Chapter 2: Strange Dreams

A/N: I am so happy right now! I literally just danced around my house. When I wrote that first chapter, I was really not expecting people to read it or even like it. Thanks soooooo much to the people who reviewed my story. I was really touched. (Oh gosh I'm such a loser haha) Anyways, I really hope yall enjoy this chapter. Please review! :)

Austin's POV

At about two in the morning, I woke with a start to the sound of thunder. Lightning flashed outside in the night, and flickered through the blinds on the window, revealing Ally's sleeping figure above me on my bed. I hoped the storm wouldn't disturb her; she looked like an angel with her dark hair encircling her head on the pillow. Wait, did I really just think that? Ally is my best friend! That was weird…

We ended up watching the chick flick (we both ended up shedding a tear or two), and Ally fell asleep to Zaliens 7. I had to carry her up to my bed afterwards. Not that I minded.

Suddenly my phone buzzed on the nightstand next to me. I grabbed it and looked at the text, knowing it would be Dez who wanted to talk at two in the morning.

Dez: austin, where are you right now?

Austin: um in my room sleeping? why?

Dez: i just had a really weird dream…

Austin: what was it?

Dez: it was you and ally, like holding hands at the mall or something. IDK

Austin: ok…? and you wanted to tell me this why?

Dez: i just thought it was weird. man trish keeps asking me about what you think of ally.

Austin: why would she do that? she knows were best friends.

Dez: she said something about being a great matchmaker.

Austin: oh gosh.

Dez: wait whats a matchmaker?

Austin: dez… just go back to bed.

Dez: kay!

"Austin?" I heard a groggy voice coming from my bed. Ally was sitting up rubbing her eyes sleepily, and I laughed at how adorable she looked.

"Hey, Ally. Why are you up?" I asked, worried she was scared of the storms. I knew she got scared when she was alone in storms, and I hoped she wouldn't be when she was with me.

"It was my dream. You were… And I was… Goodness it was strange." She sounded fully awake now. I got up and sat down next to her on the bed, resisting the urge to hold her close to me and rub her back. That would be crossing a line…Right?

I wanted to see her face better, so I flipped the switch on my lamp next to us. I could see her tangly hair and holey t-shirt she wore to bed. "Ally, that didn't make any sense at all. Explain." I prompted her.

"Well, we were at the beach, and it was so bizarre because I felt truly happy! Normally I hate the beach, you know that. But I was laughing and swimming in the ocean with you and it was just so great! Man, now I wish I hadn't woken up." The shy brunette next to me bit her lip and looked down at her hands, disappointed. I laughed at her logic.

"How about you and me go to the beach later when the storm passes over, and we can try to reenact your dream." I smiled at the thought. Maybe I'll teach her how to surf someday!

"I don't think you want to reenact the whole thing." Ally shook her head. "There was another part… you and me…kind of… together." She finished her sentence and blushed a deep scarlet. I raised an eyebrow. Did she really dream that? I put an arm around her small shoulders. She seemed so fragile, and I hoped she would never be broken.

"I see. Well, maybe we'll just skip that part." I cleared my throat, and suddenly became interested in the little thread hanging off of my sheets.

"Yeah, of course." Ally shrugged my arm off her shoulders and hopped up. "Well, as long as we're up, do you want to play Go Fish? Except we are not playing with cheese, ok?" She giggled and flashed me that heart-breaking Ally Dawson smile.

"Austin! Are you up?" I heard my mom yell from down in the kitchen, making my favorite chocolate chip pancakes.

"Yeah! We'll be down in a second!" I holler back. I hoped she wouldn't come up here. Ally and I were in a very… compromising position at the moment. We decided to play Twister instead of Go Fish. And, well, you know how it goes. Sometimes putting a right foot on a certain yellow circle can be pretty awkward.

Ally chose that moment to fall, and we ended up in a big, tangled up heap on the floor. She burst out laughing; I felt her whole body shaking. I started tickling her ribs, and she laughed even louder, causing me to grin.

"S-stop! You-are-a-monster!" She exclaimed in between breaths.

I untangled myself and helped her up. Ally's face was red from all the laughing, and I poked her one last time on the way downstairs. Her strange dream was still on my mind from last night, and I hoped Ally would still come to the beach with me.

"There you are. I was starting to get worried when I heard all that laughing. You two look like you just wrestled a chicken!" My mom smiled as she poured some more pancake batter onto the grittle.

"Close enough!" Ally went to help my mom scoop pancakes onto a plate and brought them to the table. I was glad my mom liked Ally so much. She asks about her all the time. You'd think she wished Ally was her kid and not me!

I always wondered about Ally's mother. She never says much about her, and I figure she'll tell me when she's ready, like the reason why she has stage fright. All I know is that Ally's mom left when Ally was really young, and they used to visit. Not so much anymore. I can't imagine what it's like for her, not having a very good mother. Lester's done a pretty good job raising her, though, even if he does leave her alone a lot.

We sat down to eat, and Ally watched me in amazement as I drenched my pancakes in maple syrup.

"Please excuse my son's pigginess. I promise he didn't learn it from me!" My mom told Ally. I rolled my eyes and put another big bite in my mouth.

"It's ok, Carrie, I'm used to it already. Austin has displayed his love for pancakes to me on several occasions." She winked at me and I blushed a little. Why does Ally have to be so freaking cute?

Trish and Dez were currently building a house of cards, and Ally was helping a customer with some trumpets. I sat, bored, in the corner, and made a chain of paper clips.

"Stop knocking them over, Dez!" Trish complained.

"I just can't get them to balance!" Dez whined, and I heard a whack as Trish hit him with a violin bow. I rolled my eyes at the two of them. Even though they fought all the time, they still hung out. I never can understand them.

"Can you please tone your fighting down when I'm helping customers? My dad has already made comments about you disturbing the store." Ally shot Trish and Dez a look. The tall redhead left Trish and the house of cards to go "organize" his backpack, and Ally wandered over to where I was sitting.

"Hey, I'm almost finished with the new song. You can take a look and see if you can use some of your magic powers to conjure up some other good lyrics." She handed me the sheet music, and I read the lyrics Ally had written.

"These are great! Thanks, Ally!" I reached over to hug her, and I felt her thin arms wrap around me.

"You're welcome. Do you still want to go to the beach today? I can ask Trish to watch the shop for a few hours." Ally asked.

"Yeah! That would be awesome. I'll go get my bathing suit." I hopped off the counter and ran out of the store, eager to get back to Ally and the beach.

"Don't look." Ally's nervous voice came from behind the curtain.

"Ally, come on." I sighed, wishing she would just come out already.

She had spent at least 15 minutes in a dressing room in the mall, trying to find a bathing suit for the beach. I knew Ally was shy and nervous, but I didn't know she was insecure about herself.

"Where's Trish when I need her? You're not going to be any help!" Ally complained. She had taken several bathing suits in there, all of which were bikinis. I had never seen Ally in a bikini before…

Ok, that was way too much. I mentally erased that thought from my mind.

"Look, I'm sure they're all great. Just pick your favorite and I'll even pay for it." I offered, wanting to get out of this girly store and onto the beach.

"I-I'm coming out." Ally's voice shook. I wished she would realize how beautiful she is and stop being insecure.

The curtain opened, and revealed a slim, dark haired beauty in a pretty red polka-dot bikini. I gaped.

"That's um, great Ally. You look, ahem, great. It's really, really great." I stumbled over my words, trying express how I felt when I saw her.

"Haha. Thank you, Austin." She smiled and put a hand on her hip and looked in the mirror. I desperately wished I could hear what she was thinking right at that moment.

When out of the store, I skipped happily ahead of Ally towards the beach. She laughed, and the breeze carried the sweet sound up into the sky. I gazed up at the sun, grateful the storm had gone away.

"Go on Austin. You don't have to wait for me. I know how much you want to get to the beach." Ally nudged me. I hugged her and ran out of the mall and onto the boardwalk. Today was great for the beach, and the beautiful blue sea was calling my name. I kicked off my flip flops and threw off my shirt, sprinting towards the water.

I whooped with pure joy, and dove around. I turned around to see a huge surprise. Ally, laughing and running towards the water. Normally Ally doesn't ever want to come in! I yelled to her, and she grinned and ran faster. "I love you, Ally." I whispered to myself, knowing what I said was the truth.

A/N: Finished with the 2nd chapter! Oh, and I forgot to mention that I don't own Austin and Ally or the game Twister. More chapters to come. Please review!