? I've got no way to take care of myself yet. Maybe once I graduate I could think about getting a job to support myself.
Do you know what I want more than anything right now? I want to go to the park with you and sit on the swings eating ice cream and talk like we used to. You are my best friend and I miss you. Even if I didn't feel more, if we hadn't tried to date, you would still be the person I think of and miss the most (after my dad) because you've always been there, during every part of my life. It feels wrong to be doing such different things and not have that connection anymore.
I've been here for a year and it's still just a place I have to live for a while. My life, my REAL life is in Miami where we are friends (or maybe more), where we make music and my dad has a store and where Trish and Dez are: that is my real life and I miss it.
Did I ever tell you the jungle is lonely?
Miss you,
Ally
. . .
From: AustinMoooon
To: Allycat88
November 18th
Ally,
Thanks for the birthday present. Your dad brought over the electric guitar he said you insisted on for my 17th birthday. I didn't feel like I could accept such an expensive gift but he said it's what you wanted. He looked so sad and I couldn't say no to him.
I know I haven't written since the end of July. I've started letters to you a few times and deleted them because they just don't sound right. I don't know what to say anymore. Our lives are so different. You live in the jungle with gorillas. I rock out on stage to thousands of screaming fans almost every weekend. You've finished your GED and 'graduated' somehow and I'm struggling to find time for homework between concerts and recording songs for my new record.
I still care about you and we have so much history together, but to be honest I don't know how to make this work anymore. I haven't seen you or heard your voice in a year and a half. At this point I don't know when I'm going to see you again. And I can't promise to be good about keeping in touch. Sometimes I'm lucky if I get an email from you every two months and it's frustrating to write you three or four emails while waiting. This is getting harder.
I'll be busy too. I'm doing a mini tour on weekends this holiday season. Then next summer I will be on tour again during the entire school break.
You will always be in my heart, Ally. If we are ever in the same city, I'll take you to dinner. I'd like to talk to you face to face again.
Later,
Austin
. . .
From: Allycat88
To: Guesswhogotemail
January 16th
Trish,
Congratulations on getting the lead in the school play! I'm so happy for you. And you said that Dez is going to film it? That's so great. Save a copy for me or ask him to send it to me. 11th grade sounds like so much fun. Well, good luck, or break a leg. Let me know how it goes.
Mom is driving me crazy. She's busy all the time and won't talk to me about anything but work now that I've gotten my GED. I asked her about flying home again and she shut me down. She won't even consider it and Dad never writes anything about it in his emails no matter how many times I ask. He just tells me everything about the store. I worry about him being lonely but he doesn't tell me anything personal. Have you been over there lately? Is he okay?
And no, I haven't heard from Austin again but I can't blame him. He sounded really down in the last message. I'll keep writing to him when I can no matter what. Please watch out for him.
I'm sorry to ask so much of you Trish. You've been awesome and stuck with me through all this craziness. You are the best friend ever.
love you, love you, love you!
Ally
. . .
From: AustinMoooon
To: Allycat88
February 7th
Ally,
Happy 17th birthday! I don't know if you'll get cake or candles, but I hope whatever you wish for comes true. I might not act like it, but I still care.
I showed that song you wrote to one of my writers. We added a verse at the beginning and we're putting it on my 2nd record. I've told Jimmy that you have to be put on the writing credits for it. I'll send you a disc when it comes out.
Austin
. . .
From: Allycat88
To: Guesswhogotemail, AustinMoooon, DirectorDez
May 4th
Hi guys,
Sorry to do this email as a group thing but I don't have a lot of time to write today. Some big news: I will be leaving Gabon near the end of June. After nearly two years I am getting out of here. The interesting but not exactly great part is that I won't be coming back to Miami. Mom was offered a job overseeing the redesign and build of a new primate habitat at the Zoo in Berlin, Germany and we will be moving there. Dad said this will be another great opportunity and he doesn't seem to want me to come home. For now I'll be staying on this side of the Atlantic.
Have a great summer guys.
I miss you all so much.
Ally
. . .
From: Guesswhogotemail
To: Allycat88
May 26th
Ally,
Junior year is about to end and I still can't believe I've gone through two years of high school without my favorite chica here. I'm going to start job hunting soon and I think I'll try to break last summer's record of being fired from 10 different jobs in three months. Do you think I can do it?
I'll miss you next year too. Senior year is going to be fun, I know. But you've already got your GED and who knows what you'll decide to do in Germany. Tell your mom congrats on getting the job at the Berlin Zoo. They will be lucky to have her. So you move next month? Write and tell me all about it and any cute German boys you meet.
Still no luck in convincing your parents to let you come home? That stinks, but how many girls have what you do? You are barely 17 and you've lived in the U.S. and Africa and now you are moving to Germany. Who knew your life would be so adventurous? Between the two of us I always figured I would be the one to travel and do crazy things. I have a lot of catching up to do to be like you. Maybe if I keep a job long enough I can save some money and fly out to see you. Germany is easier to get to than Gabon.
later chica!
Trish
. . .
So I know the format of this chapter was different. What did you think of the emails? Did it work? Did it suck? Please let me know! Thanks for reading!
weesh