ChapterSeven-Personalities Collide

October 21st, 2004

  It's now late October. UTurn has been practicing for their callback auditions in a few weeks. So far, Andrew and Alyson haven't been bullying the performing arts students. Instead, they targeted the lowest students in school.

  Andrew and Alyson have gotten a lot closer lately. They were in Andrew's house doing homework. His dad was already home.

  Alyson complained, "I hate this math, and it's just basic math!"

  Andrew said, "Math and science suck. I'd rather take creative writing."

  "We're both in creative writing, and yeah it's fun."

  "Why don't we take a break for now?"

  "Sure! Why don't get to know each other more?"

  Andrew agree, and Alyson went first: "I was spoiled, but not by my parents. My grandparents are rich, and they live in NYC. They're liberal, and they practice Judaism. When my parents went to college in Vermont, they met, and they converted into Christianity. Both their parents dismissed my mom and dad, and because of that, they never saw my older sister. My parents told me that after I was born, both their parents came to Boston with a ton of gifts for me. As I got older, my grandparents were constantly spoiling me. My parents confronted them, and since then I haven't seen them. I became a brat, demanding my parents to give me everything I threw a tantrum for. Eventually, I became snobby, bitchy, and rebellious towards my parents and everyone. I know it seems strange that I'm this way yet I was brought up in a conservative Christian home."

  "But you seem nice."

  "Yeah, I actually have a heart."

  Andrew said, "I'm not naturally a bully."

  Alyson scoffed, "Andrew, you were always a bully. Even now, you still are. Somewhat."

  "You know I've told you that I'm from Hartford, right?"

  "So, you were a bully there, too?"

  "No. I was actually painfully shy. I was always the quiet one. To make things worse, I had a speech disability. I couldn't really talk, so I need speech therapy. I somewhat remember when I was done with kindergarten, my parents told me and my older brother that we were moving to Boston. I was just starting to make friends when this happened. I was mad at my parents. When I entered first grade here in Boston, you tried to be friends with me. I just lashed out on you and everyone just cuz I was pissed at my parents. I'm sorry now for doing that to you and everyone else."

  Alyson laughed in disbelief, "So, you're still mad at your parents that you remain a bully to this day?"

  Andrew explained, "No! I got over my anger a month after I started first grade. But I saw I had power over everyone, including those who were in higher grades. Hell, I remember how the fifth graders were so afraid of a six-year-old."

  "Yeah, that was funny."

  "Yeah, it kinda was. Anyway, the school officials eventually told my parents that I was aggressive towards everyone, so my parents put me into sports like basketball and soccer. At the same time, I was taking speech therapy. The doctor suggested I take singing lessons in order to get words out of me. As soon as I started talking, my parents and doctor put me into acting lessons. As for my aggressive bullying, my parents put me into dance lessons cuz sports was making me more aggressive. The first dance I did was ballet, which calmed me down. The more i grew in the performing arts, the more I became scared that my reputation as the popular bully would be affected. You know my friends throw out gay slurs at the performing arts guys? I don't do that, but I don't want to be that victim."

  Alyson couldn't think of anything to say, but asked anyway, "So what are you gonna do?"

  "I'd like to change schools. Start fresh, and not care about what anyone thinks of me."

  Then there was silence for a few minutes. Andrew leaned towards Alyson to kiss her. Alyson immediately knew what was happening, so she pulled away.

  Alyson's voice broke, "Andrew, you're with Amanda, and I'm with Justin. We...can't...be...together. I gotta go."

  Alyson got up, got her things, and left Andrew's house. When she arrived at her house, she went to her room, and started crying. It was obvious she loved Andrew.

  It was Monday. Libby approached Melissa right before their first class started, which was history. She said, "I just heard some juicy gossip on Alyson!"

  Melissa squealed, "I hope it's dirt!"

  "It is! A few days ago, I saw Alyson coming out Andrew's house! And get this...she was crying!"

  "OMFG! Are they together? Did they break up?"

  "I bet they're secretly together, but they had a huge fight."

  In the same room, Justin overheard everything.

  It was now lunchtime. Justin used the opportunity to confront Andrew. He angrily called out, "Hawthorne!"

   Andrew, clueless to what's going on, asked, "What is it?"

   "What the f*ck you thinking, dating Alyson, my girlfriend?!"

   "Woah! Alyson and I are not dating! Who's saying all of this?"

   "Who cares! You are staying away from Alyson!"

   "Look, Aly and I are just friends, that's it."

   Justin said sternly, "I know you fancy Aly, and you'll do anything to get her away from me."

  Then Justin punched Andrew in the face. It was the first time Andrew was ever punched. Whenever other guys threaten to beat him up, Andrew would always threaten to have his parents sue them. But this was unexpected, and he reacted by punching Justin back. Soon a full-fledged fight came about. 

  Alyson saw this, so she went over to the two boys. She asked them angrily, "Andrew, Justin, what the hell is going on?"

  Justin confronted her, "Tell me the truth: Do you fancy Andrew or not? And I know you understand British English since you're crazy for S Club 8."

  Alyson replied quietly, "I don't know."

  "Speak up."

  Alyson then yelled as her voice broke, "I don't f*cking know! I really like both you and Andrew! But I feel you and I are drifting apart more. But with Andrew, I feel more closer to him than I used to."

  With that, Alyson stormed off. She into a women's bathroom. As she was trying to calm down, she saw in the mirror Amanda. She asked sternly, "What do you want, Amanda?"

  Amanda said coldly, "I heard you blurted out you lost interest in Justin, but has taken an interest in Andrew."

  "And what are you gonna do about it?"

  Amanda grabbed Alyson's hair hard, and said, "Beat your ass."

  Amanda then started beating Alyson up. Alyson tried to fight back with stilettos, but to no avail. 

 At the same time, Andrew was in the school's hallways looking for Alyson. Then he heard screams coming from the women's bathroom. He took a peak to see what's going on, and he saw Amanda beating up Alyson.

 Andrew grabbed Amanda at her waist, and dragged her away from Alyson. Once he got Amanda out of the bathroom, he confronted her, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

 Amanda said in an irritated, "F*ck, you're defending that stupid, plastic blondie? You're MY boyfriend!"

 "Not anymore."

 "What do you mean?"

 "I mean we're over."

 With that, Amanda slapped Andrew on his face. She told him, "You are just like the other guys. Always going for the fake popular girls."

 Then Amanda stormed off. 

 Andrew went back inside the bathroom. He saw Alyson trying to stand on her beaten up stiletto boots. He held her hands as he told her calmly, "Don't walk, just sit for now."

 So Alyson sat on the sink. Andrew took out a paper towel, wet it, and dabbed Alyson's bloodied face. After a few minutes, Andrew and Alyson stared into each others' eyes. Then Alyson kissed Andrew's lips. He was shocked but kissed her back.

 Alyson said, "Be my boyfriend."

 Andrew was shocked and quiet, then he spoke up, "I want to."

 Then they hugged.