Out of My Hands - A Randy Orton Fanfic

[Annaya]

^{Author's note: This story is a sort of alternate reality. So there will be a few stuff relating to real events and people, but majorly or somewhat altered to fit the story.}

Prologue

Spring 2007


There he goes, standing in the church she picked for the wedding. It’s full with people he’s known all his life. There are several of her friends from overseas that he’s never met before, but seem to know a lot about him. Every single one of them has a smile on their face. They’re all so happy.

The aisle was lined with white Holland Tulips—her favorite flower. Outside, the weather is perfect. It’s the height of spring, and everything seems to be so alive. Even the blue birds can’t help but sing.

Everything is perfect.—but none as perfect as her. For him, there is no one as beautiful as her.

In a few seconds, she would be walking down that aisle, in her white princess cut gown she had always dreamed of when they were younger.

And a few minutes after that, she would utter those words he had longed for her to say.

Already he was all wrought in emotions. And as the moment approaches, he could feel his heart beating faster and faster, and everything was starting to blur around him.

When the first note of the organ sounded for that oh, so familiar tune, signaling the bride’s arrival, his heart almost stopped as he saw her silhouette, standing at the doorway.




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[Annaya]

Chapter 1

She walked through the doorway, unsure. She was excited and nervous at the same time, for this new phase in her life.

It was the first day of Alyssa Carson’s high school life.

She didn’t know anyone there, since she graduated elementary ahead of her class. She was accelerated. That should’ve been something to be proud of, but as it turns out, it’s the same reason her classmates made fun of her, calling her names like nerd, geek, or at the worst, brainiac.

It certainly didn’t help that she wore thick glasses. It wasn’t any different in high school. For the first several days, she had been teased, singled-out, and bullied, until one faithful day, when her knight in shining armor appeared.

A group of four boys were hassling her. Three of them were sophomores and one was from her class, just because he was held back. They took her books as she opened her locker and passed them around amongst themselves.

“Please give me my books back!” She said, “I’m going to be late for my class.”

“Use your powers, BRAINIAC!” One boy said, “Don’t you have like telekinesis or something?”

He tossed her books up in the air and waited for it to come down. But it didn’t. Randy had caught it above his head.

“Alyssa Carson…” He read the name on the book. “I don’t think that name fits you, tubby.” He said to the boy. “Give me the books.” He said rather bored.

“O-okay, Randy.” The other boy said, “H-here sir.”

He was a junior and a member of the wrestling team, after playing for the varsity basketball team for two years, so pretty much everybody knew him. He was pretty tall too, so the other kids found him pretty intimidating.

The other two handed him Ally’s books. “Okay, now run along!” He said, kicking one of them on the butt, but not too hard. “And don’t ever bother her again. You do, you mess with me! Got it?”

“G-got it, sir!” Tubby boy said. And then they ran away as fast as they could.

“Here you go.” Randy said, handing her the books. “Don’t worry, they won’t bother you again.”

“Thanks…Randy.” She said.

“No problem.” He said, “What are you doing here, anyway?”

“Psshh. Do you even listen to me when I tell you stuff?” She rolled her eyes. She put some of the books in her locker. “I told you I got accelerated.”

“Oh yeah!” Randy said, scratching his head. “Now, I remember. Well, come on, I’ll walk you to your class.”

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Randy and Ally have known each other for quite some time. They basically grew up together, because they were neighbors. Ally and her family moved in the house next to the Orton’s when she was seven.

The old lady who used to live there, who was her dad’s aunt, died and they were her only known relative, so Ally’s family moved in from Sacramento.

The move was hard for her, being the new girl. She was shy and quiet, and could barely make friends because of it. She first saw Randy when she was taking out the trash, and he was riding his bike.

He almost crashed into her, and in an attempt to elude him, she fell on the garbage on her butt. He was all of eleven then and probably at the peak of his ‘being a boy’, so instead of apologizing, he laughed his ass off at their situation.—which pissed Ally off.

Randy’s mom made him apologize to the neighbors. Ally’s mom was gracious enough to accept his apology, and made the two make up.

Ally and Randy’s sister, Becky, became friends too, so she often hangs out at the Orton’s when her parents are not home yet from work. He basically treated her like her own younger sister since then.

And for the longest time, Ally felt like he was her brother. She was an only child at the time, and the Orton kids were the closest to siblings she had.

That is, until she started feeling differently about him. All it took was a second and it all changed for her somehow.



Spring 1995



Ally was in sitting at the swing in their front yard when Randy passed by in his bike and saw her. She was staring up at the sky, like she was day dreaming, and the prankster that he was, he wanted to give her a jolt from the blue. Unfortunately for him, she saw him sneak in the yard.

“Whatever you’re thinking of doing; you’re already caught.” She said, before he could jump out behind her.

“Oh, man!” He said, getting up and sitting beside her on the swing. “How’d you know I was here?”

“I saw you and expected it.” She said, rolling her eyes. “You’re so predictable.”

He can’t help but laugh at her, because she sounds so mature. And she only talks like that when she’s pissed at him. But his laughing only annoys her even more.

“If you’re just going to annoy me, you should just leave.” Ally said.

“But I’m resting! See?” He sat sprawled.

“Ugh! If you’re not gonna leave, I’m going inside.” She said.

She got up from the swing, but he pulled her back by the arm, “Geez! Okay! I’m gonna stop pissing you off. Just stay, all right?”

She looked at him frowning, not believing what he said. He tried to stifle his smile so as not to make her angrier.

“I promise! Come on, sit down!” He said, “Relax!”

She finally relented and sat back down on the swing beside him. He just sat there and relaxed, throwing his head back on the back of the seat, as she went back to staring into the clear blue sky.

It was a perfect day. The air was cool, and the Sun wasn’t too hot. Ally liked that kind of weather, and sometimes she would just sit there in their yard, drawing, sketching, or reading a book, sitting on the swing underneath the tree. It’s almost unusual she’s not doing anything but sitting there, and Randy knew that.

“What are you doing here doing nothing for anyway?” He asked. “Something wrong?”

“No.” She said, and nothing else.

In his mind, Randy was counting. 5…4…3…2…1…

“Well, okay, so something is kind of bothering me…” She said.

He smiled. Not because she said there was something bothering her, but because of how he knew her so well that he was sure of it.

“Are you gonna tell me or what?”

“Well…see...every girl in my class already has a boyfriend.” She said, “And…well, I kinda feel a little out of place.”

“Ally, you’re just a kid! You’re barely a teenager.” He said, “You’re worried about having a boyfriend already?!”

“It’s not even that!” She sighed.

She was quiet for a while and he thought she might be mad again, and he was starting to feel uncomfortable, until she spoke again.

“Randy…?”

“Yeah?”

“Tell me something…and I want you to tell me the truth.” She said, “I won’t be mad, I promise, just…you have to tell me the truth. I mean, we’re friends an all, and you should…” She rambled on.

“Okay, all right already! I get it!” Randy said, laughing. “What’s the question?”

“Right…well…” She looked at him, “Am I ugly?” She asked.

“What kind of question is that?”

“I’m serious!” She said, “I mean…no boy even talks to me at school…except for Stephen, and I’m pretty sure he’s gay.”

“I’m a boy, and I talk to you.” He said.

“Yeah, but you’re different!” She said.

“And how am I different?” Randy said.

“You’re different because…just you are! You don’t count.” She said, “Besides, when you talk to me you’re either teasing me or pulling pranks at me…you’re such a jerk!”

“I think you’re pretty.” He said, suddenly, looking at her.

It surprised her so much he said that she stopped talking, especially when she looked and saw him looking at her.

Something just happened in her that she couldn’t understand, but it made her feel a little uncomfortable to keep her gaze. So, she turned away.

“Y-you do?” She asked, shyly.

“Yeah.” He said. “And you’re smart too. I’m pretty sure you’re gonna make a lot of boys cry…”

She could feel herself blushing by then. But then he had to ruin it.

“Well, when you grow up anyway.” He shoved her a little, as he laughed. “You’re so serious! You shouldn’t worry about boys this early! You’re like, what, ten?”

“I’m eleven.” She said, bitterly. “You were at my party! Hello?”

“Oh, right! I forgot.” He said, laughing because she was frowning again. “Well, I gotta go.” He stood up. “I’m gonna be late for basketball practice. I’m gonna try out for varsity, you know.”

“Oh…cool.” She said. She walked behind him towards his bike, just outside their fence. “Good luck with that…and…be careful.” She added.

“I will.” He said, “Thank you, Miss Carson.” He winked. “Hey, maybe when you get to high school, I’ll ask you out.” He said, as he got on his bike.

“In your dreams, Randal!” She hollered back.

He laughed as he rode off, “See you around, Ally!”



Neither of them knew it then, but that little gesture from Randy had planted something in her that she couldn’t describe or understand at her young age. She followed his advice and stopped worrying about boys and focused on her studies instead.

She was so excited when she learned she could get accelerated to high school if she made the grade, because it meant she could spend more time around Randy. In the back of her head, she was hanging on to his words all this time.

“Maybe if you get to high school, I’ll ask you out.”


She’d always seen him as something like a big brother, but after that beautiful spring day, somehow, she’d started to see him in some other regards, which she tried to play down or even ignore. But the more she did so, the stronger it became, until she could no longer deny it even to herself.

But making him see her the way she wanted to be seen by him, was a bigger challenge than she thought. And it was never more obvious than when she started going to his school.

He was already a junior and was a member of the varsity basketball team for two years, so of course, everybody knew him—especially the girls.

She couldn’t even come close to him without him being surrounded by fangirls, and if she was with him to start with, he gets carried off by them. The only time she really gets to spend time with him is on their way home.

It was a rainy day and the schoolbus left her because she lost all sense of time, reading in the library. Randy had quit the basketball team then and was working his way into the wrestling team, so he had to impress the coach and work hard during practice; hence he was there late as well.

She was standing at the front door of the school, waiting for the rain to relent even just a little, but it doesn’t seem like it plans on stopping any time soon.

“Ally?” She heard his familiar voice call her name out. “What are you still doing here?”

“Um…the bus left me.” She said, “I lost track of time at the library…”

He shook his head. “Again?”

It wasn’t the first time it had happened to her. She completely got lost reading in the library one time, and got her parents to worry because she wasn’t home when they got there that night. Randy went with them to look for her, and found her walking home by herself.

“I know, I know!” She said, knowing he was going to lecture him about it again. “Hey, I improved! I’m an hour earlier than the last time.”

“Uh-huh.” He raised his eyebrow. “Well, what are you standing around here for? Come on, let’s go.”

“I…can’t.” She said, “It’s raining too hard and…I’ll get mud on me.”

He looked at her from head to foot, and back around and realized why she was so worried. She was wearing a white dress and new shoes. She’s never worn a dress before then, she was always the t-shirt and jeans type. That’s why he was mildly surprised to see her wearing one.

(This is what Ally was wearing: www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=29958013 )


“Wow…you’re actually wearing a dress.” He said, “What’s the occasion? Did you finally get your period or something?” He joked.

She rolled her eyes, “I’ve been having my period for two years now, thank you very much.”

Actually, she wore the dress because of him. Her mom had picked it out for her to wear the night before when she finally told her why she’d been feeling a little down for weeks already because of him.

Ally confessed that she likes Randy, but he just doesn’t see her the way she wants him to. So her mom suggested that if she wanted to be seen like a young lady, that perhaps she should dress the part.

He’d also been kind of ignoring her at school for the past weeks since he started training for the wrestling team, especially when he’s with that exchange student and her friends in the cheering team, even though he doesn’t exactly seem ecstatic to be hanging out with them.

She’d wanted to approach him, but he just always doesn’t seem to be in the mood. Then just two days ago they suddenly stopped hanging around with him.

He laughed, “All right, tell you what…I’ll bring my bike over and you can ride with me so you don’t get dirty.”

“That’s the best idea you’ve had so far! Congratulations.” She bantered.

“You’re learning, you’re learning…” He winked. “All right, I’ll be right back.”

So he went to get his bike, and came back for her. She was going to ride on the back but…

“No, sit here in front of me.” He said, “You’re gonna get sprayed with mud if you sit behind.”

She was hesitant just with the prospect of having his arms around her if she sits in front of him. She’d never been in such close proximity to him, and she doesn’t quite know what to expect herself to feel. She’s getting the idea though.

“Well, are you getting on or not? Come on, it’s getting late.” He said. “Hop on.”

“Fine…” She sighed.

She sat on the bike in front of him. As he put his hands on the handles, he leans forward, closer to her, and she could feel his chest on her back. His face was almost on her shoulder, and she could feel his warm breath on her cheeks.

“Hold on tight.” He said, “We’re taking the shortcut. It’s bumpy, but I’ll drive slowly so don’t worry.”

“O-okay.” She said.

She was so thankful he couldn’t see her face right at that moment because she could feel herself getting really red.

“You’re awfully, quiet.” He said, after a while. “What are you thinking?”

“Nothing…just thinking I shouldn’t have worn this dress.” She said.

“Well, not today anyway.” He laughed. “You should’ve checked the weather first.”

“Yeah…I’ll remember that for next time.”

“It looks good on you though.” He said, “It looks really pretty on you.”

“T-thanks.” She said, blushing even more, but smiling inside. If she could jump up and down that minute she would’ve done so.

“Randy…Can I ask you something?”

“Shoot. What is it?”

“That…foreign student, from the cheering team…”

“What about her?” He asked.

“Well, you hang out with her a lot.” She said, “Do you like her?”

He sighed. “I should…she’s my girlfriend after all.”

“Oh.” That was all she could say. She couldn’t even react properly from that revelation.

“Well, former girlfriend anyway.” He said, thoughtfully. “We just broke up.”

“Oh!” She said, “I’m…sorry. I guess.” No, I’m not. But anyway…yippie! She said in her head. “So…why’d you break up?”

“Tsk…it’s a long story.” He said, “Let’s not talk about that. Let’s talk about you…how’s high school for you so far?”

They rode through the fields instead of the main streets cutting the length of travel by at least a third, but since he was driving slowly so she won’t get mud on her, they actually took longer to get home.

If it was up to her though, she wished it took longer.

[Annaya]

Chapter 2

Later that night…



Ally was sleeping on her room at the second floor of their house, when she heard something hit her window—a small pebble--a couple of times.

She ignored it and tried to go back to sleep, but she was jolted wide awake when suddenly someone knocked outside her window.

She sat up on her bed abruptly and saw a figure outside. She was about to scream when the person turned his flash light on and she saw who it was.

“What the hell?!” She got up and opened her window. “Randy, what are you doing here?”

He got inside her room, and took his jacket off. “I couldn’t sleep.” He said, “I was taking a walk, but it started raining and I was close so…”

“Well, you scared the hell out of me!” She said in a restraint voice, as she handed him a towel to dry himself with. “How did you even get up here?”

“Thanks…I climbed the tree, it’s very sturdy.” He dried his hair with the towel and wiped it over his arms. “And…I’m sorry. I just…I don’t know what I’m doing either.”

“It’s okay. Sit down.” She said.

She wasn’t really angry anyway, she kind of like the idea of him being in her room, sneaking up like he did. She thought it was kind of romantic, like Romeo and Juliet. He sat on the windowsill as she hanged his jacket to let it dry a little.

“Nice room.” He said, looking around. “Very cozy.”

“Thanks.” She said, “So…why didn’t you come to the front door?”

“It’s late.” He said, “I don’t think anyone would be so welcoming.”

“Good point.” She said, “Well, what are you doing walking around in the middle of the night anyway?”

“I told you, I couldn’t sleep.” He said.

“Yeah, but you didn’t say why you couldn’t sleep.”

She waited for him to answer, but he just sat there quietly. His eyes went all quiet and she knew something was bothering him.

“Is something wrong?” She asked, “You can tell me…”

He sighed, “You know how I told you about me and Paola earlier?”

“Paola?”

“The Brazilian girl…My ex-girlfriend.” He said.

“Oh.” She said, disappointedly.

She sat on the bed as far away from him, with her knees up. She wasn’t sure if she still wants him to tell her what was bothering him anymore.

She felt like her lungs were being constricted and she wanted to just tell him to go home. But instead, she just sat there and allowed him to speak.

“I just never really talked to anybody about it.” He said, “I don’t even know what I’m doing here…I guess I just want somebody to listen.”

He looked at her, sitting on her bed, looking so unattached and disconnected.

He stood up. “You know what? I’m sorry…” He walked over to take his jacket from the other side of the room, hanging by her door. “I’m gonna go, let you go back to sleep…”

She looked up and probably without really thinking about it, “No, wait…I’m listening.” She said, “Really, you can tell me…”

He looked at her and saw that she was sincere. He supposed there was no harm and he really just wanted to take out what he’d been keeping inside him ever since he broke things off with Paola.

Being a boy, and especially perceived as a jock at school, he’d never really talked about anything that had to do with his emotions with anyone. In his mind, he’d always had to be tough.

“Okay…this goes out, I’m blaming you.”

“I won’t tell anyone.” She said, “It stays here.”

He walked towards the bed and sat on the floor beside it, leaning his head over at the edge as he looked up the ceiling of her room.

She just sat there, by the headboard, looking at him, and listening to every word he said even though every word he said pricks her little heart.

He told her about how he and Paola had been officially a couple since last school year, just a few months before the school year ended. She came into the school last year as an exchange student.

She was pretty, with long brown hair and tawny legs that went on for days, and body to die for—she was well developed for someone her age.

He said he’d always had his eyes on her, that’s why when she started showing interest, he didn’t take a second thought and seized the opportunity and asked her out. They’ve been dating since.

Being as pretty as she was, she rose to popularity, especially when she joined the cheering team. He was playing for the school’s basketball team then for the second year, so it just seemed right that they’d be a pair, so they started going out until they got more serious — as serious as people their age could be serious anyway.

But when school started that year, he told her he wanted to join the wrestling team and for weeks, she didn’t seem very enthusiastic about it, even though she knew about his family’s roots in wrestling.

He didn’t understand why he was so adamantly against him joining the wrestling team, even when he tells her how passionate he is about it—until two weeks ago.

She blatantly told him, that if he doesn’t quit the wrestling team and go back to playing for the basketball team that she was going to break up with him.

She said she wants a basketball player for a boyfriend and not a member of the wrestling team. She’s a cheerleader and she’s supposed to be with a popular boyfriend. (Basketball was pretty huge then because of Michael Jordan and the Bulls.).

Randy was never really concerned about popularity. He thought it was petty, and he’d always made his choices according to what he liked, what pleases him, what he was passionate about.

He played basketball because he was good at it and he liked playing it. He still does, but wrestling—that’s where his passion lies.

“You know what I mean?” He asked. “I mean, you get what I’m saying, right?”

“Yeah, I get it.” She said, half asleep. “You shouldn’t let anyone get in the way of your dreams. If she loves you, she’ll support you no matter what…”

She was already lying on her side, on the bed, with her eyes closed, feeling as tired as she was but still listening to him.

“Exactly!” He said, “That’s why I decided to break it off…it’s just…” his voice became mellow then. “When you’ve spent a lot of time with someone…it’s not that easy to go back to normal…without them.”

“Of course not…” She said, yawning. “You’re just human…it’ll take time, but you’ll be fine.”

He turned to look at her and shook his head when he saw how she was. He didn’t even realize he’d been there for over an hour until he caught a glimpse of the clock on her bedside table. It was already four in the morning.

“I think I should go home.” He said, as he stood up. “I’ve taken too much of your sleep time already.”

“Huh? Wha…?” She opened her eyes and sat up. “Oh!”

“No, don’t get up.” He said, “Go to sleep. I know my way out.” He took his jacket by the door and headed out back the window. “Thanks for listening.” He said before stepping out the window. “I’ll see you at school.”

She smiled, “Yeah…and you’re welcome…anytime.”

After he was gone, she went back to sleep. With a smile on her lips.

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Since then, they’ve began spending more time with each other. Even when she’s made some friends with other girls in her class, they hung out during lunch breaks and went home together after classes, riding on his bike.

If he had practice after class, she’d watch him practice and wait for him. They talk about a lot of stuff during those bike rides home—about stuff that happened during the day in class, at his practice and just generally about everything.

When he got his first car for his 17th birthday, she was the first person he’d ever driven it around with. Spending time with him as much as she did kind of built her self esteem. He showed her stuff that made her enjoy the teenage life.

But deep down inside, she was still that shy little girl. And if it was up to her, she’d much prefer riding on the bike home with him.

Somewhere between long talks, randomly laughing at stuff, innocent smiles and making fun of each other…she fell in love with him.

But she didn’t want to tell him. She didn’t know if he felt the same and she was worried everything will change if he knew.

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May 1997…


“Hi, Randy.”

He was putting his stuff in his locker, getting ready to leave for the day. He turned around to confirm if that familiar voice belonged to who he thought it did, and he was right.

“Paola.” He said, pokerfaced.

He has no idea why she would be coming up to him now, after he’d broken up with her months ago. She’d moved on to dating one of her former teammates at the basketball team soon after that, and had never spoken to him since then.

“How have you been?” She said, in her thick Brazilian accent, touching his arm.

They didn’t notice Ally was standing several feet away from them, watching. She was supposed to meet Randy there and they’d go home together, like how they have for the past several months.

Upon seeing that, she couldn’t decide whether to just watch it all play out or approach them and do something about it. But then, what right has she? She’s not his girlfriend either.

So, she just stood there, feet planted to the ground, feeling helpless.

“Well, as you can see…I’m doing great.” He said, “Not that you’re really concerned about me or anything.” Out of the corner of his eyes, he caught a glimpse of Ally, standing in the corner, looking on.

“Aw, come on, Randy.” She said, putting her hands on his shoulders. “Of course I care about you. I care about you a lot!”

“That’s not what I remember.” He said, “I remember you being concerned about your popularity more than me.” He smiled, as he took her hands off of him. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. Someone’s waiting for me.”

He walked towards Ally, “Come on, let’s go.” He said.

“Uh…yeah. O-okay.” She followed closely behind him.

She glanced back at Paola who stood there looking stunned that Randy just brushed her off.

“What are you looking at? Hurry up.” Randy said, turning around. He walked slower so she could keep up with him. “Give those to me.” He took her backpack and slung it over his shoulder.

Paola was joined shortly by her friends. They looked on as the two left the building. None of them could believe what just happened.

“I can’t believe he picked that nerd over you.” Said one.

“Well, they’ve kind of been friends for a long time...” Said another,

“They’re my neighbors and…”

“I don’t care if they’re close or whatever!” Paola said, “I want him back. And I’m taking him back.”

“What are you planning to do?” Said another one.

Paola looked at her, “You’re just going to have to wait and see.”

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In the car, Randy was very quiet. Ally didn’t know what he was thinking, and was starting to feel uncomfortable with the silence.

She didn’t want to ask him if it had something to do with Paola, because subconsciously, she was scared to hear the answer.
He dropped her off at her house and then he went straight home without a word uttered.

It bothered her the whole afternoon and couldn’t concentrate on her homework.

After dinner, she went to her room to try and read a book, when she heard somebody throwing pebbles on her window. By now, she was used to it, because Randy always does it when he comes over late at night and they’d chat until the Sun comes up. But it was too early for him to come.

“What are you doing here?” She asked him as she opened the window to let him in. “It’s…kinda early.”

“I was bored.” He said.

“You know, you could’ve just come in from the front door.” She said.

“I could have.” He said, as he plopped on her bed. “But where’s the fun in that?”

She just smiled. At least he was talking now, she thought. “Oh, excuse my manners, why don’t you make yourself at home?” She said sarcastically.

“Hey, wanna go for a ride?” He said, just brushing it off.

“Where are we going?”

“Just a spin…” He said, animatedly. “Maybe get a sundae; I don’t know…I’m just sooo bored.”

“Uh…okay.” She said, “I guess I can leave for a bit.”

“Awesome!” He flipped up from the bed and started heading to the window. “Let’s go.”

“I’m not going through the window!” She said, “Besides, I have to tell my parent’s where I’m going.”

“Well, I can’t come downstairs.” He said, “They’re gonna know I’ve been sneaking up here. Do you want to get me in trouble?” He stepped out of the window. “Come on. I promise I won’t let you fall.” He put his hand out to her.

Idiot! I’ve already fallen. She thought.

Nonetheless, she took his hand and he helped her out of the window, through the roof, and down the lilac tree outside. His car was actually parked just a few feet away from her house, so she thought he was really planning to take her along for a spin after all.

It was almost seven and was starting to get dark. Her parents would probably be mad at her for sneaking out of the house, but at that moment, she wasn’t worried about that. All she knows is she feels happy being with Randy.

It was already past seven when they got to the ice cream shop. They both had chocolate sundaes, which he paid for. She wanted to ask him about what happened earlier at school, but it just didn’t seem like the right time.

He was in a good mood and was talkative again, basically talking about what they would’ve talked about on their way home from school and she didn’t want to ruin the moment by asking him.

A couple of his team mates in the wrestling team came in after a while, and saw them. They were about to leave because she didn’t want to come home late so he only chatted with them for a few minutes.

She couldn’t help but eavesdrop a bit, and she heard something about the spring dance. It was going to be that following week but Randy never really mentioned anything about it to her.

It was her first year there, and she was pretty excited about it, but she thought he wasn’t interested in it, so she just tried to brush off any and all idea about going.

But since she heard him talking about it with his friends, she asked him about it on their way home.

“So…there’s a dance coming up, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s next week.” He said.

“Are you going?”

“Yes, I am.”

“I…I wanna go too.” She said, timidly. Secretly hoping he’d ask her to go with him.

“Why? Has anyone asked you to go yet?” He asked, sounding uninterested.

“No.” Ally said, “As if my hanging out with you would encourage any boy to ask me to go to the dance with them. My whole year level is scared of you. You’re like a curse!”

“I’m like a curse?” He laughed, “Come on now, I’m such a delight to have around! They just don’t know me. I’m a cool guy…right?” He started poking her on the side, “Right?”

“Yes! Yes, all right, you’re cool.” She said, trying to slap his hand away. “Okay, stop!”

“By the way…” He said, turning serious. “One of my buddies wanted me to ask you to go with him to the dance.”

She looked at him, and he was concentrating on the road. She was both surprised and disappointed about what he told her.

She was surprised that a boy was actually interested enough in taking her to the dance, and disappointed because it wasn’t Randy. She felt like her heart dropped to the floor.

“Who was it?” She asked him, turning her eyes outside the window.

Her voice so soft he could barely hear her from the sound of the engine.

“Brad the blonde dude wearing the letterman jacket.” He told her.

“Oh.” She said. The guy was cute, but she really wasn’t interested. It doesn’t mean she can’t pretend though. “What did you tell him?”

“I told him you can’t go with him.”

“Why not?!” She asked, suddenly piqued.

“Because you’re going with me.” He said, bluntly.

She couldn’t say anything for a moment. How could he take her in an emotional rollercoaster in a span of a few minutes just like that? One moment she was okay, the next she felt her heart breaking, and now her happiness and excitement is bursting out of her.

She figured she can’t show him that because he’s going to tease her to death.

“Who told you that?” She asked. “You haven’t even asked me. What? You just assumed I was?”

“Pssh! Fine!” He said, “I don’t have anyone to go with, so will you please go with me to the dance?”

“Much better.” She bit her lips a bit, just to restrain herself from getting too excited. “Well, okay. I’d much rather go with you than some random boy anyway.”

“Good.” He said.

They were almost at her house by then and he was driving slower because he didn’t want her parents to hear him pull up.

“So I’ll just see you there around seven, I guess.” He said.

“Aren’t you gonna pick me up at my house?” She asked. That was how she’d always pictured it, just like the movies.

“Why? It’s not a date.” He said. He parked the car. “Unless…you want it to be a date.”

“As if!!” She said, sounding disgusted like Alicia Silverstone in Clueless. “You are so….conceited! Aarrgh! Why would I want to go on a date with you? Gosh! You’re so annoying!”

“Hey, now! I’m just playing. Calm down!” He laughed. “All right, all right, I will pick you up. Okay? We cool now?”

“Whatever!” She went out of the car leaving him still laughing at her.

She marched to their front door forgetting that she had sneaked out of the house with Randy from her bedroom window. But as soon as she entered her house, she couldn’t stop smiling.


I’m going to the dance with Randy. She thought, happily. I’M GOING TO THE DANCE WITH RANDY!

She only remembered when she saw her parents sitting on her bed waiting for her. She got grounded for the rest of the week, and she accepted that. As long as she gets to go to the dance with Randy, nothing was going to bring her down.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

[Annaya]

Chapter 3

It was the day of the dance, and Ally couldn’t hide her excitement. Her mom had brought her to the mall to buy a dress for her to wear the other day, and she picked a pink-princess dress, and that's exactly how she looked like in it. A princess.

She couldn’t stop smiling especially after Randy dropped her off at her house that afternoon.

It was a Friday night, and her mom had come home early to help her prepare for the dance. She put her hair in an up-do and put make up on her—just a little and very age appropriate.

“You look like a young lady.” Alice, her mom, said after they were done. “You look so beautiful.”

“You’re not just saying that because you’re my mom, are you?” She joked.

“No, I’m saying it because it’s true.” Alice said, “You are beautiful, honey…I wish you’d see that. When you do, I bet you’d shine like no one else. Well, like me when I was young anyway. I was homecoming queen, you know.”

“Oh, mom!” She rolled her eyes.

She could never be as outgoing as the other girls. It just wasn’t in her nature to be an extrovert. She’d rather stay home and read a book, or take long walks in the fields—and of course, spend time with Randy. But she’d never tell him that.

“But you know, I’m glad you’re slowly getting out of your shell.” Alice said, “Randy’s been a great help, and I’m glad you guys are getting along really well, to think that you use to fight like cats and dogs do.”

“He’s great.” She agreed, blushing.

Alice smiled playfully. “You really like him, don’t you?” She asked, “I mean, you’ve told me before you like him…but I think you really actually love him.”

“Ugh! Mom!” Ally shrieked. “You’re not supposed to be consenting that! You’re my mother!”

“Why not?” She laughed, “You don’t have anything to be ashamed of. It’s a natural thing. He’s a cute boy! You’re allowed to like him.”

“Can we stop talking about this, please?” She said. She was really starting to blush and felt hot under her clothes. “He’s going to be here soon, if he hears us talking like this…It’s gonna inflate his ego so big, he’d need his own state just to accommodate it.”

As if on cue, somebody rang the doorbell downstairs. Ally’s dad, Henry, answered the door.

“Randy.” He said when he opened the door. “Come in.”

“Good evening, Mr. Carson.” Randy said, “I’m here to pick up Ally for the dance.”

“I know.” Henry said, “I’m glad you chose to come to the door instead of her window though.”

“Yeah…about that…” Randy stammered. “I…ah…”

“Randy, hi!” Alice said, saving him just in time. “Ally will be down in a minute, why don’t you sit down?”

She hooked her arms around Henry’s and ushered him towards the kitchen. “Henry, could you come with me to the kitchen for a while to see if the stew tastes okay?”

“I’m sure it’s fine…” Henry protested.

“Yes, but I want you to…stop trying to scare the boy.” She whispered to him. “Ally, hurry up honey, don’t keep your date waiting!” She called.

“Mom!” Ally said, as she came down the stairs. “It’s not a date! We’re just going together. But it’s not. A date.”

When Randy saw her, it’s like he’s seen her for the first time. There was not a trace of that little girl he used to tease and play tricks on.

It seemed she had metamorphosed into a beautiful butterfly. An elegant white swan. A beautiful young lady. –He didn’t even hear her the first time she talked to him.

(Ally's outfit: www.polyvore.com/chapter/set?id=30245043&ref=nf

“Right, Randy?” Ally said. “Yo! I said, right, Randy?!” She waved her hands in front of his.

“Huh? What?” He said.

“I was telling my parents that this, us going to the dance together, is not a date.” She said.

“Right! Yes!” He said, finally getting what she was saying. “No, it’s not a date. Not at all. We’re just…going as friends.” He turned to Ally. “You do look really pretty tonight, though.”

She couldn’t help but blush when he said those words. Her heart literally skipped a beat, and it was most apparent to no one else but her mom.

“Aren’t they so cute?” She whispered to Henry. “Reminds me of us when we were younger.”

“Hmm, yeah, but they’re still too young, don’t you think?” Henry said.

“Oh, you’re such a party-pooper!”

“Uh, yeah…thanks.” Ally said, finally recuperating. “So ah…let’s go?”

“Let’s!” Randy said.

“Mom, dad, we’re gonna go.” She said.

“All right, let me just take a picture of the two of you.” Alice said, pulling out a camera from out of nowhere. “You two look so cute!”

“Oh, mom…you’re embarrassing me.”

“Just smile, will you?” Alice said.

“Yeah.” Randy said, he took her hand and placed it around his arm. “Just smile. You look even prettier when you smile.”

“Fabulous!” Alice said, as she took the picture. “Perfect! Okay, now you can go. Have fun kids.”

“Randy, take care of my daughter all right?” Henry said. He opened the door. “I want her back the way she is. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Yes, sir.” Randy said.

Ally just rolled her eyes at her dad, and he just winked at her. Randy actually opened the door of his car for her this time, which was unusual, but she liked it. It made her feel like a lady. It made her feel…special—until he opened his mouth again, when they were looking for a spot at the school’s parking lot.

“I really can’t get over how different you look tonight.” Randy said, “You look really pretty.”

“Thanks.” She said shyly. “You ah…you’re…not so bad yourself.”

What are you talking about? He looks handsome! She thought to herself.

“Mhhmm, so tell me…” He said, “Did you do all this for me? I mean how long did you stay at the salon for to do this overhaul on you?” He chuckled.

She could not believe what he just said to her. She was at once irritated and annoyed by him like never before. She was so mad she wanted to cry like she did the first time they met, when she was seven and he was eleven.

“You’re the meanest boy I’ve ever met.” She said. “Stop the car, I’m getting off!”

Randy was shocked with the way she reacted. He didn’t expect her to blow up like that. He was expecting her to return the jibe, like she usually does. He didn’t really mean what he said either.

He had always thought she’s pretty, but not to that degree, especially because he’d always seen her as a friend—a younger sister even. He felt like he got electrocuted suddenly and he froze.

He stepped on the break involuntarily, and Ally thought he was letting her get out, and she got even more pissed. So she did what she said she was going to do, and got out of the car. Randy went after her.

“Wait! Ally…Come on!” Randy called out. “I was just kidding!” He caught up with her and grabbed her hand to stop her from taking another step.

“Why do you have to be so mean to me all the time?” She asked.

Don’t you know you’re hurting me and it’s worse because I love you? She wanted to say but stopped herself, lest she wanted to make a bigger fool of herself.

Her voice was shaking, and there were tears in her eyes bidding to flow down. Seeing her that way, it made him feel bad. He doesn’t know what came over him, it could be pure instinct, but he just hugged her—much to her surprise.

“I’m sorry.” He said, “I just…I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. Forgive me, please? I don’t want you to be mad at me.”

What was she going to say or do about that? She was too shocked to even move. She’d never been that close to him, much less be held by him the way he was holding her in his arms at that moment.

She could hear his heart beating in his chest, loud and steady. She could feel his warmth all over her.

“O-okay…” She said. “I-it’s fine…I’m sorry I over reacted.”

How could she not forgive him? She was about to hug him back when he pulled away, so she just kind of pulled back and put her hands behind her.

“Great.” Randy said, “Thank you. I promise I’ll be nicer, and not to tease you the whole night.”

“You better, or I’m walking out on you.” She said.

He smiled, and offered his arm. “So, let’s go inside?”

“Yeah, let’s go.” She said.

“Oh, wait…” He stopped and took his handkerchief from his pocket. “Let’s wipe that off.” He wiped the tear mark on her cheek gently. “I’m really sorry I made you cry.” He said.

She was looking at his eyes, and it just seems to draw her in. They were so clear, so blue, and so beautiful. She could look at them forever, especially when they’re really mellow and doesn’t have that playful, naughty character to them.

She felt herself blush, but couldn’t turn away. Randy must’ve noticed it, and he smiled inconspicuously, but didn’t say a word.

They went inside the gym where the dance was taking place, arm in arm. They didn’t even notice Paola and her friends were standing a few meters from them, and they saw everything that happened.

If she wasn’t so determined to ruin Ally’s night before, she was now. She wants Randy back, and she wants him back now.

The evening went well for the two of them, especially for Ally. She felt like the night belonged to her. Randy was every bit the gentleman he promised to be, and didn’t tease her the whole night.

Everything just seems so magical, like she was living in a fairytale, dancing at the ball with her prince. He never even left her side, even when his friends tried to pull him away to join them. He even held her by the hand when they walk, so she won’t get lost in the crowd.

Some of her classmates were surprised to actually see her there, especially as Randy’s date. They’ve known they were friends, but they never thought they’d actually go to the dance together.

She was aware of the eyes on her, and normally, she’d be so uncomfortable about it. But somehow she just doesn’t care at that moment.

“Hey, I’m thirsty.” Randy said, “I’m gonna get something to drink, do you want anything?”

“Um, yeah, I’d like some fruit punch.” She said, “I’ll just go with you.”

“No. No punch for you.” He said, as he stood up. “I just saw some guys spike the punch bowl. I’ll get you something else. Stay here, I’ll be right back.”

“Oh, okay…” She said, “Wait…what do you mean ‘spiked’?”

She called after him, but he was already out of her sight. She’d been waiting for him for a good ten minutes when a couple of girls from the cheering team came up to her and just started to chat her up.

She found it quite odd that they would just approach her like that, but she didn’t snob them and talked with them.

“So you’re Randy’s new girlfriend, huh?” One asked. “I’m Veronica, by the way.”

““I’m Ally.” She said, putting out her hand, but Veronica ignored it. “And, no…we’re just friends.” Ally said. I wish I was though, she thought.

“Honey, friends don’t take friends to a dance, and stay with them the whole time, holding hands and stuff.” She said, “It’s a date.”

“It’s not really a date…we’re just…we just came together, that’s all.” Ally said.

“Oh, trust me it’s a date.” said another. “You know, I’ve always noticed how close you two are. I can’t believe you’re not his girlfriend yet.”

“Betty’s right.” Veronica said, “That’s just not his style. I think he may be planning to tell you something tonight.”

“Yeah! Maybe he’ll ask you to be his girlfriend tonight or something.” Betty said, “It’s pretty exciting! I’m so jealous of you right now. I’ve always had a crush on him.”

Ally couldn’t decide whether they were telling her the truth or they were just playing her around. But she thought it would be so awesome if Randy was really planning to do something like that.

They have been spending a lot of time together, in and outside of school. The way he’d sneak up in her room and spend hours just talking with her. If he couldn’t come because of any reason, he’d call on the phone instead, talking low and slow because their parents didn’t know.

Sometimes they’d both fall asleep with the phone on their hands. He even showed up on her ballet recital even though she only danced in the background, just to support her.

She figured maybe Randy has started to see her as something other than a friend or a younger sister. Maybe he’s started to see her as a girl he could be with.

She thought maybe he does like her, and his being mean to her on occasion was just him dealing with the changes. She could totally understand that.

Then another one of them approached. It’s like raining cheerleaders or something, she thought. But at least she knew this one—Rachel, because she’s her and Randy’s neighbor—although they’ve never really spoken to each other before.

“Hi! You’re Alyssa right?” Rachel asked, with a welcoming smile.

“Yes.”

“I passed by Randy in the hallway, and he asked me to tell you to meet him under the bleachers behind the stage. He said he has something important to tell you.”

“See! I told you, didn’t I?” Veronica said, “I bet he’s going to ask you the question now!”

“Aren’t you excited?” Betty asked. “You should go. Like, right now.”

She didn’t know what it was, if it was excitement, nervousness or something else that she felt right then. She wished what they told her would happen.

It would make her the happiest girl in the world—the universe, if he did ask her to be his girlfriend, because there was nothing she wanted more.

So she went there, to the bleachers behind the stage, hope brimming inside her.



Meanwhile…



Randy was getting some soda at the vending machine in the hallway. He bought two diet sodas, and was about to go back to Ally when somebody called him.

“Randy!”

He turned around and saw a boy wearing thick glasses and suspenders. “That’s me.” He said, “Do I know you?”

“N-no.” The boy stammered, “I was…just ah…”

“Just say it already.” He said, “I don’t got all night.”

“Right, Alyssa said for you to meet her under the bleachers behind the stage.” The boy said, “That’s all. Bye.” And then he ran.

“Hmm…Weird.” He popped open one of the soda cans, “Under the bleachers, huh? All right.”

So he went where the boy told him to meet Alyssa. He figured she must’ve gotten tired of waiting for him, or maybe a little bit uncomfortable being alone. She does that sometimes as she hates being alone in a crowd. But when he got there, it wasn’t Ally he found. It was Paola.

“Paola? What are you doing here?” He looked around, “Where’s Ally?”

“She’s not here.” Paola said, as she walked towards him. “But I’m here…where I should be…with you.” She took his hands and placed them around her waist. “I’ve missed you, Randy. Don’t you miss me too?”

Randy smirked, and took his hands off of her. “Honestly…” He said, “I don’t. Not in the least bit.”

“Oh, come on Randy.” She said, sultrily, in her thick Brazilian accent. “Don’t be so cruel. I know I was a bad girlfriend…” She clinched his arm. “I should have supported you.”

“Hmm…yeah, you should have.” He said, “But that’s fine. You know why? Because that’s when I realized I really wanted to do it, despite you not supporting me…and losing you in the process. I guess I knew what meant more to me, you could say.”

Paola was starting to get frustrated and wanted to slap him, when she saw her friend at the corner of her eyes, giving her the signal that someone was approaching. So she changed her plan of action.

“I don’t believe you.” She said, “I know you still care for me. You can’t just forget all the times we’ve shared together like that…”

She wrapped her arms around his waist and brushed up against him.

As any hot blooded young man would, he couldn’t help but get aroused as she did. And it was obvious with the sound of his voice.

“Paola…” He said; his voice with less contempt. “Stop it, all right? I’m over you…When are you gonna…”

She didn’t let him finish what he was saying, as she suddenly leaped and kissed him. For a moment, he lost himself and started to kiss her back. Until he heard somebody call his name.

“Randy…?”

He pulled away from Paola and saw Ally standing just a few feet away from them, shock evident in her face.

“Ally…” He said.

He didn’t really know what to say next, especially when the shock in her face was replaced with disbelief and disappointment. Her eyes were burning into him.

She felt like her feet were planted on the very ground she was standing on because she couldn’t move.

“Didn’t your momma ever tell you not to stare?” Paola said, as she ran her fingers through Randy’s nape.

“Don’t touch me!” He flicked her hand off.

“Oh, you don’t like me now, but you seemed to like how I taste like when we kissed.”

He looked at Ally’s eyes when Paola said that, and there was nothing else there but pain.

“Ally…I…”

“I get it.” Ally said, weakly. Her voice shaking, as her tears suddenly fell all at once. “You don’t need to explain...I’m just gonna go.”

She turned around and forced herself to with all her might to move. But then she wanted to get away from there—away from Randy and Paola, as fast as she could so she started running without even realizing it.

“Ally, wait!” Randy called.

“Let her go!” Paola said, grabbing at his arm.

“You, let me go!” Randy said, pulling her hand off of his. “Don’t ever come near me again!”

Then he ran after Ally, but she was already making her way through the crowd. As big as he was, it was difficult for him to go through the throngs of students to get to her.



Ally made it out of the gym, before she stopped to catch her breath. Her head was throbbing and her heart was racing fast. She heard Randy calling behind her as she went through the crowd, but she didn’t bother turning around.

She didn’t want him to catch her. She wanted to get away from him—from the boy who just broke her heart like it was nothing.

She knew he was going to catch up to her if she didn’t leave, so she took her shoes off and with her dress all bundled up in her hand, she ran away, barefooted, with no destination in mind.

She just wanted to get away from there as fast as she could.

When Randy finally got out of the gym, he didn’t see her. He didn’t even find any trace of her at all. He looked around the parking lot, hoping she was somewhere there, sitting, waiting for him, but she wasn’t.

“Ally, where are you?” He said out loud, in frustration.

He decided to take his car and drive around the school grounds to try and look for her. She couldn’t have gotten far. She was wearing high heeled shoes, which he knew she wasn’t so used to wearing.

But he didn’t find her anywhere. So he decided to go further and look for her in the streets.

He wasn’t going to find her though. She didn’t wander out in the streets, but into the woods. She didn’t even realize where she was until she got tired and stopped running.

She sat on a toppled down tree and everything just started to replay itself inside her head.

How could he do that to her? How could he play around with her feelings like that? Doesn’t he even care about her? Not even as a friend? She thought he meant something to him, even just a little bit. Guess she was wrong.

She stayed there, under the light of the moonlight in the middle of nowhere, crying her eyes out. There was no pain like she was feeling at that moment. It was the first time she felt like her heart was actually shattered into pieces.



-----------------------------------------------------------

[Annaya]

Chapter 4

Randy was driving back to the school after an hour of going around every corner and alley ways in a one mile parameter. He didn’t find nor see any trace of her. He couldn’t come home without finding her.

His parents knew she was with him too, so if he came home without dropping her off at her house, everyone’s going to worry and he’d be the one to get blamed.

But aside from the obvious, he was worried about her too. It was getting really late and St. Louis isn’t exactly the safest place for a girl her age to be roaming around by herself. He felt guilty. He is guilty. He somehow knew he hurt her, he just didn’t know how much.

He couldn’t explain it, but he felt like there’s a big gaping hole in his chest. He remembered the way she looked at him when she found him with Paola under the bleachers.

He never thought he’d ever seen her look so sad, so disappointed, so broken and it made him feel awful knowing it’s all because of him.

Finally, he decided to take a chance and drive home. He figured maybe she went home already without him. He was just going to have to explain what happened to her and his parents.

He drove slowly as he passed by her house, trying to see if the light in her room were on, which would mean she got home safe. There was none.

As he came closer, he spotted a figure sitting on the swing in the front yard. He strained to see who it was, and when he realized it was Ally, he got out of his car and approached her, cautiously.

Under the moonlight, he could see her clearly. She looked spent, her dress was all wrinkly and her feet were dirty. And her eyes…she had that faraway look in them. He wanted to make things right, but he didn’t know how.

“Uhm…hey.” He said, “Where’d you go? I looked all over for you.”

“You don’t need to know that.” She said, without looking at him. “You’re only asking me because you have to, anyway. I’m going inside now. I just waited for you so you don’t have to explain how you got home without me.”

Then she stood up and went in the house, and he was left there standing by himself, speechless, and a feeling like his chest was caving in.

Was it just the guilt? She’d been mad at him a lot of times in the past, but never this serious, and he’d never had to feel the way.

He went home and tried to sleep but couldn’t. He was haunted by the way she looked in the gym, under the bleachers. When he closes his eyes, he sees her in that swing set in the front lawn of her house.

He doesn’t even know where she’d been and why she looked like that. He wanted to call her and ask her, but he didn’t think she’d want to talk to him now.

He’ll talk to her tomorrow, he told himself. It’s better to let her rest now, maybe she’ll be in a better mood tomorrow.



The next day, he was playing hoops with his little brother, Nate in their backyard but he couldn’t really concentrate on what he was doing. He kept looking over at Ally’s house waiting for her to come out to the yard all afternoon, like she usually does on Saturdays, but he didn’t even see her shadow.

“What are you looking over at Ally’s?” Nate asked.

“Nothing…” He said. He took a shot and it bounced on the backboard. “I’m just waiting for her to come out. I have something important I gotta tell her.” He caught the ball and bounce-passed it to Nate.

“Well, if it’s so important, maybe you should go there instead.” Nate said, he took a shot and it went in.

Randy caught the ball as it bounced. “You know what? You’re a smart kid.” He said, “I think I’ll do that.” He tosses the ball to Nate. “Practice your three-pointers; we’ll play some more later all right?”

“Where are you going?”

“To talk to Ally.” He said.


He ran across the street to Ally’s house and got inside the fence, but when he got to the front door, that’s when he felt nervous and hesitated. What was he going to tell her anyway? Would she even listen to him? Does she even want to see him?

He was about to leave when the door opened suddenly. It was Alice, Ally’s mom.

“Randy.” She said, surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“Uh…well, I…” He took a deep breath before he continued. “I was wondering if Ally was around. I’d like to speak to her, please.”

Alice looked at him, and sighed. “She’s here.” She said, “But I don’t she’d want to speak to you. I’m sorry.”

“Oh…of course.” Randy said. He felt like there was a big lump in his throat that he couldn’t quite gulp down. “I understand.”

He turned and was about to walk away but he couldn’t take more than a couple of steps. He got that same feeling in his gut that he felt last night, when she saw him with Paola, and the same constricting feeling in his chest like he when he found Ally at the swing in their front yard.

“I just…” He turned back around to Alice. “I just want to apologize for what happened. I didn’t…I didn’t mean for any of it to happen.”

“I know.” Alice said, “But that doesn’t make me any less angry at you for what happened to my daughter. It doesn’t make her any less sad, and it doesn’t make her heart any less broken.”

She breathed as if to calm herself down. “I’m sorry. She’ll be fine. Just give her time. She’ll talk to you when she’s ready, but for now…it’s better if you stay away from her for a while.”

Then she closed the door. He couldn’t describe what he felt right then. It’s like he was dunked into a pool of cold water, and he felt like needles were pricking his skin—only it wasn’t just skin deep.

It went much deeper—perhaps to his very core. He walked slowly back to their house, as if his strength and life had been sucked out of him.


Meanwhile…


“Honey, can I come in?” Alice asked before she entered Ally’s room.

Ally didn’t answer but she came in anyway. She found Ally lying on her side clutching her pillow, with her head underneath. She hadn’t come out of her room since she came home last night.

Alice went up to see what was wrong with her and she told her everything. She held Ally all night as she cried.

She sat on the bed beside Ally, and rubbed her back gently.

“Randy came to talk to you.” Alice said. “He wanted to apologize for what happened.”

She felt Ally breathe erratically, and knew she was still crying underneath the pillow. But she also knows there was nothing she could do for her daughter but be there for her.

“My poor darling.” She lay down beside her and wrapped her arms around Ally. “My poor, poor darling.”

Ally turned around and hugged her back, her eyes closed but with tears still flowing out.

“It’s gonna be all right, baby.” She said, planting a kiss on Ally’s forehead. “The pain will disappear gradually and you’ll forget about him.”

“How, mom?” Ally asked, “How can I forget about him when he’s a part of every memory I have, when I see him every day at school, when he’s there when I go out of the house? How can I?”

“You’re just gonna have to be stronger and avoid him.” Alice said, “It’s gonna be hard, it is. I never said it would be easy. But you can do it…you have to be strong. Promise me you’d try?”

“I promise.” She said.

“Good girl.” Ally held her tighter. “Be strong.”


--------- -----------------------------------------------


Randy was in the same mood when he left Ally’s front door all weekend long. He had no appetite, and he was in no mood to do much of anything at all. He just wanted to see her, and tell her he was sorry even though he doesn’t exactly know what to apologize for.

He locked himself in his room all day after they arrived from church. He saw her there but she just looked away from him after the mass. He wasn’t even going to come out for dinner if his mom hadn’t come to get him.

Everyone noticed how quiet he was, but didn’t ask him in respect. They already knew what happened anyway.

He and Ally’s dad had a little talk after the mass, and that’s what has been on his mind the whole day. Henry approached him while he was standing by the door of the church, looking at Ally, after she looked past him and got in their car to wait for her parents instead of mingling with the others.

“Are you feeling sorry for her?” Henry said suddenly from behind her.

“Mr. Carson…” He said, surprised and nervous at the same time.

“Don’t be. Don’t feel sorry for her.” Henry said.

Randy looked at him and he didn’t understand why Henry was telling him basically not to feel remorse for what had happened. It’s his daughter they were talking about after all.

“Do you know what she told me that night, when she came home with her dress crumpled and dirty? I was going to go after you, for whatever it is you did. But she told me, ‘No dad. It’s not Randy’s fault. It was mine. It was silly and naïve of me to think maybe he feels the same way for me the way I do for him. I did this to myself. It’s not his fault.’” Henry said.

“Sir, I didn’t know…” Randy started to say.

“You should’ve.” Henry said, looking at him. “How could you not know? She stays up past midnight just to talk to you. Oh yeah, I know about that. I know how her heart flutters when you call, when she sees you, and place you over everything else. See, that right there is special. It’s hard to find a girl who’d do all that for you. Sticking up for you like that even after you broke her heart. So, no, don’t feel sorry for her. Feel sorry for yourself.”

He looked at the car where Ally was again.

“Because by the time you realize that she’s the girl you want, she’ll already be with someone who figured it out.” He patted Randy on the back. “See you around, kid.”

Randy stood there at the steps of the Church looking at Ally sitting inside their car. This was the first time he’d heard anything about how she felt for him.

He supposed Henry was right. He should’ve known. She had always set him apart, and never made him feel anything less than special.

Now he realized all the signs he’d been ignoring. He realized how much she’d taken her for granted. And as the car pulled away, he saw Ally glance at him but for a second.

That’s when everything started to sink in. Nothing has ever made him feel like he’d lost something bigger than how he felt right at that moment.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------



That week at school wasn’t any less gloomy for him either. There were only two weeks left and he’d been aching to talk to Ally, to fix things between them or even just to salvage whatever it is they can still have.

They were friends in the first place. It shouldn’t end because of what happened.

But that was easier said than done, especially when Ally wouldn’t even look at him. Whenever they see each other in the hallway, she’d turn the other way and pretend she didn’t see him.

During lunch, he waited for her under the tree they always eat under but she didn’t come.

That night he even tried to sneak up in her room like he always does. He threw pebbles at her window a couple of times and waited for her to turn her light on, but she never did and he went home disappointed.

So he waited for her by her locker. There was no way out of it for her, so she was forced to face him. They both felt awkward because people were looking at them as if they knew what happened. Perhaps they did.

Nothing ever happens that doesn’t spread around especially when Paola’s involved.

“Randy, please step out of the way.” She said, without looking at him. “I need to get my stuff.”

“Ally…please, just talk to me.” Randy said, softly. He stepped away and let her take her things from her locker. “I know I hurt you…and I’m really sorry.”

She took her stuff from the locker and closed it without saying a word. It was like she didn’t hear anything he said, and he was getting desperate.

He followed her as she walked away, “Just give me a chance to fix this.”

She stopped and turned to him, flushed and on the verge of tears. It was obvious she’d been trying to control her emotions, but she couldn’t anymore.

“You can’t fix it.” She said, softly. “You’re not the one who’s broken, Randy. I am.” She looked down, “I can only do it if I stay away from you for a while.”

“Why?” He asked, “W-we’re friends aren’t we? We’ve been friends for a long time.” He took her hand. “We can’t just let this…ruin everything.”

She pulled her hand away from his gently. “Please understand…I just…I can’t move on from this if I keep seeing you.” She said, trying to blink back her tears.

“I’m trying to fix me. It’s my fault for assuming…that maybe you felt the same way I do for you. But I’m wrong, and I know that now."

"But I still do…that’s why I need to stay away from you.” She took a breath, “I need to forget that feeling.”

A single tear drop fell from her eyes then, and Randy felt like he was drowning because of it.

Why does it feel like a break-up? He thought.

They’re not even a couple, and she’s not even his girlfriend or anything. He’d never been so pained as much as that moment, that it rendered him speechless.

She wiped her tears and tried to smile to make him feel less guilty, because she knows he does. But it was the saddest smile he’d ever seen.

“Just give me some time.” She said, “I’ll be back to my old self sooner or later. When I’m ready I’ll come to you.” She looked at the floor, “Bye, Randy.”

He stood there in the middle of the hall, by himself, his heart feeling as hollow and empty as he watched her walk through the now empty hallway.

As she took a turn to another hallway, something happened that he didn’t expect. A single drop of warm tear fell from his eye. He wiped it off quickly and composed himself.

That Friday, as he was coming out of his last class for the day, he saw Ally and her mom coming out of the principal’s office.

He got worried because he thought they were going to have Ally transferred to another school. He wanted to come and ask them what’s going on, but he remembered what Ally told him, so he didn’t.

Instead he went to the principal’s office.

“Randy, what can I do for you?” The principal asked.

“Uhm…I saw Ally and her mom were here.” He said, “I was just wondering what it was about.”

The principal smiled at him sympathetically. It’s like she knew what he was thinking, why he was so worried. But then, she may have some idea.

Ally was every teacher’s favorite because she’s such a model student. She never gets in trouble, always courteous, and since she’s accelerated, she always has the highest grades.

“Take a seat, Randy.” She said. He sat on the chair, with his head down. “Do you wanna tell me what’s going on?”

Randy sighed, as he thought about whether he should talk about it or not. He’s really not comfortable talking about emotional stuff like that, but at the same time, he kind of wanted to take it out.

Ally used to be the person he takes it out to, but he doesn’t seem to have her anymore. And that’s really what bothers him about all of it.

He stood up, “It’s all right…I’m…I’m just gonna go.” He said, “Sorry to bother you.”

He walked towards the door quickly but he stopped when the principal said something.

“Don’t worry, she’s not transferring.” She said, “They just asked for permission to leave for vacation early. She won’t be here next week anymore.”

“Oh…right.” He said, turning around. “Can you tell me why?”

“Maybe you should ask her.” The principal said, “Try to talk to her before she leaves.”

“Did they tell you when they’re leaving?” He asked.

“Tomorrow, before noon.”


----------------------------------------------------------------------


He couldn’t sleep at all that night. He tried to take his mind off things, playing with his pet snake, or playing video games in his room until he was too tired to stay up. He was so tired mentally, that he wouldn’t have gotten up had his mom not come in to wake him.

“Randy.” Elaine said, as she sat on the bed, combing his hair with her fingers. “Honey, aren’t you going to get up yet?”

“Why?” He asked, sleepily. “What time is it?”

“It’s past eleven, honey.” She said, “Ally’s leaving in a few minutes, I thought you might want to say bye.”

“Sh*t!” He said, sitting up, suddenly awake.

He jumped up off the bed. He went to the bathroom to wash his face and gargle, put his pants and shirt on as fast as lightning.

And then he was out of there just like that. His mom had never seen him move so fast, especially not on a school day.

“Well, that was interesting.” She said.


Randy got at Ally’s house just as she got out of the door. Had he been a few minutes late, he would’ve missed her. She was surprised to see him, rushing the way he was.

“Randy…what are you doing here?” Ally asked.

“I just…wanted to see you.” Randy said, panting.

Henry was at the car, loading her bags, when he saw Randy.

“Ally…Hurry up, let’s go.” He said.

“Henry, let them talk.” Alice told him. She smiled and nodded at Ally, and she smiled softly back.

“Well, I’m here.” Ally said to Randy, as she turned to him.

“I heard you guys were leaving for a vacation.” Randy said.

“Where are you going? How long are you going to be gone?”

“No, just me…I’m going to stay at my aunt’s in Milan.” She said. “Gonna stay the whole summer.”

“All summer?” He asked. “But…we had plans. You were going to go cliff diving with us…and camping…and…”

“I know.” She said, “Plans’ changed. I’m sorry, but like I told you the other day…I need to…I need to be away from you for a while.”

He felt like his stomach was churning, like he was going to be sick. He supposed he should’ve expected she wasn’t going to go through with the plans they’ve made for that summer after what happened.

But it’s really the thought that she wasn’t even going to be around that was making him feel that way. He’s gotten so used to having her there, and the thought of just waking up tomorrow, or going to school and not see her…he never thought it would have such an impact on him.

“Don’t be sad…I’ll be back.” She said, as if she knew what he was feeling. Perhaps she did. She feels the same way after all. “It’s not like I’m moving there permanently. It’s just for the summer. You’ll be fine without me.”

She tried to joke, and he tried to smile but it didn’t hide either of their feelings to each other.

“Ally, let’s go.” Alice said, “We’re going to be late for your flight.”

“Well, I gotta go…I’ll miss you.” She said, her voice almost cracking as she did.

“I’m going to miss you too.” He said.

“Hopefully when I come back we could put everything behind us.” She said, “We’d be back to normal…back to the way things were.”
She held her hand out to him. “I’ll see you in September.”

He had the urge to hug her. Somehow he got the feeling that it would be the last time he’d have the chance to. But he stopped himself, and instead just shook her hand.

She got in their car and he watched them drove off. In his head he wanted her to turn around, but she didn’t.

And as the car disappeared into the horizon, he hoped she was right that things were going to be the way they were before everything happened—back to normal, as she said, when she comes back. He hoped they could go back to being friends.

But it wasn’t meant to be.

[Annaya]

Chapter 5

I'm falling in love, but it's falling apart
I need to find a way back to the start
When we were in love, things were better than they are
Let me back into...into your arms...

September 1997



Summer had come and gone, and school was about to start again. Randy had been a bit anxious not only because it was his senior year, but he’d been waiting for Ally to come back from her vacation overseas.

He didn’t even hear from her all summer long but he had so much hope that when she does come home, that they’d be able to mend their friendship.

He had a lot of time to think about how he felt when it all came down, why it felt worse than a break-up, and he came to a conclusion that it must be because she had been such a constant part of his life for so long, as a friend and confidante, that he didn’t want anything to change, let alone lose.


At least that was what he figured, or perhaps, that was his way of making sense of it all whilst protecting himself from being more hurt than he would accept. It couldn’t have been more than friendship, to him, that he almost lost. She couldn’t have been more than a friend to him.

Ally didn’t make it to the opening of classes because she only got home the night before and she was still pretty tired. When he learned that, he was already thinking of making fun about it, because she’d never once missed a day of school.

He was going to tease her about how she’s changed and all that, after just going on vacation in Italy. He had no idea how right he was.

It was a different Ally that showed up at school the next day. She still looked the same, but something about her has changed.

She looked more mature, and not because she had started wearing a little make up, but she dressed differently—more lady-like. She had grace and poise in her actions.

There was no more sign of the young girl he knew since they were young. Somehow, during the summer break, she had transformed from a young girl into a young lady, and suddenly, he had no clue how to approach and talk to her.

She didn’t exactly make it easy for him either.

It was like he didn’t exist. She wouldn’t even look his way. All week long, she avoided him. When she sees him in the hallway, she would walk the other way.

She even stopped having lunch with him under their favorite tree. She’d also been taking the bus home, instead of taking a ride with him. Everything was exactly the way they were before she left that summer.

Randy finally had the guts to try and talk to her that Friday. It was lunch time, and he was on his way to the cafeteria when he saw her at the hallway as he was putting his stuff in his locker.

She was walking with a couple of girls, probably from her class. They were talking and laughing with each other, and he thought it was a good opportunity to try to talk to her, since she seemed in a good mood.

He was going to wait for them to get closer before he calls her attention, expecting her to leave them when he does—like she does so before. But when they were close enough, she saw him.

He had a big smile on his face, and was going to wave at her, until he noticed the change and hesitation in her face. She gave him a little smile that lasted but a moment, and then she turned her eyes downward as her smile faded away and pretended not to have seen him as they passed by.

It hit him pretty hard. It felt almost like a slap in the face, that she would snub him like that. She basically did the same thing while in the cafeteria. He was with his friends, and he was looking at her across the cafeteria from their table.

She must’ve felt his eyes on her because she looked at him but quickly turned around, and bumped into one of the varsity football players, spilling her juice. Randy almost jumped up his seat and ran over, because she looked like she was going to fall over. She didn’t though, because the guy caught her.

“You okay, man?” One of his friends asked.

“Yeah…yeah, I’m fine.” He said, still looking over at Ally as he sat back down.

“Oh, it’s your little friend…what’s her name?”

“Ally.”

“Right…she’s cute.” His friend said, “She’s a sophomore now?”

“Junior.” He said, “But she’s only fourteen, so don’t even think about it.”

His friend laughed, “What, man? I’m not thinking of anything!” He said, “But I think you are, you haven’t taken your eyes off her the whole time we’ve been here.”

“I’m just looking out for her, all right?” Randy said, with a little too much contempt.

“All right, all right! No need to be defensive.” His friend said.

“Shut up, man.” He was starting to get really angry then.

“But then again, we all knew what happened last June.”

“I said shut up!”

His friend hit a nerve with that last statement, and he lost all sense of restraint. He suddenly lunged at his friend, toppling their table over.

The other guy was surprised, but had enough presence of mind to defend himself. The whole place suddenly erupted as the fight broke out. Some kids were egging them on to fight, taking sides, while others tried to break it up.

Ally went through the crowd to get to them, because she knew he was involved even though she didn’t exactly see what happened, or how it started.

“Oh, my God! Randy!” She said, “Stop them! Somebody stop them!”

“What’s wrong with you, man?” The other guy yelled, as people tried to pull Randy off of him. “You’re crazy!”

“I told you to f**king shut your mouth!” Randy said, struggling to get loose.

“Randy! Stop it!” Ally said. “Please, stop!”

He stopped struggling then, and looked at her. His eyes were still blazing with anger, and contempt. She’d never seen his eyes looking like that, especially not when looking at her.

“What’s wrong with you?” She asked him.

“What’s wrong with me?!” Randy said, “What’s wrong with you!? This is because of you! You frustrate me! You’re what’s wrong with me!”

Ally couldn’t speak from the shock of what he just said, and it was very obvious to Randy that she was hurt when he said that.

Seeing that, it seemed to pull him back down to reality and realize what he just did.

“Ally…” He said, trying to come up with words to plead his case, but nothing was coming to him.

Ally looked around and felt like all eyes were on them. It was all very awkward, but that was the least of what was going through her mind.

But then a couple of teachers arrived and dispersed the crowd. She was looking at him, and he was looking back at her but this time, he couldn’t read what she was thinking, because she had a blank expression on her face.

She looked down the floor, turned and silently walked away from him.

“Ally, wait…” He said.

“Where do you think you’re going, Mr. Orton?” The teacher grabbed him by the shoulder. “You’re going to the principal’s office.”

“But, I…”

“No buts. Come on.”

He had no choice but go, because if he didn’t then he’d be in more trouble than he already is. He and the other guy made up at the principal’s office, but they still had to attend detention for the next two weeks.

They both agreed to it because it was better than a suspension, and they were both seniors.

When he went to get his stuff from his locker before going home, he found a note inside. It was from Ally, and it said to meet her at the library. So he went to the library and saw her sitting by herself at the far end of the room.

He walked towards her and sat at the seat across from her.

“Hey.” He said.

“Hey.” She said back.

Then there was silence. Neither of them knew how to proceed with the conversation. Randy wanted to ask why she’d been acting the way she had at school and then coming to his room like that.

Ally, on the other hand, had a reason why she went there but couldn’t figure out how to begin. So they sat there for a few awkward moments that felt like eternity. Finally, Ally decided to speak up.

“I just…” She sighed, “I just wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Okay.” He said, as calmly as he can. Somehow she was making him nervous. “I’m listening.”

“I guess I should get it over with and stop wasting your time.” She said.

“You’re not a waste of my time.” Randy said.

“Randy, just stop.” She said. “Stop trying to be nice to me. It’s just making it harder for me to say what I have to tell you.”

What she said kind of stung. He knew he wasn’t just trying to be nice. He meant what he said. He’d spent so much time with her all those years, especially the in the last year, which he wouldn’t have if he thought he was just wasting his time. But he didn’t show it.

“All right.” He said, “Tell me then.”

For a moment, Ally hesitated. She tried to come up with the words to how best to say it, but then decided to just let it out as simple and straightforward as it is.

“We can’t be friends anymore.”

“What?” Randy asked. “Why? You said before you left that we…”

“I know! I know I told you we could go back to normal…that we can keep being friends.” She said, “And when I said that, I believed it too.”

She took a deep breath trying to suck in air, because it was getting hard for her to speak, restraining herself.

“I tried, Randy.” Ally said, “All summer I tried to tell myself…I tried to convince myself that we can be friends after all that’s happened. But every time I think about it, every time I think about you…it just hurt all over again.”

Amidst all her efforts to not cry, a tear fell from her eye, which she briskly wiped off. Randy tried to comfort her, but she pulled away from him yet again.

“I’m sorry…” He said.

He doesn’t know what else to say. He gets where she’s coming from, but he doesn’t want to accept it, nor does he want to lose her.

“No…don’t apologize. It’s not your fault. I brought this upon myself. It was stupid of me to assume such things and I ended up hurting myself.” She said, “I don’t want to be mad at you…but I’m afraid if we keep trying to be friends, I’m gonna end up doing just that…because I can’t change the way I feel about you…and you can’t feel for me what I want you to.”

She tried to look at him and keep her stand, but she couldn’t. Every time she does, she feels like she’s going to crumble, especially with the way he was looking at her at that moment—with dignified anguish.

His lips were closed tightly, and his breath steady, showing her how tough he is about the situation. But his eyes are saying something else. There was sadness in them, and that’s what she couldn’t look at.

“I hope you understand…” She said; her voice just a little louder than a whisper.

“I understand.” Randy said, “I don’t agree with it, but I understand. If that’s what you really want.”

“No.” She said, “It’s not what I really want, but it’s the only way I know how to get over this…to get over you.”

Randy didn’t say anything, and his silence was the most disconcerting for her ever since, especially at times and situations like this.

It was getting more uncomfortable by the second, but neither of them wants to be the first to move, or walk away.

For several minutes they just sat there at the bench, not saying anything to each other, not even making a sound, until a couple of Ally’s classmates passed by them.

“Ally! Hey, I thought you would be here!” The taller one, Leslie said.

“Yeah…I had something important I had to do.” Ally said.

“Hmm, well, are you done now?” Leslie said.

She glanced at Randy for a second. “Yeah, I’m done now.”

“We’re going to the Jamestown Mall.” Leslie said, “Why don’t you come with us?”

“Yeah, we’re buying stuff we need for class.” The other one, Kaye said, happily. “And some other stuff we don’t need.”

“Yeah…okay.” She stood up and gathered her things, “I’ll go.”

“Cool.” Leslie smiled.

“Oh, by the way, we saw Tyler on the way here and he asked about you.” Kaye, said.

“Who’s Tyler?”

“Tyler Scott.” Leslie said, “That cute football player you bumped into at the canteen earlier. I think he likes you.”

Randy just sat there in silence. He wasn’t gonna bother to look, but at the last second, just as she was about to get out door, he looked up and she glanced back at him at the same time.

And then it was over.

When the door closed behind her, he felt like that string that held them together snapped. They weren’t going to be friends anymore. They probably never would speak to each other again. And he had no choice but to accept that.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Weeks and months passed and their lives had gotten further and further apart. They’ve focused on things that had nothing to do with each other, as if to ensure they’d never cross paths again.

Randy had focused on his studies and extracurricular activities. He’d also started to be interested in joining the service and contemplating about joining the Marines.

He figured he’d be good at it, since he’s pretty athletic and very much into guns.

Ally on the other hand, had gotten into the arts. If it wasn’t playing the piano, she was painting and studying about paintings and sculptures. She’d also made a handful of friends that she often hangs out with.

And just like any normal teen her age, she’d also started going out on dates…with one boy in particular—Tyler Scott.

Tyler is a junior and plays quarterback for the school’s football team. He’s a pretty decent guy, keeps to himself a most of the time, unlike the other boys who were rowdy, which is probably why Ally didn’t feel uncomfortable with him.

As the months stretched, Randy and Ally have gotten used to not being around each other—at least on the surface. Neither of them would admit to missing each other to anyone, and perhaps even to themselves.

They supposed it was easier that way. Being young and being involved in so many things also helped.

But sometimes, no matter how much you try to convince yourself that you don’t care about someone, or try to ignore them, you still kind of become interested about things with regards to them. It’s something one can’t really escape.

It was December then and Randy and his dad, along with his two siblings went to pick out a Christmas tree. He was walking around looking for the perfect tree with Becky right behind him, when she suddenly shrieked.

“Oh, my god!” Becky suddenly grabbed his jacket and hid behind him.

“What’s the matter with you?” He asked.

“Two o’clock! It’s Tyler Scott!” Becky said, “He’s so cute!”

“Pssh. I can take him.” Randy said, bitterly.

“Well nobody said you can’t beat him up.” Becky bantered. “All’s I was saying is, he’s cute! Look at him! He looks like a member of Backstreet Boys! He looks like Nick Carter, honestly.”

“Boy bands suck!” Randy said, stomping away. His mood suddenly dampened.

Becky went after him, “Hey! Don’t leave me here! What’s your problem!?” She yelled. “Wait a minute…You don’t like him because he’s dating Ally, do you?”

“Shut up.” He said.

“Ha! I knew it…you’re so obvious!” Becky teased.

“Becky, I’m telling you, you need to shut up now.” Randy said.

“Have you heard she’s going to be performing at the annual talent show?” Becky asked, “I heard she’s playing singing and playing the piano. I saw her at the auditorium the other day, actually.”

“So? I don’t care.” Randy said, bluntly.

“So you’re not gonna watch?” She asked. He didn’t answer though. “Hmm…why don’t you just admit that you miss her?” Becky said, “I kinda miss her too. She never hangs out at the house anymore since you two broke…err, I mean, since you two had a fight…sorta.”

“Because, I don’t miss her.” Randy said, although as he said it, he almost choked at his own lie. “Just go back to the truck, I’m gonna go find dad and Nate.”

Becky went back to the truck and he went to look for his dad and little brother. Walking around, he happened to pass by Tyler and his dad. He stopped when he heard him say Ally’s name, and stood behind a tree to eavesdrop.

“I really like Ally, dad.” Tyler said, “She’s the most amazing girl I’ve ever met. She’s sweet, simple, smart and most of all, she’s pretty.”

I knew that. Randy thought. You’re only realizing that now?

His dad laughed, “You don’t sound like you like her, son.” He said, “You sound like you’re in love with this girl.”

“I guess I am.” Tyler said, “I’ve never felt like this about a girl, dad. She’s really special. You should meet her.”

“Well, I know for a fact you’ve never talked about a girl like this before.” His dad said, “So I believe you. She must be really special.”

“I’m gonna ask her to be my girlfriend.” He said.

“She’s not your girlfriend yet?” His dad asked, mildly surprised. “With the way you talk about her, I thought she already is.”

“Well…we’ve been dating. She’s not dating anyone else and neither am I.” Tyler said, rather embarrassed. “I just kind of want to make us exclusive…make it official. So I’m gonna ask her, I’ll do it on Christmas. I’m sure she’d say yes.”

“Good luck, son.” His dad said.

“Thanks, dad.”

As Randy was listening to their conversation, he remembered what Ally’s dad told him that one Sunday morning, after the service at the Church. Suddenly he felt the same way he did, when he first heard it.


“When you finally realize she’s the girl you want, she’ll be with somebody who figured it out.”

[Annaya]

Chapter 6

December 19, 1997 Friday


Classes were already done for the day, but Randy was still at school because he had practice. Also, Becky was at the library with her study group and he was supposed to wait for her so they can go home together.

The halls were almost empty then aside from a few students who were in detention. He was on his way out after taking some of his stuff from his locker when he heard music playing at the end of the hallway, coming from the auditorium.

He doesn’t know what it was, but something was drawing him towards it. The music was mellow, and the rhythm almost synched with the beat of his own heart.

He just suddenly found himself standing at the open doorway of the auditorium. Below, at the stage, was Ally, playing the piano serenely.

Silently, he walked inside and took a seat at the back. He watched her as she played. Her eyes were closed, as if letting all her emotions flow from her heart through her fingertips.

He felt like it was his heart she was touching with each key she pressed.

And then she sang.

Every word she uttered went straight to his heart, to the very core of his soul. And at long last, he understood how she felt—how she truly feels, right from the start.

“I can’t, I can’t stop crying.
Everyday I’m so afraid, afraid of dying.
But death already came and got me.
So I’m not living, I’m not living anyway.

Who am I supposed to be?
Everybody seems to see except for me.
Who cares anyway?
Cause when it’s over, it’s all over, what you gained you threw away

When will love ever find me?
All my life all I’ve craved is to be seen.
Who cares anyway?
Cause when it’s over all that matters is the love you gave away.”

“That was amazing.” Somebody said.

It was Tyler. Randy didn’t even notice he was sitting down the front row when he came in, because all his focus was on Ally. He slid down his chair, slumping, like he was trying to hide.

“Thank you.” Ally smiled, shyly.

Her smile, as pretty as it was, it didn’t seem right to Randy. She used to have such a vibrant smile, that one could probably not help but smile too, upon seeing it.

He hasn’t seen it in a while, but he was very familiar with it, that he knew it wasn’t the same.

“Is that what you’re going to sing at the talent show?” Tyler asked, “It sounds beautiful…but kind of sad.”

Just like her smile. Randy thought.

That’s it! Her smile’s as beautiful as he remembered, but it was kind of sad.

“It is, isn’t it?” She said, her smile fading. “No…I’m not performing it. I just felt like singing it. I haven’t even picked a song to perform yet.”

Tyler hopped on the stage and walked towards Ally.

He touched her cheek, gently. “Well, whatever you’re going to perform, I’m sure you’re going to be amazing.”

He was about to kiss her but she turned, and walked away to pick her things up from the floor beside the piano. Tyler thought she was mad because of his attempt.

“I’m sorry.” He said, “I shouldn’t have tried that.”

Ally walked back towards him and messed his hair up. “Don’t worry about it. I’m not mad.” She said, “Shall we go, then?”

“We shall!” Tyler beamed. He took her knapsack and slung it over his shoulder, and held his arm out for Ally.

“Such a gentleman!” She laughed, as she put her arm around his.

They went down the stage and out the door on the side.

Her smiles, her laughter—they all belonged to him once. But he was also the reason she lost them, for a while, at least. It seems she’s starting to get them back. And perhaps, Tyler is the guy to do the job he turned his back on, essentially.

Maybe he can help her be happy.

That was supposed to be me. Randy thought, as he sat there, still slumped with the weight and heaviness of his heart.

He couldn’t move for a few minutes then, even after Ally and Tyler had gone. He hung his head over to the backrest of the seat and sighed so audibly.

“You gonna admit you miss her now?” Becky suddenly asked.

She had been sitting behind him for a while, and he never even noticed.

“How long have you been there?” He asked. His voice was low and steady.

Becky knows that tone so well, that’s why she didn’t continue heckling him.

“A while.” She said, “I saw you walk in…Let’s go home?”

“Yeah.” He said, “Let’s go home.”



Randy wasn’t planning to attend the talent show at their school, but his plans were going to be derailed because his mom bought tickets for their whole family. It was all for charity.

The ticket sales for the talent show were going to an orphanage that their school was sponsoring. So he had no choice but to show up.

The day of the show came and he couldn’t explain why he’d been so restless the whole day. His restlessness was also making him irritable, especially when he saw Tyler and his parents walk in the auditorium, and were talking to Ally and her parents as if they’ve known each other for a long time.—as if they grew up together.

But perhaps his mom knew what he was thinking, and somehow managed to get their families together before the program started, and he had a chance to talk to Ally.

He felt awkward doing so, after such a long time that they haven’t.

“Hi.” He said.

His hands were tucked inside his pants’ pockets, looking kind of embarrassed. He hasn’t stood that close to Ally since the last time they’ve spoken months ago, and he thought she looked more…radiant up-close.

“Hey.” She said, “Glad you could make it…Your mom said you weren’t feeling up to it.”

“Uh…yeah, I wasn’t feeling good earlier.” He said.

“Are you okay now? Did you take any medicine?” She asked, concerned. “How are you feeling now? Are you sure you shouldn’t be resting instead?”

She touched his arm instinctively, but she retracted quickly after she realized it. Randy was surprised at her too, especially because she actually showed real concern over him even for a moment.

It was funny how that little gesture from her lightens his mood.

“I’m okay, really.” He smiled, “Couldn’t miss you performing, can I?”

“I’m just performing one song.” She said, timidly.

“The one you sang…the other day?” He asked. His voice trailing as he realized his slip up.

“What do you mean?” She asked, “Did you see me practicing?”

“Uhm…yeah, kind of…I just peeked, really.” He said, “I heard music and…then I saw you and your boyfriend over there.” He nodded towards Tyler.

She looked at whom he was gesturing at, “Oh, Tyler? He’s not my boyfriend. He’s just a friend…kind of like you…I mean, you know…before.” She said, looking away. “Well, I’ll see you around. I’m really glad you could make it.”


The emcee had called for everyone to take their seats and she started to walk away, when he suddenly grabbed her hand, gently, just to stop her from taking another step for just a second.

“I missed you.” He said, without hesitation at all. Then he let go of her. “Break a leg.”

He walked to his seat then leaving Ally looking his way, surprised and maybe even confused. She didn’t expect him to say that at all, but hearing it from him she realized she felt the same.

She missed him too. Sure, they see each other at school every day, but they never talked until now.

Neither of them noticed that Tyler saw everything. Randy did only hold her hand for a couple of seconds and that alone could not have meant anything.

But it was the whole tone of what he saw, as well as the very evident if unspoken feelings present in Randy and Ally’s gestures, and the way they looked and acted towards each other that was most telling, that he just knew there was something there that he couldn’t help but be concerned or even disturbed about.

She stood there for a moment, as everyone was moving around, finding their seats. There was a sort of feeling of melancholia that came over her—a feeling of longing of what once was.

She put the hand he held close to her heart, and realized that he was still inside there.

And all at once, she was filled with all the memories of all the time they’d spent together before everything happened and all the emotions that came with the thought that the two of them may not have those moments back again.

“Ally…” Ms. Alexander, the night’s emcee said, snapping her out of her contemplations. “You’re up first.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” Ally said, “I’ll be there in a second.”

She went up the stage and started to play a happy Christmas tune on the piano. But she didn’t stand up right after to take her bow. For a moment she just sat there, with her hands on her lap, looking at the keys.

Everyone was looking at her, waiting for her to do something, wondering what has happened and why she stopped playing all of a sudden in the middle of the song.

She could hear them whispering, talking but they were all just a buzz in her ears. Her parents in the front row, especially her mom had a look of concern in her face.

“Everything okay, Ally?” Miss Alexander asked.

“Yes.” She looked at her, “No, I’m sorry I…” She sighed, “Can I please have the mic for a second, Ms. Alexander?”

“Um, okay.” She handed the mic to Ally.

“Hi, everyone.” She said. Everyone became quiet and paid attention to her then. “I’m just supposed to play one song. But if you’ll allow me, I’d like to play one more…Something from the heart. It’ll just be a couple of minutes…”

“I see…may I?” Ms. Alexander said. Ally gave the mic back to her. “So, what do you say folks? Shall we let Miss Alyssa Carson play from her heart?”

“Let’s hear it!” Tyler said from the aisle row. “You guys will love this. I guarantee it.” He looked at her, full of pride, with a smile that could probably melt the North Pole.

“One more song! One more song!” He started a chant, and urged his team mates from the football team to chant along with him, until everyone was chanting.

“Well, I guess we have a unanimous vote!” Ms. Alexander said, “Let’s hear it again for Ms. Alyssa Carson!”

“Thank you.” She mouthed to Tyler, and he winked in return.

When everyone was quiet again, she sat back down in front of the piano and took a deep breath. She put her fingers on the keys, closed her eyes, and started playing as she sang along to her music to her heart’s content.


_{This is the song Ally sang. Please play.}


As he sat there with his family, watching Ally perform on the stage, Randy was finally able to reconcile within himself the truth that he’d been denying. He’s in love with Ally. For how long now, he doesn’t know nor does he care.

All that contempt he’d been feeling towards Tyler lately wasn’t because of his feeling of possession towards her, or that he thought he should’ve been in his position instead.

It was because he was mad at himself for not coming to terms with his feelings sooner.

Every word she sang out had meaning to him, and he knew exactly why she was singing it. He knew in his heart that she misses him too.

But then, she has Tyler now, and he was out of the picture. When he saw them together, he knew she would be better off with Tyler.

He would turn eighteen soon, and it’s almost taboo to be dating a fifteen year old, if he even had the guts to try and take her away from Tyler.

Besides that, he plans to join the Marines after his graduation. He’s going to be gone for four years, and it doesn’t seem fair to him to make her wait that long.

If only he had realized sooner that he has feelings for her. If only he wasn’t so stupid to see what was in front of him. If only it wasn’t too late. Maybe things would’ve been different.

The moment has passed.

[Annaya]

Chapter 7

"I'm feeling so afraid, can feelings go away?
I tried to fly, but my feet never left the ground"

Christmas and New Year came and as much as Randy wanted to forego his new found feelings for Ally, he just couldn’t. He knew it was hopeless. He can’t be so lucky as to have another shot after he blew it the first time.

Besides, he knew Tyler asked Ally to be his girlfriend that Christmas and it seems she said yes. He had no way of confirming it. He wasn’t friends with any of Tyler’s or Ally’s friends.

But it was obvious anyway. They wouldn’t be hanging out with each other if she didn’t say yes.

"I know everybody sees it, feels it
When I look at you
I know you really feel it, I mean it
We cannot lose"

For months he’d sit quietly, and watch her from a far. He was contented with that, as long as she seems happy with him. And for those two months, they seemed like a happy couple.

But then little by little, he noticed Tyler and Ally started to hang out less often, especially after Valentines. He hung around more with his friends, and she with hers.

He was curious, of course, and intrigued about what could’ve happened, but he didn’t want to ask around let alone ask Ally. They haven’t talked to each other since the talent show.

He heard a rumor like Tyler was seeing another girl, or they had a fight because Ally wouldn’t put out, but he still sees them talk and seem like they’re in good terms with each other so he didn’t believe the rumors.

"What do I have to do?
To prove myself to you
I'm sorry girl for disappointing you
I'm still in love, you know I'm still in love with you"

That is until one Friday evening in March, when he was out with his friends to see a movie at the Jamestown Mall.
He passed by the boutique and saw Ally there with her friends Leslie and Kaye.

She didn’t look too thrilled, just sitting there while the other two were paying at the counter, looking bored until she saw him and smiled and waved at him a little.

He was so caught off guard that she did that he didn’t know how to react, and almost kind of froze for a second, until his friends pulled him away.

He doesn’t know what it was, but it just made him feel like everything was right in his world—until he saw Tyler at the parking lot, with his arm around another girl, and he just lost it.

He just got out of his car and walked towards Tyler with the intent of hurting him. Luckily for him, his friends went after him and stopped him in time before he got a punch in, but not after he pushed him.

“Orton?!” Tyler said, “What the hell?! What’s your problem!?”

“Dude! What are you doing man?!” One of his friends said, putting an arm around his waist to keep him away from Tyler.

“You’re an asshole!” Randy said. He was squirming and struggling that the other had to help. “That’s my fu**ing problem!”

“Randy, calm down dude!”

“You get him away from me or I’m…” Tyler said.

“What’s going on, Ty?” The girl asked.

“He’s a two-timing bastard! That’s what’s going on!” Randy said, “How could you cheat on her, man?”

There was a sudden change in Tyler’s expression it was like something was made clear to him that he even smiled a little—which of course angered Randy some more.

“What’s he talking about?” The girl asked again. “Tyler?”

Tyler turned to her and put his hands on her shoulder, “Something he has no idea about!” He said.

And that was it, all the adrenaline from his anger just pumped and they couldn’t hold him back anymore. He broke free from his friends and lunged at Tyler, who thankfully knew how to defend himself.

They struggled for a bit until somebody they both knew yelled for them to stop—but not until they both got one in, right on each other’s kisser. Randy saw who it was and that’s only when he stopped.

“What the hell is going on here, you guys?” Ally asked, “Why are you fighting?”

“I’ll let your friend explain himself to you.” Tyler said, “I think I pretty much know what this is about, anyway.”

“Damn right, you should know!” Randy yelled, “He’s cheating on you, with that girl, Ally!”

That’s when Ally realized what was going on. “Oh…my god.” She said, “This is so embarrassing…Tyler…I’m sorry.”

“What?!” Randy said, “What are you apologizing at him for?! He’s a cheating bastard!”

“Shut up!” Ally said to Randy.

“I think you two need to talk.” Tyler said, “I’ll see you guys at school.”

“What…That’s it?” Randy said, angrily still. “You’re just going to let him walk away? Just like that? What’s wrong with you?!”

“He’s not cheating on me, okay?!” Ally yelled back.

It was so uncharacteristic of her to be screaming that everyone had a different reaction. Randy’s friends were amused, while her friends were shocked, but Randy was just even more pissed because he thought she was taking Tyler’s side in this.

“What are you talking about?!” Randy yelled, frustrated. “It’s right in front of your face!”

“He’s not cheating on me because we broke up, okay!?” Ally said, “We broke up last month!”

“Well, how was I to know that!” He said, pacing back and forth. “I didn’t know!”

Randy realized he was wrong then, but he was too angry to let things go. And Ally was just annoyed that he won’t relent. And it was just a yelling match from that point.

“Why should you have to know!?” She said, following him around.

“Because!” He yelled. He started towards his car and his friends weren’t far behind.

“Because what?!” She yelled, louder, following close behind him.

“JUST BECAUSE!”

“Well you can’t just go around punching people in the face JUST BECAUSE!!” She yelled. “There’s got to be a…”

"And now we can't go back
I should have known that
I'm sorry girl. We need another chance
I'm still in love, you know I'm still in love with you"

She couldn’t finish her sentence because he just turned around, grabbed her by the waist with one arm and another behind her head, pulled her in and kissed her—angrily.

It was more to shut her up than anything. Everyone was shocked at what just happened in front of their eyes, but most especially Ally. She was so caught off guard that she couldn’t move and was frozen stiff.

Then he let her go, panting, shocked at what he did himself. She felt a little weak in the knees, but was able to stand anyway.

“F**k…” He whispered, as he started to walk away.

But Ally heard him. And her shock turned into annoyance as she realized something.

“F*ck?!” She said, “Well, f** you!!”

Everyone turned around and looked at her, including Randy who was wide-eyed. He never in his life had ever heard her swear before. He didn’t expect it to be towards him either.

“Did you just…?” He started to say.

“Darn right, I did!” She said, “That was my FIRST KISS! And you RUINED IT! Now all I’m going to remember when my children or my grand children ask me about is it that my first kiss was an ANGRY RANDY ORTON!!”

Randy found it amazed to find out that it was her first kiss, and kind of amused that she thought it was a big deal. But then she’s a girl, and girls are like that—that much he knows.

So he did the only thing he could think of to make it up to her.
He walked back towards her, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her again.

She actually attempted to fight out of this one by trying to push him off, but it was different this time. This time, he kissed softly, gently, slowly, and almost instantly Ally’s defenses were brought down.

"You know you're the one
You know I was wrong
You know that I'd do anything
I'm still in love with you"

And then she started to respond, unskillfully, by pure instinct. She felt his tongue brush against her lips and she gave out a little whimper that only he could hear. She allowed him to part her lips, and let him explore her mouth with it.

She closed her eyes tightly and let herself get lost in his kiss. He savored the taste of her soft cherry lips in his mouth, and her bubble gum tongue. He took in the smell of her skin.

He could feel his heart beating--drumming so loudly in his chest, in rhythm with hers, as he ran his fingers through her hair, sending shivers down her spine.

Right at that moment, it was like nothing and no one else existed to either of them, like they were in their own little world where nothing else matters, but that moment.

It was almost like an out of body experience that neither of them had ever felt before.

But then he had to come up for air so he let go. For a couple of seconds she kept her eyes closed as she gasped for a breath as well. She opened her eyes to him, looking tenderly at her, into her eyes.

“That should cancel out the first one, huh?” He whispered.

“Yeah…” She said, shyly. “I guess…”

And then Randy’s friends started cheering and they both finally remembered they weren’t alone. Their friends were staring at them and embarrassment struck, and they let go of each other like one let got electrocuted.

“Damn, boy!” One of Randy’s friends said, laughing, despite his astonishment.

“Well…this is all sorts of awkward.” Leslie said.

“I’m…ah…we’re gonna go.” Randy told her. “I’ll see you…I guess…”

“Yeah…ok.” Ally said, blushing.

“You’re the man, Orton!” Said his other friend, as they head to his car. “That was so cool!”

“Shut up, man!” Randy said.

“Oh, my God Ally!” Leslie said, “That was like PDA to the maximum…That was so cute!”

“Yeah, but what happens now?” Kaye asked.

“I don’t know…but you can’t tell anyone about this!” Ally said.


--------------------------------------------------------------


Later that evening, during dinner at Randy’s house, he couldn’t stop smiling and everyone noticed how he’s in such good mood. He was talkative, and was laughing at anything. He even helped his mom wash the dishes.

“Okay, what’s going on with you?” Elaine asked.

“What do you mean, mom?” He grinned. “I’m just helping you wash the dishes.”

“That’s not what I mean…” She took the last plate from him. “You just seem so happy tonight, did something good happen?”

He walked towards the counter and sat there, “Not something good mom…something great!”

“Really?” Her mom said, raising an eyebrow. “Do spill.”

“I saw Ally at the mall.” He said.

“I see…” She finished putting away the plates. “And?”

“And…I kissed her.” He said.

“Hmm…” She took her apron off. “That took you long enough.” She laughed.

“You kissed Ally?!?” said Becky, “But she’s with Tyler!”

“No, she’s not!” He said, “They broke up.”

“They did?” Becky said, astounded at the new discovery. “Oh, my gosh! I gotta tell my friends that Tyler’s available!”

And with that, she ran to her room, grabbing the phone on her way.

“That Tyler boy must be a looker, huh?”

“Psshh…He’s got nothing on me.” Randy grinned.


-----------------------------------------------------------


Meanwhile at Ally’s house, she was the complete opposite of how Randy was acting like. She was so quiet and almost seems awkward around her parents, especially during dinner, like she couldn’t look at them.

And like Randy’s mom, her mom also thought the way she’s acting was pretty strange. So Alice went to her room to talk to her.

“Honey, can I come in?”

“Yes mom.”

Ally was reading a magazine, or rather, trying to read a magazine because she could barely concentrate at it. Alice sat beside her on the bed.

“Everything okay, honey?” She asked. “Did something happen?”

“Somebody told you?” Ally asked, nervously. “I told them not to tell anyone…”

“Nobody’s told me anything, Al.” Alice said, “But now you got to tell me what happened, because obviously something did.”

Ally knew she was caught. She was never good at faking or lying, especially when her mom know all the tell-tale signs. She blushes so quickly, and sweats and bites her lips.

She sighed, “It’s…It’s Randy.”

“Randy? What’d he do?” She asked curiously, “I thought you don’t talk anymore?”

“Not recently…but, you know…” She said, “Since the talent show, we’ve kind of been on the nod and smile phase.”

“Really, now?” Alice said, “So, what happened then?”

“He kissed me.” Ally said, inaudibly, that Alice couldn’t quite hear.

“What?”

“I said he kissed me.” She said, “And…I kinda kissed him back.”

“Are you serious?”

“I am…”

“Well, what are you so upset about?” Alice asked, “Don’t you like him anymore? I mean, you and Tyler basically broke up because of Randy.”

“He doesn’t know that, mom.” She said, “I just…I’m scared the same thing would happen.”

“You know, honey…I have a feeling it won’t.” Alice said, “I’ve seen the way he looks at you, there’s something there. But, it doesn’t mean you have to make it easy on him.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s time I teach you some tricks.” Alice winked.


--------------------------------------------------------

"I wanna be the picture on your wall
I wanna chase you around until we fall
I wanna be the one you write about
I wanna be the one who never lets you down"

It was Sunday, and the Ortons and the Carsons attended mass. Ally could barely concentrate at the sermon, because she kept glancing over at Randy, who was looking at her the whole time.

She was chatting with her friends outside the church after the mass, waiting for her parents when Randy approached them, hands in pocket, looking rather nervous.

“Hey.” He said.

“Hey.” She said.

Her friends stood beside her eyeing Randy, as if waiting for him to make a wrong move and they’d be all over him.

“Um…can I talk to you for a minute?” Randy asked, “Alone.”

She turned to her friends, as if looking for a clue, but at the corner of her eyes, she saw her mom who winked at her, and that gave her confidence.

“Anything you can say to me, you can say in front of my friends.”

“It’s kind of personal.” He said, “What I have to say to you.”

“They’re my personal friends.”

“But…it’s about what happened at the mall.” He said, lowering his voice, hoping she’d finally decide to make the conversation private. But she didn’t..

“I’m listening.” She said.

“Fine!” He said, a bit frustratingly. “Well…I just want to say I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I made a scene, and that I jumped on Tyler because I thought he was cheating on you. I was only trying to defend you…because I care about you. But I’m not sorry about one thing.” He paused and took a breath. “I’m not sorry I kissed you.”

Suddenly, she felt herself blush and her heartbeat beating a hundred miles per hour.

“Ally, I’m really…ever since you told me we couldn’t be friends anymore, I’ve been having these…feelings.” Randy started. “And I think I finally figured out what it all means…”

She looked at him, and he got really nervous like he’d never expected to be. He looked into her eyes and there was just this storm building up inside him, like a tornado forming in the pit of his stomach.

He didn’t think it was going to be this hard, but he knew he had to do it. He can’t let this chance get past him again.

“Ally…I think…No, I know…” Randy said, “I’m sure…I’m very sure…that I’m in love with you.”

Ally couldn’t react for a second as she heard the words she’d always wanted him to say. She felt like crying out of happiness that her heart could barely contain.

She didn’t think that she still would feel that way after everything that happened. But she remembered her mom’s advice, and even though her heart was beating louder than anything audible to everyone else, perhaps even her own voice, she stayed calm.

“So what now?” She said, “You should know…Its not gonna be easy. That just because you told me you love me that I’m just gonna be with you.”

“No, I know.” Randy said, “I’m gonna prove myself to you. I’m gonna do anything to prove that I’m worthy of you…and I promise you, I would never ever hurt you…ever again. Just give me another shot at this.”

Ally looked at her friends, “Can you guys just give us a minute alone, please?”

“But…” Kay started to protest.

“Yes, of course!” Leslie, covered Kaye’s mouth. “Let’s go Kaye…” She said, as she pulled her away from there.

“Nice friends.” Randy commented.

“Yeah, they’re…they’re pretty good.” Ally said. “Anyway…”

“Anyway…?”

“If you really want to do this…then you have to do it the right way.” She said, “I have demands…I want flowers, candies, and chocolates. Not all at the same time, just occasionally…I want the whole shebang!”

“Okay…” Randy said, rather amused. “Noted…anything else?”

“Uh…well, we haven’t even gone on a date yet…so, and I don’t want you to think that just because you took me out on a date, and give me flowers and chocolate that I’m just gonna be your girlfriend like that…I want romance and…”

“Shhh…” Randy said, cupping her face in his hands. But he quickly took his hands back. “Sorry…Ally, I understand…you’re not gonna make it easy for me, and I get it. I still want this.”

“Okay…” Ally said, “We’re clear then.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Randy smiled.

She frowned, “You can’t win me over with your charm.” Then walked away.

He smiled wider and followed her, “Wait!” He said, “So..you think I’m charming? Don’t deny it, you just said so!”

She turned around and gave her a sharp look. “Don’t push it Randal.”

“Okay, okay!” He said, with his hands up in surrender.

He stood there for a while, with a smile on his face as he watched her get go to her parents. He couldn’t believe how happy he was feeling right at that moment.

It was like as if he was floating on air. He was so grateful to have gotten another shot, that he swore he wasn’t going to screw things up this time.

[Annaya]

Chapter 8

"And we both know
You're everything I need
And now I know
What she does to me"

That Monday, Randy was very excited to go to school. He was up even before his alarm sounded. He had breakfast, got on his car and waited for Ally in front of her house. She was surprised to see him waiting for her, sitting at the hood of his car.

“What are you doing here?” Ally asked.

“Well…you said you wanted the whole shebang…” Randy said, “So here I am…being a good boyfriend, picking you up from school.”

“You’re not my boyfriend.” She bantered.

“Not yet.” He winked. “I’m pretty confident I’ll get to that status.” He stood up and opened the door for her, “Shall we?”

She smiled and shook her head, but got in the car anyway.

Since then, they have started to get back to how they once were. They did the things they used to do as friends like eating together during lunch breaks, he drives her home after school and they talk about how the rest of the day was. It was almost like they didn’t stop being friends, except now he’s more attentive.

The day he’d been waiting for finally came when he took her on a date at the theater. They had a choice of whether to see a romantic comedy or a horror movie, and surprisingly she picked the horror one.

He knew she likes scary movies, but he was kind of hoping she’d pick the romantic comedy one.

They sat near the back of the theater, where the other couples usually sit and he started feeling uncomfortable as soon as the lights were turned off because everywhere he looks, couples were cuddling.

When he could no longer help himself, he tried to hold her hand. But she took his hand off without so much as looking at him.

“Sorry…” He said.

“Shh…I’m watching.” She said.

“I just…” He tried to explain, but she cut him off.

“Just shut up and put your arms around me.” She said, without looking at him. “I feel cold.”

He looked at her in surprise and she had a playful little smile on her lips. He couldn’t believe she just tricked him like that. He did as she said and put his arms around her shoulders. She leaned in closer to him and placed her head on his shoulder.

“You took so long to make a move, and then you go for the hand?” She whispered. “You’re so lame.”

“Well, I told you I was gonna be patient…” Randy said, “I didn’t want to rush you. Wait…so does this mean.”

She turned and looked up at him. “Unless you think this means something else other than a yes, then you’re wrong.” She said, “This is definitely it.”

“So…you’re my girlfriend?” Randy beamed. “I’m your boyfriend now?”

She nodded, smiling at him. That familiar smile she once had. The one without a trace of sadness. The one that you can’t help but smile as well, when you see it. It's back. And he knew it was all because of him, and he couldn’t be happier because of it.

“Dude, just kiss her already and be quiet!” The guy behind him said.

“You heard him.” He said to Ally.

“Don’t push it.” She elbowed him. “You had me by surprise. Twice. You’re not gonna be so lucky again.”

“Okay, okay.” He said, holding her closer, tighter. “I’ll just be contented with having you in my arms like this…for now.”

“Mhmm.”


He didn’t have to wait so long though.


After the movies, they went to the ice-cream shop for a little while. He held her hand all the while, even as they ate. It’s like he doesn’t want to let go of her again, especially now that she’s officially his girlfriend.

A couple of kids from their school saw them and were obviously gossiping, although he doesn’t know what about nor does he really care.

Afterwards they went home, and he was still holding her hand even as he drove until they got to their front porch.

“So…” Ally said, “I guess I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

“Yes! Absolutely, I will be there!” He said, “So…I’m gonna…go home now.”

“Mhmm.” She smiled.

“You sure you don’t wanna give me a kiss or something?” Randy said, “I mean, you know…just to make it official.”

“Nah…I don’t think so.” She said, “I don’t want you think I’m easy.”

“I’d never think that! Come on, you’re just gonna leave me unsatisfied?” He bantered. “You gotta at least give me something.”

“What more do you want?” She said, ushering him away. “Go home, Randy. It’s late.”

“All right…” He sighed. “Better luck for me next time I guess. Good night.”

“Good night.” She said. “Hey, Randy…”

“Yeah?”

He turned around and was surprised when she suddenly pulled him down by the collar of his shirt, and planted a kiss on his lips. But his surprise was short lived.

He’s waited for this ever since he kissed her the first time. He knew he couldn’t get enough. He kissed her back, gently as he ran his fingers through her hair.

Of course, Ally felt the same and she didn’t want to hide that fact anymore. She had always been in love with him, even after all that’s happened, she never really stopped.

She let go of his collar and placed a hand over his chest, where she could feel his heart beating so fast, as the other, maybe instinctively, on the back of his neck.

"She wakes me up
She breaks me down
Shes got me 10 feet off the ground
She takes me high"

Then the front door opened, and out came Ally’s dad, so they had to stop.

“Ally, get inside.” He said.

“Good evening, sir.” Randy said, rather embarrassed to have been caught.

Henry just nodded, with a serious look on his face.

“I’ll see you at school.” Ally said, “Good night.”

Ally went inside their house, and Henry closed the door behind him. Randy walked back to his car having a really hard time containing the happiness that’s been enveloping him since they were at the theater.

“Whoooooo, that’s what I’m talking about!” He yelled, as he leaped and punched the air before he got in the car.

“Hell yeah!” He fist pumped and thumped the steering wheel a few times like a drum and accidentally sounding the horn.

“Oh, shit!” He laughed at himself, shaking his head.

Randy went home that night, as happy as he'd ever been.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It wasn’t the same happy moment at Ally’s house though. It’s because Henry had a little bit of a problem regarding Ally dating Randy. Alice was defending her and Randy though.

“What’s going on?” Alice asked. “Was that Randy yelling outside?”

“I just saw your daughter making out with somebody outside.” Henry said.

“He’s not just anybody, it’s Randy!” Ally said, “You’ve known him for years.”

“Go to your room, Alyssa.” Henry said.

“Am I grounded?” She asked, “I mean you guys knew we’re going out.”

“No.” Alice said, at the same time Henry said yes.

“Wait, so I have a choice? Because, I’m picking mom’s answer.” She said.

“Ally, just go to your room please?” Henry said.

“This is Randy we’re talking about, Henry.” Alice said, “She’s right, we know him. He’s a good boy.”

“He’s not a boy anymore, Alice.” Henry said, “He’s eighteen. He’s an adult, and your daughter’s a minor. Do you know what people are gonna say about that?”

“He just turned eighteen last month, and he’s still in high school.” Alice said, “Who cares what other people would think? He’s a responsible boy, he respects us. I’m sure he’s not going to do anything that we won’t approve of. Besides, you know how Ally feels about him. She loves him.”

“I know.” Henry said, “That’s why I’m worried. She’s young and impulsive. Maybe Randy respects us and he won’t do anything that we won’t approve of, but what about your daughter?”

“Um…excuse me. I’m standing right here, you guys.” Ally said.

“Didn’t I tell you to go to your room?” Henry said.

“I’m going, I’m going.” Ally said, “But guys, really, you have nothing to worry about. Not with him, not with me…I assure you we have no plans of doing anything you’re worried about. So, good night.” She turned around and went up stairs.

“Not anytime soon anyway.” She whispered and then laughed at the thought that she actually said it.


She’d never really thought about it before until she heard her parents talking about it. She had only ever considered going as far as making out, but to go “all the way” with Randy was far from her mind, although, ever since then, she couldn’t help but think about it—which isn’t exactly hard.

It was after classes, and she was at the gym to watch him practice. She’d never really looked before, but the tight fitting wrestling gear he wears, there was no escaping it—especially when he’s close.

“Hey!” Randy beamed when he saw her at the bleachers.

“Hey…”

He was drinking water, and she was just staring at him. How his Adam’s apple moved in his throat as he gulped. How his skin glistened with his sweat. How his biceps roll when he moves his arms, and how his skin-tight singlet showed off his…

“You okay?” Randy asked, breaking her out of her thoughts. “Something wrong?”

“Huh? Ah…nope.” She smiled, impishly. “Nothing wrong at all.”

He squinted at her, “I know that smile.” He said, “What’re you thinking?”

“Nothing you need to know.” She quipped, “So, are you done with practice?”

“Yeah, I’m just gonna take a shower.” He said, “You’ll wait for me here.”

“Yep.” She said, “I’ll be here.”



Of course, it wasn’t all physical. After all, they were friends before everything else happened, and their new relationship just deepened that.

They were each other’s confidante, which made them able to bond more on an emotional level, especially for Ally, who’s an only child at the time.

She’d also been hanging out at his house considerably more frequently. He’d notice she didn’t want to hang out at her house, which although didn’t matter to him, he still found unusual--until one humid Saturday afternoon when she finally told him why.

They were hanging out in his room then, she was on his study table reading, and he was playing video games, sitting on the bed.

“Alright!” He dropped the console on the floor and lay back on the bed. “I finally finished the game!”

He looked over at her, and saw her reading. “What are you reading? You look so serious over there.”

“Your notebook.” She said, “I can barely make anything out of your handwriting.”

“What?!” Randy said, “Come on, it’s not that bad!”

“Oh, yes, it is!” She laughed.

“Let me see that!” Randy said, extending his arm.

She handed him his notebook, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him on the bed and play wrestled a bit, and placed her in a semi-chin lock.

“Say it again!” He said, “I dare you, say it again!”

“Your handwriting is butt-ugly!” She said, laughing.

“Aww…” He loosed up his hold but didn’t release her, letting her settle in the nook between his arm and torso, with her head on his shoulder. “I never win with you.”

She turned to face him and draped her arm around his neck, “That’s because you’re a good boyfriend.” She said, “And for that, you get a consolation prize.”

She pulled him closer and kissed him on the lips softly, and he couldn’t help but smile. She’d gotten better at that, he thought. He was a good teacher, after all.

“Hmm…feels more like a grand prize.” He said, in between kisses.

“Oh, yeah?” She smiled against his lips, as he started to kiss back.

“Yeah.” Was all he could say, with his eyes closed.

A slow fire started to burn in him as he continued to explore her mouth, not realizing that she was being very accommodating of him. He shifted their position so that he was partly on top of her, and she didn’t protest at all.

At that point he was just so consumed with passion that his self control had almost gone.

His hand gripped her waist, rubbing the small of her back with his fingers. It sent her such sensations that she’d never experienced before.

It’s like she couldn’t hold him close enough, even though there’s barely any space between them.

Instinctively, or perhaps, reflexively, Randy pushed a knee between her legs as he went to plant slow, burning kisses around her neck and jaw to let her catch her breath—which she did, by gasping, and letting a low moan escape her lips.

But then she felt something rather strange. It was pressing against her thigh that was under him, and she couldn’t figure out what it was. So she asked him.

“Randy…?”

“Hmm?” He said, his lips on the curve of her neck and shoulder.

“What’s in your pocket?” She asked.

“Wha…oh, shit!” He said, as he realized what had happened.

He got off her and sat on the bed, using the pillow to hide under what would be protruding from his basketball shorts otherwise.

“What’s wrong?” She sat up, suddenly worried. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Uh…no, you did nothing wrong.” He said, “You did everything right.” he added under his breath.

“Don’t worry about me, I’m…I’m going to be just fine.”

“Okay…” She scooted over beside him.

“Are you hungry?” He stood up. “I’m hungry! I’ll go get something to eat.”

And he went out of the room as quickly, leaving her in awe.

“What’s wrong with him?” She asked herself aloud.


At the kitchen, Nate was there pouring himself a glass of orange juice. Randy grabbed it and gulped it down in one swig.

“Hey!” Nate said in protest, “That was mine!”

“Sorry, buddy.” Randy said, catching his breath. “I needed it more than you did. Just pour yourself another one, okay?”

He relaxed eventually, and then made her a sandwich since he said he was going to get something to eat.



When he came back to his room, she found her standing by the window, looking over at her house. She looked like she was deep in thought, and he wondered what she was thinking about.

“Al…I made peanut butter sandwich, we’re out of jelly.” He said.

When she didn’t answer, he knew there was something bothering her. He put the plate down on his study table and walked over behind her.

“Everything okay, Ally?” He asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“Do you think your parents will let me stay the night?” She asked.

“What?!” Randy said, surprised at her question. “Y-You can’t stay the night…I mean, you can stay here as long as you want, but you can’t sleep here.”

“A simple no would’ve been enough.” She said. “I’ll go if you don’t want me.”

She stomped away and headed to the door, but he stepped in the way and blocked her.

“Ally, come on.” Randy sighed, “That’s not what I mean…Lord knows how much I want you. I love you, but you can’t stay the night. It’s gonna get me in trouble.”

“Why? Because you’re eighteen and I’m just a kid?” Ally said, “Well, I’m sorry. I didn’t think it mattered to you that much. It didn’t matter to me, but if it does to you then, okay! I guess I should really leave. You can’t have a fifteen year old girl in your room, that’s illegal and I’ll get you in trouble!”

She tried to slip past him, but he caught her arm and turned her around. He just didn’t realize that she understood their situation more than he thought she does. But aside from that, there was something in her eyes when he looked at her that troubled him.

“Ally…” He hugged her, “You know I don’t care either. We won’t be together if I did.” He looked at her, and tipped her chin up. “I just don’t want to give anyone any reason to come between us, to separate us. I love you, and I don’t ever want to lose you again.”

She hugged him then, tightly, and just buried her face in his chest.

“I’m sorry.” She said, “I just…I don’t want to go home right now. I feel…I feel so alone there. I just want to stay here…”

It took him by surprise. She had never showed any signs of having trouble at home and was always her happy self when they’re together. Although in the last couple of weeks, he’d sometimes notice her just suddenly become quiet for a quick moment.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, “Come on, let’s sit down…” He ushered her towards the foot of the bed and sat there. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“It’s my parents.” She said, “I don’t even know what’s going on because neither of them would tell me. But I know they’re fighting. They’re not talking to each other.”

Her tears started to fall, “They’re not even sleeping in the same room. Dad’s always coming home late…I don’t know what’s happening, Randy.” She covered her face, “I don’t want them to divorce.”

He felt so helpless because he doesn’t know what to do or say. It was definitely a different situation for him as kid. His dad was always away, being as its part of his job, so he was used to him not being around much.

He was basically the man of the house, most of the time, and was there to help his siblings cope. But he knows it was different for Ally, especially as an only child.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered. “I don’t know what to say.”

She leaned in on him and put her arms around his waist, “You don’t need to say anything.” She said, “Just be here. That’s all you need to do.”

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and held her face up to his. “I promise, I’ll always be here when you need me.” He said, “I’ll never leave you alone.”

“I love you.” She whispered.

He kissed her forehead, tenderly, and she closed her eyes. He wiped away the tears that were still on her cheeks with his hands, and he kissed her eyes, and her cheek lovingly.

He softly tucked some lose strands of hair behind her ears. His touch was soft and gentle, as his hands settled and caressed her just behind her ears and along her jaw line.

It’s like little bolts of electricity shot out of his finger tips, causing shivers to run down her spine, and hair to stand on end. She opened her eyes, and looked into his. His crystal blue eyes that were looking at her so affectionately at that moment that somehow made her feel like she was drowning and flying at the same time.

She gasped, softly, drawn into his eyes. This made him turn his attention to her soft succulent lips which parted slightly as she did.

He licked his lips to moisten them, and she gasped again, knowing exactly how that feels on hers. He looked into her eyes, as if looking for permission to proceed, even though he already knew the answer.

She closed her eyes, and he kissed her like all the other times he did, but somehow, it felt like the first time every single time. Softly, he laid her down on the bed.


-------------------------------------------------------------

[Annaya]

Chapter 9

“Hi, Elaine.” Alice said, “I’m sorry to disturb you, but we were just wondering if Ally’s there?”

She and Henry were at the Ortons’ front door. Elaine was cooking dinner at their kitchen when they came looking for Ally. She was supposed to be home then, but when they got there and she wasn’t, and without telling her where she is, they got worried.

“Come in, come in.” The couple went inside. “No, I haven’t seen her…” Alice said, “Actually, I haven’t seen Randy around either. I just got back from running errands all day.”

“Oh! Hi, Aunt Alice, Uncle Henry!” Nate said, running inside the house, basketball in hand.

“Nate, are you with your brother?” Alice asked.

“Nope.” He said, running upstairs. “He’s been in his room all day with Ally.”

The three of them looked at each other, stunned. Immediately, the worst case scenario, for a father, came into Henry’s mind. Alice and Elaine could read what he was thinking just by the expression in his mind.

“I’m sure they didn’t do anything like that.” Alice said.

“No, of course not.” Elaine said, “My son’s a very responsible young man.”

“I hope you’re both right, because I don’t know what I’m gonna do if what I’m thinking turns out to be right.” Henry said, “Can we just go and get my daughter, please, Elaine?”

“Follow me.” She said.


They went upstairs to Randy’s room, but as they near the door, they all got stopped on their tracks because of what they heard emanating from his room.

“I’m scared, I don’t wanna touch it!” Ally said.

Randy laughed. “I’m holding it, don’t worry.” He said, “Come on, just touch the head.”

“Ugh, fine!”

“Gently! Don’t poke it!” He said.

“Sorry.” She said, “Hmm…I didn’t think it’s gonna be smooth.”

“See? It’s not scary at all, is it?” Randy said.

“No, I guess not.” Ally said, “All right, enough, just put it inside!”

“Psshh. Okay, just hold it open and I’ll slide it in.” Randy said, “Eeeasy does it…”

“Hurry up!” Ally said. “Just put it all in already!”

“There!” He said.

“AAAHH!” She yelled.

And that’s when the door burst open, with Elaine, Alice and Henry bursting in. But what they saw was not what they were expecting—or what their imagination had led them to think.

“I’m going to kill that…” Henry said. “...boy.”

“Geez, do you guys knock?” Randy said, “It’s still my room, you know.”

He and Ally were standing just behind the door, fully clothed. The only thing out of the ordinary is that Ally had a big snake in her hands. It was Randy’s pet snake.

She’s seen it before but never dared to look at it up-close let alone touch it, until then. She caught it when Randy tossed it to her, that’s why she yelled.

“Mom, dad, what are you doing here?” She asked, momentarily forgetting she still had the snake.

“Yeah, mom, what’s going on?” Randy asked, innocently.

“Nothing…” Elaine said, embarrassed about what ran through her mind. “They’re just looking for Ally.”

“Honey, you didn’t tell us where you were.” Alice said, “We were worried.”

“Where else would I be?” She said, “This is the only place I always feel safe…even if my boyfriend’s throwing a snake at me.” She said under her breath, glancing at Randy, who smirked, before taking the snake off of her.

“Well, we should go home.” Henry said. “Let’s go, Ally.”

“Good night.” Randy whispered to her. “I love you.”

She smiled.


Elaine led the Carsons out of Randy’s room, down the stairs. When they were at the front door, Alice apologized to her for what happened, and for Henry thinking negatively about Randy.

Elaine told them to think nothing of it, because any father would worry like that for their daughter.

When the Carsons got home, the couple was back to not talking again, and Ally as much as she wanted to just run back to Randy, just locked herself in her room and accepted the situation, and let her tears roll down as she had all the other nights.

Except now, she had something to hold on to.

“I’ll always be here when you need me…I’ll never leave you alone.”




Meanwhile, Randy was in his room, looking out the window over at Ally’s house. He was worried about her, knowing she had a problem at home.

He could see her window from his room, and though he can’t see all the way through, he knows she’s still awake though because her lamp was on.

He lay on the bed, wishing he could transport himself into her room. His pillow still smelled of her scent from this afternoon, holding it close to him.

He recalled what he told her earlier when she confessed about her problems. He had told her, promised her that he was going to always be there for him. That he was never going to leave her alone.

But after she and her family left, he realized something. He might not be able to fulfill that promise to her. He had almost forgotten that he was supposed to join the Marines after he graduate from high school, and he hasn’t even told her about it yet.

How was he going to be there for her when he’s going to be gone for a long time? He buried his face in his pillow as he thought about it. It’s not fair. Not for him and especially not for her. She gave him a second chance, and he was supposed to just drop everything and leave?

He nagged at himself inside his head. How was he going to tell her? How would she take it, especially now that she’s in a difficult situation at home? How could he do this to her?

Maybe they weren’t supposed to be together after all. They already had to deal with the age difference, and her dad who doesn't seem to approve of it, and now this?

He had to consciously berate himself for thinking it. After all he’s been through—after all they’ve been through to be where they are now, he can’t be thinking that way.

It’s not a very good career move, but aside from wrestling, he thought it’s the only other thing he could be good at, and he doesn't want to be just another guy working at the local grocery or the mall.

He’s decided a while ago that he was going to do it. He thought it’d help toughen him up, for when he finally try his hand at wrestling, which is his ultimate goal. Even though his mom was always against it, discouraging him, telling him he was always going to be on the road, away from his family.

But he was set on doing it way before he got her back.

He knows he has to tell her about it sooner rather than later. Graduation is just around the corner, and he’s leaving soon after that. It wasn’t going to be like he if he’s going to college because he won’t actually be able to come home on weekends or holidays. And he’s going to be gone for four years, as per his plans.

He could only hope she’d understand. He wanted something better for himself, and hopefully, for her as well. He just has to find the perfect time to do it…if there even is one.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

It was prom season, and the atmosphere was high and electric at the Hazelwood Central High School. One of the school’s biggest events, the JS Prom, was less than a couple of weeks away and everyone was excited.

Randy was even nominated as candidate for prom king, but he turned it down. He wasn’t into that whole popularity thing. Besides, he didn’t want to be paired with any other girl in school as his queen, since Ally can’t be nominated because she’s just a sophomore. He wasn’t even going planning on attending if it wasn’t for her.



A few days ago…



“I want to go to the prom with you.” Ally said, dreamily.

They were at the mall’s food court, having snacks after they saw a movie. She was looking into one of the dress shops across from them.

“We already did that last year.” He said, biting into a fry.

“You mean you’re not going?” She asked. “But it’s your last prom.”

“Well, I’m not really into the whole formal scenes.” He said, “Just a bunch of kids acting like they’re grown-ups anyway.”

She didn’t say anything, and just looked down on her salad with a hint of a pout on her lips. But he knew she was disappointed, just by the sound of her breath. He was watching her roll her salad around with her fork, eating the smallest piece she could find, not once looking up.

He reached for her hand, caressing the back of her hand with his thumb softly. He remembered about what he has to tell her. It was his last year and he might not be able to be there for her prom next year.

It’s going to be an intimate setting, so it might be the best time for him to tell her about his plans on joining the Marines—at least in his head.

“Do you really wanna go?” He asked.

She didn’t take her hand away, but she didn’t look at him and just nodded like a little girl. He brought her hand, pressing her lips on her middle knuckle.

“Alright…we’re going to the prom.” He said.

She looked up at him, skeptical. “Really?”

“Yes, really.” He said, with a warm smile. “You’re right, it’s my last prom. I might not be able to come for yours next year.”

She smiled, “Thank you so much.” She held his hands in hers.

“You better make sure you’d be the prettiest girl around.” He joked, smirking.

She raised an eyebrow at that, “And if I’m not?” She asked, “Are you gonna ditch me like you did last year? You still owe me that by the way, so you got to make it up to me this time.” She said without thinking about it.

Randy didn’t expect her to bring it up either. He had almost forgotten about it, but he knew she said it as a joke. But what really got to him is the new predicament that just presented itself to him.

He’d ruined last years’ dance for Ally already, and he was lucky enough to have gotten a second chance. How was he going to tell her about his plans now?

Ally noticed the change in his expression, “Hey, I’m just kidding.” She assured him, “I’m over that, really. I’m sorry I brought it up.”

“No, no…” He said, shaking the thought out of his head. “It’s not that. I’m just…I remembered I had to do something at home.”

“Oh, okay.” She said, “Let’s just take this to go then.”


Randy was silent the whole drive home, and Ally was left wondering if it really wasn’t because of what she said. She didn’t know it would hit a s nerve with him, and she feels like she was walking on egg shells at that moment.

Randy was the same way the next few days too. It was like he didn’t know how to talk to Ally and was awkward when they’re when it’s just the two of them. Until he had a chance to talk to his dad.

He was shooting hoops in their backyard one early morning, and his dad heard the ball bouncing loudly.

“You’re up early.” Bob said.

“Couldn’t sleep anymore.” Randy said.

He took a shot and it bounced off on the rim, Bob caught it on the bounce and tossed it to Randy.

“Something bothering you?” He asked.

Randy thought about telling his dad about it. He’s never really talked to his dad about that kind of stuff before, so he was hesitant to open up.

But then he thought it’s about a huge decision on his part, and he should let his dad in on it.

“Well…you know about my plans of going to the Marines, right?” He said.

“Yeah.” Bob said, “How’s that coming along?”

“Boot camp’s starts in July, I leave after graduation.” He said, “But that’s not the problem…I’m all set for that, I can’t be any more ready for it.”

Bob sat on a bench, and Randy followed him. “So what’s the problem?”

“I haven’t told Ally.” Randy sat slumped next to his dad. “I don’t…I can’t even begin to tell her. I don’t know how she’s going to take it…after all she’s been through with me. Especially now, she’s dealing with other problems…she needs me.”

He rubbed his face with his hands, frustrated with himself and the situation he’s in. “I can’t…I don’t want to hurt her again.”

For a few minutes, Bob didn’t say anything and they were both quiet. Randy had almost given up hearing any wise advice from his father regarding his situation, when Bob spoke again.

“Well, son…that’s a difficult position you’re in.” Bob said, “But this is gonna be the true test of your mettle as a man. See, every relationship takes a lot of sacrifice to make it work. I can relate to that."

"Whether it be going on the road, wrestling in every city or joining the armed forces, training and eventually getting deployed wherever the hell they need you to be. You’re going to be away from the people you love a lot, and believe me it’s hard.”

Bob paused for a while and crossed his arms in front of him. He looked to be in deep contemplation. Randy was about to speak up and ask him what he should do, but he spoke first.

“I guess what I’m saying, son, is if you really want this and have decided on this—and I know you, you have." Bob said, "Well then you have to tell her exactly that. You have to tell her exactly what she’s got to expect from you."

"If she decides she wants to stick around and help you make it work, then lucky for you. She loves you and you’d have found yourself a good woman.” Bob continued, “But you have to tell her. Let her make her own decision. Give her a chance, you know, to be happy somewhere else. It’s her life too.”


Randy just sat there, drinking, absorbing his father’s words. His father was right and he knew it.

There was no other way around it, and he has to take it head on and ready himself for whatever may come of it. He has to tell her, hope for the best and be prepared for the worse.


----------------------------------------------------
[/youtube]


Later that day, at school...

Randy waited for Ally outside her classroom at dismissal. She had asked him a couple of days ago if he would accompany her to buy a dress for the prom, since her mom couldn’t come with her, but he couldn’t commit.

That’s why she was surprised when he offered to go with her.

“Are you free today?” He asked, as he took her backpack and slung it on his shoulder and took her books.

“I’m free every day, it’s in the constitution.” She bantered. He rolled his eyes, but smiled anyway. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, prom’s in less than two weeks…” He said, “You haven’t bought a dress yet, have you? I don’t have anything to wear either so, I thought we could go the mall together.”

“You’re asking me to go shopping with you?” She asked incredulously.

“No.” He said, bluntly. “You asked me last week, I’m just giving you my answer now.”

“Oh, is that so?” She shook his head. “Have I ever told you how conceited you are?”

“Yeah, lots of times.” He cocked his head. “But you love me anyway, right?”

She just smiled and took her books from him and put them in her locker. When she closed the door and turned around, Randy was leaning over her, cornering her, with his arms on either side of her.

“What?” She asked, smirking.

“You didn’t answer the question.” He said.

His voice was low and he was looking grievously serious at her. But she could see the glint in his eyes, and the small curve of a smile forming at the corner of his lips.

“Do I have to?” She looked into his eyes, playfully, and touched his face. “You already know my answer.”

He let the smile come then, and she kissed him, softly on his lips. With his eyes closed, savoring the feeling she left on his lips, he rubbed his nose on the tip of hers, their foreheads touching.

“Let’s go?” He asked.

“Yeah.” She said, slipping out from under him. “Let’s.”


So they went to the mall and searched the place for the perfect prom dress, and heels. It wasn’t the easiest of tasks, because she had a specific style of what she wanted to wear.

She wants something not extravagant in design. But she also wants something that is elegant and not to revealing, like what they saw the other girls were buying.

After two long hours, of walking around, she finally found one. He didn’t like it at first, saying it was too drab because it was black.

“So, you don’t like it?” She asked when he laughed.

“No, no, it’s not that.” He said, “…You just look funny with the sneakers.”

“Well, I’m not gonna wear these shoes!” Ally said.

“Oh, absolutely not!” The boutique assistant interjected, “I have the perfect shoes for you. I’ll be right back.”

“Wow, the people here are very helpful.” He quipped. “I think she smells a sale.”

“Be quiet!” She said, laughing.

“Here it is!” The lady said. “Try it on.”

Ally put the shoes on and stood up. “So, what do you think now?” She asked him. “Do you like it?”

He watched her as she spun around for him, and it was like magic. It’s like his heart just skipped a beat and he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. She looked like a nymph. A nymph that has the power to steal his heart if nothing else.

“I think it looks…perfect.” He said, “You should take that…the dress and the shoes.”

“All right!” She beamed her effervescent smile at him. “I’ll take them.” She said to the store assistant. “I’ll just go change.” She told Randy.

She followed her with his eyes, until she disappeared into a dressing cubicle, and that’s only when he regained his composure back.

“It’s going to be really hard to tell her that I’m leaving.” He whispered to himself.



Ally's Dress


Ally's shoes