Hey, here's the update.

Oh, and I decided to start every chapter off with a flashback. It'll help put all the pieces together.

Well, maybe not every chapter. Sorry it took forever.

I got to school extra early to clean out my locker. A bunch of unnecessary junk was in there. I was surprised to see, nonetheless, Austin Moon down the hall, at his locker. I kept side glancing at him to see if he'd been looking at me or knew I was there.

Slamming my locker door, and making my presence known, I grow enough courage to greet him with a "Hey."

He doesn't respond and keeps doing whatever he's doing with his locker. It was probably because of the rumors and then me sort of admitting to them being true, though they weren't. Not my wisest move.

"The rumors aren't true." It seems that's all I can say. He shrugs and I choose to leave school. I just walked out and left, but the good girl in me came back for the stupid perfect attendance I've had since preschool.

First hour..

Cassidy, who unfortunately sat next to me, kept tapping on her pencil repeatedly. I'd look at her so she would stop, but I might as well talk to a wall. That entire hour I was on the verge of killing myself, which is ironic because I eventually did... or tried at least.

On the other side of me sat Austin. He kept looking at Cassidy to stop tapping her pencil. Most of the class was still taking the test and no one wanted to hear pencil tapping. Cassidy finished first, due to the cheat sheet she probably seduced a guy for. That's the part that sucked the most. How she made everyone think I was a slut when she'd had sex more than I had. And the time I had sex was against my own will. It all traced back to that time in the locker room when I could have told everyone what Kyle did to me and we wouldn't... well, I wouldn't be where I am today. Neither would Austin. I'm such a coward! When I wake up from this flashback I should apologize to him. The only reason I had this flashback was because the lady behind the desk was tapping her pencil, not to mention I saw Cassidy's face.

But if you really wonder about the rest of this flashback, it ends with a note given to that said 'Slut' on top and was folded neatly. I read it, walking out of class:

'Dear Ally,

It has come to my attention that no one likes you. But that's okay. I like you. You're smart and beautiful. I know you're talented too. I hope one day I can stop Cassidy from tormenting you, but for now, I cannot. That is something you have to figure out. I'm sorry.'

That note simultaneously made and ruined my day. It started off sweet and then said getting bullied was my problem and not theirs. Not to mention the label on it.

Even today I have no idea who wrote it.

Cassidy exited just as quick as she left. "Done already?" I ask.

She laughs. "Oh, you thought I needed a therapist?" Apparently to Cassidy, that's hilarious. I slowly nod and she laughs more. "I'm not mental, like you are. There is no limit to being bitchy... but there is a limit to being crazy... and slutty." She says, and fluffs my hair. "Any more questions, Dawson?"

"Yes. Why were you in there?" I ask.

She folds her arms. "Why do you care? It doesn't concern you."

"Well, I just thought I'd ask." I say, and begin to walk out.

"Wait a sec, Ally." That's the first time in years she's actually called me by my name. I turn around. "That's my aunt. She needed her medicine. Well... drugs." She says, whispering the last part.

"Okay."

Cassidy smiles. "That's not all. She's such a hypocrite... telling people how to live their life and what they should do with it, when she takes drugs. Those drugs help her tell people the truth and stay honest... brutally honest. Truth is, she's nice... too nice. Good talking to you, Ally. Need a ride home?"

I look around. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

She laughs again. "I'm not, so don't push it. Need a ride or not?" Now, she's scowling, but even scowling she's flawless... something I'll never be. I reluctantly get in her car. The drive to Sonic Boom was short, thankfully. "Good seeing you, Ally." Cassidy says... and hugs me.

I swiftly get out and go inside Sonic Boom. She didn't do anything to me, well, that I know of. I throw my bag on the practice room floor. Then I go to the piano and start playing.

I'm the girl in the corner of the room
The one you never notice
Getting lost among the stars in the sky
Like a picture out of focus

I'm the sun in your eyes
Yet you don't see me
I wear no disguise
But you don't see me

I'm a total surprise
And you don't see me
I'm so agonized
That you don't see me

You don't see me
You don't see me

I didn't know where the song had come from. It could have been from my encounter with Cassidy or... anywhere. After writing that and singing it, I fell asleep at the piano.

The Next Day

I woke up, somehow from a comfortable sleep, and went downstairs. With some loose change, I bought a coffee from the coffee store a few stores down. After a few hours, I put on some new clothes. Well, not new, but... you know. Part of me was upset that Austin hadn't come, but I didn't know why I cared. By two in the afternoon, I was angry at him. What happened to the thirty-three days he said?

I took a walk to clear my head and ran into, nonetheless, Austin Moon. I speed-walk back to Sonic Boom to get away because I didn't want to talk to him at the moment. He followed close behind. "Hey." he says.

"What do you want?" I snap.

He looks surprised. "You okay?"

I roll my eyes. "No."

"What did I do? I thought we finally were becoming friends."

That's when it all comes out. Well, most of it. "You lied to me. You didn't come like you said you would. You probably thought that it didn't matter, but to me, it did. My whole life people have been lying to me, and leaving me, and not caring about me. I've been alone forever and... I actually thought you'd change that." By now, I'm crying, but I'm not finished. "Do you have any idea what it feels like to be lied to, and left, raped, bullied, and no one cares that they did that to you? Of course you don't. You buy your way out of every situation. Have you ever worked a day in your life? That's probably why you got out of juvie... money. Isn't it?"

He slowly nods.

I push him away from me and sit on the piano bench, still facing him. He follows. "I'm sorry."

I cry harder. "Sorry? Sorry doesn't cut it. I can't believe that I actually thought you'd care. I thought you'd listen and... to tell the truth... I was excited that you said we'd spend all those days together because I've always had a secret crush on you, but... Cassidy was in the way and she'd destroy my life if I ever went near you and... by the time I... forget it. Just leave."

"Ally, I didn't know. I should be the one upset. You left me at the therapy place. And didn't I kill Kyle for you? I saved your life and maybe not the way you thought I would, but I think I did a lot for you."

"You think you killing Kyle helped my life? I cried all the time because I felt like it was my fault you were where you were, in jail, and there was nothing I could do about it. If I had just fought my own battles or told somebody, Kyle wouldn't even have bothered me, and you wouldn't have had to help me, which I didn't need by the way, and we wouldn't be here. It's all my fault."

"Ally, no it's not. Are you just going to make everything about you? You constantly talk about your problems and how you hate the world and how nothing is good for you. Maybe you should just kill yourself and succeed this time if your life is so bad. Everything is about you and your problems. Everything. Just be happy. Do you even have a mental disease?" I shake my head. "Then there's no reason for you to do this. To cry and talk about how much your life sucks... because you're not the only one. There are other people in the world and you've been nothing but selfish. What I'm saying is probably going to make you kill yourself, but... for what? Why? Why do you care what other people think? Just because everyone is against you doesn't mean you have to be against yourself."

"Are you serious? I don't make everything about me! Just because I don't have a disease doesn't mean nothing is wrong with me! You're an asshole and I wish you never even came into my life! Just leave!" I shout, crying even more.

"You're just mad because I'm right."

I shake my head. "No! I'm mad at you! Just leave me alone!" I shout and go into the practice room. I cry for what seems like hours and then think about everything that happened. It was like there was a twisted knot in my stomach and the only way to get it out, in my eyes, was to puke. I leaned over the waste basket and shoved my finger down my throat. Puke came out. I didn't know what I was doing. It was like I was anorexic, which I'm sure I'm not.

I wasn't going to prove Austin right and kill myself. Maybe what he said was true. I had made things about me, but it's not my fault... maybe it is. Maybe it's not anybody's fault. I just needed to rethink everything... everything. As I thought over everything, I realized that maybe that's just what I needed. To rethink everything because after I did, I sat, and thought.

In the midst of my thinking, Austin comes in. "I know you told me to leave, but.." he begins.

"No." I reassure him. "I'm ready to talk to you." Was I?

I look down at his jacket. Something was sticking out. A piece of paper. So, I hug him and take it out. I basically pick-pocketed him. "Um... can I borrow your phone to make a call?"

"Um... sure."

We had been talking for a while, so it's not like I was just asking out of nowhere. Well, I was, but we had already been talking. I stepped outside and looked at the piece of paper that had a number on it. I quickly typed it in and waited for it to ring.

"Who is this?" answered a deep, tired voice. I didn't know what to say. What should I say? How did this person know Austin? I was determined to figure out who it was, and to do that, I'd have to be careful.

"I know Austin. Do you?"

"Know lots of Austins. More specific."

Really? Me be more specific? This person wasn't even saying full sentences. I had no idea what he was talking about. Or she. Most likely, I was speaking to a male, but that didn't matter.

"Austin Moon. Do you know Austin Moon? And if you do, how?"

They laugh. "I know him. Wish I didn't. He's the worst. He quit on me. Said he didn't want that life."

"Quit on what? What life?"

"Fast."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw you today."

"Wh-what?"

"Go to your bag."

I go down the stairs to my bag. This person was rather suspicious and creepy. "See any paper?"

How did they know I was with my bag. I pull out a few scraps of paper that are written on. They weren't in here earlier. "Yes."

"Good. Read it."

One note was the exact one that I had gotten a few years ago. The other one had the name 'Cassidy' written on it several times. "Is this Cassidy?"

"Did it ever occur to you..." they begin. "That..." this time it was a female voice. Cassidy's voice. She must have used a voice modifier. "I was still with Austin. I may be a bitch and a liar, but I'm not a cheater..." She pauses. I never said she was... but rumor had it that she was cheating on Austin. "I love Austin. Too much to lose him. Stay away from him. He wasn't with you earlier because he was with me. Don't forget that you're just the loser girl who turns into a slut and a psycho. Not so cliché if you ask me. Next time you see him, tell him to leave. Get him away from you. Don't talk to him. If you break any of my rules, you'll be sorry."

"How sorry?" I ask.

"Very sorry." she says, but this time sounds closer. I turn around to see her. She smiles and blows on her nails. "Do you remember in freshman year that time I smacked you for talking back? Your mouth swelled up and you had a gash on your face. You barely talked... and when you did... muffles. If you go near Austin, your dreams will come true. You will be dead." She steps closer and puts her hand on my arm. "You know I'm not just all talk, Dawson, don't you?" Cassidy sinks her long, fake nails into my skin. "If you tell him about this... same outcome if you go near him." This time she's whispering. "Are we clear, Dawson?"

I nod. She lets go of my arm, but smacks me in my face afterwards. When I fall to the floor, she leans down and squeezes my cheek. "And remember... sshh." she whispers and goes up the stairs. I don't know what she told Austin, but they both came down the stairs about ten minutes later.

"Why would she do that?" he asks.

"I don't know. She can't be trusted. She used your phone and I called at that exact moment. I had some fun and pranked her a little. When I revealed it was me, she snapped. She told me not to talk to you and I..." that's all I can hear before they both walk out. I quickly pop my head up to see the two of them kissing.

I don't know what happened... or why it happened. Today, I have the courage I have never had. "STOP!" I shout. Austin and Cassidy both turn around, but Cassidy nudges him to keep going. He walks back inside the store, followed by Cassidy. "Do you really believe her?" I ask.

"No. I get it. Maybe this stuff is overrated. Me and you. This... thirty day thing is over. I have somebody, and she's the only person I should be spending time with. I'll see you in school." Austin says and slowly walks out.

"Ally. Your life isn't the only one that sucks. I grew up in a lawyer family and had to keep the generation going. No one believed I could do anything else. Especially music. I try to prove them wrong to this day and I use all that doubt and anger on other people. I meant it when I said to stay away from Austin. I know you like him and I can see it in your face. You're not going to get him and that's how it's going to be. It's not him or me... it's you. Stay away. He doesn't like me because I'm a bitch, you know... in spite of it. He likes you because you're different." Cassidy says.

"He... he likes me?" I ask, in a soft voice.

"Yes."

"Wow."

"Exactly. He likes you. You like him. I like him. He likes me. This isn't a freaking love triangle. He's mine. I'm his girlfriend, and you're barely his friend. You like my boyfriend and he likes you. If you spend time together, love is inevitable. You're good together... but not as good as us... which is why you need to keep your distance, and I'll make sure he keeps his. That way love is impossible between you two, and kept alive between us."

"Couldn't you just have said that earlier?"

She smiles. "No. I said it bitchy both ways. But after I saw Aussie, I just couldn't help but be nice to everyone... even you."

"Do you really like him? Like really really?"

Cassidy shrugs and then giggles. "I do. Which is why..."

"I know. I can't like him."

She steps closer. "Oh, you can like him. You just can't be with him. I have to go. My boyfriend is waiting for me." She starts to strut out, but then quickly turns around. "Oh, and... don't think I like you. I'm just being nice... for Miss Psycho's benefit." Then she skips out happily. Seriously? I'm the mental one?

Part of me was glad that I didn't have to be around Austin. Another part of me wanted every piece of him.

Good? Bad? Oh, and it's not edited so... yeah. Sorry it took so long! Bye...