Author's note: Look, guys! I actually wrote something more than a hundred words and has actual dialogue and stuff! This is for everyone who reviewed His First. Without all the encouragement and reviews, I probably wouldn't have sobered up enough to write this. It's nice to know I'm not the only one diggin' Austin/Emily!

Chasing Stares

"So you kissed Kaylie?"

I don't really know what overcame me. It's like the words just tumbled out of my mouth without my permission. One minute he's using that smile and those eyes and trying to get the Pizza Shack's secret sauce recipe out of me. He's fishing and I have no idea why because it isn't like Austin Tucker cooks his own food or anything. It isn't like he's flirting with me…right?

Then I start to panic.

Apparently channeling my paranoia, I say that.

Instant mortification.

"I might have," he says, cryptic as can be.

I can see that smug look creeping across his face and I'm well aware my own is about a million shades deeper than my normal pale complexion. It isn't even like a blush. It's humiliation personified. In a picture dictionary, a photo of me would probably be there, under h, with what I said in quotes in the caption. I look away to try to calm down, but he's like an animal. Sudden movements just attract him even more.

"Now, Emily, you answer a question for me."

I groan and keep my eyes far away. Unbeknown to me, I have a little routine when I'm nervous or self-conscious. I bend my long legs and pull my knees to my chest. It's something my mom always points out. I can't manage to keep eye contact even for a few seconds either. That's one thing Damon always hated. Don't get me wrong. He'd constantly tell me the things he liked about me. He'd even write songs about them, but the fact that I can't hold a person's stare even when I'm being honest or genuine, that drove him crazy.

"Emily," Austin whispers. Austin Tucker. The Austin Tucker. It's still a little hard for me to comprehend that I'm sitting in the Pizza Shack of all places with an Olympic gold medalist. An Olympic gold medalist with pizza sauce on his chin. "Hey Kmetko, you still listening?"

"Yeah, fine," I say distractedly. "What is it?"

Slowly, leaning across the table towards me, Austin brings out his best Joker impression, the cool, chilling Heath Ledger versions, of course, and rasps, "Why so serious?"

I can't help, but lean away and laugh.

"There's that laugh I love so much," Austin says, always the charmer.

I roll my eyes. "I bet you say that to all the young, impressionable girls."

"You bet, babe," he agrees. Austin leans back in his own seat. I can feel his eyes on me and all over me. It's probably why the heat in my cheeks just won't let up. I stare down at the pizza crust on my plate. It's gone cold. We must have been here for hours now. "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention the k-i-s-s when my boy, Carter, is lurking around."

"Right, because Carter can't decipher first grade spelling words like kiss," I tease. Austin dramatically clutches his chest and I shake my head, but it's undeniable that a laugh vibrates through my chest. He can be such a dork sometimes. "By the way, how is that working out for you? Being bestest friends with Carter and trying to date his ex-girlfriend?"

It's Austin's turn to shake his head and hold up a finger to stop me. He looks so serious then. It makes me sort of nervous. "No. I'm not trying to date her. I was just trying to help her clear her head, like an impromptu apology for invading her turf or whatever. Unexpected kissing is the cure for a cluttered mind."

"Oh, it is?" I ask, just egging him on.

"Yup." Austin nods. "Read it in Cosmo."

"You're ridiculous," I laugh and trace my finger across the edge of the table. "But you're at least attracted to her, right? You wouldn't do all of this if you weren't."

Austin shrugs. "She's cute, I guess."

"She's cute? You guess?" I repeat, losing grips a little bit there. "That's it?"

Austin narrows his eyes playfully. "I don't know, Kmetko. I'm just being cautious. I wouldn't want you running right back to Camp Cruz and reporting everything I say to your precious captain."

"Not going to happen," I promise. "Plus, Kaylie says she's done with the whole Big Brother act."

"Ah, so the kiss worked," Austin says, looking rather proud of himself. "So intense pep talks help you. Kissing helps Kaylie. I don't want to even think about what would do it for Lauren. Hmm, I think Payson could use some of this Austin T. magic. What do you think?"

"Like I could stop you from trying," I say. What is that in my voice? Disappointment?

No…I least I think it isn't.

"You could, Kmetko," he says, low and alluring like. He leans across the table again, but this time there's something different about the way he approaches me. There's something in his eyes, but I don't stare long enough to actually see what it is. "Just say the word."

I grit my teeth. I know it's a bad habit, but there's something about Austin Tucker. He's proved himself a number of times to be a descent guy and a good friend, but there's still something so dangerous about him.

Or maybe it's that I don't trust myself around him.

"Why do you do this?" I ask. My voice is no more than a squeak.

"Do what?" Austin asks. He leans away and grins.

And just like that the moment is gone.

"Nothing." I never fight Austin Tucker. I'm already in over my head as is.

"Look, I'm already on Sasha's shit list after that party. Some bull about how training at the Rock means representing the Rock and a scandal isn't good publicity and blah blah blah," Austin says. His eyes roll up and he clenches his teeth, pulling his bottom lip as far down as it goes. It makes me laugh and a second later Austin joins me with his own deep chuckles. "Do you think a meat lovers shack special and a six-pack will make everything cool?"

"Do you take anything seriously?" I ask. "Anything at all?"

"I take lots of things seriously, Kmetko," he says, defensively puffing out his chest.

"Anything other than pizza toppings, beer brands and your reputation?"

"Not so much," Austin says. His chest deflates and he moves back into that comfortable pose with his arms spread out across the back of his chair. "Hey, those three are legit, alright? Why? What are you so serious about, huh? Enlighten me."

"Gymnastics, for one," I reply. It kind of surprises me that he didn't try to add it to his own list, but then again, he is Austin Tucker. "Hmm, making sure my family is intact or at least holding on. I don't know…love."

Austin snorts.

"Ah, so you aren't a believer?" I ask. It surprises even me that I'm genuinely interested.

"I'm a believer in people who believe," he says. I shoot him a look, instantly requiring an explanation. "Take my man, Carter for example. Boy is in love with being in love. I think if you want it and you can find someone who wants it just as bad then it'll work. I respect that. I support it even. I just don't know if it's the Austin Tucker lifestyle."

"You can be so full of it sometimes." I laugh lightly. "But I get what you're saying."

"So why? Why is love something to be serious about?" Austin asks. He's so good at this casual conversation thing. Meanwhile, I'm squirming beneath his gaze. "You still holding out for Damon Young?"

"Yes. No. I don't know," I say. I remember Paris. It's the last thing I see before I sleep at night. As pathetic as it probably sounds, I've run that conversation through my head about a million times now. Am I waiting? Is he?

Maybe another perspective on this would be good. Then I look up and I remember who I'm with right now.

Austin Tucker. And that smug smile.

"I'm telling you this as my friend and since you obviously have some strange obsession with Damon since the first three times you ever talked to me you brought him up," I say careful. He nods and I nervously tangle my fingers. "So we told each other that we'd give it two years, until after the Olympics and we're going to meet in Paris, under the Eiffel Tower."

"How…cute," he says. It's obvious by the way he brings his empty cup up to his lips that he's trying to hide his laughter.

I sigh. "Laugh if you want to laugh."

Austin slams his cup down against the table and breaks out in gut-wrenching, uncontrollable laughter. I just roll my eyes and fold my arms across my chest with a huff.

"Okay. You can stop now. Really, Austin, quit it!"

"I'm sorry. I hate to ruin the fantasy, but as your friend, I gotta tell yah, hot young dude like Damon Young running wild through Europe. The hurt only lasts so long. After a while, the void replaces the pain and then you start to try to find things that fill it," Austin explains. He says it with such emotion in his voice, like he isn't even talking to me at all. It's like he's having an actual, honest conversation with himself.

I stare down at the grooves in the wooden tabletop. I don't even know what to say. It scares me that my first thought isn't to defend Damon, my whatever-he-is. Now it's my turn to try to catch Austin's eyes and he's the one looking across the room.

"You gonna say anything, Kmetko?" he asks shakily.

"Just one thing," I whisper, "Who hurt you?"

"What makes you think someone hurt me?" he chuckles. It's a miserable chuckle.

"You can't say things like that the way you did without feeling it," I counter. I have no idea where I'm finding these words, but I'm so unsure and just going for it. My fingers are shaky and I try to hide them in my lap.

"I just know people. People are easy to read. It's trusting em' that's the hard part," he says, shrugging. "Anyways, from what I got, the real key to Sasha Beloff's heart is some free pizza and free beer. Now I'm going to go order a pie for tomorrow. When Beloff walks in there will be a little care package on his desk. Don't worry about dinner, Kmetko. I got this one." He gets up and throws a smile just for me over his shoulder. "But you've got the next one, Moneybags."

I find myself laughing again, like I always do with Austin. "Yeah, I know the drill."

I stand from my chair and it feels like the first time in a long time. I bring my hands up to the ceiling and stare out the window. It's pitch black. It seems like lately these little hang outs with Austin have grown more frequent and I've stopped feeling bad about it since the three of us tossed our "promise rings" into the lake. I try not to think about why. Being around Austin really does have that affect on a person. I really can't blame Kaylie for being changed by that kiss. I feel myself slowly letting go and all he has to do is smile.

"So you ready to get out of here?" he asks. "Earth to Kmetko again! Damn, someone's spacey today. Come on. I'm pretty sure your mom would claw my eyes out with her rhinestone fingernails if I got you home a minute after curfew and you know how the ladies love these eyes."

"Whatever you say, Austin," I sigh. "Oh, by the way, you have tomato sauce on your chin. I've kinda been staring at it all night. You might have mistaken it for being spacey."

"Doesn't bother me," he says. "You know I make it sexy."

I don't even say anything and he just smiles. He holds out his helmet to me and I take it every time.

Author's note: Review and maybe I'll do another.