hey! so sorry this update has been awhile (trust me, i sympathize with you), but i offer this as a peace offering. i hope you like it!

i would tell you what i want to happen, but the story wouldnt be as fun if i told (or typed?) you! but im definitely gonna give Elliot a shot. i mean, he seems awesome! but anyway, im really just making it up as i go along, so if you guys wanna suggest somethin, go ahead. but i will keep my super secret ending no matter what...youll love it, dont worry :)

Ally was humming her way through work the next day. Trish and Elliot were talking animatedly about how lame the social studies teacher was. They all would have been talking together, but Trish wanted some one-on-one with Elliot (he wondered why), and besides, Ally promised to teach him to play an instrument by the end of the month.

"Yeah, and then he went on about how people were disrespectful and too talkative while looking right at me," Trish ranted.

"I saw that! And then you just went right back to sleep," Elliot laughed.

"Well, I'd rather do something useful with my time than listening to Mr. Linope complain about me. Plus, his speech was a great way to make me fall asleep!" Elliot laughed again and "glanced" at Ally.

"Here's your change! Come again soon!" Ally babbled to the leaving customer. Every chocolate-stained hair on her head was curled into a perfect wave. And how it framed that beautiful face of hers…such soft looking cheeks…and those full, red lips forming those butterflies deep in his stomach…

"Elliot!" Trish yelled. "Snap out of it!"

Elliot realized that his planned "glance" turned into an all-out stare. "Oh! I am so sorry, Trish. What were you saying?" he asked her, hoping to divert the conversation from the question he knew Trish would ask.

"Hmm, checking out a certain someone?" she teased (he didn't wonder why anymore).

"Trish – "

"Does she happen to have wavy brown hair, big brown eyes, and…oh, what am I forgetting?"

"Tri – "

"Right! That her name is Ally?" she smirked.

Elliot blushed. "Nooo idea what yooouuu're talking about!" he expressed, complete with the exaggerated hand gestures.

"Huh. Guess my looove radar is off today!" she giggled.

"Trish! Not so loudly!" Elliot whispered.

"Afraid someone, specifically IN THIS VERY STORE might hear us?" she said quite loudly.

"Trish!" he hissed. "I'm serious!"

She saw the seriousness of his face and backed off…from the teasing, not the prying. "We're friends too you know. I've known you as long as Ally has. Now spill," she lowered her voice.

Elliot sighed, knowing she was right. "Yeah, you're right," he admitted. "But since you're Ally's best friend and all, I thought that you would…tell her. And I want to be the one to tell her that I like her. A lot," he smiled shyly.

Trish almost died. "Yeah. I know what you're saying," she smiled. "You know what? For our friendship's sake, we can save the overprotective 'don't hurt my best friend' speech. Okay?"

"Thanks Trish," Elliot said gratefully. "But you know I would never do that - especially to Ally, right?" Elliot became very serious.

"I know." Trish stood up. "Well, I better go to wherever I got a job yesterday. I think my shift started about three hours ago," she shrugged. Elliot watched her go, glad to be friends with her, as Dez entered.

"GUESS WHAT?!" Dez yelled. Ally leaned on the counter, getting comfortable (this could take a while) as Elliot walked up to the counter and faced Dez.

"What?" Ally asked, curious.

"Leaving Teardrops is on in the park today at six! Who wants to come?!" he exclaimed.

"Is that the new romance movie that came out? Pssh yeah!" Ally came out from the counter and high-fived Dez. They were movie buddies ever since Dez confessed that he was into romance films.

"Uh, I'll come too!" Elliot joined in.

"To what?" Austin entered the store grouchily, really only because it was Elliot who Austin saw first.

"Leaving Teardrops at six in the park! Wanna come?" Dez nudged Austin with his elbow.

"Zombies?"

"No."

"Blood?"

"Nuh-uh."

"Violence of any sort?"

"No-pe."

"Then why would I want to go?" Austin said with a cranky attitude.

"Austin! You didn't even hear what it's about!" Ally jumped in, amped up. "It's all about the love triangle between these two guys who are in love with this one girl. One of them is perfect for her and the other one her complete opposite! And her parents are forcing her to marry another guy! It's set in the 18th century too, just like Pride and Prejudice! BONUS!" Again, she and Dez high-five. "Pride and Prejudice is our favorite movie together," Ally explained when everyone gave them weird looks.

Austin likes this story. So relatable, so…familiar (besides the whole marrying part)? As to what, he wasn't sure. And if Elliot was going…"I'll come too!" Austin announced.

Ally and Dez shot him incredulous looks. "But you hate lovey-dovey movies!" Dez countered.

"Well…what's one movie? And besides, I might like it," Austin sheepishly said. He was so confused! Last night, all he did was lay in bed thinking about Elliot and Ally. How Elliot could make her laugh so much, make her eyes twinkle, and bring about that genuine smile. How he just had to be handsome. Maybe Ally only liked Elliot as a friend? Yeah. He was reading way too much into it. And besides, why should the idea of one of his best friends being happy with another person bother him so much? Austin stayed on the computer for the rest of that night, not willing to delve into that subject as long as possible.

"But don't you and Keira always eat at the diner on Tuesdays?" Ally asked.

"Yeah but…speaking of Keira, where is she?" Austin distracted Ally.

"Out of all of us, shouldn't you know? Being her boyfriend and all?" Elliot asked, finally speaking to Austin. Elliot didn't expect that out of his own mouth. Since when was he snappy? And saying that to someone, for the very first time, was rude. And Elliot Connors was not rude.

"Why don't you stop poking into my business?" Austin snapped back. They were getting closer, and Austin had an ugly look on his face. Ally darted inbetween the two guys, feeling the tension. She put one hand on Elliot's chest, and the other on Austin's. She realized with a small smile that they both worked out.

Snap of it, Ally! she scolded herself, and focused back on the brewing rage between her two friends. "Guys! Hey!" They both looked at her, and backed off.

Elliot stepped away, a bit afraid of himself. What's going on with me? He regained his composure and said calmly, "I apologize, Ally." He gave her an apologetic look and turned to Austin. "And sorry to you too, Austin. We got off on the wrong foot. I never got to meet you yesterday." Austin was taken aback at this guy's manners. But it was true; they never got to talk. Elliot, Trish, Dez, and Ally stayed up late last night catching up, getting to know each other, and explaining their school to Elliot, but Austin went home early because of…he wasn;t quite sure what. "Soo, hey Austin. I'm Elliot." He forced a smile onto his dashing face and extended a hand.

Austin slowly shook it.

"Well, now that the drama's over," Dez stared down the two guys in front of him and turned to Ally, "you want me to ask Trish to come too, right?" he said, a bit disappointed.

Cautiously taking her eyes off of the two ticking time bombs before her (and kinda admiring Elliot for being such a gentleman) she looked at Dez. "Would you please?" she asked with big, brown, puppy dog eyes. She looked back at Austin. "And maybe Keira would like to come too?" she managed, a slight distaste in her mouth. She absolutely loved Keira! She was a sweet, sweet girl, but Ally still liked Austin, just a bit, and seeing them make cute faces at each other during the movie…ugh. Waait. Who am I kidding?! My eyes are going to be glued to the screen the whole time! she laughed to herself.

"Uhh, sure I'll text her," he said, taking out his phone. "But since she feels the same way about zombies movies like I do, then…" He finished texting and put away his phone. "…she probably won't – " he was cut short by a beep coming from a pocket in his jeans. He took out his phone and saw that it was Keira, surprised that Keira had replied so fast:

OMG! sure i 333 those kinda movies! n its starrin chris pine!

"Um, Keira would like to come too, but I don't want to impose on you gu –" Austin started.

"No! It's fine. Plus, maybe Keira can keep you company while you sleep," Ally said, a bit bitter. Again – Keira was a great girl and all but…

"Okay then. Six?" Austin sighed.

"Yup! This is gonna be GREAT!" Dez exclaimed, then ran off to find Trish. He knew one place she wouldn't be – at her job. That knocked off one place out of the whole mall. He sighed. If only she ever answered her phone. Off he went, which brings us back to Ally, Elliot, and Austin.

"Hey Austin, you okay?" Ally stepped closer. Elliot watched intensely as Austin's defenses fell down. Hmm…

Austin flashed a half-hearted grin. "You can always see right through me, Ally."

Ally smiled and came closer. "It's one of the many great qualities of DJ Ally D!" She flicked her hair back in a mocking manner, but Austin saw the soft, brown hair in slow motion…

Elliot tensed. He walked toward them, forgotten by them. "Yeah Austin, something bothering you?" he came up protectively by Ally's side.

Austin suddenly noticed the handsome guy beside Ally, and his defenses came right back up. "I'd rather not talk about it," he said quietly to the ground.

Ally sensed Elliot behind her and turned around. They were awfully close to each other once she turned around to him, and really close to his chiseled muscles, his friendly, green eyes, and that cologne!... Ally snapped herself out of it and said, "Hey um, can I have a minute with Austin? Why don't I meet you up in the practice room so I can give you those music lessons?"

Something flashed in Elliot's eyes, but before Ally could read it he walked away, saying, "Okay, meet you up there!"

"So you're not only teaching him, but you're teaching him in our practice room?" Austin sounded hurt.

"Well, first of all: why not? And second: exactly – it's our practice room. Ours. Meaning we could invite anybody up there if we wanted to," Ally pointed out.

"What if he broke something?" Austin debated.

"Really, Austin, really?" she countered. They both knew that Dez broke things in there on a weekly basis. "The thing that's bothering you…does it have something to do with Elliot?" she whispered. Ally bit her lip. She hoped it didn't.

"What?! No! No, it's just that…I don't know…" he hesitated.

Ally was starting to feel hurt. Since when did Austin hide things from her? She rubbed her hands on his both of his arms. "What aren't you telling me Austin? You know you can tell me anything!" she quietly urged.

Austin was in deep waters. He wanted to tell her…but then there was Keira, and their friendship…too much to lose. Oh but she was so close, and her touch was so comforting. He wanted to hug her and kiss her. He shook his head, thinking don't do this to me, Ally.

She took that shake of his head as a punch to the stomach. Her arms went limp, and her warm touch on his arms were gone. "Okay then, Austin. Just talk to me when you're ready then," she faked a smile, then ran up the stairs.

"Ally! Ally, wait!" Austin missed her warmth. He saw the hurt in her eyes before she went, and the crack in her voice as she promised him some solace. He did that. He made one of his best friends sad. He couldn't live with that. He ran up the stairs, but by the time he got there, Ally was already with Elliot, laughing.

Austin needed some pancakes, and soon.

In the practice room…

Elliot was choosing a guitar when Ally burst into the room upset. She closed the door and leaned on it. She put a fragile hand to her head and combed her fingers halfway through her head while slowly collapsing from standing to sitting.

"Ally?" Elliot said, putting the guitar down. He squatted down in front of her. "You need some help there?" he asked, a sad smile on his face.

Ally looked at Elliot, an innocent smile on his face, all worried about her. He was trying to comfort her – how sweet! She managed a smile. "Yeah, yeah thanks." He tried helping her up, but somehow their arms were tangled together with Ally's hair, and so of course, Ally fell.

With her fell Elliot.

They laughed at this. It was so funny! "Ally, you're so clumsy," Elliot laughed.

"Hey! Don't laugh! Whenever I fall, you're going down with me!" she giggled.

"Literally," he smiled. They didn't realize until now that Elliot was partly on her because that was how they fell. Because their arms were tangled, Elliot's two elbows were beside her head, making him all she saw. Her arms were over her head entangled with his. Somehow, Elliot found one of her hands among the mess of her hair and squeezed it. And their faces…so close…too close…

Ally bit her lip. Elliot's stomach fluttered even more, if that was possible. "So…about that lesson…" she said blushing.

Elliot stopped his beautiful gaze on her. She missed it the second his green ones left hers. "Right. But I think we have to deal with the situation at 'hand' here," Elliot winked.

She laughed. She really found anything funny. "Nice one! I would give you a high-five right now but…"

"Kinda 'tied' up right now?" She laughed even harder, and his smile reached the corners of his face. That laugh…

"No! No! Stop it!" she said weakly, between laughs.

He laughed too. "Okay, okay…bu-uutt…" he sing-songed. "You have to say I am the greatest basket weaver who ever lived!" he exclaimed, a mischievious look in his eye.

"You monster!" she giggled, out of breath.

"Fine. Then what's the difference between roast beef and pea soup?"

"What?" she asked, suddenly curious and serious at the same time.

"Anybody can roast beef," he smiled cheekily.

A flit of confusion contoured her face, until it hit her a second later. She laughed hard. "Okay! Okay! I'll do it!" she choked out between giggles.

Elliot laughed along with her giggles. "I'm waiting!" he smiled.

"You are the – "

"Hmm? What?"

"You Are The – "

"I can't hear y – "

"YOU, ELLIOT, ARE THE GREATEST BASKET WEAVER WHO EVER LIVED!" she yelled almost directly in his ear.

"Ow, that hurt!" he mock-hurted. Then he gave her a huge smile. "But so worth it!"

Ally rolled her eyes and said, "You're gonna – "

CLICK. Trish had opened the door and saw the two on the floor.

"Trish!" Ally said. Elliot whipped his head around, shocked.

"Just one question. What, exactly, was worth it?" she teased, mischievious.

They both got up, still entangled. "Trish – " Elliot started.

She put both hands out, like a stop sign. "No, no. Don't stop whatever you were doing on my account." Trish made to leave the scene.

Ally blushed, but she knew that they needed help from Trish to untangle them. "You mind, uh, untangling us?" Ally said awkwardly.

Trish flashed a devilish grin. "Sure thing. But no guarantee it won't involve scissors, questions, and a lot of pain."

:D so i read your reviews, and i absolutely adore you guys for them. please, review away! until i started this story, i never got why all of the authors on here had an insatiable desire for reviews - but now, now i know. please review! what do you guys predict will happen next? what do you guys want to happen?