One day at a time..

Chapter 6: Awkward Dinner

I look up to see Christine and Eric walking through the door of the restaurant. I stand to hug them both before moving over to leave room for Christine beside me.

Christine gives me a guilty look, "Well. Allie. How are you?"

"Oh. Me? I'm fine." I say with a small smile. "What about you? How have you been?"

She launches into some story about being in New York and I zone out, nodding occasionally. I start listening just in time for her to ask me what I've been up to.

I start telling her about the cruise, Africa, and a few other trips I have gone on. It was fun while it lasted and it was a great distraction but now I'm back in the real world, struggling to keep myself together. But I don't include that part.

That's when I look up and see Lindsey Bell, Danny Duncan's girlfriend. A thousand things run through my mind at once. What do I do? Do I say hi? Just as I decide that I'm just going to turn away, she looks up and we make eye contact. She looks away then back at me a few times. I wave and she waves back. Then, as she walks over to me, she begins to smile. But it is not a real smile. I have laughed and had fun with this girl before. I know what she looks like when she's actually smiling.

"Hello, Alli. How have you been?" she says very formally.

"Uh, I've been alright. Traveling a lot." I say, but then I add, "How have you been?"

"I've been good. Keeping busy." she says cheerfully.

Please tell me this isn't going to be weird.. "Oh, busy with what?"

"Oh... I... Uhh... Just flew back from Warped Tour. I'm getting some stuff together and flying back out..." she says shyly.

"Oh." I say suddenly. "How have the guys been?"

"Uh, well, they've been good." Lindsey says slowly.

I just nod before she says, "We miss you on tour Alli..."

I force a nervous laugh, "What about Allie?"

"Allie? Oh, Uhhh..." I can sense her discomfort. "She's.. Uhh..."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to put you on the spot," I say quickly.

"No. It's just, whenever I met her she seems nice but there is something off about her. Her and Charles always have each other's tongues down their throats. And she's kinda separating Charles and Danny..." she rambles.

This time I actually do laugh. "Separating them?"

"They used to be really close. Ever since you've been gone... Well, Charles does nothing but focus on Allie. It's kind of like he's forcing her on everybody..." she laughs nervously.

I laugh with her. "I'm sorry... Forcing her on everybody?"

"Yeah, like everybody needs to like her. It's weird. It's like his feelings for her are forced. Alli... He's different without you. He puts on a front for everybody. Even the camera."

I nod. "Well, things are different now. I wish things weren't any different but this is the way it is."

"We just miss you, that's all." Lindsey says. "Well, I better get back to my friends. I'll see you around?"

"Yeah. Uh, tell Danny, Charles, and the guys that I say hi." I say with a smile.

What the fuck Alli? Tell Charles you say hi?

"Will do!" she says before walking away.

I do miss her and the other guy's wives and girlfriends. I never truly fit in with her and Jenny, Travis Clark's fiancée, but it doesn't change that she's always been nothing but nice and I miss it. I turn back to Christine.

"TELL CHARLES YOU SAID HI?!" She screams at me and people start staring.

I blush and say, "It slipped out."

"Alli Speed" bubbly Katelyn says. "Your table is ready!!"

Christine grabs my arm. "We need to talk," she hisses in my ear.

What did I do?