Trish tried on not one, not two, not three, but twenty three dresses. There was 47 sleeveless, sweetheart neckline, princess skirt, backless, with a wrapped waist, in the small boutique. Trish would walk out get our approval then decide she hated it and went back inside. Dez's mother, Dez's sister, Trish's mother and three of her cousins and two of her aunts, and one Ally Dawson, made up her 'small' bridal party. Trish's father sat in an arm chain, is head rested in his hand, bored half to death. He hadn't smiled at one dress, I knew that is why she kept trying on a different dress even though she looked stunning in each one. After the last dress she silently took off her veil and bunched it up in her hands.

"Ally, could you come help me in the dressing room," she asks quietly, her eyes shine. I set my purse on the plush couch and follow her into the spacious dressing room. There were countless dresses hung on the walls. Each one somewhat similar expect one. I unzipped her princess dress, she let out a long sigh and sat down on the small velvet couch in the dressing room. She fiddled with the veil still bunched in her hands.

"You know what sucks the most Ally?" she asks, sniffling. She looked up at me, there were a few stray tears but otherwise she held it in.

She didn't wait for me to ask, "That my parents hated Dez for the longest time. For the dumbest reasons too: he's not catholic, he's a loon, he isn't Hispanic, they made up these stupid reasons because they wanted me to marry this son of one of my dad's business partners'."

I held her for a moment then she started talking again, "My mom is the worst. She tells me, 'I'm looking out for your best interest.' Never once has she given a shit about anything, she was never there. And now she wants to add her useless two cents."

I looked at the dress in the corner, "What's this dress?"

"It's the one Dez's mom picked out, it had sleeves that would hug her arms, a sweetheart neckline, with a belt and a laced covered skirt.

"It's beautiful," I commented, she wiped her tear and picked up the dress.

"I didn't think It was, well me," she confessed, I rested my hand on her arm.

"Then let's find out," I offered. I helped clipping the back closed, when she turned around. I was absolutely stunned. Tears welled in her eyes, and I pulled her into a hug.

"This is really happening isn't it?" she mumbled, I laughed sobbed in response.

"Who would have guessed?"

[BREAK]

Summer officially ended when we were sitting in a highly air-conditioned room eating samples of wedding cake, we had narrowed done to five cakes: pumpkin spice, pink champagne, wine cake, and almond. Three fillings: Irish cream, dulce de leche, and raspberry jam. And we decided creamy butter cream frosting.

Trish had her feet in Dez's lap and sighed, "I thought this was supposed to be fun."

I laughed and sampled the almond cake with the raspberry jam, I literally moaned.

"Holy hell, excuse me while I have a mouth-gasm," I moaned, Austin eyes widened and pulled the other half from my hand.

Austin took a bite and his eyes bulged, "I vote for this one."

Trish and Dez tried the cake and they looked at each other smiling, "I can't wait to shove tthis in your face."

Dez kissed her, "Me neither."

We left the bakery and were greeted with a loud clamp of thunder. The beach that faced the bakery was completely deserted as the rain started. I was holding Austin's hand he looked down at me, as if to warn me. I made brief eye contact with Trish who had the same devious smile. I kicked off my heels and sprinted into the rain, Trish met me at the street and we locked hands.

"Are you coming or what?" I yelled back to Austin and Dez, we sprinted into the street and onto the beach.

My shirt clung to me, "Trish, may I have this dance?"

Trish took my outstretched hand, and I bowed. We skipped around pretending to be at a posh party, Trish went to bow me but two strong arms wrapped around my middle. I screeched as I was pulled off my feet and spun around.

"Austin put me down!" I giggled, he set me gently on my feet. I turned around and pulled him down to me. His hands arched my back and kissed me slowly.

"I love you Austin."

[BREAK]

"I swear to go if I have to go brides maid shopping one more time this year, I'm going to flip a bitch," I half joked steeping out of Trish's car. She gave me a grateful look, as the maid of honor I had to control the bridal party. I know what you're thinking, yay me.

We came to a high end a bouquet by the mall, we were taken to a private room. There were different dresses on mannequins all equally beautiful.

One by one parts of the bridal party showed, there were in the end six brides maids, not including me. Trish rolled her eyes at the expanse of her cousins that she really didn't talk to.

Trish motioned me to take control of the group, I swallowed and walked in front of the group.

"So welcome ladies," I greeted, Dez's sister smiled to attention, "as you all are aware, um, Trish is having a fall wedding. So we are going to wear fall colors, like lilac, green, and peachy pinks."

"What about red?" one of her cousins asked.

"Well Trish wanted in the color range," I informed, clapping my hands together.

Three hours, three mother freaking hours, it took three hours to finally decide on a color. I rubbed my temples next to Trish ready to scream in frustration.

"Ladies!" I yell, "Go pick out a peachy pink dress, so we can leave."

They scoffed and went out into the shop, "How am I going to deal with these people until November?"

Trish laughed, "The same way I dealt with them all my life."

Dez's sister was the last to come back, she was the only one who actually was wearing a decent dress too. It was short enough and flowed easily, it was halter top and had a belt around the middle.

I didn't pull Lara and make them explain for no reason, I announced that Dez's sister's choice was the winner and we all got our measurements. I sighed deeply, "I hate weddings."

"I wouldn't say that," Trish laughed drinking the champagne that the boutique.

I turned my head taking a sip of her champagne, "Why?"

"Well Dez and I are getting married and I don't think your too far behind I mean you and Austin are in love and you've been through so much. You guys are like meant to be," she said, shrugging, "And wouldn't it be cool if we got married at the same time?"

I twirled the glass in my hand, finishing it off I smiled at her. Her words didn't give me the right effect.

[BREAK]

"Do I even want to get married?" I asked sipping my beer.

"I can't answer that for you Ally," Delilah laughed.

We were in my apartment like we were every Saturday night. After our trip we became really close and spent a lot of time together. My heels were sitting on the table along with my apron. At least I had work to distract me four out of seven days.

"I think the question really is," Delilah said, tucking her legs under herself, "Is do you want to get married to Austin?"

I wanted to be with Austin but I didn't want to be married. I haven't even left Miami, why would I settle down now and have kids?

"I don't want to stay here," I answer truefully, she gives me the look.

"Then why do you stay?"

I sighed, why?

Austin, Trish, Dez, work . . . Austin's music . . .

"I hav-."

"I nee-."

"I don't know," I sigh, "I guess for Austin."

Delilah took my hands. "You are the most selfless person I know, and even though you love him. You should do what you want, no matter what, it's your life.."

*Can I just say. Do you know how many times my freaking computer has not saved this chapter. I started this before I posted the last chapter and I didn't know where it was going. After I posted the last chapter I knew what to do so I started typing. Its literally deleted four times. Four. So I got it under control the first three time, the fourth deleted everything below this. Fml.*

I bit my lip and took a cigarette from Delilah's pack and lit it, she watches me before taking one for herself.

"You know where I want to do?" I smiled, taking a long drag of my cigarette, the smoke started pooling making my eyes droop.

"hmm," she responded, I twirled the cigarette.

"I want to get a Volkswagen bus, paint it tiffany blue. I want to gather all the things I need in a suitcase and drive up to New York and Chicago and go to Seattle and stop at record shops and thrift stores on the way. I want to go to the beaches and take pictures and live in that little bus and listen to Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty. And not worry about my next bill. Or the next record deal. And be able to write without deadlines, and travel," I rambled quietly enough for Delilah to hear me. I closed my eyes and let out a long breath. I was filled with the sudden urge to do something. I crushed the nub of smoke into an ashtray and stood, pulling on my heels from the table.

"Lets go do something," I said, grabbing my bag.

"At two in the morning?" she asked, amused and pulling on her shoes.

"I have an idea," I answered, she walked over to me and nodded.

The loft wasn't extremely far away, it was just late and we were wearing heels. Bad idea. We got to the building and I pulled out my ring of keys and unlocked the lobby door.

"Where'd you find the money for this?" Delilah asked, toeing off her shoes as she climbed the stairs to the main room.

"It was Austin's," I explained throwing my keys onto the table and letting my bag fall to the floor. The large picture windows had a beautiful yet creepy view of the ocean. I shuddered and turned away. I walked over to my metal desk and opened the drawer with my lyrics were in and pulled out one in particular.

"This song, I wrote about a year and a half ago," I told Delilah who sat comfortably in a chair next to the piano. I sat down and played a few notes before starting the melody.

"Now she's back in the atmosphere," I sang, looking out the window.

(DROPS OF JUPITER BY TRAIN)

Now that she's back in the atmosphere
With drops of Jupiter in her hair, hey, hey, hey
She acts like summer and walks like rain
Reminds me that there's a time to change, hey, hey, hey
Since the return from her stay on the moon
She listens like spring and she talks like June, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey

But tell me, did you sail across the sun?
Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded
And that heaven is overrated?

Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star–
One without a permanent scar?
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there?

Now that she's back from that soul vacation
Tracing her way through the constellation, hey, hey, hey (mmm)
She checks out Mozart while she does tae-bo
Reminds me that there's room to grow, hey, hey, hey (yeah)

Now that she's back in the atmosphere
I'm afraid that she might think of me as plain ol' Jane
Told a story about a man who was too afraid to fly so he never did land

But tell me, did the wind sweep you off your feet?
Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day
And head back to the Milky Way?
And tell me, did Venus blow your mind?
Was it everything you wanted to find?
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there?

Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken?
Your best friend always sticking up for you even when I know you're wrong
Can you imagine no first dance, freeze dried romance, five-hour phone conversation?
The best soy latte that you ever had and me

But tell me, did the wind sweep you off your feet?
Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day
And head back toward the Milky Way?

And tell me, did you sail across the sun?
Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded
And that heaven is overrated?

And tell me, did you fall for a shooting star,
One without a permanent scar?
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself?

Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na

And did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day?
Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na
And did you fall for a shooting star, fall for a shooting star?
Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na
And now you're lonely looking for yourself out there.

Delilah met me with wide eyes, "You wrote that."

"Mhn," I answered.

She shook her head, then laughed, "You are something else."

[BREAK]

I was laying, pretty cozy, I might add, in Austin's king size bed. We had a late night and I got a rare opportunity to sleep in. I stretched out and wrapped the Egyptian cotton sheets around me. I walked down to the kitchen and rustled around for some coffee. I eventually found some and started brewing it. I shuffled through some stuff of Austin's when I found a letter from the record company. I guess curiosity got the best of me because I read it, and then I dropped it. Austin got offered a World Tour for his new album, it was only offered to him, here we go again.

I laughed because I saw it as a sign, and I knew what I needed to do.

[BREAK]

At the end of September I had started moving all my stuff from my storage locker in the basement to one in the city, and I had bought it. So no assholes on some reality TV show could buy it off if I didn't pay the rent. I also emptied the loft and put my stuff in the unit. Seeing my stuff piled in one place made my heart ache. I took the things that I needed in one box and put it in my apartment.

I called Delilah, "Hey Hun, do you want to do something?"

She hummed through the phone, "Ya sure, do you need me to pick you up?"

"Yes mam'me, I'm at Miami Storage Facility," I answered, she told me she'd be there in ten. I locked the unit and walked out in front.

Ten minutes true, she pulled up with Led Zeppelin blasting, "Where to?"

I gave her the address and she zoomed off.