I thought the interview on Leno went great, but there was certainly a backlash and there always seems to be one now that I'm famous. It looks like the fact that I had a girlfriend finally sold the idea that Ally and I are just friends. Unfortunately that didn't stop the fans from thinking that I should be dating Ally. In fact, they were pretty hateful with their comments about Cassidy and even towards Cassidy. Some jerk figured out her twitter handle and started a barrage of hateful tweets toward her. Most of them involved the words "slut" and "whore" and I couldn't believe my fans could be so cruel. I called Cassidy and told her to delete her twitter account immediately. I was furious, I hated that anyone would talk about Cassidy like that. I had to try and end it.
AustinMoon: Anyone who said anything even remotely hurtful to my girlfriend should find new music. I don't want your support.
AustinMoon: If this is how my fans treat the people I love, I might just have to quit music altogether. #notworthit
AustinMoon: I'd sooner give up my career than subject Cassidy to this kind of hate. No one deserves this. #donthate
AustinMoon: Days like today make me wanna just give up.
I posted all of those tweets in the span of about 3 minutes and then I shut my computer down. I didn't want to see the barrage of encouraging tweets. I didn't want to be encouraged. I couldn't stand that my fame left those closest to me open to brutal attack for no real reason. The tweets weren't an exaggeration, I was seriously questioning whether I wanted to continue with my career. It seemed like it always caused problems for the people I loved the most. As much as I loved performing I loved the people in my life that much more. My phone started ringing, it could only be one of two people. And it was Ally. I figured I'd better answer otherwise she'd storm over thinking something was wrong.
"Are you okay, Austin? I just read your tweets, do you want me to come over to let you vent?" I knew Ally well enough to know that she'd probably come over no matter what answer I gave her.
"Sure, Ally come on over."
"I'll be there in 15 minutes."
The second I hung up the phone I got another call, this one was from Cassidy, the other person it could have been. "Austin Monica Moon, don't you even consider quitting just to protect me. If you think this is the first time I've heard people call me names like that, then you are sorely mistaken. I've gone most of my life without your protection, Austin, and I can survive this as well."
"I know you can protect yourself Cassidy, you're the strongest girl I've ever met, but I can't help but think this thing is all my fault. My stupid fame has opened you up to these ridiculous and undeserved insults."
"Austin you can't possibly blame yourself for this, there are jerks in the world, we just have to learn to ignore them because we certainly can't stop them from being jerks."
"I know it just makes me so mad that they would call you those horrible names just because they don't like the fact that we're dating."
"You really don't get it do you Austin? They aren't calling me those things because we're dating. They're calling me those things because I'm 17 and have a kid. And trust me I've had many worse insults thrown at me and those were to my face. I did go to high school while pregnant after all. These twitter dorks are hardly creative."
I couldn't help but smile a bit at that last part, and it did make me feel better that it wasn't totally my fault, though I still felt like I was partially to blame. I thanked Cassidy for her call and we said our goodbyes.
Right as I hung up the phone, Ally burst through my bedroom door talking a mile a minute, "Austin, you seriously can't be blaming yourself for this. I know how much you like Cassidy, but she wouldn't want you to give up your career over this. Those people are just jerks and..."
I interrupted her because I thought it might be the only way to get her to stop talking, "It's okay Ally, you don't have to do this."
It was her turn to interrupt me, "I know I don't have to, but we're friends and I know you'd do it for me."
"No, I mean you don't have to, I just talked with Cassidy and she talked me down. I really appreciate you coming all the way over to help out though, I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Aww, that's what friends are for after all." She leaned over and gave me a big hug. I loved having people in my life like Cassidy and Ally.
"So Ally, how are you feeling about the big concert? I know you have to be a little nervous about singing by yourself."
"Yeah I am, but I know I can do it. I'll just think back to your birthday and us singing together and I know I'll find the courage."
"You have no idea how proud I am of you Ally, you've overcome all your fears and now you're on the verge of living out your dreams."
"Thanks Austin, but there's no way I could do it without you."
At that moment Dez burst through the door, "Okay Austin, I've got a turkey sub, a staple gun, and a freshly baked apple pie, we'll get you through this buddy."
"Thanks a lot Dez, but I'm really okay now. Cassidy and Ally beat you to the punch.
"Oh great, then I guess I won't be needing this pie." At that Dez through the pie out my open window and started eating the turkey sub.
*Author's note, sorry its short, it was supposed to be part of a larger chapter, but it just seemed so complete as is I figured I'd post it.
