Desperate Moments (Completed)

Fan Fiction

Desperate Moments (Completed)

by DTLCT

Chapter 21

Old Flame or Innocent Angel?

Alyssa’s walking towards the crowd gathering together in the second tent. They seem to be cheering someone on. She couldn't see much since people are all over the place and are blocking the view with other objects that they're holding up as flags. She edges through the crowd, shoving past people and gaining her way to the front. She hears people shouting in anger as she pushes past them, but she doesn't stop to clarify herself. She walks through what seems to be an endless crowd – although there are only about thirty people. Finally she reaches her destination – the front. She sees what she had expected when she heard what Vincent had told her. She was right – yet – again.

The scene in front of her is unmistakable. She sees Wallace standing on a stool with a hand on Jocelyn's shoulder. Jocelyn's leaning quite close to him. Wallace's laughing like mad at that exact moment. Jocelyn smiles and encourages him even more. Jocelyn has done it again. Jocelyn had probably asked Wallace to perform one of his tricks again. She could only see their backs but this scene is way too familiar to her that she knows she’s right.

Alyssa feels rage surging through her, but she knows she have to keep calm at this moment. She breathes out a sigh before calling Wallace.

“Wallace!” She shouted out, attempting to raise above the others’ voice.

Wallace turns around to face her, still having a hand around Jocelyn's shoulder. He has this weird smile on him and his face's turning a bit red.

“Come down here right at this moment!” Alyssa demanded, not leaving him a chance to explain for himself.

“Not yet,” Wallace said, laughing. “Come here! I'll show you something!”

Jocelyn is smiling mockingly at Alyssa. Wallace doesn't seem to know it at all.

“Get down here now or else!” Alyssa exclaimed, losing her patience.

Wallace's hand slips away from Jocelyn's shoulder. He seems to wake up from a trance. He hadn't seen Alyssa using that expression since high school. Actually she has used that expression before recently, but not directed at him. But this time, that expression means a lot more than anything. It was the same one that she used when Wallace had told her that time when he declared that he would be going after Jocelyn. What is that expression like? Disapproval. Yes, it was disapproval. Wallace knew he had disappointed Alyssa this time. He had disappointed her big time.

Wallace knew Alyssa since high school. Even though she's only a year older than him, but she's much more mature for her age. Alyssa wasn't just a friend to him. She's like an older sister. A responsible, caring sister who had watch out for his back since the day they met. It was she who made his days better when his mother left with Alice to the States.

They look at each other for what seems like an eternity. Time seems to have stopped. But it was only a few minutes. A lot of memories had run through Wallace’s mind. An unknown breeze blows in from somewhere outside the tent, making his head clearer than before. He knows he shouldn't hold onto the past. A past that he couldn't change anyway. A past that he was glad it happened in a way because he realized he has a person like Alyssa who cares for him so much.

He finally steps down from the “stage” and walks towards Alyssa. Alyssa steps forward too, grabbing his arm and dragging him away from the crowd, especially away from Jocelyn.

When they're out of the second tent and back into the opening fresh air, Alyssa finally speaks up, still not letting go of Wallace's left arm. Although she's shorter than him, but she could still drag him around like a mother duck, keeping charge of her little duckling.

“You know what you just did?” Alyssa chided.

“Sorry,” Wallace uttered, meaning every ounce of the word. “I...I...don't know how I was so dumb.”

“Not just dumb. It's just plain stupid.”

Alyssa stops in her tracks when they're about 10 feet away from the back of the first tent and turns around to face Wallace. She wants to talk to him before joining the others.

She finally lets go of his hand. “If I didn't come, what would you have done?”

Wallace looks down at the grass, not knowing how to reply.

“Exactly.”

Wallace finally looks up, his face saddens. “I'm sorry, Alyssa.”

“Don't say sorry to me. You should start using your head, kid. Especially around that girl.”

“All right.”

“Cyndi's a nice girl, don't hurt her.”

“What happened in there....”

Wallace's ashamed face makes her soften. She puts a hand on Wallace's shoulder. “I know. You just want to go back in time for a minute to relive the fame. But what passed had passed. Okay? If you don't move on, Jocelyn will always wrap and twist you around her little finger. People like her don't change.”

Wallace smiles. “Thanks, Alyssa.”

“Maybe I'm being harsh on you. But if I don't look out for you, who will?”

Wallace knows deep in his heart that Alyssa's words are meant for good. He gives her a warm, brotherly smile.

Alyssa smiles slightly. “That smile isn't going to win me over. Save it for other girls!”

Wallace knows that she's joking. “Alyssa, how could you joke in a serious time like this?”

Alyssa smiles. “I don't know. It's a habit to take off the intense moment that I just created!”

Wallace laughs.

Alyssa resumes her serious look. “But I'm serious about this. Go and think about it really hard. Do you want to go back and try to change Jocelyn since you just met her again? Or do you want to follow that innocent angel that's standing over there?”

Wallace looks over to where Cyndi's standing, helping Vincent with the grill. Her face is turning red from standing there for too long. He realizes she must be really uncomfortable standing there, trying to get along with Vincent – when he's trying to go relive his past with a girl he could never have in the first time around.

He looks back at Alyssa. Alyssa smiles at him, knowing the way he looks at Cyndi that he had made up his mind. They walk back to the others.