Feeling as if he was the greatest looking guy in the world -- getting a big head already? Allie asked herself -- Junior walked out of Allie's front door with a new confidence in himself. It's funny how a new hair-do can make someone suddenly believe in themselves, this isn't going to be as bad as Allie thought it would turn out to be.
Junior: Thank you girls, you two really are good friends to Nicole.
Allie and Lola just smiled happily to Junior as if to say thank you, then Allie began to consider this for what it really was.
Allie: For what? Tricking her into liking you?
That pretty much ruined the moment, Allie thought to herself but Junior wasn't letting it get to him because he's the new and approved Junior, he's a man now.
Junior: Well, if you put it like that it sounds bad.
Junior said with a slight laugh so Allie and Lola began to join in, knowing that this is going to be a secret they'll take to the grave. Secrets all around for Allie.
Junior: She talks about you two all the time in science.
Allie and Lola: Really?
Allie and Lola had both said at the same time with the same questionable look on their faces.
Allie: No offense, but she actually talks to you?
Junior: Yeah, she said she doesn't want to just stand there and not talk even though it is me.
Now Allie began to understand that was such a Nicole thing to do and say. As Junior finished his words, he began to look down at the concrete walk-way of Allie's porch with a look of embarrassment and shame. Allie began to wonder if she had ever made Junior feel that way, but then realized if she did she's making up for it now.
Lola: Harsh!
Junior: Yeah, but hopefully this will work and it won't have to be a secret like...
As Junior began to speak, he turned his full attention to Allie and even before he could finished what he was going to say, Allie began to frantically scream to herself in her head what to say? What to say? What to say? Then suddenly, Allie threw her hands up in the air as if she just discovered something, it was to cause a distraction and a scene. And that's what it did, as she finally thought of what to say with more than a slight raise of her voice.
Allie: Oh my goodness, I totally just thought of this. You need a smell that Nicole will melt over.
Just as Allie had hoped, her not weird behavior caused everyone to look at her curiously.
Allie: And I know just the smell, Junior come help me find it.
Allie turned herself and walked up her front porch, but before she walked in the door she turned to look back at Junior; whom still stood where Allie had last seen him with a slightly confused look on his face. She waved her hand in order to tell Junior to followed her inside, mostly Allie just wanted Junior to get away from Lola and talk to him about what he almost let slip out of his mouth. Allie was just glad that she stepped in when she did because otherwise Junior would have told Allie's deep dark secret even before she had time to make Lola understand.
Once inside the house, Allie saw that her mom was still standing in the kitchen, so to act like she wasn't up to anything at all, Allie just quickly walked past the kitchen opening and started to walk up the stairs trying not to make any sudden noises. She hoped that Junior did the same, and sure enough when she turned her head Junior was right behind her. Allie hoped that Junior wouldn't be this way with Nicole because no girl wanted a little puppy as a boyfriend.
As Junior followed behind Allie, he walked with her toward the only room with a closed door on the top floor. Once opened, he saw that it was a master bedroom with a neatly made king sized bed, a big screen TV on the far wall, and multiple pictures of Allie's mother, Allie, and what Junior figured had to be Allie's dad. Junior came to realize that it was Allie's mom's room, he felt himself become a little awkward. This is weird! is what Junior said to himself.
Allie's mom had a bathroom inside her room, Allie walked straight into it obviously knowing exactly what she needed to do, Junior still followed even though he felt uneasy. Junior leaned up against the bathroom door frame as he watched Allie begin to look through her mom's bathroom cabinets, then finally her eyes began to smile as she found what she was looking for. Junior looked to the cologne that was now held in his hands with an odd curiosity.
Allie: It's my dad's.
As Allie said it, she knew that it wasn't helping her case because Junior's confused expression turned to slightly disgusted. You want me to wear a dead man's cologne? Junior freakishly asked to himself.
Allie: Don't worry it's never been opened.
Allie wasn't kidding when she said that it hadn't been opened because the cologne was still in its wrapping, Junior didn't even recognize the name that was written on the cologne bottle.
Junior: Never heard of it.
Junior said without even looking up at Allie because he was still observing the cologne package by flipping it back and forth to look and read it.
Allie: Yeah, he got it somewhere on Amazon. He said the description said it had all the right smells in it, so he bought it. He more like stocked up on it because he couldn't find it anywhere else.
Junior suddenly looked up from the cologne package and to Allie after he heard what she said. It was like he was holding a one of a kind, and he knew that he shouldn't have the honor to be in possession of it.
Junior: Won't your mom be mad if I took it?
Junior said as he handed the cologne package back toward Allie, because he knew that he couldn't keep it. He wanted her to grab it back and act as if they were never in here, but all Allie did was push it back towards him.
Allie: No, all she care about is the already opened bottle of the cologne because it's the last thing my dad used.
Allie said as she looked to the floor telling herself not to start getting teary eyed in front of Junior, it wasn't exactly the moment for that, and then she looked back up at Junior and the cologne in his hand.
Allie: But just in case, put it in your pocket.
Allie said with a playful smile on her face so Junior laughed a little to himself as he began to put the cologne in his pocket, thanking that it wasn't so big and whomever saw him next wouldn't look at him strangely. Is that cologne in your pocket or are you just excited to see me? Allie felt like saying to Junior, but decided against it.
As Junior began to turn around to walk out of Allie's mom's room thinking that everything was done, Allie suddenly remembered why she even wanted Junior to come with her in the first place so she gently touched his arm in order for him to stop walking away. So that's what Junior did, he turned around to face Allie again while she began to speak with a lowered voice.
Allie: Oh hey by the way, Lola doesn't know about me and Dustin.=
As soon as Allie said it out loud, she knew how bad it sounded to an observer, she hasn't told her best friend about her boyfriend. She also knew that it was bad because of the expression that was shown across Junior's face; it's like he couldn't believe that she would do such a thing.
Junior: Really? I thought that she would know.
Allie: No, you're the only one.
Junior: Why haven't you told her?
Allie began to look down as she talked almost as if she was nervous, she didn't even understand why. In all the years that Junior has known Allie, he's never seen her like this; she's always had an answer to everything, but with this she seemed to be questioning what she even wanted to say.
Allie: I will eventually.
That sounds even worse, Allie thought to herself then began to try and correct herself, or just dig herself out of the hole that she had just fallen into.
Allie: I just don't know how to right now. It's all so new. I don't even know how to explain it to myself yet.
Allie looked down in pure shame, why can't you just tell her stupid? She screamed to herself. Junior could tell that Allie was getting upset with herself, so he figured that he should change the subject.
Junior: We should get out there, Lola's waiting.
Junior felt like an ass for saying her name because she was the reason that Allie was feeling shameful, but Allie just looked up in agreement as she started to lead the way out of the bedroom. She made sure to turn off all the lights and close the door so her mom wouldn't know that they were in there.
When Allie and Junior finally walked back outside, Lola got up from where she patiently sat on the cold and hard -- she thought -- concrete porch.
Lola: Junior, I put your bags in the back of your car.
I should of locked my doors, Junior thought because he almost didn't want the clothes; but he knew that they were a part of the new look, he was just sad to be parting from his usual look. Insane Clown Posse concert t-shirts, slightly bigger than normal for him pants, and a chain wallet that was permanently attached to his belt loop and tucked inside his front pocket.
Junior: Thanks.
That was all Junior could manage to say back to Lola, she just shrugged her shoulders up then back down as a playful expression of annoyance came across her face.
Lola: I was getting bored waiting for you two.
Lola looked from Junior to Allie as she spoke. All three of them stood there in an awkward silence not exactly knowing what to say or do because what they came here to do was now over. Junior began to break the silence.
Junior: Well... thanks again for everything.
Allie and Lola: You're welcome.
Allie and Lola both said at the same exact time with warm smiles on their faces to Junior. Junior almost felt the need to hug them both but knew that it would be incredibly awkward and weird if he did, so he just smiled and gave a goodbye wave as he began to walk down Allie's driveway.
Lola: I should get going too
Lola said as she turned back to Allie from where she watched Junior get into his little white truck and drive away.
Allie: Ok, bye.
Lola began to walk away after she gave a wave to Allie. As Allie watched Lola begin to walk away, she told herself that this was the moment to get it off her chest so she stepped off her porch and walked toward Lola.
Allie: Lola? There's something I have to tell you.
Allie said her friends name as a question as she began to tell herself do it, just tell her! but as Lola turned around to face Allie, she just couldn't bring herself to express her heart.
Lola: What is it?
Lame! Failure! Allie screamed to herself as she began to speak with a cover up story to Lola.
Allie: I think that you should be a hair dresser, you know go to beauty school after high school.
Immediately Lola began to think of the "Grease" song "Beauty School Drop Out" and how she always liked the Frenchie girl that went to beauty school, she was her favorite character. Lola began to really wonder the reality about what Allie had just suggested.
Lola: You think?
Lola questioned her friend who just smiled to her warmly, almost as if she has confidence in her or for her.
Allie: Yeah, you're really good at it.
Lola: I actually like the sound of that for a career, thanks Allie.
Lola said as if she had just seen her whole entire future unfold right in front of her so she leaned into hug Allie, Allie wrapped her arms around Lola and squeezed tight Allie and Lola were thinking two different things, Lola's thoughts were all happy, but Allie's were far from.
As Allie watched Lola happily walking away twirling her car keys in her hand, she began to think, why is telling her so hard to do? Allie didn't understand why she couldn't tell Lola about Dustin, when she so easily told Lola all about what happened that night with her cousin August. Allie began to label herself as a chicken knowing that she was just burying herself deeper into the pit of her lies by not telling Lola.
**********
When the clock had struck to 9pm, Allie sat alone in the silence of her room as she just sat on her bed and listened to her mother's footsteps in her own room upstairs, then finally Allie could make out the sound of her mother getting into bed. Finally, Allie thought to herself as she ever so quietly began to push open her window and climbed out of it. Before she started to walk away from her house, she looked back into her room to make sure her bedroom door was closed then she proceed to shut her window silently.
As Allie began to walk to Dustin's house in the dark and dead of the night, she felt herself begin to furiously move her feet in front of another, almost like she was running and she wasn't much of a runner.
In order to not sound so out of breathe and make Dustin wonder, Allie slowed herself down as soon as she saw Dustin's house come into view. Just like she had the night before, she become stealth as she walked up the porch to Dustin's opened window. Every time Allie came around, Dustin felt the outside and the inside of him begin to smile, and that's what he did as he helped her inside of his window.
Allie: So is this going to become any every night thing now?
Allie said as soon as she was inside the window and her feet were planted firmly on Dustin's carpeted floor. Dustin just grinned to Allie as he spoke.
Dustin: Yes.
Dustin had simply said as his lips begin to long for hers on his, he had that lingering all day and every time he wasn't with her. Dustin began to kiss Allie, softly and sweetly as she did the same back.
Allie: You should sneak over to my house sometime.
Allie began to say as she held her hand in Dustin's, like she's wanted to do all day long, and walked over to his bed like she had the other night.
Dustin: But my bed's more comfortable.
Allie: *playfully offended* How would you know? You've never been on mine.
-- Speaking of beds... --
To avoid the question that he knew he was wrong to think, Dustin sat down on his bed while he perched his pillow up against the wall behind his back and extended his legs in front of him on the bed.
Dustin: So... how'd it go today with Junior?
That sounded so weird for Dustin to be saying, if he didn't know what was really going on he would be jealous. Even though, he was still a little jealous because Junior got to be with Allie all day after school, when he didn't.
Allie: Nice subject changed.
Allie had said then she crawled over Dustin's legs and began to sit cross legged on the bed next to him. Allie didn't want to lay down because she knew that if she did, she would fall right asleep and sleep was the last thing she wanted to do when she was with Dustin.
Allie: But, it went good. He looks totally different.
Allie said with a laugh and tried to be as quiet as she could, then began to picture how the new and approved Junior is going to look at school tomorrow. Hopefully, he will suck it up and put on the clothes that they had bought today. Allie knew that he purposely left them in Lola's car when they got back from the mall, he wasn't a fan of his new duds but he was just going to have to be.
Dustin: How so?
Allie: Do you know the actor Jared Padalecki?
Dustin: Yeah, my sister is like obsessed with him.
Dustin said with slight disgust, Allie hoped that it was the fact that he was talking about his sister and not Jared. Either way, she wasn't going to tell Dustin that before he came along, she once fantasized about Jared and also his brother on the show, Jensen Ackles. Dustin was actually kind of Jensen Ackles-esge; Allie observed -- maybe that's why she liked him so much?
Allie: Well Junior pretty much looks like him, that's the look we were trying to accomplish.
Dustin: Then, your plan might work.
Dustin held up his hand for a high five, Allie slapped it with her own hand. Allie began to think of the couples in movies who would do that like they were a tag team, it always made Allie laugh especially now that she was a couple who just did that.
Dustin: I don't really know why he would want it to.
Dustin had said once he put his hand back down on the bed. Allie began to think of what Junior had said before he left, about how Nicole didn't want to talk to him in science but she didn't want it to be silent even though it was him, very shallow.
Allie: Me either.
The room fell silent, usually Dustin was ok with it being silent but as he looked to Allie, whom was awkwardly playing with the loose string on the bottom of her pant leg, he knew that something was up. Especially when she looked up at him with a serious look, it wasn't a look that Allie was proud about giving.
Allie: I almost told Lola about us.
Dustin: Then you chickened out?
Can you read minds? Allie thought but knew wasn't true, it was the fact that she was thinking the same exact think earlier today. She was a chicken and now Dustin knew it too.
Allie: Yeah, I just don't know how to yet. I don't want to just blurt it out, and she had always said that she has to give the best friend talk even before I start to consider a guy.
Dustin looked to Allie with a questionable look, she began to feel herself getting red in the face.
Dustin: What's the best friend talk?
Allie: You know the, "If you break her heart I'll break you." Don't guys have a talk like that?
Allie began to realized that the answer to her question was a no because Dustin began to laugh to himself slightly.
Dustin: No. We just say bros before hoes.
Allie's mouth dropped opened as if she was offended, and Dustin heard her make a noise as if she was gasping for breath.
Allie: Why do guys call girls hoes? I'm no hoe.
Dustin laughed slightly to himself so Allie began to do the same, then her crazy mind of hers started to think of what she was doing with Dustin.
Allie: Well I'm sneaking around with you, so I think that makes me a hoe?
Dustin: You're not a hoe, because it's not like we're having sex, then bye, see you later.
Dustin began to say in hopes of being funny and/or cheering Allie up, but he soon began to realize that his ending statement had almost brought the mood down and made it awkward.
Dustin: Now come here my hoe.
Dustin said jokingly as he held his arm out for Allie to come lay under, all he wanted to do was put his arm around her, but Allie took her fist and socked him lightly in the ribs.
Allie: Hey!
Dustin started to laugh out loud unaware that people might be sleeping, as he held his hand over his rib where Allie hit him, he was trying to act like he was hurt. Allie knew that he really wasn't, she wasn't that strong.
Dustin: I'm just kidding.
Dustin said with that triple threat smile of his that made Allie go gaga over him, so as seductively as she could Allie began to crawl towards Dustin, then she perched herself on his lap and pressed her lips to his. This is exactly what Dustin has been longing to do all day long, he could feel his hands burning with desire as he placed them on Allie's lower back.
Suddenly both Allie and Dustin heard a knock on his bedroom door, Dustin became frantic inside.
Dustin: Shit, I forget to lock my door.
Allie also became frantic inside, so she crawled the opposite way of how she got onto Dustin's lap and was unaware that she was at the edge of the bed. As Allie hit the floor, she felt her face break her fall.
Dustin had climbed off the opposite end of the bed and rushed over to his door before it could open itself.
Allie: Ow!!!
Allie had said loudly from the pain she felt of her face hitting the carpet. Dustin felt as if she did it a little too loudly. He began to fear that whoever was knocking on his door could hear, and he guaranteed that they would become suspicious.
Dustin: Shhh!!!
Dustin turned back to Allie and put his index finger up to his mouth as he said his words. Allie looked back at him, all the while thinking: you can't blame me for being loud, I just face planted into the carpet.
Allie: Sorry...
Allie softly said then she began to curl herself up into a ball by the side of Dustin's bed, praying to God that whoever was about to come into the room wouldn't be able to see her in anyway.
Kathleen: Dustin?
Dustin heard his mother say as if a question with another knock on his door, Dustin took a deep breath in then out before he put his hand on the handle. When Dustin had opened the door, he opened it just enough so his mother could see his face as he leaned out into her view.
Dustin: Yeah?
Dustin had said back as a question to his mother, and then as Kathleen began to speak again she was trying to look into Dustin's room; but couldn't exactly see behind her son that was inches taller than she was. Dustin was trying to make sure his mother couldn't see into his room, just in case, by moving his head in the same direction she was moving hers.
Kathleen: What are you doing in there? I heard voices, then a thud.
Dustin: I was playing grand theft auto.
Dustin said as fast as he could because that's how soon it came into his head. Grand Theft Auto was his excuse for everything, and knew that it truly was as he looked to his mother's convinced face.
Kathleen: Oh, that explains it.
Dustin: Yeah. Is there something that you wanted, Mom?
Dustin said as if he was trying to rush his mother away from his room, which he desperately was trying to do.
Kathleen: No, I just wanted to check in, and say goodnight.
Dustin: Ok. Good night, mom
Kathleen: Good night.
Dustin didn't even wait to hear his mother finish her words, he already began to push his door shut, then once it was he made sure to lock it this time. Dustin sighed a deep sigh of relief, then out of the corner of his eye he saw Allie lift herself from where she hide curled up by his bedside. She started to rub the top of her head as she sat herself back onto the bed.
Allie: That was close.
Dustin: Yeah it was.
Dustin had said once he had sat back in his position on his bed before he and Allie were so rudely interrupting, this time Allie crawled herself under Dustin's arm that cradled around her.
Dustin: You should sleep here tonight.
Dustin had suggested to Allie, whom just looked up at him not exactly knowing what he meant by it.
Allie: Yeah, by that encounter we almost had, I don't think that would be a good idea.
Dustin: My door is locked now, and you can set an alarm for when you need to leave.
Dustin tried saying convincingly because all he wanted to do was just lay here with her forever, he knew he couldn't have this forever but one night or many more would do. Allie didn't even care how it sounded to be, inside she knew that Dustin wasn't like that, she has been dreaming of being in Dustin's arms all day so now was her chance.
Allie: Well... with that convincing argument, I'll stay.
Dustin started to hear himself cheering inside his head as he started to scoot himself down so he could lay on his bed, Allie did the same as she laid her head on his chest. Allie wasn't sure if it was her imagination or not, but she swore that she heard Dustin's pounding heart calling out her name.
***********
When the digital clock shinning red numbers had turned to 4:00 am, Dustin heard the faintest buzzing noise like a cell phone going off. Once he opened his eyes that were still half asleep, he leaned over Allie, whom beautifully still slept in his arms and grabbed her phone that lay next to her on the bed. Allie's phone was flashing and vibrating because it was the alarm she had set before she fell asleep last night, but this morning she wasn't waking up.
Dustin: Allie, babe, wake up.
Dustin said softly and with grogginess behind his voice as he began to kiss Allie sweetly on her forehead in hopes that it would wake her up, he began to think of her as sleeping beauty.
Allie could hear the sound of Dustin's soft and peaceful voice, but she also started to feel the cool morning air on her skin. She pulled the covers over her head as she felt the goose bumps start to form on her arm, knowing that it wasn't just the cold air giving her chills.
Dustin: You got to go home.
Dustin so desperately didn't want to say that, but he knew he had to. He began to hear Allie let out a tiresome moan from under the covers.
Allie: I don't want to.
Dustin: Then stay.
Dustin said as he laid his head back down on his pillow, then he lifted it back up as he began to feel Allie wiggle herself under his arm that was draped over her, and out from the covers.
Allie: No, I got to go before my mom comes in my room and finds me gone.
Allie said as she sat up straight on Dustin's bed, taking a moment to rub her face in order to wake herself up. Dustin got himself up from the bed and onto his feet as he extended his hand out for Allie to grab.
How can you be so awake? Allie heard the little voice in her head groggily say. Not exactly wanting to, Allie grabbed Dustin's hand as he pulled her up from the bed and to her feet gently, because Allie was only half awake.
Dustin: Hey, don't forget this.
Dustin grabbed Allie's cell phone from where it still laid on the bed and handed it to her. Allie tried smiling to as a thank you, but it wasn't really working.
Allie: Yeah that would be bad if I forgot that.
Allie said as she grabbed the phone from Dustin and put it into her front pocket, then she leaned down in order to open Dustin's window to climb out of it. Before she could put her hands on the window handle, Dustin pulled her away from it and pulled her closer to him as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
Allie again could feel Dustin's heart pounding against her chest that was pressed up to his; Allie's heart was pounding at the same rhythm as Dustin's was. Allie didn't have to be awake to understand what Dustin was doing with his lips against hers, and she also didn't have to be awake to realize what she had to do and was doing back.
Dustin: I'll see you at school.
Allie just shook her head yes, not because of a tiresome act, but because Dustin had just taken her breath away with that good morning or good bye -she wasn't sure- kiss. Allie pushed up on the window and suddenly felt the cool morning air blow full blast onto her whole body, she felt a shiver form up her spine and dreaded the walk home. One leg in front of the other, Allie started to climb out of the opened window while feeling Dustin helping her. If she asked, she knew that Dustin would say that he's just making sure she doesn't fall or something like that, but Allie knew that Dustin just wanted to put his hands on her, she wasn't complaining.
Unlike her walk to Dustin's last night, Allie's walk home was more slow and quiet while she had no need or desire to start running. Allie was too tired to even be scared of what could jump out at her, even though the morning sky was still slightly dark. When Allie had slowly arrived home, she crept to her window as she quietly began to open it, trying not to disturb the silence of her house. She hopped inside her window, kicking her shoes off and watching them hit the floor all before she bothered to put her feet on her bed.
Once Allie had finally hit that bed, she crashed onto her pillow and fell sound asleep again like she was just minutes ago in Dustin's bed. The last thing that Allie had seen before she closed her eyes was the glow of the red digital numbers on her alarm clock. 4:08, Good timing, Allie thought to herself as she closed her eyes shut for the next two or so hours.