Hero.
Austin's POV
Dallas was back. He left for military school a month or two after Ally fired him. Dallas was in military school until senior year. Senior year started about two weeks ago. He was already flirting his way into Team Austin. He was actually flirting with Trish and Ally. Neither of them saw what was happening but one day he just started appearing at the meetings. I guess he was done with Trish because he was sitting next to Ally at every damn one. The spot next to Ally was mine but now I'm forced into the old desk chair that will break underneath me one day I swear. My blood boiled seeing him and his tan skin and dog tags glowing glory. Team Austin meetings, if you could even call them that, were being poured down the drain. It was just Dallas telling jokes about the military and making Ally and Trish giggle. Dez, I could tell, was getting fed up with it as well. I thought he always had a small crush on her and his face proved it when Dallas was flexing and Trish took his biceps into her freshly manicured hand. I don't remember the last time we actually talked about doing something beneficial to Ally and I's career. I have actually stopped trimming my nails because it helps when I dig them into my palm to calm me down and not rip his face off.
Ally and him are official. He asked her out about a week ago. She was already wearing his dog tags. They were already holding hands, going on dates, ditching the so called Team Austin meetings, the whole enchilada. I couldn't have two minutes alone with the girl that writes my songs and is 1/3 of the reason I have this career.
I inhale a deep breath when I hear a familiar giggle come from behind me. A giggle who's cause, used to be me. My biology book in my hands, I slam my locker and move on before a certain tan boy doesn't have a ring of black skin around his eye.
"Wait Austin!" Ally yelled after me.
Maybe she actually wants to talk to me, hopefully about a new song, I think to myself smiling.
I turn around and I'm face to face with the happy couple. The smile vanished.
"You have to see this impression Dallas made of you!" Ally giggles.
"Ready? Ya ready?" Dallas says as he does a spin drop dance move and sings out "Make em' do a double take".
I scoff and walk off, not caring if my reaction didn't please the couple and storming my way into 3rd hour Biology, his impression making me want to teach him a little something about Austin Monica Moon.
Ally Dawson? Hmm, haven't heard from her in a few weeks. Except for the 2 seconds I walk into Sonic Boom for new guitar picks and Dallas isn't there yet. I was replaced. By her "hero". I noticed that she was just fasinated with the fact that he's going to be in the military, army branch probably. I haven't seen her with her song book since over a month ago. My mind told me something was up, but when was I going to figure it out? She didn't have time for me or Trish either I guess because I saw her scowling at them during lunch today. Ally and Dallas sit at their own table now. While Dez, Trish, and I sit and stare at her empty chair. Similar to the empty space in our hearts.
Jimmy is getting impatient. No new songs,nothing coming from my end of the stick. I tell him I'm trying, but that excuse will only go for so long. I call Ally and get a "Sorry I couldn't make it to the - Dallas stop it! I'm trying to make a voice message! *laughter* t-to the phone. I'll call you back! Dallas quit tickling me!"
I can't tell you how many times I've sat with my guitar, trying to make something come from the strings. But I don't have inspiration anymore. Not without her.
I told myself, enough was enough, that I had to talk to Ally. Get her mind back where it belongs.
So I did. I grew a pear and marched over to the happy couple's table.
"Austin hi!" Ally exclaimed, getting up from her seat.
"Babe." Dallas sneered, pushing her back down into her seat. Her expression changed then as it looked like she shrunk herself into a shell.
"I need to talk to Ally...alone." I said, keeping my confidence up.
"Anything you can say to her, you can say in front of me." Dallas growled.
I inhaled sharply and pulled out a plastic chair and plopped my ass right down in it.
Ally looked taken aback by my action, but I saw a ring of happiness in her eyes.
"Ally, Jimmy needs a new song. He's going to drop me if I don't come up with something." I pleaded.
"Write something yourself." Dallas said, interrupting before Ally could open her mouth.
"I've tried." I sneer back at him and look at Ally with a look of help.
She smiles and says, "Well I have a few ide-"
"Babe. What about my ceremony this weekend?" Dallas complained.
It took every fiber in my body not to reach across the table and yank out a chunk of that "hair that flops just the right way".
"Um well I- I could um." she stumbled, picking at her nails.
Dallas grabbed her wrist away from her other hand and I thought I heard a small wince come out of her, " Damn it Ally! Don't screw up your manicure. I need them to look nice for my general this weekend!"
Ally squeezed her eyes as he yelled at her. "Right, sorry." she squeaked out.
"So when are you free?" I asked, ignoring the glaring tan boy sitting next to her.
She opened her eyes and I saw a sparkle that hasn't been there since after I came back from tour. "I think I might be free Thursday."
"No you're no-" Dallas started but I cut him off before he could finish.
"Dude. You can live without her for a few hours." I stated as I saw a look of shock grow in both of them.
"Fine. Write your stupid music." He huffed out, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Thursday it is." I smiled at Ally, relived for once.
"See you then." she grinned at me.
2 days and I'll finally have my Ally for just a few hours.
"Thanks so much Ally. Jimmy is gonna love this!" I exclaimed at her new masterpiece.
She laughed, her genuine laugh, that faded when she saw the time.
"This sure went by fast," she mumbles, her tone sad.
"Yeah...we should do this again sometime. It's really been awhile." I say placing a hand on her knee.
She looks up at me and blushes at the contact.
"I should go. See you later Ally-gator." I whispered, placing a kiss on her forehead.
"Bye Austin." she whispers, watching me leave.
But I actually stayed. I closed the practice room door behind me and sneaked into the storage closet, cracking the door at the slightest. I was going to see what really went on with Ally's new lover boy.
I hear a guitar strumming. And Ally's angelic voice started out small, but blossomed with each note.
Where have all the good men gone
And where are all the gods?
Where's the street-wise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream
of what I need
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
"Larger than life." Ally whispered as I heard someone come pounding up the stairs.
The practice room door slams open as I see the back of Dallas standing in the doorway.
"You're still playing? I thought the blondie left." he yelled, throwing his hands up in the air.
Ally takes off the guitar and places it gently next to her, "I was just strumming. I miss my music Dallas."
"Oh Jesus Christ Ally! Don't you get it? Music will get you no where in this life! Now being in the military, that's an actual career. It's so much higher up on the social scale than music. What is more important Ally, a fighting soldier or a popstar who does spin drops on stage?" Dallas yelled pounding his fists onto the headboard.
I see Ally stiffen on the piano bench, closing her eyes. "I never said your career path wasn't important. The military is important Dallas. I just love music."
"You love music huh? You're supposed to love me. And what I do for you. I've kept you away from "Team Austin". They were no good for you. Especially that Austin. He just cares about himself you know. You're just a music giving machine to him." Dallas scoffed.
That's so incorrect, it made me nausious that he was putting those ideas into her head. Hopefully she knows how much she means to me.
"That's not true Dallas. He cares about me." she whispered, still stiff.
"THEN WHY DON'T YOU DATE HIM!" Dallas screams, stomping his foot.
Ally turned her head away from him and I swore I saw tears coming down her face. I wanted to jump out and help her, believe me I did. But I knew there was a strong girl in there, waiting to come out. Any second now...
"Dallas please calm down." she squeaked out, her voice cracking with a small sob.
C'mon Ally. Show him. I waited for her, but the strong girl I once knew did not show up. Dallas broke her.
"Excuse me?" Dallas screeched.
"Honey, please. Let's move on." she whispered as Dallas stepped closer and closer.
That tan hand raised as Ally prepared herself for the impact.
"Lay one hand on her and I will make sure that hand won't have a working bone in it." I said, my fists clenching.
Ally opened her eyes and gasped, "Austin!"
Dallas turned around and scowled. "Get out of here Moon. You have no business here."
"But I believe I do. You were about to physically hurt my Ally. You've already emotionally broke her." I didn't break eye contact.
"YOUR ALLY?" Dallas yelled, throwing a punch at me which was stopped by my hand.
"Not necessarily my Ally, she's her own person. Property of no one." I stated, looking over at the damsel in distress.
She was smiling but shaking, still overwhelmed with the events.
"I swear to God Moon, if you don't leave in the next ten seconds, I will pound your face in." Dallas gritted through his teeth.
"Not until you apologize." I glared at him.
"Apologize?" Dallas spit at me. He raised his fist again but before he swung, I had both of his arms behind his back tightly, so he was facing Ally.
"Apologize to her for everything." I spit into his ear.
Ally looked at me like I was crazy as she scooted back on the piano bench.
"I did nothing to her." He struggled out of my grip.
Ally scoffed at his words, standing up in front of him.
"Nothing? How about all the times you insulted my passions? All the times I wanted to see my friends, yet you were the only one allowed to see me? All the times you wouldn't let me touch my song book because everything about your new passion was so much better? How about every damn time I did something that didn't please you so you threatened me? I was scared to even look at you some days. I didn't know what would come out of you next. You disgust me Dallas." Ally spat, tears streamed like a river down her face.
Silence filled the room as Dallas continued to wiggle out of my grasp.
"Babe, c'mon now. I did those things to protect you." He claimed.
"Protect me? You threw me under the bus. The only thing you've ever done is hurt me." she scoffed.
I smiled at her confidence. I could tell that everything she was saying has been bottled up for a long time.
"Don't you love me anymore Ally? Do you even care about me? I know that I love you. Please let me show you how much I love you. Tell Austin to let me go and we can start over baby girl." Dallas pleaded, looking straight at her.
She looked back from Dallas's eyes to mine. Ally was obviously taken aback by his response. I was scared she would fall back under his control. It was her life but Dallas should not be in this picture.
She bit her lip, looking down at her ballet flats. "Um well maybe we could um-" she whispered, sounding unsure.
"I love you Ally Dawson. I promise I won't do anything to hurt you. I'll even write music with you if that makes you happy." Dallas smiled at her.
She looked up at this, her face unsure. Her strength fading with every lying promise coming from his lips.
The next thing she did surprised me, "Let him go Austin." she whispered.
I looked at her with shock covering my body but I did as she asked and released Dallas from my grip. He smirked at me and picked Ally up, spinning her dramatically.
He kissed her on the cheek and took a hold of her hand and walked out of the practice room without another word.
I wasn't done. Not yet anyway.
To say things went back to normal, well I'd be lying to you.
It looked like he relaxed a bit but Ally still sat with him, at their own personal table every day of the week.
We all missed her terribly but if she was truly happy with the circumstances she was in, there was nothing we could do.
Trish cried, a lot. Dez even let out a few tears. I kept my tears to myself, only when I was alone.
I started to see a more bubbly Ally than before, but not 100%. The dog tags went back around her neck and his arm went back around her shoulders.
She would occasionally say hi to us in the hallways as Dallas rolled his eyes and pulled her off in the opposite direction. She still needed us, we could all tell. But we were just hoping she'd come back to us, before we go running to her.
After school, I saw her in the football stands, watching Dallas and the ROTC kids do drill practice on the field. Perfect.
"Hey Ally-gator." I said, plopping down next to her.
"Hey Austin!" her face instantly lite up.
"How are um things...with Dallas?" I asked quietly, although Dallas wouldn't have heard us anyway.
She looked a little timid and I could tell she was covering something up. "They're good. Better, I guess." she said, her eyes begging me to believe it.
I nodded and looked out at the field. "We miss you Ally. I miss you." I said.
"I miss you guys too. Hey why don't you come to a party at Dallas's house this Saturday. Bring Trish and Dez too." She said, her voice getting anxious.
"You sure Dallas would be cool with that?" I asked, a little cautious.
Pause. "Ye-yeah. He'll be chill about it." she said, stuttering.
"Alright, we'll be there around 8." I say standing up.
She stands to and turns her heels to face me, "Okay. I'll you see you there." she was smiling, big.
"My mom is expecting me home soon. Bye Ally-gator" I say, pulling her into a hug.
She froze at first, but wrapped her arms around my neck and I nuzzled my face into her neck. Her hair smelled like mangoes. The contact was so overdue.
"Bye Austin." she whispers, voice cracking as she releases herself.
I place a sweet kiss on her forehead, like I did a few weeks ago and I was off on my way. Before I got into my pickup, I look back at the football stands. She sat there, elbows on her knees, chin in her palms. The expression on her face was anything but happy.
We pulled up to Dallas's house at 8:10 that Saturday. The place was booming with music and colored lights.
Dez, Trish , and I were all taking microscopic steps inside. Ally was the only reason we would ever come here.
Alcohol, sweat, and nachos filled our noses. He invited the whole school it seemed like. Well for boy who stays isolated with our Ally, he sure does have a lot of friends.
We all got seperated at one point, when Trish went to the dance floor and Dez was shoving a billion corn dogs into his face. I, however, still haven't seen Ally since we got here. Sure there was a lot of people, but I figured she was with her boyfriend. Her boyfriend that was surrounded by a group of cheerleaders in front of his flat screen. Typical.
An hour passed and Ally hasn't shown up yet. My jaw was shaking, my hands were sweaty, where is she?
I walked upstairs, ignoring the girls in revealing clothes handing me shots. It was quieter up here but there was a small noise coming from behind a white wooden door.
A broken sob. A too familiar broken sob.
My hands tremble, touching the cold metal doorknob. I know I didn't want to see what was behind that door, but I'm sure she needed to see me.
I crack it at the slightest and the figure jumps a mile in the air.
"Please please don't." she murmurs, covering her face.
"Ally?" I whisper my heart feeling like someone is throwing it into a paper shredder.
She quickly wipes under her eyes and takes a shaky breath in, "Oh Austin hi."
I step in and close the door behind me. I reach up to the metal chain and yank it down to let the light shine in the tiny coat closet.
Ally quickly tucks her face into her leather jacket. Her hair was screwed up and her whole body was shaking like a cold chihuahua.
My arms quickly pick her up into my lap and caress her. The sobs started again, choking out of her lips.
"Shh Ally. Ally look at me." I whisper, holding her tightly against my chest.
She shakes her head and buries it deeper into my neck, tears rolling from her cheek down my throat.
I take her chin delicately over my fingertips, directing her face into my sight.
Her eyes fluttered open and I took in the aftermath before me. A dark, black bruise was forming under her right eye and moving it's way down her cheek. It was like watching the Ally I knew, the girl who got over her stage fright and got herself a record deal, die in front of me.
We didn't sputter a word for a long time. I just stared at her, my heart being nothing but dust in my chest.
Ally inhales deeply and mutters a "He figured out you were coming to the party.", breaking the silence and our eye contact.
A sharp breath inhaled into my lungs, I begin to get up. I had some trash I needed to take out. But a pair of arms wrapped around my torso, told me otherwise.
"Austin please don't. It's my fault. I should've asked him before hand. It's fine really." she whispered, tugging me down to the floor.
I stared at her, making sure I heard her correctly. Her fault? She was more torn down then I thought. I pulled her back into my lap, rocking her gently. Her sobs started to slow down to a point where she was just breathing.
"Ally?" I murmured.
"Hmm?" she said, sounding like she was about to fall asleep.
"It's never your fault. He should only touch you with hands that love. If it hurts, it's not love." I said.
Ally sat up straighter and looked back at me. She smiled and giggled, "You got that from Oprah."
I grinned and tackled her into a hug, and a tickling fight. She laughed, the laugh I remember from about a month ago. How my ears missing the subtle ringing.
"Let's get you home, okay?" I whispered, helping her up.
"Dallas will see me." she croaked, taking a step back.
I reach for her hand and intertwine my fingers in hers. "It's okay, I'll protect you."
She smiles and we make our way out of the closet, hands still intertwined. She puts her hood up to beat out questions. We run down the stairs and make our way to the front door. Ally lets out a relieved sigh and I open up the passenger seat door to let her in.
I make my way to the other car door and behind me I hear a loud "Hey!" When I glace behind me, I'm met with a furious tan teenager who has obviously had some liquid courage tonight.
He shoved me up against my car and put his forearm up to my neck. Ally screamed inside the car. I kept a straight face, keeping my slight fear hidden. My head pounded with pain from the contact.
"Why-yy iss my Allly in yourr caarrr?" he slurred, breath reaking of nachos and shots.
"You hurt her Dallas. You physically hurt her." I spat.
"I diddd noo suchh thingg youu asss." Dallas pushed his arm harder onto my neck.
I glared at him, not moving an inch. Dallas released his pressure a little bit and slammed me back into the window, with more force than before. A crowd started to form all wincing when they saw him do that.
"Gett thatt bitch out off yourr carr beforee I kill youu." Dallas whispered harshly, the word "bitch" rising anger within my body.
I pushed Dallas off of me and he fell back and tripping over the curb, landing in the patch of grass rather hard. I walk up closer and scream, " Ally freaking Dawson is a perfect human being and if you ever lay a fingernail on her again, you will not see the dawn of daylight! Do you understand?"
He groggily opens his eyes, a tear swelling in his left one. Shaking, he nods staying in his position on the ground. The crowd grows silent after my rage but the only thing that is possibly on my mind is the teenage girl in the passenger seat of my car, traumatized probably.
I open the car door, slide in, and shove my keys into the ignition. I feel her eyes peering at me, waiting for her tongue to roll out some words. I spun off into the road and made my way to the Dawson residence, the car ride as silent an exam room.
The car pulls up Ally's driveway, still neither of us saying a word. The silence was tugging at me but I just assumed Ally was too overwhelmed to speak. I park and turn off the car, but neither of us move. I look down at my hands, still unsure how to come about the events of tonight. Finally, my brain and tongue communicate with each other to spit out, "Do you have foundation on you?"
"Excuse me?" she says, a small giggle escaping her lungs.
"O-oh no not for me, I mean-um your dad, he'll see the bruise. Ask questions and what not." I stumble out, sounding like an idiot.
"Oh, yeah." she whispers, her mood plummeting as she reaches into her handbag and pulls out a small tube. She flips down the overhead mirror, to find it missing. Her head turns, pitching a look my way.
"Shit. I forgot about that. The car it didn't come with one because- well never mind, it's not important. Um, I guess I could put it on you. Here," I stick out my hand and turn on the book light above us. As the light cascades upon Ally, I am painfully reminded of how broken that porcelain face was. My body lets in a shaky breath, my hand squeezing a small amount of foundation onto my fingertips.
"Let me know if it hurts, okay?" I whisper, unbuckling myself to scoot closer to her. Ally nods and tucks a chunk of hair behind her ear, revealing the whole wound.
My fingertips lightly pat her cheek, the makeup making its way into her pores. When I think I have the whole surface covered, I go to rub it in. The words "BAD IDEA" scream in my head as Ally whimpers. A sound that hurts my ears...and my heart.
I glance up to apologize and my nose softly grazes hers. Our eyes meet and I feel like I'm staring into the biggest two cups of lattes. She swallows at the contact and whispers, "Austin. Thank you...for rescuing me."
I close the useless space between us to softly bathe my lips in her's. I mind myself to be gentle, concerning her state right now. I pull away slowly, our foreheads still brushing each other.
"I'll be your superhero Ally. Always."
fin.
A/N: this took me like forever and a day to finish so if you could leave your feedback that'd be absolutely wonderful. i don't own anything you recognize.
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