ChapterEleven-UpRooted (Part1)   

October 2nd, 2006

 A few minutes later, Alyson drove up to the UTurn house. When she went inside, she saw Riley getting her car keys. Riley noticed Alyson's face smeared with eye makeup. She asked, "Aly, what's wrong? Are you crying?"

 Alyson replied, "Andrew...broke up with me!"

 Riley then hugged Alyson, and asked, "Why did he break up with you?"

 "He says he needs to focus on himself."

 Then Riley thought of an idea: "Hey, why don't you hang out with me and Marcus?"

 Alyson replied as she sniffled, "Why not? I've already ditched school."

 "Yeah, what's one day without school?"

 Alyson smiled, then went with Riley to go to Harvard.

 It's now late afternoon. Andrew had talked with the Boston Creative Arts School's headmaster about starting school the next day. The headmaster agreed. Andrew was then given a tour of the all-grade school. During the tour, he signed countless autographs from a ton of girls, and several guys. He got a schedule of his classes, and met with his teachers. 

 After everything, he left the school. Today was the last day to record the second UTurn album. As he got in his car, he thought about Alyson. He thought about her all day. He felt it was right, but now, he's not so sure.

 As he was driving, he thought about his time in the band. He felt he's grown a little bit, but he's not sure. He still feels insecure and unsure of himself. For most of his life, he had lived a double-life. 

 In school, he was the smart, athletic, attractive bully; but outside school, he was the Broadway protégée. He was trained to joined America's top contemporary dance companies. Sure, he loved singing and acting, but dance was his life. He didn't care if the Hawthorne tradition consists of being a lawyer, a judge, or an attorney. He may have been a natural-born lawyer who can bully his way in anything, but it wasn't what he wanted.

 Ever since he joined UTurn, his two lives blurred in front of his eyes. He could also feel his grip on the students was slipping. Soon, he was living his secret, other life. It was out in the open for all to see. Yet, he benefited from it. He's one of the three major male heartthrobs. All the girls (and a few guys) want him; all the guys want to be him. Andrew loved every second of it, but it felt like dream to him. 

 Once he returned to Beacon Hill High, he tried to return to his old ways, but to no avail. He tried to blur his two lives, but it was apparent that he wasn't the feared bully anymore. Andrew would feel miserable due to being bullied. He was confused to who he was; a no-talent jerk, or a sweet popstar. He couldn't do much since the students would gossip on MySpace, but in the end, he did. He lashed out, got sent to a hospital, is suing practically everyone, and loving it.

 But now? He's even more confused than ever! He feels lost, not sure of who he is. All of this is making him debate if he should stay in UTurn or not. 

 As Andrew was thinking on this, he was honked at for staying at the stop light for a few minutes. Even while it was green! He was taken out of his train of thoughts, and finally started driving.

 A few minutes later, all the UTurn members arrived at the recording studios to finalize their second album. Stacie walked up to Alyson, who was with Riley, and asked, "Aly, where were you and Andrew? You two just ran out of the school, and never came back."

 Alyson replied, "It's, um, complicated. We'll talk tonight."

 At the same time, Andrew, feeling the need to talk to someone, approached Justin. He asked Andrew, "Oi, Andrew. What happened this morning?'

 Andrew said, "That's what I need to talk to you about."

 Suddenly, Amanda walked up to the two boys. She said to Andrew hastily, "Andrew, I really need to talk to you, like now."

 Andrew feeling irritated, asked, "Why? To tell me you still like me?"

 "No! Andrew, I'm serious! I have to tell you something. It's urgent!"

 "What? What is it?"

 Amanda looked at Ethan, who was watching her, then she faced Andrew. "I can't tell you here."

 "Why not?"

 She then whispered into Andrew's ear, "It's Ethan."

 Andrew gave her a puzzled look, then followed her into a room. He then said to her, "This better be important."

 Amanda said nervously, "Andrew, look. I'm really sorry for how I treated you. Like I told Alyson, you deserve her. But what I have to say involves you, Ethan, and I."

 "And what is it?"

 "Ethan was the one who pushed you over the edge."

 "What does that even mean?"

 "Ethan...was the one who told your bullies to torture you. He knew you would explode in anger. He knew you'd resort to fight one of your attackers."

 Andrew was shocked when he heard that, while Amanda looked like she was going to cry. He noticed that, so he asked, "Amanda, are you crying?"

 She cried, "Ethan threaten to kill me if I told you."

 "He what!?!"

 With that, Andrew stormed out of the room to find Ethan. As Amanda was crying by herself, Ethan came into the room. She pleaded, "Ethan, please don't kill me! I care about Andrew!"

 As Ethan was walking up to Amanda, he heard his name. He turned to see an infuriated Andrew standing at the door. He demanded Ethan, "Step away from Amanda."

 Andrew then stormed up to Ethan, and punched him. Then he put Ethan in a neck hold. Andrew said to her,  "Amanda, go tell the others now!"

 Amanda then ran out of the room. Andrew then let Ethan go, but only to harshly push him to the wall. He growled at Ethan, "You know me so well, don't you? Well, guess what? You're getting kicked out of the band cuz of it!"

 Then Andrew dragged Ethan out of the room, and into the lobby where the other UTurn members were. Andrew asked Amanda, "Amanda, did you tell them?"

 She replied, "I did. Riley's calling the police right now."

 Justin got in front of Amanda to protect her. Ethan said angrily, "F*cking Hawthorne is supposedly kicking me out of this band! He's not in charge of this group!"

 Andrew said, "I'm one of the founding members. Of course I'm charge, and so is Alyson, Justin, and Bailey."

 Justin said sternly, "I'm with Andrew on this. You're completely, f*cking mental! We're not safe around you."

 Bailey added, also sternly, "I agree. We can't have you in UTurn."

 Alyson said coldly, "I was the one who formed this band, and I have the final say. Ethan, you're out of UTurn. Don't even try to rejoin. If you do, we'll reject you any way we can."

 Ethan exclaimed, "But Hawthorne wasn't even supposed to be in group! I was! He's a f*cking replacement!"

 Andrew said, "You initially didn't even join the band! You were just offered a position. So that makes me a founding member."

 As Ethan was about to fight Andrew, the police came in. Riley lead the police officers to Ethan. The officers dragged him out the building, and into the police car. Andrew went up to car before the police drove off. He said to Ethan coldly, "Expect a lawsuit from me in a day or two."

 Ethan glared at Andrew, then car drove off. Andrew went back inside the recording studios. He approached Amanda, and she hugged him tightly. He was taken back, but he slowly hugged her back.

 Andrew said to her calmly, "I'll get my parents to help you get a restraining order on Ethan. Look, I may not have complete forgiven you for the way you used to treat me, but doesn't mean that I don't care about you. Okay?"

 Andrew felt Amanda nodding her head.