Tug of War

He thought she was just a friend. That's all he thought of her as- a friend and partner. Nothing more, nothing less. Then again, he was never really sure of his feelings. He's realized that over the years.

Elliot brought out the nasty in him. He wasn't jealous. Not at all. He just doesn't like sharing what's his. Not that Ally was his. But Austin couldn't help feeling the twinge in his stomach that surfaced every time he saw Ally wrap her arms around Elliot's neck the way she does to him. He loves the way her arms feel around his neck. They belong there. Not around anyone else's.

He didn't mean to ruin their date. Dez just got the thought into his mind that he should be there to protect her. Yeah, protect her. That's all it was. However, Austin saw her laughing at something Elliot said and the green-eyed monster just came out. He didn't mean to barge into their conversation and get sauce all over Elliot's shirt. It was all an accident. Obviously.

Ally's furious with him. He knows, so he's been avoiding her the last couple days. Or hiding, depending on how you look at it. He's been staking out at his house, and it's been torture. All day he lays in bed, lovesick. Or actually sick. He can't tell the difference. Either way, he feels terrible. He needs to prove to Ally that he's sorry. Even if it means becoming friends with Elliot. He hopes it won't have to come to that.

With all the time he spends laying in his bed, he thinks. Thinks of how this got so out of hand. He turns to his side, and contemplates whatever this feeling he has for Ally is. Love? Quite possibly. Like? More than just a friend? Definitely. He shifts back onto his back. Hm, that didn't take him quite as long as he thought to figure out. Maybe because that feeling's always been there. He just had to put a name onto what it was.

He eventually goes to talk to her. He needs to clear things up. As he approaches her, he takes it as a good sign that she's neither running away or shouting at him. Just giving him the evil glare. Okay, so maybe not such a good sign. He plucks up all the courage he has, which isn't a lot mind you, and stands in front of her. Her arms are crossed and she looks like she's about to rip his head off. If looks could kill, he'd be dead by now. He's about to shy away but he stays. He has to get out of this giant game of tug of war. The one between him and Elliot where Ally is the rope. This has to stop.

That's it. He did it. He told her how he feels. And kissed her. That really was an accident though. She just looked so pretty. He scuffs his feet on the ground anxiously, waiting for her reaction. She just stands there and stares wide-eyed. He can't believe he just did that. She runs away. Austin can feel his heart shatter.

He calls once- "Ally, please pick up. I need to talk to you."

He calls twice- "Please, Ally. Please."

He calls thirteen times- "Ally, we need to speak. Give me a call back. Or meet me at the fountain in ten minutes. I have to talk to you."

It's ten minutes later and he sits by the fountain. He doesn't see Ally anywhere. He stands up, hoping to see a head full of curly brown hair. He does, but none of them are her. He sits back down. And waits. For what eventually turns into hours. He sighs and trudges back home. Once he gets to his room, he flops down onto his bed and feels a tear trickle from his eye. He really thinks he's lost his best friend. He eyes Dougie the Dolphin on his chair and picks him up, hugging him tightly against his chest.

"Hey, Austin. Sorry I haven't called you back. I lost my phone. And sorry I haven't seen you in last few days. I suppose one could say that I've been kinda avoiding you. I just need to think about things. I agree, though. We need to talk. Give me a call back. Bye."

Austin grins as he hears her message on his phone. So, that's all it was. She hadn't purposefully not come to the fountain. She just didn't know. Sure, she's been avoiding him- that made his heart sink a little- but it was just to think things through. He had kissed her after all. And they were suppose to be just friends. He calls her back.

They agree to meet up at the practice room and talk. He cautiously and nervously walks up the stairs leading to the door of their private hangout. He nudges the door slightly ajar and peeks in. He sees Ally pacing back and forth, creating track marks on the carpet. She sees him and immediately stops. He walks in fully and gulps.

"Hey, Ally."

No reply.

"I'm sorry, if that's you want. I'm sorry for freaking you out and having all this happen so suddenly. I'm sorry that I made everything so awkward between us and pretty much jeopardized our friendship. I'm sorry that... I'm sorry that I'm not even sorry for telling you how I felt and kissing you. Because I feel like you deserved to know."

No reply. Just the faint sound of Ally breathing. She opens her mouth, then quickly closes it. She tries again and spits out, "I don't know what to say."

"Say anything. Please. Tell me you want me to go away or that you hate me forever. Just please say something."

"Okay. I want you to go away and I hate you."

Austin thinks his heart just about collapsed. And shriveled up. And fractured into a million pieces. "What?"

Ally responded hesitantly, "I want you to go away because sometimes it gets too hard to be around you because I try to convince myself that I'm only supposed to be your friend, but then you go around kissing me and- and... I just don't know what would be safer- being your friend or becoming your girlfriend. And honestly, I hate you for not telling me sooner. Or warning me. It would've been nice if you warned me. Give me time to prepare."

He let out a sigh of relief. "Oh thank goodness. I thought you actually meant that. Honestly Ally, I think we would be just fine dating. I mean, we're best friends. If anything wrong happens, we could just go back to being best friends."

She smiles and nods. "Okay. We could always go back to being best friends. If anything goes wrong," she says more to herself than to him. She walks up slowly to him until their lips meet. Sparks ignite the air with an electric intensity he thinks is only possible with her.

It's been ten years now, and so far nothing's gone wrong.