Ally's sitting on her bedroom floor, guitar cradled in her arms and a piece of paper lying on the floor. She scribbles down a few hints about the rhythm after composing a few chords. She's home alone tonight, an empty coffee cup lying on the floor by her feet and candy wrappers scattered across the floor.

Ally glanced out her window and saw the stars layered in the sky. She smiled slightly as she remembered her and Austin lying in the back of his truck and trying to count them. This memory stays in her mind for a moment before it's followed by another one.

Ally had been sitting in her '68 Chev Impala with the windows rolled down when she'd noticed Austin walking down the sidewalk, a cell phone pressed against his ear. She's about to wave him over when she realized the look on his face. Whoever he was on the phone with was not making him happy. The discussion looked heated. Austin continued to roll his eyes and bicker to whomever. He rakes a hand through his blonde hair, messing it slightly from its original tidy look. "It was a joke!" he claimed and Ally rolled her eyes heavenward, sinking back into her seat. She knew immediately that he was on the phone with his current girlfriend who didn't have a humorous bone in her body. Ally struggled to understand why someone as witty as Austin could stand being with somebody so serious. Ally has to remind herself that Austin is just a friend and she can't feel anything for him. But she does, and she's felt it for a long time.

Which is why Ally is in her room, listening to The Beatles strictly because Austin's girlfriend hates them and Ally feels a sense of pride knowing she didn't have something in common with the girl. Ally comforts herself by knowing that she also knows Austin's life more than his girlfriend does, so there shouldn't be a reason for him to stay with that girl. Ally pulled herself out of the memory by scribbling words onto her paper.

You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset

she's going off about something that you said

because she doesn't get your humor

like I do

I'm in the room, it's a typical Tuesday night

I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like

and she'll never know your story

like I do

When Ally pulled her pencil away from the paper to review her words, she finds herself slipping into another memory. Ally's sitting on the bench, casually going over homework when Kira Starr comes prancing around in front of her, wearing her typical attire: cute top and a mini skirt. Her long legs are intimidating to many girls, but not Ally. Ally just rolls her eyes and notices that she's nicked her leg while shaving. Ally focuses on her books once again until she hears that one familiar voice. For a stupid second, Ally grins because she thinks that the "Hey you!" was for her, but when the blonde boy wraps his arms around Kira Starr, she knows it's not. She immediately looks down to her things, not focusing on the fact that her best friend is locking lips with Kira Starr. Well, then again, she is his girlfriend and Ally will never know what he sees in her as she grabs her little pom-poms and announces to her stick-figured friends that they need to go over their cheer once again for the eighth time. Austin doesn't notice Ally on that bench as he grins at his girlfriend.

Ally presses her pencil down harder onto her paper, scratching in more words.

She wears short skirts,

I wear T-Shirts,

she's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers,

dreaming about the day

when you wake up and find

that what you're looking for

has been here the whole time

Ally suddenly remembers a conversation that her and Austin had, had that day. Ally had opened a text message from Austin. She was excited to see if he was asking to hang out, but instead she sees a big frowning emote. She ignores her settled in disappoint and asks what's wrong. Austin replied faster than she thought he would because Kira just didn't understand him the way he wants her, too, but Austin does add in that he loves her so much and it kills Ally. Austin had tried to explain to Kira that he wanted to go with friends but she wouldn't allow it because they had already planned to hang out. Ally knew that if it was her, she would always let Austin hang out with his friends. She could hang out with Austin anytime she wanted if she was his girlfriend, so of course she'd allow him to hang out with his friends and maybe have a couple drinks. But that would never go down with Kira because Kira needed his attention. Ally wondered if he remembered that they were friends, because he doesn't come around so often ever since Kira had become his girl. Ally doesn't seem to mind that Austin stops texting her for a moment before sending her one last text for the day, explaining that everything was sorted out. Smiley emote.

Ally takes another deep breath and scribbles down the chorus fast.

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you

been here all along

so why can't you see

you belong with me?

You belong with me.

Ally smiled slightly as she falls under the weight of yet another memory. Ally is sitting on a bench, frowning into a book when Austin sneaks up behind her, grabbing her shoulders. Ally shrieks, dropping her book onto the ground. She glares at Austin, picking it up. She snaps at him to leave, but he only laughs. She catches herself smiling at the sound of it and he invites himself to sit beside her. He apologizes that he hasn't been around and she forgives him without thinking about it first. He gets up and offers her a walk to school. Ally frowns because she had already been waiting for the bus, but Austin said the bus was disgustingly dirty and he needed a walking buddy. Ally laughs and happily walks with him, laughing all the way to school.

Ally writes more words.

I walk in the streets

with you and your worn out jeans,

I can't help thinking this is how it ought to be

laughing on the park bench, thinking to myself,

"hey, isn't this easy?"

Ally worms her way into another thought, or memory perhaps. Austin has thrown himself onto her bedroom floor, telling her that she has a sticker on her cheek. She replies with a simple "yes, I know, I put it there" and telling Austin that Dez made her do it for school spirit. Austin lets out a laugh and Ally smiles again but she notices that he's not quite the same today. Ally watches him for a couple moments before he catches her and raises his eye brows. Ally asks him if he's alright and he tells her that he's fine and that Kira calling him down all the time doesn't bother him one bit. Ally doesn't believe him and only wonders why he stays with her.

Ally's mind is flooded with even more lyrics, she writes them.

And you've got a smile

that could light up this whole town

I haven't seen it in a while since she brought you down,

you say you're fine, I know you better than that

Hey, what you doing with a girl like that?

Another memory: Ally recalls standing next to Kira in the cafeteria lunch line. Kira towers over Ally in her six-inch black stilettos, but Ally doesn't seem to mind as she texts her friend Trish about what the special is today. Ally stares down at her black converse. There's mud on the toe of them. Ally smells a familiar scent of cologne and glances over and sees Austin's smiling lips on top of Kira's. She tells herself that it doesn't bother her, but wonders if it's okay that it does. Austin doesn't notice Ally, maybe because she's so short or maybe because he's occupied by his cheerleading girlfriend.

Ally finds herself writing onto her paper again,

She wears high heels,

I wear sneakers,

she's cheer captain

and I'm on the bleachers

Dreaming about the day

when you wake up and find

that what you're looking for

has been here the whole time

Once again, Ally is sucked into a vertex of memories. She's standing at Austin's backdoor holding a pile of movies in her hands. He promised Movie Marathon Night and specifically told her to bring Star Wars and Star Trek. He was such a sci-fi nerd, but so was she. She almost rings the door bell but sees him in the house with Kira. He's not smiling, he's kissing her. Ally watches from outside as the kiss is getting more intense. She glances around at her surroundings, bites her lip. She places the movies down by his door, just in case he comes outside looking for her and realizes that she didn't ditch, just didn't want to be a bother. She heads home.

Ally writes,

Standing by and waiting at your back door

All this time, how could you not know?

Baby, you belong with me,

you belong with me.

Yay, another memory: Austin had called Ally and announced that he was coming to see her. Ally wanted to sleep, but his voice was shaky so she stayed up for him. Somehow Ally gets him inside her house without her father knowing and they walk up the stairs together. Austin sprawls onto her bed and he doesn't have any efforts to smile. Ally stares at him for a moment, unsure, but then she smiles at him and sits on his stomach. Austin looks at her and when she tells him that pouting is a turn-off, he starts laughing. She only smiles because he smiled. She then hums the tune to his favourite song as she curls up against his side, his arm around her shoulders and she doesn't realize him staring until she looks up to stare at him. She wants to avoid feeling obligated to kiss him right there so she asks him if he's ready to graduate this year and he assures her that he is. He then loses himself in telling her about his wildest dream, about how badly he wants to be on stage and he doesn't forget to tell her that although he is a little bit on the popular side, he doesn't feel like he belongs anywhere. Ally stays silent and doesn't tell him she knows where he belongs, because she doesn't want to scare him when she knows that it's with her.

Ally takes another breath, pulling out of that memory and writes a little more.

Oh, I remember you were driving to my house

in the middle of the night

I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're about to cry

I know your favourite songs

and you tell me about your dreams

Think I know where you belong

Think I know it's with me

No memory, no words. Ally stops. She's re-reading the words, slowly wandering through the memories all over again when she suddenly hears a knock on her front door. She dreads getting up, but does it anyway and heads to the front door. She opens it and sees Austin there. She swallows thickly. "Austin."

"Hey," he grins at her. He's dressed in a tux as his smile falters slightly and he points out, "You didn't go to prom."

"Uh, no..." she shakes her head, "No, I don't have a dress and no one asked me. Besides, I had homework." He slowly nods. Ally looked for Kira and couldn't find her. Austin noticed.

"We broke up. Kira and I, We broke up. Actually, I broke up with her." Austin admits. Ally nods and tries not to feel the lightheaded relief, but she feels it anyways. He shook his head, "I don't know what I was thinking. Kira and I have nothing in common. She was awful to me and rude to Dez. She insulted Trish once or twice and I know she totally ignored you."

Ally pursed her lips and nodded, "Are you okay?" Ally questions.

"No," he shakes his head, "I'm not." Ally frowned. He had never been so upfront about his feelings. She wasn't used to it. She wasn't prepared.

"Well, um, okay. You can come inside-"

"I'm not okay...Kira told me something tonight," he said.

"Oh?"

"She told me that you...that you like me."

"Oh."

Austin looked at her questioningly. "Is that true, Ally? I need to know... Do you have a crush on me?"

Ally studied his face before blurting, "Yes, Austin," she pauses, "For a while now... How could you not know?"

Austin ignored her question, deciding not to answer it. Instead he asked her a question of his own, "Why...Why do you like me?" A stupid question really.

Ally was silent for a long moment. Austin didn't look angry, more lost, confused and surprised, but maybe even happy. She can't tell anymore, she just says, "Because you belong with me."

The End.

Ah, one shots. So simple, so quick.

How was that for an ending?