Hi guys! First off I want to explain that the lack of updates has been because of Choir Camp, which is throughout this week and so much fun, it's nice seeing my singing buddies again as well as welcoming the new faces! And oh my gosh, there is a new girl in my class called ALLY and an incoming freshman whose name is CALLIE, like from The Fosters on ABC Family. How funny is that?! Second: OH MY FRIKKEN GOSH. This story has over 100 reviews! You guys are crazy... crazy AWESOME! I cannot thank you enough for taking the time out of your day to actually read this fan fiction story and not only read it, but review it. Guest people: I SEE YOU, just thought I should let ya'll know. It literally means so much to me so THANK YOU. I couldn't have made it this far without your encouraging words and unlimited support. It took awhile for me to write this chapter because I wasn't sure exactly what to write next, but I think after looking at some Auslly pictures on Tumblr and watching spoilers (teehee), the inspiration came to me! Here we go, Chapter 8...

As much as it pains me, I have to say that the sudden attention because of my new hair style has brought on quite the stir. It seems shallow: when someone changes something about themselves, it instantly radiates a spotlight and makes people look at you differently.

But why?

I'm still me, I'm still smiling through the pain, I'm still Ally Dawson. Just enhanced.

"Hey Ally," a guy that I've never even talked to before in my life greeted as I walked towards my locker. I weakly smiled and gave a small wave in return. Did he even know my name before I'd changed my hair? It was just a little bit of blonde dye, almost like high lights. What was such the big deal?

"Look at little Miss Popular," a voice teased, and I turned around, rolling my eyes.

"It's honestly not that great, Trish," I sighed, reaching my locker and spinning the dial quickly. "It makes me think that people are really this shallow."

"They're not shallow, Ally," she said, leaning against the other lockers. "You changed your hair. It's bound to get attention."

I cocked an eyebrow at her before reaching inside to pull out a notebook. "These people never noticed me before. What difference does it make if I change my hair?" I asked, distraught.

"Hey there," a dark haired boy said as he passed by, sending me a devilish grin. I turned away in disgust.

"See?!" I screeched. "Boys only like girls for their looks. That's why..." I looked down at the ground, breathing in slowly. Trish gently put her hand on my shoulder.

"Ally, that's not true. And you know it," she replied softly. I looked up at her with fearful eyes.

"Do I?" I asked, sighing. We began walking to the cafeteria, passing by the occasional sweetheart couples. "I mean, look at Harper and Leo. She can barely hold up a proper conversation because all she likes to talk about are TV shows, but she's gorgeous."

Trish observed Harper's mane of flowing brown locks that hit just above her waist. Harper had that whole casual Cali look, complete with jeans and a simple T-shirt and sneakers, a classic beach babe. Somewhere inside her was the potential of a surfer.

"Maybe Leo likes TV shows," Trish reasoned, shrugging her shoulders.

"Maybe," I said. "Or maybe not. And how about Paige and Jake?"

Our heads both turned to look at the school's star quarterback and the track team's shining sprinter. With Jake being a red head and Paige having dark locks mixed with soft purple highlights, the two glowed as an athlete couple.

"She's like a daring Barbie doll, if there were ever such a thing," I stated. "Do you see where I'm heading here? Their girlfriends are all pretty."

"That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard," she scoffed as we stepped through the double doors and into the lunch line. "So pretty is being thin, having great hair and awesome style? Count me out."

I stared at her quizzically, a small smile growing on my face. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean," she said as the line moved forward, giving us two steps ahead, "that if all boys want for a girlfriend is a Barbie doll, then I don't want to be anyone's girlfriend at this school."

"Really?" I replied, then smirked as I nodded my head towards a familiar red head waving frantically at the both of us from a table in the corner. "Not even Dez?"

Her cheeks flushed bright pink. "We're just friends," she quickly said, moving up the line about ten steps. I rushed over to keep up with her.

"Look who's starting to sound like me," I taunted. She frowned. "You like him, don't you?"

She bit her lip. "Who, Dez? Are you nuts? He's annoying and stupid and drives a weird blue mini convertible. Why would I ever like him?" she pointed out, grabbing a turkey sandwich while I went for a burger.

"Because he's annoying and stupid and drives a weird blue mini convertible," I replied, laughing. She sighed, her shoulders slumping.

"He doesn't even look at me that way. Besides, he seems too silly to even want a girlfriend," she explained. "I've thought about telling him, trust me. But something keeps holding me back."

"That's the problem. You need to figure out what that something is before you go for it. That way when you are ready to tell him, you'll know exactly what to say," I suggested. "Plus we're talking about Dez here. Him being goofy is just part of the package. That doesn't mean he's not keeping an eye out for one special girl."

As we walked over to the table where Dez sat at, I couldn't help but find my eyes lingering on a brand new couple that sat at another table nearby. They seemed happy, smiling and laughing and occasionally touching hands. I made a bad attempt at brushing away the pang I suddenly felt in my chest.

The boyfriend looked up and his chocolate brown eyes softened as they came into contact with mine. He smiled, waving at me. The girlfriend turned to look at me as well, and the pang in my chest moved to my stomach, almost as if someone had punched me. I quickly looked away, and I could see the boyfriend's confused expression as his hand slowly came back down to his lap.

"Don't even look at them," Trish whispered in my ear. "It only makes it worse." She sat me down at the table, where Dez was already pining away at the side of tater tots on my tray. "At least you have better hair than her," she added with a comforting smile.

I laughed, but the smile didn't stretch up to the crinkles of my eyes like they usually did. "Maybe. But this is going to take a lot more than just hair dye," I sighed, my appetite quickly fading away as I handed Dez my burger as well.

A loud whistle pierced my ears and I was just about ready to blow. The sudden attention was really getting on my nerves, and I slammed my locker door shut, turning around as my mouth opened to let the flood of rage erupt.

"Look, I don't appreciate being whistled at because it makes me feel like a dog, and I am certainly no one's dog! And hasn't your mother ever taught you to have manners, I mean it's only common to know that-" I stopped my spiel when I realized who I was talking to, my mouth quickly closing. "Elliot."

His face was filled with surprise as his jaw hung open. Before I could apologize he burst out laughing, hunching over as his face turned a bright red. I was glued to the spot, stunned by his reaction, and the only thing I could do was wait for him to recover from this hyena moment. When he finally did stop, he looked up at me, a grin still plastered on his face as he wiped away the tears from cackling.

"That was hilarious," he said, still gasping for air. I folded my arms and scowled.

"It hasn't been a good day, so please don't become another problem on my list," I replied, marching away before he gently cupped my waist with his hand and pulled me back. I felt the tips of my ears heat up.

"I'm sorry," he murmured softly. I gulped.

"It's okay," I replied, turning my head to face him but instantly regretting it. I hadn't realized how close his face was to mine, and the flecks of gold in his hazel eyes were throwing me off balance, making my heart beat faster than usual.

"Hey," a voice barked, and I shot away from his grip. "You're not bothering her again, are you? Not after I took that swing at your face."

"Austin..." I said, my tone edgy as I shot him a look that would hopefully remind him of his pinky promise to not fight with Elliot anymore. I noticed a hand intertwined with his and came face to face with Kira, who seemed to be busy fidgeting with the ends of her hair. I focused on the leaves, still green with sharp edges.

"Not bothering her. Just reminding her that we should probably practice our lines for the play. You know, since our characters are in love," Elliot replied, a smirk on his face. I kicked him.

"Romantically involved," I corrected, watching Austin grip harder onto Kira's hand as if he needed support. Kira promptly averted her attention to the situation.

"Ally!" she exclaimed, as if she hadn't already seen me. I fought an urge to roll my eyes; that would be rude. Silence filled in the cracks before she spoke. "I like your hair."

My stomach stung fiercely. "Thanks," I muttered. Austin looked at Kira, then me, clearly conflicted as to why there was so much awkwardness in the air. If only he knew. I could feel him sending me did-I-miss-something looks, but I could never tell him. He'd never believe me. He probably wouldn't even care.

Too busy with his new girlfriend.

"Elliot, we should go. We have a lot to rehearse," I blurted out. I couldn't handle standing here any much longer, watching my best friend that I was in love with hold hands with this girl who was supposed to be my best friend, who was supposed to understand how wrong this was, who was supposed to follow through on promises.

"We should?" he asked, then took one look on my face before catching on. "Oh, we should! See you guys later!"

"Ally, wait!" Austin exclaimed, and I shut my eyes in pain before I turned back around to face him.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Do you need a ride home?" he asked. Kira shifted uncomfortably.

"It's okay. I don't think there's enough space for me in Shelby anyway," I said, and Kira bit her lip, taking this moment to stare at the ground. There was no room for me anywhere. Now that there were three in the picture, the Austin and Ally show seemed to be on the verge of cancellation.

And I wasn't about to stick around to hear the confirmation.

"Talk to me, Ariel. Why can't you talk to me?" Elliot read from the script, but my mind was somewhere else.

I couldn't help but repeat the look on Austin's face. He had no idea, no clue, not even a suspicion as to what was going on between Kira and I. Of course, I couldn't blame him. I had told him I was perfectly fine with him dating her. I had put on a mask. I had smiled and laughed and acted normal. It was only at home, before I went to bed or even in the shower where the mask melted off and I let the tears run down my face as I shook my head, wondering why I was letting this happen to me.

Why wasn't I speaking up? Why wasn't I confessing? Why was I letting myself get in the way of what I wanted?

"Ally?" Elliot asked, his voice snapping me out of my thoughts. My face turned scarlet.

"Sorry," I muttered.

"Are you okay?" he asked, placing the script down onto the counter. We were sitting at Mini's, a local hang out that all the kids usually went to right after school, where they sold miniature sized food items.

"Yeah, why?" I replied.

"Because you haven't touched your pizza, and it's only ten centimeters long," he said with a twinkle in his eye as he grabbed it, quickly popping it into his mouth before I could protest. I laughed, a genuine one for the first time in awhile.

"Hey, that wasn't nice," I scolded.

"You know what else isn't nice?" he asked, leaning into me. I carefully leaned away with caution, making sure not to tip backward off my stool. "Not rehearsing with your leading man."

I rolled my eyes. "Leading man? Seriously Elliot, we're not on a TV show. It's just a school play."

His brows scrunched together and I bit my lip to keep from smiling at how adorable he actually kinda looked when he wasn't being such a jerk. "This is my first time getting a lead role in a play," he sighed. "I just want to get it right. And I can't practice when there's something wrong with my leading lady." I shot him a look. "So what's the problem?"

I sighed, running my fingers carelessly through my scalp, my locks tousling. "It's nothing you can fix."

"Maybe if you let me try..."

I cocked my head to one side and let an amused smile play onto my lips. "Elliot Johnson actually wants to help me?"

He snorted. "Don't get such a big head, just because you look gorgeous-"

"You think I look gorgeous?" I asked quietly, playing with the hem of my floral skirt.

He stared at me for a moment before answering. "God, Ally, of course you are. Have you ever looked in the mirror?"

I blinked. "Sure, but-"

"That's the best part about it: you don't even know. You don't even realize how talented and pretty you are. That's why so many guys are into you."

This was honestly all news to me. "They are?"

"Yes!" he practically shouted, causing the people around us to take a look. "And maybe if you weren't so hung up on that best friend of yours, you would realize that."

I felt my heart stop as my eyes began to sting once again. A tear slid down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away, hoping he hadn't seen it.

"Ally..." he sighed. I stared down at my empty plate, anything but his sympathetic eyes. I wasn't prepared for what happened next as he leaned over and pressed his lips against mine. My eyes flew open in shock and I shoved him away.

"What the hell, Elliot!" I shouted.

"I-I'm sorry, it was an accident!" he stammered as I got up from my seat, scrambling to get my sweater and bag.

"That was my first kiss, and you just stole it!" I replied, tears running down my face now as I ran away from him, from my empty plate, from everything. Footsteps followed after me, pounding against the concrete. I tried to speed up my pace but my arm was pulled back as he enveloped me in a hug from behind. A sob escaped my mouth.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-"

"That was my first kiss," I repeated.

"I'm sorry."

"I was reserving that for someone special."

"I'm sorry."

"Stop saying that!" I screamed, pushing him away from me. "I'm tired of sorries! I'm tired of hearing them, I'm tired of saying them, I'm tired of being sorry for things I didn't do and for things I have done. And I'm sorry, but I am done being sorry!" I slid to the cement, not caring that this was the middle of a sidewalk and that there were people passing by staring at me with wide worried eyes. I was tired. I was exhausted.

I was hurting.

Strong arms lifted me off the ground and swung my body onto their back. "Then let me help you," Elliot murmured.

"I can't," I whispered.

His head hung in disappointment. "Then... then at least let me be your friend," he offered.

Friend. The word seemed so foreign now, sounding strange to me, leaving a funny taste in my mouth, both bitter and sweet. What did it even mean anymore?

Austin was my friend.

Trish was my friend.

Kira was my friend.

I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck. "Take me home," I said, choking on every word.

"Long day?" my dad asked me as I entered through the door. My entire body felt numb. My heart, on the other hand, was doing all sorts of crazy things.

"Is it obvious?" I replied. He nodded, chuckling.

"Go on up to your room. I'll make you some soup," he said, sending me a reassuring smile. I nodded, trudging up the stairs with every last ounce of strength that I had. I needed to think. I needed to take the mask off.

I stepped into the bathroom, stripping off my clothing and staring at myself in the mirror.

"Have you ever looked in the mirror?"

Sunken eyes. Pale skin. Faded smile. Broken heart. No wonder they're crazy about me, I sarcastically thought to myself, filling the bathtub until it reached the top. I added bubbles and climbed inside, soaking myself in the hot water until all that was visible was my head. I closed my eyes and dunked myself in.

"Look at these fireflies!" Austin yelled, smiling as his head whirled around to look up at the softly glowing insects. I giggled.

"Can we catch some?" I asked, turning to my dad. He nodded. I squealed, grabbing Austin's hand as we both jumped up at the same time, our hands reaching for something that could never be caught. We were too young to understand that gravity's toll on the earth. Some things were just too out of reach.

I looked towards the forest; the trees suddenly seemed menacing and the crescent of the moon didn't seem bright enough. I squeezed Austin's hand tighter, scooting closer to him.

"Austin, I'm scared," I said, my other hand gripping onto his cape.

He squeezed back. "Have no fear, I am Superman!" he announced, and I threw my head back, letting out the loudest laugh that not even hyenas could topple.

I emerged from the water, not gasping for air at all. The flashback made my heart ache and yearn at the same time, two different emotions that should never be mixed together. Austin and I have been friends for such a long time, since childhood. And somewhere in the middle of all our memories together, my heart got caught. These were the facts.

This was the truth.

I rose out of the bathtub, wrapping the towel tightly around my frail body as I turned to look at the mirror once more.

Hopeful eyes. Translucent skin. Healing smile. Mending heart.

"Dad, you don't have to feed me," I chuckled as he brought the spoon towards my mouth. He pulled it away, placing it back into the bowl of chicken noodle galore.

"I used to do it all the time when you were a baby," he reasoned, but I simply rolled my eyes, shaking my head. He kissed the top of my forehead and I closed my eyes, smiling as I snuggled deeper into my comforter and blanket, my head resting comfortably against a pillow.

"Thanks for the soup," I croaked before he exited my bedroom. I sighed, taking the spoon in one hand, bringing it carefully to my mouth.

Slurp.

I laughed to myself. What an un-Ally thing to do, play with my food. But the soup tasted amazing, just what I needed on a rough day like this. My fingers unknowingly touched my lips.

The kiss.

I hadn't kissed him long enough to get a feel of his lips or to get a feel of anything in general. As much as my mind was suggesting things, my heart didn't like Elliot. It was still stuck on repeat for Austin. My phone buzzed, and I reached over to grab it.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Ally!" a familiar voice exclaimed in relief. "I've been texting you for hours! Are you okay?"

"You have?" I asked, pulling the phone away from my ear to quickly scroll through my texts.

To: AllyFrom: Austin
2:30 pm
Text or call me if that jerk hurts you again.

To: Ally
From: Austin
3:00 pm
He hasn't done anything, has he? Text me back.

To: Ally
From: Austin
3:20 pm
He did something, didn't he?

To: Ally
From: Austin
4:05 pm
Ally, you're scaring me. Please text or call me back.

"Oh..." I said, putting the phone back to my ear. "Sorry about that."

"So you're fine then?" he asked.

"Why do you care so much?" I snapped.

Inarticulateness hung in the air for quite some time before he spoke. "Because I care about you." I gulped. "You're my best friend."

There. Those were the two words I was waiting for. That was my status, my title: best friend. "I was just rehearsing with Elliot."

"I don't like that guy," he stated.

"He's nicer than you think," I said, thinking back to his offer for friendship if I could take nothing more.

Austin snorted. "I doubt that. Have you seen the way he looks at you? It's like he wants to kiss you or something."

My face instantly heated up.

"Ally? You still there?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm still here." Should I tell him? Or should I lie?

"Just try not to trust him too much. He's such an airhead," he reminded me.

"Whatever," I muttered.

More dead air.

"So are we still on for PC on Friday?" he asked.

My mood brightened, but I bit my lip in hesitation.

Don't you want to get over him? a voice in the back of my mind whispered.

But don't you miss him? a new voice asked.

Where did you come from? I thought.

"I think Trish and I have to work on our AP Psychology project that day. We have to do a ton of research," I lied, picking at a loose thread on my bed and tugging at it so hard that it popped and broke loose.

"Oh," he said.

"Next time," I replied, automatically feeling guilty.

"It's okay. Kira wanted to see a movie that day anyway."

Ouch. I clenched my fists, not caring if my fingernails were making painful imprints on my palms. It hurt that I could easily be replaced, just like that. Kira this. Kira that. She was my understudy.

Or better yet, I was becoming hers.

"What movie?" I asked.

"The new Zaliens sequel," he responded. I laughed.

"She would want to watch that," I said. "You guys have a lot in common."

"I guess so," he replied. "It's just, our anniversary's coming up."

"Anniversary? Already?"

"It's a week-aversary," he explained. "I don't know what to get her."

"Try a necklace, something pretty," I suggested, taking another sip of my soup.

"What would you want?"

I spit my soup out, wiping my mouth. My heart was doing that racing thing again.

"Um...well, you know... it doesn't have to be anything expensive or fancy. Just something important, something that matters to me."

"Tell Elliot that," he teased, and I felt my shoulders droop. "A necklace, okay, got it. Thanks Ally, you're the best."

"No problem," I sighed, hanging up.

I am the mop that cleans up the mess.

She is the mess that never leaves.

WOAH. I legitly don't know what happened in this year, my hands took over the keyboard and it's like my brain disconnected itself and I didn't even have to think. My fingers typed with a mind of its own. When I typed Elliot kissing Ally, I immediately deleted and was like: Ew, what, no! But then... I brought it back and thought: You know what, why not? So yep, there you have it folks. Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter, and don't forget to review so I know how I'm doing! Before I exit, here's a Laura joke because I love you guys: Why was the broom late? ...It over swept! HA. HA. HA. Love youuuuu.