Summary: Ally Dawson's story begins after she is accepted to her dream school in New York. When her talent is quickly recognized and fame is thrust upon her, she thinks she has it all together – until she meets Austin Moon, who turns her world upside down. / Based off 1989 by Taylor Swift. Multi-Chapter.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who read the first chapter! Here's chapter two. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own "Austin & Ally" or 1989 by Taylor Swift.
Blank Space:
"There once was a girl known by everyone and no one."
- Taylor Swift
It's been four months since Ally Dawson first moved to New York City to attend MUNY, and what a crazy four months it's been.
It wasn't long before people besides her piano teacher recognized she had an incredible ability. She was one of the top – sometimes even the top – best students in all her classes, and many of her classmates questioned how she came to be such an amazing musician. It was only a month into the school year when she was approached by none other than the dean himself, who invited her to check out the school's recording studio. Next thing she knew, they were offering to record her first song and release it to the public in a few months' time.
But the most shocking reaction she received was from the public. Less than twenty-four hours after her song was released, Cassidy called – because, though they didn't have Advanced Piano Lessons, together, they did end up sharing other classes – and told her to turn on the radio. She did, and she couldn't believe what she heard.
"Is that –?" she started, not wanting to jinx this unbelievable moment.
"Your song!" Cassidy shouted. "It's your song!"
Ally shrieked in delight. She couldn't believe it. Her song, her very first song, on the radio! It was such a surreal moment. Everywhere she went, people would congratulate her on her first single, which very quickly became number one on iTunes and was in the top ten on the Billboard 100 list. People loved it, and loved her, and they couldn't wait for more. So, after a very promising conversation with the owners of the recording studio, she was signed, and set to start working on more music.
Fast forward a month since then, and Ally's life has been hectic. With school out for the month of December, she's been spending all her time either recording in the studio or up late in her apartment writing. Originally, she was supposed to go back home to Miami for Christmas, but plans have changed and her dad is being flown up to stay for a week so she can spend time with him while also working on her music. It's her dream, making music, but right now it's tiring, and all she wants is to spend the holidays with her dad and a few friends.
She arrives home from a long day of recording and immediately flops down onto the couch. They finished this song early, so she was able to head home just in time to make dinner. Just as she's about to close her eyes and sleep for hours, not caring that she's still in her winter coat and lying on the couch, her doorbell rings. Groaning, she stands and walks back to the front door.
"Hello?" she asks when she opens the door, not bothering to hide her exhaustion.
"Oh, sorry to bother you, Ally," a familiar voice says.
She straightens. "Oh, it's not a problem, Dallas," she says, recognizing her neighbour from across the hall.
He chuckles, but doesn't comment. Instead, he says, "Someone stopped by your apartment to drop off something earlier, but since you weren't here, they asked me to deliver it instead. So, I'm delivering it," he says, holding out a thick envelope.
"Oh. Thank you," she replies, taking the envelope from him. "I wonder why they didn't just leave it in my mailbox."
"They said it was too valuable or something," Dallas explains. "Anyway, that's really all I came by for. See you around."
Just as he turns around, however, Ally stops him.
"Wait."
"Yes?" he asks, turning to face her again.
"Don't you want to see what it is? You helped deliver it, after all," she says.
He smiles, then walks back to her door again. "You do have a point."
She smiles back, then proceeds to turn the envelope around and lift the flap, pulling out –
"An invitation?" she says.
"Really? For what?" says Dallas.
She scans the invite, her eyes widening in shock. "Um, only to one of the biggest shows of the year! They're asking me to perform in Times Square on New Year's Eve!" she exclaims, holding out the invite for Dallas to read.
"That's so cool!" Dallas replies, grinning at the invite, then Ally. "You're so lucky!"
"This is just...so amazing, I can hardly believe it," she says, more to herself than Dallas. As she reads the invite again, she notices something she didn't see before. "Apparently, I can bring a guest to the show. Wow."
"Well, whoever you take is one lucky guy – or girl, if you're not with somebody. Unless the person you're with is a girl, then that's cool, too," he adds quickly.
This brings her eyes up to him. "I – No, I'm actually not with anybody, to be honest with you. I haven't really had the time since...ever."
"Really?"
She nods. "Yeah." She pauses before adding, "Did – did you want to come with me? I mean, I'd ask my dad, since he'll be in town, but he hates crowds and it'll be really cold and he's not used to that, so he'll probably just want to stay in for the night, and I know Cassidy already has plans with her boyfriend, so –"
Dallas's laugh brings her to a stop in her rambling.
"Ally, slow down, I can hardly understand a word you just said to me," he says with a laugh. "But, unless I'm mistaken, I think you just asked me out?"
She gapes at him, not sure what he meant. When realization hits her, she says, "Oh! Oh, you mean – New Year's Eve, the show – me asking you to come with...me. On New Year's Eve. Right."
"Did you not mean it as a date? Because I'm fine with just going as friends," he says.
Ally thinks for a minute before replying, "It could be a date. If you wanted it to be."
Now Dallas smiles again, bigger than before. He nods. "Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that."
"Okay," she says. "I guess I'll see you on New Year's Eve."
"It's a date."
She laughs. "Yeah, it is," she says, then turns around and heads back into her apartment. But this time, she doesn't crash on her couch again. She is far too awake to think of sleeping right now. Not just because of the invitation, though that is a huge part of it, but the idea of going on a date again after being single for so many years brings back many memories from when she was in Miami. She'd only ever had one real boyfriend when she was fifteen, and that was only because her and Elliot, a friend from summer camp, were dared to kiss each other at a party. When they both realized they weren't incredibly disgusted with what occurred, he asked her out. It didn't last long, but it was something, and it hit her hard when it ended.
There wasn't really anyone else that interested her during her time in high school, though she does remember her friend Trish telling her one of the guys on the basketball team had taken a liking to her after she and Elliot had broken up. Apparently, he liked watching her play piano sometimes after school, but when her best friend, Trish, had caught him, he stopped. She doesn't remember the name, though – Dustin? Justin? Something like that. Either way, nothing else has happened – until now.
But one thing she'd forgotten during her time in the hallway talking to Dallas was the fact that she was now famous, and things like potential relationships don't go unnoticed by the media. Only a few days after their talk do photos surface of them in the hallway, with people speculating who the 'mystery man' was. She never asked Dallas if he saw the news, and he never mentioned it to her, so she assumed he was okay with it – or, at the very least, expected it. Nevertheless, he still shows up on New Year's Eve to join her in Times Square.
Performing in Times Square is all the more amazing than Ally could've ever imagined. The crowd goes crazy as she sings, and she meets quite a few celebrities that were just as pleased with her song. (She was only able to receive two thumbs up and a smile from Nick Jonas as he was walking towards the stage to perform, but Taylor Swift actually stopped her in the hallway to talk to her. Taylor Swift! Talked to her, Ally Dawson! And said she loves her!) She still can't believe it.
After the show, she meets up with Dallas backstage and together they make their way outside in time for the countdown. It's a little chilly, but with all the people crowded together it's not so bad. The countdown comes sooner than Ally expected, and she shouts "Happy New Year!" along with the rest of the crowd and she grins at Dallas beside her and next thing she knows he has his hand wrapped in her hair as he kisses her and she thinks she's really starting to make it here in New York City.
A couple things. A few people asked me some questions in the reviews, so I'll answer those here. Any questions you guys have, you can just leave it in a review, and I'll put my answer at the end of the next chapter (or you can PM me. Either way is fine).
- Guest: you asked me if I was going to use any of the bonus songs in this story. Currently, my answer is no. Those last three songs don't have any codes in their lyrics, so I didn't really know how I'd fit them in the story. But I am open to using them for a final chapter/epilogue if enough people want one. (Also, thank you for the review!)
- axswiftxa13: since you asked about the code from the last song, all I can say is...you'll just have to wait and see what happens. :P (And thanks for the review!)
Thank you to everyone who reviewed or followed/favourited! I really appreciated it.
The second thing I wanted to mention is sort of just to say that, no, there will not be a love triangle in this story. Idk, I feel like some people might think so because of Dallas in this chapter and Cassidy being a part of the main characters, but no. No love triangles here.
I think that's it. Sorry for the longish author's note. Thanks for reading! :)
