I placed soft kisses on the back of his tan neck, coiling one of his feathery hairs on his neck around my finger. Intoxicating tingles racked my body from the contact of my lips to his warm skin. Austin froze, letting go of Dallas, who slid to the floor like a crumpled doll. He turned around, his eyes turning from a savage black to a burnt caramel color, his gaze flickering to my lips. He inched closer to me.
"Ally, what are you doing?" His voice was deep and rough.
"I, I wanted to stop you from killing him…. I knew this would shock you…your 'little sister' kissing you. It was the only thing I knew to do. I'm sorry…I know that must have been disgusting for you. It...It was for me too." I gulped. My skin was still buzzing from the kiss and I was finding it hard to think straight and stop myself from staring at his plump lips. I hope he didn't notice how my voice quivered when I lied at the last part. Austin was silent, his eyes still stuck on my lips.
"Please don't kill him." I placed my hand on his tan bicep. There was so much power pulsing beneath his skin. The power to kill someone. I shivered at the thought of how much he could hurt me physically if he wanted to. He would never do that. Not my Austin.
"He, he…tried to hurt you. I wasn't there to protect you before. Its my fault."
"Its not your fault. It's his fault. But remember, two wrongs don't make a right. We need to forgive."
"And where has forgiving gotten you Ally?" He said, motioning to Dallas.
"To still being friends with you." He was silent. I felt guilty as soon as the words left my mouth. I suddenly remembered Aubrey.
"I'm sorry. Why don't we go to your house? We can get you cleaned up and showered." His knuckles were freckled with blood.
"I can't believe you're the one taking care of me when you were the one who was almost…"
"Fortunately, nothing happened. It was just scary. You saved me." Again. I can't believe I've become a little helpless damsel in distress.
"Okay. Lets go." We walked to the car, his arm wrapped around my waist. He opened the door for me and I slid onto the warm leather seat, greeted by the scent of pine air freshener. He got into the drivers side. The sky seemed to slosh against the window as we drove, a pale green color interrupted by tufts of cloud. We arrived at his house, which was more like a mansion. Feathery palm trees lined the front. High, thick whitish green bushes prevented people from looking in. The gravel crunched beneath the car as I scanned the surroundings. Inside everything was dripping with heavy, damp flowers. My eyes stung from the bright colors. Oranges, scarlet's, soft ambers, violets, and indigos were just a few of the colors that flashed past me. Birds fluttered through the trees, and a huge white fountain stood in the middle of the elaborate garden. The soothing sound of running water and the chirping of crickets greeting my ears as Austin opened the door for me. This house was as familiar to me as my own. I knew every bump in the road, which sparrows would feed out of your hand, how much of the cookie dough you could eat before their personal chef got mad at you. Austin didn't like to talk about his parent's wealth and didn't use it to get ahead in the music business, only paying agents with his savings from bartending. His parents owned the biggest mattress company in the world, surpassing Sleepys-the mattress professionals and any other comfortable mattress companies you can think of. Austin opened the door for me, and I stepped out. We walked through the garden, towards the front door. Austin's mother, Mimi Moon, appeared from behind a few rose bushes. She was wearing fashionable, high waisted beige pants. A pale watermelon colored lacy umbrella cast her pastel pink lipstick and locks of glossy golden hair in shadow. She tinged the air around her with the scent of vanilla.
"Hello, Ally! My other child! The daughter I never had!"
Oh fudge. I quickly grabbed Austin's hands, covering the blood on his knuckles.
"Hi, Mimi!" Her eyes flickered to mine and Austin's intertwined hands, a grin slowly spreading across her face.
"Have you two finally gotten together?"
"What? NO. Mom." Austin said, his tan cheeks turning slightly red.
"Okay, fine. More waiting. Someday, you two are going to get married. I know it." She clapped her French manicured hands together. By this time my cheeks probably looked like a clowns.
"Well, you two better be going. I don't want to keep you too long."
"I'm sorry about that."
"Its okay." I let go of Austin's hand, my hand feeling cold at the place his had been. We walked up to his room.
"Go shower." I picked up his scuffed black wallet, planning to take his phone out of it to play angry birds on. I opened it up. He had a faded picture tucked into it. It was one of me and him laughing together, the backdrop of the beach behind us, dotted with colorful umbrellas, his arm wrapped around my waist. It had been taken right after I had helped him get over his fear of umbrellas. I had secretly wished the whole time that I was the girl he had to save in the movie Dez was making. That I was the one he had his bare chest up against. Of course, I wasn't a pretty blonde girl. I had caught him making out with her in the public bathroom afterwards. I had gone home and cried. I heard the water shut off and I slid the picture back into its place, smiling at the thought of it. Austin came out with a towel wrapped around his waist. I looked down at my hands, not wanting to stare at his chiseled chest for too long.
"I think you and Aubrey would make a cute couple." I spouted out as he rummaged through his clothes drawers.
"Really? I think I look better with brunettes." He said, winking at me. I giggled.
"Seriously. She seems, um, nice. And she's really pretty." I swallowed; blinking slightly at how easily I had lied.
"You know I don't really like long term relationships."
"Yeah, well, maybe Austin the player should retire for a while."
"Maybe." He said, staring at me.
"You really want me to?" He sighed.
"Yes. Just try it out." I felt as if I was encouraging my own torture. Watching him with Aubrey would be heart wrenching. I was unfolding their romance; my doom.
"If it makes you happy." His dark honey colored eyes looked pain. He quickly looked away.
"I'm going to change, alright?" He walked towards the bathroom, and I couldn't help but watch him walk away, his tan skin glistening with water, his dark blonde hair wavy and damp. I felt as if I was just another puppet in Aubrey's game, unfolding the exact story she wanted me to. What that story was exactly, I didn't know. And that's what I needed to find out.