by J. L. Paul
Once she finished, she quickly dressed and gathered her things, unaware that Danielle was waiting to pounce. Ally straightened and tossed her bag over her shoulder. She weaved her way through the other girls and stepped around a bank of lockers only to nearly plow into Danielle.
“Hey, Ally,” Danielle said with a bright smile. “Great practice, huh?”
“Yes, it was,” Ally said, holding on to her patience.
“So, when are you going to see Cole again?” she asked.
Ally groaned and stepped around Danielle, her eyes straight forward on the door. She shrugged and attempted her escape but Danielle fell into step beside her. Ally sighed. “I don’t know, okay? Cole and I aren’t exactly on speaking terms at this moment.”
Danielle sucked in a loud breath and clutched Ally’s arm. “That’s terrible! What happened?”
“Nothing I care to discuss,” Ally said, biting back her irritation. “Excuse me, but I have some homework to do.”
She yanked the locker room door open and stormed through the gym and out of the building. But Danielle was relentless and caught up easily. Ally inhaled and held it, hoping it would fortify her patience.
“I’m sorry to hear that you and Cole broke up,” Danielle said, though her eyes didn’t convey much sympathy. Ally didn’t expect it, either.
“Yeah, well, these things happen,” Ally muttered as she released her breath. She didn’t want to get into the details nor did she have any intentions of doing so.
“So, is he dating anyone else now?” she asked.
“I have no idea,” Ally said, grinding her teeth. Her hands had closed into tight fists as she quickened her pace. “He’s out of town at the moment.”
“When he comes back, do you suppose you could introduce me to him?” Danielle asked, hopeful note in her voice.
Ally stopped and spun, lifting her eyes to the taller girl. Anger ran red hot through her veins as she inhaled again, deeper, and held it. She let it out slowly but it did nothing to quell the fury raging inside her.
“Cole Crawford is perfectly capable of finding his own dates if he so chooses,” she said, her teeth clenched. “And even if he wasn’t, I would not introduce him to anyone here.”
Anger flashed in Danielle’s eyes and Ally didn’t miss it. She stepped closer to the girl, hoping for some kind of confrontation. Her only outlet lately had been practice but it wasn’t satisfying the need to pound on something – to blow off serious steam – and Danielle seemed to be waving opportunity in front of her.
“So, you think you are so much better than anyone here, huh?” Danielle said, clenching her own fists. “You think just because your daddy is a rock star that you’re more suited for the likes of Cole Crawford.”
“No,” Ally said, a dangerous smile flickering across her lips. “Not at all. But not a one of you girls had any interest in being my friend until you found out who I am. Now maybe I didn’t tell anyone who my father is or who my friends are but I don’t strut around this campus pretending to be something I’m not. I wouldn’t set Cole up with someone as fake as that even if I totally despised him.”
Danielle grew rigid and Ally’s hopes grew. She tensed, waiting for the blow to come so she could return it. But it didn’t. Danielle just smiled crazily. “Whatever you say, Jones. We’ll see.”
Danielle whirled away and stalked toward the gym, leaving Ally’s need to fight unfulfilled. She unfurled her fists to massage her forehead and dig her phone out of her bag. Before she knew what she was doing, she was dialing Robby’s number.
“Hi, Ally,” he greeted, somewhat distracted. “What’s up?”
“Talk to me, please,” she said, her voice tight, her teeth locked together. “I am so angry right now I could spit and the stupid girl left before I could pound on her.”
“Ally,” he said, alarmed. “What the hell happened?”
She quickly explained the scene that had just taken place as she walked absently around the campus, the cool air doing wonders for her anger. “And I just wanted to hit her, Robby.”
“Ally, you cannot get into fights at school. That’s a great way to get kicked out,” he chastised. “You’re going to have girls like that constantly pestering you and you’ve just got to walk away.”
“I managed this time, Robby,” she warned. “But I don’t think I’ll be able to the next time.”
“Oh, Ally,” he groaned.
“She wanted me to set her up with Cole,” she said, her voice growing higher with agitation. “Can you believe that?”
“She’s just desperate to meet him,” Robby said. “And you did the right thing by not hitting her. Where are you now?”
“Just walking around campus,” she said.
“Where’s Jamie?”
“I don’t know,” she answered as she glanced around the immediate area, as if expecting him to appear out of nowhere. “Probably at practice. Or out with a girl – he goes through them like water you know.”
“I noticed,” Robby said. “When is your first game?”
She smiled, realizing that he was trying to distract her from her anger, which was a good thing. She knew he was right and she didn’t need to go run down Danielle and punch her in the face. “The Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Are you coming?”
“I’ll have to check my calendar,” he said. “If I have anything going on I’m sure I can probably move it around.”
“That would be cool, Robby,” she said, earnestly, her smile warming her entire face. “Thanks.”
“Not a problem,” he said. He turned the conversation to the movie they’d gone to see the previous weekend and by the time she’d reached her dorm, her anger had dissipated. She ended her conversation with him, promising to call him the next day.
She dropped her bag, greeted Shannon, and plopped on her bed, goofy smile on her face and a faraway look in her eye. She couldn’t wait to talk to him again.
***
Cole strolled through the house and frowned at the silence surrounding him. Both cars had been in the drive so he knew they had to be lurking about somewhere – unless he was interrupting something.
The tops of his ears burned at the thought so he hurried to the kitchen for a glass of water and found his dad, leaning against the counter, head bent, his hands gripping the counter behind him.
“Dad?” Cole asked in alarm. Nate snapped his head up and grinned. “Something wrong?”
“Hey, son,” Nate said as he yanked Cole into a gruff hug. “When did you get back in town?”
“Last night,” Cole said, stepping out of his dad’s embrace. He studied his father’s face and noticed the new lines near the corners of his eyes and the worry digging a deep groove in his forehead. “What’s going on? You look like hell.”
“Thanks,” Nate said with a laugh. He then sighed and ran his hands through his hair. “Sit down.”
Cole dropped to a kitchen chair as his father settled across from him. Worry ate at Cole’s heart as Nate’s lips set in a straight line and his jaw tightened. “It’s Stephanie.”
Cole’s eyes grew. He wasn’t overly fond of his stepsister but he certainly didn’t wish her ill. “What’s wrong with her?”
Nate pinched the bridge of his nose. “She’s pregnant and she won’t tell her mother who the father of the baby is.”
The news settled heavily on Cole’s shoulders as he slumped in his chair. He scrubbed his tired face. “Wow. Pregnant, huh? What does Stacy have to say about this?”
“She tried to talk Steph into coming here for the holiday but Steph refuses. She says Stacy will do nothing but force her to make decisions she’s not ready to make,” Nate said and Cole could see the stress lining his father’s face. “Her father has always pretty much let Steph do what she wanted – especially now that he has his own, young, pregnant wife.”
“Oh, damn,” Cole cursed. “So she hurt Stacy’s feelings, huh?”
Nate lifted a shoulder and averted his eyes. “Stephanie doesn’t want to come her
e because, even though Stacy and I are willing to help her out, we’ll still insist on certain things. I won’t have her running wild.”
“Don’t I know that,” Cole said with a snort and a half-smile.
Nate smiled at his son. “You were always a good kid, even after all that your mother put you through. I never had a problem with you. Stacy and I talked about that and talked about if Stephanie lived here how she would need to either go back to school or get a decent job.”
“She doesn’t want to do either, I’m guessing,” Cole said.
“Not really. She said her dad is supposed to get her some sort of cushy job in his company and that’s fine with her.”
“How long will that last?” Cole asked. “Until she has the baby?”
“Who knows,” Nate said. He lowered his voice. “Stacy suggested that I find Stephanie a job at the studio and I put my foot down on that one. I love Stephanie but she’s just a little too unstable right now. I don’t need the headache at the office, too.”
“Ah,” Cole said, glancing at the door. “And now Stacy’s not too happy with you, huh?”
“Not really,” Nate admitted as he dropped his hands to the table. “We argued about it a bit and she suggested maybe we just tell Stephanie whatever she wants to hear to get her back here and I just can’t do that. I told her that I had had certain rules for you and that they weren’t in the least unreasonable and look how well you turned out. Of course that was the wrong thing to say because she thought I was criticizing her parenting skills, which I wasn’t. I understand she just wants her daughter living with her so she can look after her but there’s got to be some sort of rules or else Stephanie will walk all over her and hurt her again.”
“Sorry, Dad,” Cole said. “I really am. Is there anything I can do? Do you want me to call Steph?”
“Nah,” Nate said, waving his hand. “Don’t worry about it. It will all work out in the end – Stephanie can’t stand to stay away from her mother for too long.”
Cole nodded and bit his bottom lip. “So, Stephanie won’t be home this week? She’s not going to be here for Thanksgiving?”
“No, she’s staying with her dad,” Nate said. “That upset Stace, too, as you can probably imagine.”
“I bet,” Cole agreed. “So, are we eating dinner at Ally’s place this year?”
Every Thanksgiving was spent at one of the band members’ houses – it was their tradition since none of them had a lot of family anyway. Christmas was reserved for the family they did have.
“Yeah,” Nate said slowly. “You okay with that?”
“Of course,” Cole said.
“How are you doing?” Nate asked.
“I don’t know,” Cole said. “I’ve been working so hard that I hardly have time to think and when I do think about things, I get so mad at her all over again. I guess I just need to deal with it and move on but I’m having a hard time.”
“Then you’re obviously not ready to move on,” Nate said. “Don’t force yourself because you feel bad for Ally or because you miss her. You’ll just end up hurting the both of you.”
“I know,” Cole sighed. “I’m going to try to talk to her while I’m home and see if she’ll just let me have a little more time.”
“Good idea,” Nate said as he got up to clap Cole on the back. “I just hope it all works out for you and her.”
“Me, too,” Cole muttered.
***
“Ally,” Alec said, peeking his head in his sister’s bedroom. “Quit hiding already and come downstairs. Cole’s not even here yet.”
Ally gnawed on her lip as she stared at Alec. “Is everyone down there talking about it?”
“No,” Alec said and rolled his eyes. “I don’t think anyone cares. It’s your business – and Cole’s. Now come on because I think Jamie and Trevor are here and I want to get our softball game organized.”
“Fine,” Ally said. “Be right there.”
She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and studied her reflection in the mirror. She looked the same as she had the day he’d left except for maybe a little more tired.
She groaned and stepped out of her room. She couldn’t put it off any longer. She’d been able to come up with an excuse the night before when Jamie had called and said he was hanging out with RJ and Cole at their house and did she want to come over. She’d declined, saying she had to help her mother but that had been a lie – most everything had been done by that time.
“There you are, Ally!” RJ exclaimed as she made her way down the steps. She smiled in spite of herself and threw her arms around his neck as he lifted her off her feet. He kissed each cheek before setting her down with a frown. “You look tired. Hasn’t that cousin of yours been looking after you?”
“I can look after myself,” she said as she stood on her toes to kiss Ren’s cheek. “How’d your trip go?”
“Busy,” Ren said as he mussed her hair. “And I smell food – home cooked food.” He headed straight for the kitchen as Jamie wandered into the entryway.
“All right, then,” he said with an evil grin. “How are we doing the teams this year?”
“I’m on Ally’s team,” Ricky Shaw, RJ’s youngest brother, declared as he ran into the room, mitt already on his hand.
“Hell yeah,” Ally said, slapping him a high-five.
“Now that’s hardly fair,” a voice said behind her.
She tensed as she turned to face Cole. “How is that not fair?” she demanded, fists on her hips. “He’s the youngest and I’m the only girl.”
He snorted and yanked the toothpick out of his mouth. “You led your team to victory at the National Tournament and he was MVP of his little league, that’s why.”
“That’s all right, Ally,” Ricky said with a cute smirk. “They’re all afraid of us.”
“I know,” she said, smiling at him. She leaned around Cole to look toward the door. “Speaking of only girls, where’s Stephanie?”
Cole grunted. “She’s not here, let’s leave it at that. It’s a sore subject in the Crawford household.” He brushed past her to the kitchen where it seemed everyone had gathered.
Ally shot RJ and Jamie a confused look but they both just shook their heads.
“Later, cuz,” Jamie whispered as he draped an arm around her shoulders and guided her to the kitchen.
They played a rousing game of softball after choosing teams. Jamie, after stealing Ricky out from under her, relieved Ally’s stress by choosing Cole after she chose RJ. After all the siblings were divided, the teams were still uneven until Richie jumped in the game, playing on Ally’s side. Even though the score keeping was a little iffy, Ally still declared victory as they all stomped into the house to wash up and prepare to eat.
The conversation at the table centered mostly around music, which was nothing unusual, and Ally relaxed. She was sure everyone knew that she and Cole were no longer an item but no one seemed uncomfortable and certainly no one mentioned it. It worked out perfectly in Ally’s estimation.
