This week's chapter will include a small snippet of the song Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand Listen along while you read. (Y'all know the drill, you don't have to listen if you don't want to, I just have to tell y'all to avoid a copyright claim( but seriously this is completely unnecessary, Giving the name of the original band should be enough but nooooo.)) anyway, back to the story!

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"What do you mean the entertainment canceled?" Alice questioned the head of the Event Committee, who had just arrived to deliver bad news.

"The DJ we hired two weeks prior found another event on the same day with more pay." Chelles explained timidly, set off by the beastly appearance of the, currently grounded, student council president. Just as Alice had feared, her younger brother Peter had told all of his friends, thankfully without specifics, that she was grounded. That created a grape vine all around the school that she had gotten in trouble for whatever reason. The laughing and hounding only created more irritation along with her school work, upcoming finals, and the still healing wound left over from Alfred.

Alice shook her head in exasperation and rested her forehead in one hand as she took a deep breath, and let it out.

"Okay, We still have nine days until the festival, that should be enough time to find a new Dj or live entertainment correct?" Alice inquired. Chelles looked at her phone and scrolled down the screen to look at what she assumed to be a planner, then nodded.

"Yes, but we'll be cutting it close." The younger girl answered.

"Okay good. Well take care of that then." Alice shooed her away and turned her attention back to her paperwork. Chelles compiled and left her office and headed back to the Event Committee's meeting room.

Once she was gone Alice looked up from her papers and sighed, throwing down her pencil and leaning back in her chair. Swirling around she turned to face the window to look out at the sky. The blue reminded her of someone she would rather forget. It had been two weeks since the breakup and things were still awkward, Alfred wouldn't even talk to her unless it was about classwork. Looking around her lonesome office, Alice felt herself longing for the easier days where he would constantly interrupt her lunch period to talk with or just to bug her.

Alice had quite some time to think about everything that had happened and while what he did was horrible and wrong, she was the main cause to what had happened, she had been lying and 'playing' with him for so much longer. She could forgive what he did, though she'd need sometime, because it was her behind the mask. If he fell in love with both Alice and England, that meant that he had finally accepted all of her. But what she did may have destroyed everything they once had.

She longed for his friendship, even if they were never to get back together, she still wanted the good old days back where they could simply call each other friends. Alas she ruined everything didn't she?

"Man I'm starting to get depressed." Alice murmured to herself as she sat up straight and tried to get back to her work, but found her mind was too distracted to think properly.

Running a hand through the threads of her hair, Alice decided to give up on working, she'd have plenty of time at home anyway since she's not allowed to do anything else. So with a push up from her seat, Alice left her office and made her way to the music room. Strumming her guitar always made her feel better.

Heading out of the offices and into the main hallway, Alice made her way to the building's music room on the bottom floor. The music room had a few people in it, so she quickly grabbed her guitar case from its locker and went to an empty practice room. Taking out her guitar and putting the strap over her shoulder, Alice made herself comfortable on a high chair. At first she simply strummed a few chords and tunes until she settled into a familiar song. Along with playing, Alice decided to sing as well and fell away into the music.

So if you're lonely

You know I'm here waiting for you

I'm just a crosshair

I'm just a shot away from you

And if you leave here

You leave me broken, shattered, I lie

I'm just a crosshair

I'm just a shot, then we can die

I know I won't be leaving here with you

I say don't you know

You say you don't know

I say, take me out!

As Alice sang the lyrics her voice begun to chock up and catch in her throat. A hiccup stopped her from singing the next line and made her stop playing all together. A drop of something wet on her hand made her realize that she had begun to tear up and cry.

"Seriously?" Alice muttered to herself as she wiped her eyes dry under her glasses with her sleeve. "So much for clearing my mind." She grumbled.

Out of nowhere, the sound of the door creaking to a close brought Alice out of her solitude and caused her to look up at the doorway. In the small rectangular window on the door, she saw a hint of blond as a figure walked away from the door.

'Could it be?' Alice wondered in awe. Hurriedly she closed up her guitar in its case, grabbed it, and ran out of the practice room, just in time to see the Alfred leaving the music room. Part of her brain told her not to go, to leave it be and accept that he didn't want to see her; but the other begged her to follow after him, a shred of hope that he may forgive her.

Deciding to run after him, Alice sprinted towards the door to the hallway after the American, shouting "Wait!" as she ran. Shoving herself into the hallway, Alice managed to catch him right before he was about to head up the staircase.

"Wait, Alfred!" Alice shouted after him. Alfred turned and saw her running after him, but turned away and continued on his way up the stairs. Alice tried not to let the sting of his action stop her from her pursuit, so she called after him again.

"Alfred! Please wait!" She called as she bounded up the steps after him. After chasing him up half a flight, he finally came to a stop, breathing heavily, but she didn't think it was from a lack of stamina. He didn't turn around to face her and kept his back to her.

"What is it Alice?" He asked her, keeping his face hidden.

Alice hesitated in her voice and step, slightly not expecting him to listen to her, she wasn't quite sure how to start or what to say.

"You were listening to me play." She stated plainly, internally kicking herself for pointing out the obvious.

"Yeah, I saw you going into the music room. Forgive me, I was curious." He said and continued on his way.

"No, I'm glad you were listening." She interjected his steps, bounding up a few more as well, but still maintaining a distance between them. Alfred's breath only seemed to become heavier as they stood there on the stairs. His fists clenched tightly as he lightly swayed on his feet, looking to be impatient. So before he could make an excuse to leave, Alice decided to be upfront with him and cut to the chase.

"I know I screwed up, and I'm sorry. I should have told you from the beginning, but I was scared. Scared that you wouldn't like who I really was, and when you turned me away my fear only grew. But I did not mean to take advantage of you." Alfred turned his head ever so slightly, but still didn't look at her.

"What are you trying to say?" He questioned trying to sound harsh, but instead sounded soft.

"I just wanted to apologize for everything I caused, I know this is all my fault… It always is."

That finally got Alfred to turn around and face her, but not just simply rotate around to look at her, but completely spin around with precise speed to stare her down with a lecturing gaze.

"Stop that." He commanded walking down the steps, stopping on the one right before hers so that he towered over her. "You always do that, stop it."

"Do what?" She asked, blinking away the tears that threatened to fall. Fuck she was emotional today.

"That. Always blaming yourself for everything that happens. We both made mistakes, you can't take all the blame for... what happened."

Alice looked down to the wall beside her, desperate to avoid the gaze of her ex-boyfriend. She knew he was right, she did always blame herself for most everything. It was hard not to when her mother always said it was her fault.

The air between them dried out to a stale atmosphere, the tension between them at what this conversation would lead to. This could either repair their relationship, or break it forever, what she says now matters the most.

"I miss you... I miss us." She murmured in a hushed, sincere tone.

"Even though I "cheated" as you claimed?" He accused in a question. Alice visibly flinched from his words and held her head down lower.

"I won't lie and say it doesn't bother me, but I feel as though I overreacted, because it means that you came to like all of me." Alice confessed. Alfred frowned, supposedly not expecting forgiveness for betraying her as England. "I just want a clear answer to if you'll give us another chance."

Alfred eyed her up and down, searching for any indication of a lie, but found nothing but heartfelt truth in her words. Alfred rubbed the back of his neck as he thought over what course of action to take, and whether or not he should give Alice the second chance she was asking for.

"Are you saying you want to go out again?" Alfred asked, "Because I'm not I'm ready to get back together."

"I'm not either." Alice replied looking back at him, this time with determination in her eyes. "I just want us to be back to they way we were before, as friends."

"You mean as acquaintances." Alfred mused with a small smirk, nudging her shoulder playful. Alice smiled back, thinking back to the time when they first called a truce and became friends so long ago.

"Yes, acquaintances." Alice smiled light heartedly. Alfred returned the smile.

"We can start there ," Alfred decided, "but this time no lies."

"No betrayal." Alice agreed with a nod.

"Okay."

"Okay."

"Perhaps okay can be our-"

"Oh shut up." Alice laughed and playfully pushed his shoulder back.

Finally she confronted him, and finally she was able to restore what had been broken, even if it was still risky.

"So..." She breathed, taking a seat on the steps. "What now?" Alfred shrugged his shoulders and sat down beside her, clapping his hands together and looking ahead.

"I don't know, but we'll figure it out." He said to her, patting her back awkwardly.

If there was one thing she knew about this development with absolutely certainty, is that Kiku is not going to be pleased.

...

This is dangerous, what he is doing, like playing with a roaring fire. He still wasn't over the fact that Alice was England the entire time and purposefully chose not to tell him. It felt like a stab to the chest with a butter knife to find out that she had been lying to him during the whole of their relationship.

Though at the same time he sort of understood why she didn't tell him, as he did reject her saying that he didn't see her in the way she saw him. That as well as she tried to tell him the truth then but had become to frightened after rejecting her. Alfred felt like kicking himself for not listening to her back then. Still, one thing he didn't understand was why she didn't tell him the truth from the very start that she was both Alice and England. Why was it that she had agreed to date him when she made it clear that she didn't like him as Alice? Yet, as he thinks over all the fun and happy times they spent together, he's glad that she did.

They had been through so much together over the past five months, so much that he wanted to hold onto and never let go. Like their first date at that taco shop, watching her sing for the first time, all of the lunches he spent in her office bugging her and interfering with her work.

Then he thought of the other moments that caused him great sadness and worry for her; the time she was jumped, when she collapsed in class, and when she broke her wrist in order to protect him. All of those times Alfred had felt a strange urge to watch over her, and blamed those happenings on himself. It was ironic how he had swore to protect Alice from hurt, yet he was the one who hurt her the most, and she was the one who hurt him.

Despite all this, through all the crap that happened, he was still madly in love with her. He wasn't sure he could ever get over her, but at the same time he was wary, not being able to handle another breakup. Becoming 'acquaintances' with her would be difficult for several reasons. It would be difficult to push all of their past affairs under the rug as the sting was still relatively fresh. That and the fact that he didn't actually want to go back to the friend zone. He had been ignoring his desire for her for so long that it's gonna be hard to ignore his love and lust for her.

Alfred sat at his desk in his last class of the day not paying attention to anything going on around him. He mulled over what to do and how to act around Alice now. After their conversation during lunch they just sat together on the steps and talked about how things were, using simple conversations starters. The two of them still weren't sure what was allowed or appropriate for them at this time. Their usual banter had been reduced significantly and became more formal than how they used to be, talking like they were strangers. Alfred wanted to ask about how she was truly doing, but didn't want to risk her saying that she was still uncomfortable after their, rather dramatic, breakup. He wanted to ask how she ended up grounded, but felt that his right to ask was taken away.

The ring of the final bell announced to him that school was now over. Alfred packed his back pack and got up from his seat to leave. On his way down the multiple floors of the building, Alfred passed the door to the student council office department. He entertained the idea of going in to visit Alice like he used to, but was unsure because of Kiku, who was still disapproving of him.

When Kiku had seen him with Alice in their shared fifth period, he made it extremely clear that he didn't want Alfred anywhere near her. The fact that he was actually in love with Alice, and had been for much longer, created a feeling of jealousy in him. Kiku, despite Alfred being her ex boyfriend, was much closer to Alice and knew her better than him. If he were to try and visit Alice alone in her office, Kiku would most definitely try to stop him.

Alfred decided against seeing her and decided to leave and go home instead, however fate would have it that he ran into her just as he was making it to the staircase.

"Hello, Alfred." Alice greeted when she noticed him standing there. Her arms were full of several stacks paper.

"Hey." He greeted back with a small wave. "What are those for?"

"The elections for the student council is being held in two weeks, so I have to look over all the applications for the seats and see if they qualify." She answered as she climbed up the steps. Alfred then changed his mind and decided to follow her to her office anyway.

"And you're running for president again I assume?" Alfred guessed.

"Yes." She responded as she went in. Alfred trailed behind her, seeing the obvious disapproving gaze from Kiku when they past his office, but he acted like he didn't see it. When Alice entered her office, she set down the large stack of papers on her desk and sat herself down, then began to separate them into separate piles based on what position they wanted, then put the separate groups into folders and labeled them, while they kept up light banter. When she was done with that, she hit a button on her intercom and called Kiku over. The small Japanese student wasted no time coming over and showed up at her door in about ten seconds.

"You called, Alice-chan?" He questioned walking in.

"Hand these out to the current seat holders." She told him, almost, if not, commanding him to do it.

"Of course." He smiled at her, purposefully brushing his hand against hers when he grabbed the stacks. Alfred just knew he was showing off his relationship with Alice by doings things with her that he could not.

When Kiku left, Alice went back to looking over the forms of those who wanted to be student council president to judge whether or not they were capable of the role. Although Alfred couldn't see Alice giving up her role willingly.

"Are you running for office again?" Alfred asked from his usual spot on the couch.

"Of course I am." She replied without looking up.

"Then why are you even looking over the other candidates? Aren't you gonna scare away the competition like you've always done?"

"Everyone deserves a fair chance in the election, there's a reason why I pressure my opponents, Alfred. If they cannot handle being under the pressure of running against an opponent with more following and experience than them, then the weight of pressure that this position places on the seat holder's shoulders will surely crush them and they will not be able to preform the way they are needed." Alice explained to him, glancing at him for a brief moment before looking back at her work. Her reasons took him by surprise, though they made sense, he hadn't thought that Alice had given this much thought into the election and requirements of the job.

Alfred couldn't help but smile at her when he thought this, she really was caring about her position as well as her peers.

"Funny, I always thought you were just devious." Alfred joked. Alice snorted at this and returned her gaze to him.

"If I was I wouldn't bother reading these." She said, gesturing towards the papers on her desk.

"True."

The rest of the time went on with ease, the tension between seeming long since resolved as they settled into how they used to be. When four O'clock rolled around, Alice had barely made a dent in her work due to Alfred's constant joking and goofy off distracting her from what was set before her. So when the hour of four came, it passed without either of them noticing as they continued to chat. Until Kiku came in at about fifteen after and interrupted their chatter.

"Alice-chan, your mother is expecting you home in fifteen minutes." Kiku reminded her.

"Oh shoot, okay, thank you Kiku for reminding me." Alice thanked him as she gathered her materials and began to pack her bag. Kiku bowed slightly and offered to give her a ride, to which she accepted.

"Why does your mother want you home so badly?" Alfred inquired. He knew that her mother was extremely strict, he could easily pick that up from the few times he met her, but he never thought she'd hold a curfew this early.

"I've been grounded so she wants me home so she can monitor my actions." Alice answered.

"Why we're you grounded?" The American asked, finally building up the courage to ask. Alice didn't answer straight away and froze while she thought of what to say.

"No important reason." She eventually responded, not looking him in the eye. Alfred frowned at her response.

"Alice, I thought we agreed to no lies." He told her, walking up from his couch spot over to the front of her desk. Alice gingerly looked down and fiddled with her fingers.

"Well, I was kind of... arrested for trespassing on private property." She confessed, red faced from embarrassment. However, Alfred only found himself confused, as Alice being arrested was the last thing he'd ever expect.

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Hey y'all! Sorry if their make up was too soon, but I didn't want them to be apart for too long. However, while they're acquaintances again, getting past that will take more time.

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