stay by your side through the rain and shine
Summary: "I got so scared; I convinced myself that I didn't really care." – In which what Austin and Ally have is not never ending. Ross&Laura. Raura.
Prompt: Hah. This whole Maia/Raia/Raura issue going on idk. Also, a scene from Inuyasha. I've been getting a lot of my ideas from animes lately. And, also the song Dumb by Tich, my baby.
A/N:Literally written on impulse just to rid myself of some frustration. I put more thought into the summary than the fanfiction itself. LOL. About the title…I never know what to use as a title anymore erg. Welp, I'm deleting this someday anyway.
Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer is applied.
She's never been asked a question like this before. Really, she should've known – she should've expected it. But she didn't. And here she is now, sweaty palms and a dry throat, thinking over what to say.
Her hands are shaking, tightly fisting the hem of her loose pink top. She's biting her lip as she stares into the interviewer's glassy blue eyes. The kind of eyes that you'd feel intimidated by, and you'd wonder how much power they really have over you. And right now, this girl sitting before her, had complete and utter control over her.
Ever since the age of five, Laura Marie Marano has been considered to be extremely good with words. With all the poems, song lyrics and short stories she's written, she just happened to prove all this. But right now, she's floored and just simply at lost for words. Her jaw is tight, her tongue tied, and there's a lump in her throat she feels like she'll soon choke on.
"Laura?" The girl asks, flicking her blonde hair slightly to the side in a confused fashion. And Laura has no choice but to look back at her and meet that ever-so-piercing gaze of hers.
"Erm, yeah." She clears her throat, straightening herself up and daring herself to look the girl straight in the eye. "Can you please repeat the question again?"
"Oh, of course." The girl nods happily, once again looking over the paper scribbled with tens and thousands of questions specially asked for Laura. "Your co-star, Ross Lynch, seems to be having the time of his life with his all new co-star for the ever-so-anticipated DCOM Teen Beach Movie, Maia Mitchell. How do you feel about this?"
"I—I don't really know what to say." She truthfully answers, tucking fallen strands of brown and blonde hair behind her ear. "I don't think it's any of my business, nor do I feel myself obligated to answer."
"Oh, but, you must feel a little something. Maybe even, resentment?" The interviewer quips, carefully setting down the papers of questions on the coffee table between them. "I mean, he has been spending a lot of time with her, over you and your other Austin and Ally co-stars."
"Ross has other friends outside of us and his family. I don't really think that's an issue." Her voice had a hint of force in it, although she tried to stay calm. Her eyes are still locked onto those piercing blue ones, challenging the interviewer to dare ask more.
"Fans seem to think otherwise." The girl smirks, leaning back and closing her eyes. "Don't you think, even the slightest bit, it's unfair for Teen Beach Movie to be getting this much publicity? It's nothing more than another wannabe High School Musical if you ask me."
"Well, you have your opinion, I have mine." Laura says softly, taking in a deep breath as she turns her focus down to her fascinating multicolored nails. She sees red, yellow, purple and green – and this makes her smile slightly. "I'm proud of Ross."
"Maia seems like a nice, sweet girl." The interviewer comments, leaning forward and resting her chin on her hand. She gives Laura a look of interest with a hint of sadism.
"She is. She is very lovely and so much fun to have around." Her enthusiasm seems to have come back as she slightly starts bouncing on her seat. This causes the interviewer to giggle before turning to face her with all-seriousness again.
"Don't you ever feel that, she might replace you?" There's a double meaning to that question, and it causes Laura to stop squirming in her seat. Her mood drops once again as she's left to contemplate over that one question.
"I'm no—"
"People like to see chemistry between two co-stars." The interviewer starts, not giving Laura a chance to talk. "They like to see a certain kind of connection between two characters and they love to build something out of it. Most people would refer to it as a ship. You and Ross, as Austin and Ally, you have that kind of connection and that's what pulls most of the viewers of Austin and Ally in. They see the connection and suddenly they're interested and they say to themselves oh my God, they're made for each other. I would know; I've done it all before."
"I—I see." Was all that Laura could manage to choke out as she continues to stare down her nails.
"It's a little hard to believe that the characters you play, having such an intense connection, can be nothing like your real life relationship. It's simply impossible." The interviewer speaks on as she scoots herself closer towards Laura on the white leather couch. "But most people seem to shift views once they find something – a pair – so much better than the first one. Like, for example, currently there's Austin and Ally. Auslly – as the people call it – have this strong bond in the show that only could come alive through yours and Ross' acting. But what if, once Teen Beach Movie comes out, people will see a connection so much stronger – so much better – than what you and Ross could've offered. Don't you think Auslly will lose it's sentiment as people move on to fall in love with this new-formed ship?"
There's a long and uncomfortable silence that followed after. Laura's not sure whether it was her cue to speak, or her cue to go run and hide and never show face again. She doesn't see why this was affecting her so bad. Or, maybe she could – she just refuses to believe it.
Reading between the lines she could already see to herself what the interviewer was really trying to say. That Austin and Ally will not last forever. Neither will this thing she has with Ross. She doesn't know exactly what this thing they have is but she's pretty sure it needs no label. All she knows is, it's something different than an ordinary friendship. It's more than just the status of a best girl and guy friend. But it's nothing like the like like relationship boyfriends and girlfriends have. She's not sure what to call it – she never was. But she knew what they had was special. She saw it special – even if he didn't.
And now she's being told that this bond between her and Ross could easily be replaced by a bond so much stronger – like what he may or may not have with Maia. And it hurts to know that there could be someone out there better suited for him than her. Someone who could make him smile like that and laugh like that.
"You know Laura, it's okay to feel jealous and feel like you're being replaced." The interviewer cuts through her thoughts and Laura couldn't help but to stare wide-eyed at her. How dare she.
How dare she dictate how Laura should feel? Maybe she is jealous. And maybe she does feel like she's being replaced. Maybe she's so scared of letting go this thing she has with Ross that only ever happens once in a lifetime. But who gave this girl, this mere interviewer the right to come face Laura with how she is feeling.
Laura, she never ever loses her cool. She rarely gets mad or upset. But this, this whole interview struck a chord. And it leaves her no choice but to lash out the truth. In a classy way of course.
"You know what, you're right. What I have with Ross right now – this friendship – it's not never ending." She calmly states, taking in a deep breath as she closed her eyes before finally speaking again. "I got so scared; I convinced myself that I didn't really care. But, now I know that's never the way to go."
"So you finally feel the anger? The bitterness? The jealousy?" The interviewer curiously asks, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Yes." Was Laura's unexpected answer. And if they were on-set for Austin and Ally right now, she'd be hearing gasp and surprised cries.
"So you're—"
"I always thought, you know, the friendships I made with the people from this show would last for a long time – if not forever. Specially the kind of friendship me and Ross have. Maybe we were meant to be a couple – we just never tried it out. I was too scared to lose my friend in him, and I don't know what his reason was for never asking me out. I've finally come to terms that with him, I only stand as a definite co-star for now. I don't who or what part I will play in his life later on, after the show ends – if I'm even still welcomed in it. But, the thing is, from the start I should've already known this." The words came out of her like a natural instinct, and it left the interviewer a little speechless.
"What should you have known?" The interviewer shakily asks, her eyes focused on Laura's calm figure.
"That in show business, nothing lasts forever. Even if it's Disney." She laughs a little, throwing her head back and closing her eyes. "Being jealous? Yes, maybe I am. But do I resent Maia or Ross for it? No. I may be a little angry, maybe slightly bitter, but I will never pin this blame on both their successes. They're my friends and I am happy for them. Ross deserves to be happy with a girl that will make him feel loved and special and will give him her all. I could be that girl – only if he let me. But if he wants to be with Maia, who am I to stop him, or get in the way of it? It's unfair and I wouldn't be a very good friend if I did this."
"But even just a little bit; aren't you mad at Maia for taking away Ross? At Teen Beach Movie for ever existing and getting in the way of Austin and Ally?" The interviewer frantically asks, feeling as though this isn't how she wanted this entire interview to go.
"No. I do not own Ross. And if he ever felt happier working on Teen Beach Movie than Austin and Ally, that's his call. I can't exactly stop him from feeling how he feels. But, the fact that I want to keep him for myself, the fact that I selfishly wish for him to stay with me – it proves that I care about him. And that I love him. And I don't want to lose him. If I didn't feel any of these things, it would mean he was nothing to me. But he is something – he's more than just something; he's almost my everything. I'm human and I feel things like anger and bitterness and jealousy and replacement because I'm obligated to. It shows that something is so dear to me, it triggers all these emotions. And Ross, his happiness is what matters here. And, I think, no matter what he chooses later on, when all is said and done, I've still got him right now. He's mine right now and I'll stay by his side, for as long as he needs me to. Because one day I may lose him completely, but right now there's still a part of him that's left with me."
And with that said, Laura stood up from her seat and nodded politely at the gaping interviewer. With a short wave, she ran out of the enclosed doors of the interview room, feeling the fresh air blowing against her pale cheeks and rosy red lips.
There was an unexpected tap on her shoulder and she turned abruptly to meet soft brown eyes and sandy blonde hair. Her lips curved upward a little as she stared at the boy before her.
"Hey Ross." She breathes out, smiling like a dote at him.
"Hi." He returns the smile, grabbing her little hand and lacing it with his. "How was the interview?"
"It was alright. The room was a little stuffy though." She lets out in a laugh as he just smiled at her. "I thought you had TBM things to do today?"
"Nah." He shrugs, closing his eyes and tightening his hold on her hand. "I've got better things to do – with you."
A/N:Short and sweet A/N please review and I really have no idea what this is. It was written on impulse and I honestly don't know half the things I've said in here. I just really felt like, if ever asked a question about being jealous, this is how Laura would be like. And also, the interviewer was meant to be a manipulative bitch. The end is crappy, I know. It's fast paced and extremely rushed – the entire story. But please review with some helpful criticism :)