Secret Red

Chapter 56

Chapter 56

Alison was sitting on the bench with Zoe and Layla while waiting for the boys to finish their shower and joined them for dinner as planned.

"I was wondering what-" Zoe was cut by Mia.

"You seemed to forget what you did so quickly but it doesn't mean that it didn't happen. Proves just how terrible of a person you truly are." Mia sneered.

"Yes, it did happen, it so happened to me and I'm learning to accept it." Alison replied.

"Are you now? Learning to accept it? What's to accept when it's your fault, you live with it for the rest of your life."

"Yes, I'll live with it for the rest of my life. It's my burden, not yours, you don't have to keep reminding me that. Instead, you should be thankful that what you did never resulted in the same tragic way so you don't have to live with it like me."

"Don't act so righteous and all. You're still the same person you tried to hide so much. I wonder if you've told your dear friends about it, or should I?" She sneered walking away from them.

"She's really annoying! She's just jealous that you're back with Jason and she just lost her chance to ever be with him." Zoe scoffed.

"We're not... together. We're just... friends." Alison hesitated, followed by an awkward silence.

"Why won't you give him a chance? He truly cares about you, Al. I know it." Layla said.

"We're just taking things slowly and... yeah." She simply replied knowing perfectly well that her doubt was not directed to Jason but to herself. She was still trying to control her anxieties and understand her true self, while debating the soft whispers telling her that he deserves someone better.

"What is it that Mia kept on talking about, anyway?" Zoe asked trying to divert the topic.

"It's... a long story. Can I tell you when I'm ready? I'm still not ready." She sighed knowing that eventually she had to explain everything to them. Ever since she told Jason, she felt like half the weight was lifted off her shoulders. The way he perceived everything was nothing but supportive which was the opposite of what she thought he would react. Somehow, he managed to support her, make her feel accepted, trusted and most importantly deserved. Deserved to move on, to live her life how she should be, to be happy. Although, there was still a nagging feeling in the back of her head warning about the truth. Another time, just not now.

"What's with the long faces?" Shane asked walking back with Corey and Jason.

"The only reason that can make us scowl, Mia, obviously." Zoe scoffed.

"What did she say again this time?" Jason irked.

"The usual cryptic questions, blaming Ally." Zoe rolled her eyes.

"Let's just go grab our dinner. I'm sure you guys are hungry." Alison stood up and smiled at them so off they went to have dinner together.

Alison laid in bed with the A L bracelet in her hand hoping it might give her strength as she prepares herself for the senior year, without Leah.

"I'll be wearing the most amazing long lavender dress with a really hot date by my side. Gosh, can you imagine us going to prom? Do you think we'll eventually have a boyfriend by then or we'll still be miserably single?" Leah asked lying on her bed staring at her ceiling.

"We can still be single and amazing. Although, it would be nice to have a hot and sweet boyfriend holding us in his strong protective arms." Alison joked making them both to daydream of their perfect man.

Alison smiled to herself knowing that she indeed was grateful to have found that someone by her side, regardless the ambiguous status of their relationship.

The next day, Alison had been trying to convince herself that it was alright to move on regardless of the countless times how her mind telling her otherwise.

"Ally dear, can I come in? Wow. You look... stunning... What's the matter?" Mrs. Brooke asked walking into her room.

"It's just... I feel bad for going... It feels wrong... while Leah can't... and..." She trailed still debating with herself.

"Oh, Ally dear. She would want you to go, you'll be going for the both of you. She would want you to move on, Alison. She will always be a part of your life and prom will be another chapter of your life as well.  You deserve this. You're allowed to be happy. I'm suer she'll want that for you. Come on and wipe away all that sadness from your beautiful face. Jason is already waiting for you downstairs." She stated fixing a few untamed strands of her hair.

"Okay." She took a nervous deep breath, letting out her negativity and put on a sincere smile. She braced herself to walk down the stairs mentally preparing herself to show her true self.

Jason noticed the stunning, elegant, gorgeous girl walking down the stairs as he peeked towards the stairs while Mr. Brooke was still trying to explain the type of car engines, but his mind was too immersed to the beautiful red headed girl. The sleeveless figure-hugging lavender dress showed moderate cleavage emphasizing her classical beauty. The dress flowed gracefully from her thigh to the floor with a high slit showing off her long legs each time she took her step down. Her fiery auburn red hair was let loose which flowed over her shoulder, framing her beautiful face. This was the first time he saw her wearing make-up, although she was already beautiful without it, the make-up somehow enhanced her blue ocean eyes, contouring her strong facial features and the red brick lipstick made her whole face more seductive and alluring.

"Wow, you look..." Jason was speechless looking at his stunning girlfriend.

"Good? Bad?" Alison was nervous that he did not finished his sentence.

"Breathtakingly beautiful, Ariel." He stated staring straight into her eyes making her blushed.

"You don't look so bad yourself, Lord Jason." She teased noticing him wearing a navy fitted suit which makes him looked even more handsome, emphasizing on his buffed body making him looked dashing.

"Picture time. Come and stand there the two of you." Mrs. Brooke took out a camera and took countless pictures of them until Alison complained, asking her to stop taking anymore pictures or they will be late for the prom. Once they arrived at the school, almost all the students were staring and whispering things to themselves while the couple made their way to the hall.

"Oh my gosh. Is that you, Alison Brooke? How can you not dress up like this all the damn time? You are absolutely gorgeous, girl." Zoe exclaimed.

"Thanks." She replied sheepishly.

"You can try and pretend all you want but you can't hide the fact that you're just an awful person." Mia spat with jealousy.

"Thank you for indirectly saying that I'm beautiful. You are too. And as a matter of fact, I've been pretending to be someone else before, this is the real me, Mia. If you'll excuse me, I'm having this dance with my date." She replied with a genuine smile and walked towards Jason pulling him from his reverie towards the dancefloor as soon as she heard her favorite Falling Like The Stars song by James Arthur.

"Is this you asking me for a dance, Ariel?" He teased.

"Possibly." She placed her hands on his shoulders while he placed his hands on her waist, staring at each other swaying to the slow music serenading the perfect dance. Jason was lost in her deep blue ocean orbs thinking how two broken people were able to find each other in the middle of their messed up teenage life and how grateful he was to have found an amazing, strong yet kind hearted girl and they swayed the night away.