How did I end up in this situation? Me off all people at a basketball game, snuggled between Austin on my right and sweaty, heavy, tattooed man on my left. I don't even like basketball – I don't like sports in general. But yet, here I am.
I can't help it. He was just so darn cute the other day with the tickets in his hands; he was practically bouncing from one foot to another, and almost spilling my coffee on the floor. "Ally! Ally! Ally! Guess what I got?!" He said, just like the precious puppy he should be.
"Coffee," I remark, removing mine from his hands before it ended on the ground. It was a tradition that he'd buy coffee on the way onto Sonic Boom and I'd buy it on the way to school, and we both had a normal order. Mine was a chocolate chip frappe and his was black with a shot of expresso, if I bought it however it was decaf with a half shot – he seems to have never noticed. "Thank you," I smile and retreat back behind the counter.
"I got tickets to the Heat game." He said, actually jumping this time. If I wasn't friends with Austin I wouldn't have the slightest idea that the Heat was a basketball team based in Miami, that's how little my dad and I watched sports. He spread them apart to prove that he actually managed to get more than one – something I had gather was nearly impossible. "One for me and one for –"
"Dez," I continued, knowing that would be the answer.
"Nope, for you." He corrected, and I attempted to act excited. "That's why I brought you coffee. For bribery issues. If it makes you feel any better they aren't courtside tickets, so we won't be front and center."
"I seriously doubt that'd happen." Even though it totally could. Whenever Austin went to an award show it seemed he was the main attraction, so I always refused to go with him because I still don't like being on TV.
"Please go with me Ally!" He says, jutting out his bottom lip, the beginning of his puppy dog face aka the death of me. Slowly, ever so slowly, he was in the full puppy dog face stage and I couldn't say no. It's not that I didn't want to go, it was that Austin attracted attention and I still don't enjoy it as much as he does. And I love him too much to keep my feelings from showing when we're by ourselves. It was going to be a long game.
Earlier today, I slipped on the little black dress that I been saving for six months and the matching heels – which was what my savings went too mainly – and felt beautiful. Austin came over an hour later in a black dress shirt and khaki pants. He looks as handsome as hell. "You look fantastic, Ally!" As if he'd never seen me in this dress. And why was I even wearing a dress to a sporting event? It's not like this was a date or anything – at least in his mind. In mine, however, it totally could be. I was just a substitute for Dez in his most likely.
And now an hour into the game it's time for the commentators to start picking on the audience. The first thing that ends up happening is the worst thing that's ever happened in the history of my seventeen years – the kiss cam lands on Austin and I. The commentators' voices saying, "And look who's in the crowd, Austin Moon and his lovely girlfriend Ally Dawson." I'm just his songwriter, not his girlfriend, but the idea of being his girlfriend brings a bright blush to my cheek, and it only gets worse when I remember that my face is visible over the whole arena on the kiss cam.
My faces falls into my hands, hoping that the camera will eventually go away, but I hear Austin say "Come on, the quicker it happens, the quicker it's over," a moment later. He pulls my hands down off my face and pulls my chin up before pressing his lips on mine – sending me into a downward spiral of just wanting to make out the remainder of the game. He doesn't really need to watch the game, right? He has a television.
He is a fantastic kisser, how I have gone this far in our friendship without knowing this – whether from personal experience or by asking his exes. I don't want to stop, but I have to breathe eventually. And when I pull away, thankfully, neither of our faces are on the billboard above the court, so I continue to smile and go back to kissing him.
When the game is over we walk to the car, hand-in-hand, something I'd never thought I'd do with Austin Moon. I have a huge grin spread across my face, and his is no better than mine. He seems nervous for whatever reason, his hands are slightly sweaty. It makes me feel better because I realize that even huge international stars get nervous when they are with someone they like as more than a friend. I personally feel this way every single day when I'm with him.
"Did you enjoy the game?" I ask him eventually, halfway to the car. Hoping to make the day even better in my mind.
"Yes, the game was fine; however, I was preoccupied for most of the game. Especially the first hour."
"The kiss cam didn't even happen before that," I tease, pushing him slightly.
"Yes, but I paid them to pick us, you cute little dummy," he kisses my cheek as I gasp with surprise. "Only because I know I wouldn't have done it had I not done it that way. And I really wanted to see you blush as red as a tomato. You're so cute when you do it."
"You're lucky I like you so much," I say as a kiss him on the cheek. We enjoy the remainder of our evening.