Oh wow there are actual humans reading this. Thanks for the follows/reviews/favorites, I'll try and regularly update for you all!

Chapter 3

The next day, Tuesday, was the first day Austin performed a song with the pit band at rehearsal. They worked on the classic "Luck Be a Lady" and Ally was reminded just how talented she thought Austin was. His voice was amazing and he oozed the kind of natural charisma that Sky Masterson needed. Surprisingly he was also a good actor. He played Sky with none of the innocence and openness Ally had seen so clearly in her last two interactions with him. Instead, he conveyed the smooth, classy persona of Sky flawlessly.

In the middle of the third time through the song he made eye contact with Ally and winked at her, causing her to blush yet again. At the end of the rehearsal he made a bee line for Ally and said, "Hey! You were great!" before proceeding to sit and play the whole song from memory. This caused Ally to laugh and sit down next to him. She noticed a few curious glances from the other pit band members, but Austin commanded that she play a harmony part before she could overthink it.

Before long, they were the only ones left in the band room. Austin paused his playing and casually asked, "Do you sing?"

"Oh no no no no not outside the shower anyway," Ally answered, feeling her stage fright and anxiety wash over her all at once. Austin elbowed her and looked at her expectantly before saying, "Oh come on, for me? Pleeeease? I'll play 'If I Were a Bell' and you can sing!"

Ally looked around for any support but everyone was gone. She knew she was a pushover, even when it resulted in something uncomfortable for her. He kept looking at her hopefully and finally she sighed and nodded.

He started playing and her voice came out timid and shaking. Austin nodded at her encouragingly and she gradually got a little more confident and her voice came out stronger. She closed her eyes and pretended she was in her shower, belting the song out in privacy. When Austin had finished the last notes of the song, he looked at her in wonder. "Ally… you're amazing at singing. You should be up there on the stage with me."

She looked at him in shock and only shook her head mutely. Eventually she just said, "Stage fright." He frowned but she started playing a different song so he wouldn't keep asking questions.

Austin realized she was playing one of her own songs and just quietly listened. When she was done he just said, "Ally, is there anything you're not amazing at?" She just blushed and said, "I could ask you the same thing." They grinned at each other for a minute until they heard a loud voice coming down the hall yelling "Alllllyyyyy" before Trish appeared in the doorway. Ally leapt off the piano bench and Trish whined "We were supposed to meet to get dinner half an hour ago, did you get lost in a book… oh hey Austin."

"Hey Trish! Sorry I distracted Ally."

"Trish I'm so sorry, I didn't realize how late it had gotten. I was just headed out!" Ally blurted out. She grabbed her bag and started pushing Trish out the door while hurriedly saying goodbye to Austin over her shoulder.

Trish was naturally suspicious and peppered Ally with questions about Austin all through dinner.

That Thursday, after Ally had finally gotten Trish to believe there was nothing going on between her and Austin and after that day's rehearsal, Ally went to find Austin. She didn't have his phone number and pit band rehearsal had ended early so she wandered over to the stage, assuming he would be there.

Just outside the stage door she saw him arguing with Kira, the female lead playing Sarah in the show. She couldn't hear what they were saying but their body language indicated there was ongoing conflict. Just as she was about to turn around and give them privacy, Kira just threw up her hands and walked off in the opposite direction. Austin ran a hand through his hair and then turned and noticed Ally standing there. He instantly tried to cover up his frustration with a big smile, but Ally could tell it was fake.

"Hey Austin, I was just looking for you so we could study econ…" she said tentatively.

"Of course! I was assuming we'd meet in the band room," he replied as if he hadn't just been in an upsetting conversation. "Let's head to the student center and grab one of the study rooms."

Three hours later, Austin understood the basic principles of supply and demand and they had emptied two bags of Sour Patch Kids and one bag of chips. "Let's take a break," Ally suggested and Austin nodded tiredly, putting his head down on the table.

Silence reigned for a moment but Ally's curiosity got the better of her. "Sooo… looked like you were having a pretty nasty conversation with Kira, is everything fine in the cast?" she asked.

Austin grunted into his folded arms and then picked his head up. "I mean with the rest of the cast, yeah. But Kira and I dated during the play last year and had a nasty breakup over the summer so things are a bit, well, tense."

"Oh," Ally said, unsure of whether she and Austin were now close enough to talk about past relationships. "Was it… I mean did she… what happened?" she asked finally.

Austin shrugged and replied "She just needed a lot from me, constantly calling and texting, and I really wanted to focus on my music and my career. I was having a bad day at some point and blew up at her about how needy she was. She didn't talk to me for a week and then came back and said I'd made the worst mistake of my life and I would regret saying those things but that we were done. I've never been so relieved, honestly, until we were cast together in this."

Ally nodded understandingly. "Is it going to be awkward when you have the, you know, kissing scene?"

Austin theatrically threw his head back and lamented "oh yes it absolutely will be and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it."

"Sorry, I probably shouldn't ask you such personal questions," Ally said, suddenly self-conscious again.

"Why not? We're friends Ally," Austin stated, looking at her curiously. Then he smirked and said, "And anyway, it's only fair if I get to ask you the same questions!"

Ally blushed and shrugged, knowing she couldn't object after she'd asked him so many questions. "Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked. "Or a girlfriend."

"Nope. Single as can be."

"Ever had one?" Austin asked, showing more genuine curiosity than Ally anticipated.

"Not really. There have been things, you know. College things. Where you see each other for a while, maybe go on some dates, probably do some stuff, and then it fizzles out without being a proper relationship."

Austin nodded but also looked surprised. "And no high school boyfriend? Hard to believe…"

At that Ally laughed audibly. "Why? I'm awkward and shy and weird and in high school I was still deep in my awkward phase. And before you ask, no, I don't have any photos."

Austin smiled back but before he could ask another question Ally said "Ok, back to work!"

The next several days involved a lot of time together and a lot of junk food consumption. By Sunday they were sprawled on the floor of his dorm room's common area, quizzing each other. Ally had learned that when Austin actually tried and applied himself he could learn anything he wanted to, but musical pneumonic devices were often the most effective for him.

At ten o'clock at night on Sunday Ally closed her textbook with a loud snapping sound which caused Austin to jump. "Alright Austin, we're done. There's nothing else to go over, the test is tomorrow at nine and we both need some sleep before then."

Austin rolled over on his back and yawned, stretching his arms out wide. "Okayyy I am pretty tired. Thanks for everything Ally, this has been insanely helpful and I know you were doing this out of pity for me."

Ally shrugged, "I don't know about that. It really helped me relearn the material. We make a good team!" she said brightly. "And anyway, I wouldn't say I agreed to this just out of pity…" she trailed off. She realized she had said more than she meant to, but blamed it on her tired brain.

Austin perked up at this and asked, "Oh really? What else could possibly have led sensible, brilliant Ally Dawson to help me out if not pity?"

Ally made eye contact with him for a few seconds before answering, "I was curious."

"Curious about what?"

"What you'd really be like. If you'd be a jock or a drama queen like some of the people you hang out with."

"Oh come on" he replied, "You've met Dez and he's my best friend. I like weird people a lot better than I like cool people. Especially weird people who help me get good grades and are musically gifted."

Ally smiled at the compliment and then stood up to grab her things and pack them into her backpack. "I know. Or at least I know that now" she replied, smiling at him. He got up to open the door for her.

"Thanks again Ally, I'll see you tomorrow morning!" he said before pulling her into a big warm hug. It was a perfect hug. The kind of comforting, warm, intimate but without crossing boundaries kind of hug that put Ally into a happy mood as she hugged him back and accepted the physical contact. They parted smiling, and both headed to bed.