Ally

"He's running…uh…he just tripped over a rock…smooth…um, still sprinting, still sprinting…reached the fountain," Austin commentates for me as he peers through the blinds in the practice room which has a view of the mall grounds.

"Hey, could you not? Either way, he's going to get up here eventually. Eager idiot," I mutter the last part, slumping down in a chair miserably. There's silence, then slowly I hear a steady beat of clapping. Soon, it turns into a full on clap of enthusiasm, coming from Mr. Moon.

"Finally…finally, you've come to your senses," he smiles through squinted eyes, as if he's crying tears of joy.

"Excuse me?"

"You called him an idiot! You agree with me!" he cheers, crossing his arms across his chest.

"I…I didn't meant to! It just slipped out! He is not an idiot!" I protest loudly, trying to back myself up with lame reasons. Really, though, this was just annoying. Just because I hang up, you have to run like an Olympic runner to find me here?

"Huh, yeah, sure. I know what you're thinking, he's going overboard. You need to give that guy a piece of your mind, explain to him-"

"Austin, he didn't do anything wrong! I'm the one who agreed to date you and ditch him! If I wasn't in this I'd be with him," I pout the last part quietly. I look over to see if he's heard, but all I catch is some muttering.

"What'd you say?"

"Nothing."

"Then…why did I hear words? Pretty sure it wasn't nothing." I retort sarcastically, suspicious of why he's so edgy.

He looks uneasy, staring at a point on the floor, then lets it out a bit louder.

"I said that if you had the choice, I'd rather you fake date me than be with him…no, don't think like that! Not that I'd want us to actually date…because that'd just be…god no!

"I mean, he's such a dud, all monotonous and 'Hey Ally' with that creepy low voice of his. At least I'd treat you like a person instead of an inanimate object," he reasons quickly after seeing my widened eyes responding to the first words out of his mouth.

"Well, I find it great that you treat me well, but I really don't-"

"Admit it, you only like him because he has 'hair that flops the right way and kind eyes'" he replies pointedly to get me annoyed.

"I am the last person to like someone for those reasons. You have floppy hair, and right now, quite frankly, I'm realllly not liking you! Stop criticizing my decisions, personally, I surely have hated pretty much every blonde bimbo you date but I keep it to myself because I'm not trying to force my-" I flash back angrily, before being interrupted but a deep knocking at the door.

Muffled from the door, I hear, "Ally, open up, I can hear you yelling…."

Great timing, Dallas. Really, just a great job.

With a jerk, I can feel my body lunging towards the closet before I can see it. Or, before I can't see it. It's unnaturally dark where I am, so that could probably only mean one thing.

I'm in a closet. Literally speaking, by the way.

Hiding. From Dallas. Or, more specifically, from Dallas seeing me with Austin. Who knows what I'll stammer under pressure.

"Allllly's not here now, it's just me, Dallas," I hear Austin shouting out to the door. Quickly, the door opens and closes with a click, and while I can't see it, I can just imagine Dallas squinting at Austin suspiciously.

"But I just heard…"

"I was listening to a recording. We recorded a song together, but then she started yelling at me halfway through for…who knows what. She's Ally, I guess," I imagine Austin shrugging. Huh, gotta give that guy props for lying so cleverly on the spot.

"Hmm…kay. I thought…I thought she was up here. D'you happen to know where she could be, 'cause…I'm really confused on some things, and I just wanna clear some stuff up. Or…actually, well, maybe you could help me," Dallas adds effortlessly and I pray that Austin isn't tensing up right now.

"Sure, what's up?" Austin replies smoothly.

"Auslly's up."

"…So you've seen. Look, man, I don't know what went on with her but she just…I guess…well you see-"

"No, I don't care how she went on you all of a sudden. I just wanna know why she's such an asshole, so to speak," I hear him say grumbling, before I step back inside the closet, stumbling on an amp wire. Hastily, I stretch my hand out on some boxes to balance myself. I'm pretty sure that was as loud as I thought it was.

So to speak?

So to speak?!

"Excuse me?" Austin yelps, just as shocked as I am. Dallas…swearing? What just happened here?

"What I mean is one second she's all giddy and agreeing to going on a date with me…then the next she's kissing you in a beach. Does that count as cheating on me? I think it does. What's going on, I just want to know," he urges, but almost pleadingly.

"What's going on is you need to watch your language! So she made a mistake, the rational thing is to wait for her then ask her in a nice tone and manner! Not just barge all the way up here sprinting like a lunatic! Yeah, I saw you!"

"Look, she deserves my agitation, you don't just go dating some other guy right after you plan a date with another one! I know Ally has weird reasoning sometimes-"

Uhm, hurtful.

"-But I didn't think she'd be so rude."

And now there's silence.

I can envision Austin bringing down his temper and thinking of a nice way to end this argument with Dallas in his head, I can envision him calming himself and making me proud to be part of Team Austin. I can envision anything but what he actually does.

"Your logic makes no sense, just…get out, please."

What the hell? This is a friendly argument between two men, not some sort of depression movie. Get out? At least he said please. Dallas clearly doesn't take Austin's politeness well and stays silent, from what I can hear.

"I'm serious, man. You don't get to talk like that bout Ally."

"I have my reasons to."

Oh, please, shut up.

"No, I'm serious. You don't get to say that. No one does about anyone, especially not about Ally. Ally is the most caring, compassionate, and kind person I've ever met. Just 2 seconds ago, she was trying to defend you-"

"So she's here?" Dallas questions, and from under the door I can see his feet getting dangerously close to my closet.

Myyy closet, get away Dallas!

Successfully avoiding Dallas' question, Austin replies, "That's not the point. I used to think you were alright, but you overreacting right now just proved to me that you're really not. And you know what, I'm ridiculously glad that Ally chose to ditch you and get with me, because the difference is that I actually care about her."

"What the hell-"

"I deserve her. You don't even come close." Austin spits out bitterly at him, the power of his words bringing out some whispering from Dallas, a "Fine, I'm gone," and a slam on the door.

Did he just…?

A few seconds pass before I reach my weak fingers for the door knob and open the door unhurriedly, exposing myself.

"He shouldn't have-" Austin starts trying to reason for his rash actions, but I'm not really focusing.

He…Austin stood up for me. Even though he didn't agree with my opinions on Dallas, he pushed it all aside and defended me. I jump forward and wrap my arms around him, resting my face on his chest. He smells like soft cologne. Mmm. He pulls me closer to him and holds me close, as if I'm about to pull back and yell at him soon.

"Thank you…" I breathe out into his chest gently.

"No problem…it was all truth. He's scum," he laughs quietly, pulling back a bit to see my expression.

"You okay?" Austin says after seeing my quiet state.

Shivering, I reply, "Yeah. This whole situation is just so bittersweet. But hey…you're the sweet one…" I finish lamely, looking up at him with a cringe.

Austin

And with her cute little comment, I just hold her closer to me.


A/N: Well, I'm not too proud of this. There was some Auslly in there for you guys, a bunch of you kept asking for it, so, there's are some moments :) But still, this story is getting really dull and rushed, I'll work on it!