Here it is! The chapter you've all been waiting for: the dance! I really hope that you all enjoy it, considering the fact that this is the last eventful chapter. The actual last chapter will mostly just wrap things up. That's not to say that there won't be any auslly moments, though. I happen to have a very awesome auslly moment planned, that I'm sure you all will LOVE! Well, enough of this talking, start reading!
Btw, I do not own Austin and Ally, in case you didn't know :P. I also don't own "Got Your Heart" by Mitchell Musso (I shortened it a bit). Thanks to Midnightstar-and-Echosong for suggesting the song :D.
Day 20
It started out just like any other day. A little sun, a little rain, a little wind. Mixing together like a pot of stew to create the wonderfully bland taste of weather on earth. To most, this morning would have been nothing special. Just a plain, happy summer day. But Ally knew that it was far from that. She could see past its flimsy little disguise. Today was going to much more than a normal day, and she was simply ecstatic about it.
The girl had woken up that morning with a wide smile stretched across her face. Her cheeks were tickled pink and her big, brown eyes were wide with excitement. Amanda was already up, still in her PJs, and eyeing her wardrobe with a look of discontentment on her face. Most of what was laid in front of her was an array of sci-fi based t-shirts and ripped skinny jeans. Nothing fancy, or even nice in the slightest. Apparently, the girl had not prepared herself for this dance. This concerned her roommate greatly.
"Hey Amanda," Ally yawned as she pulled herself from the bed, "What are you doing? Looking for something to wear to the dance?"
The girl nodded solemnly, slightly blushing at the idea of being caught in such a hopeless state. She watched as Ally stepped from her bed and made herself over to the girl's side.
"You don't have anything to wear?" Ally asked, looking over the pile. The look on Amanda's face was enough of an answer.
"Don't worry about it," the bouncing brunette replied, "I'll let you borrow something of mine. I'm sure you'll look great."
Amanda smiled and gave her a grateful look before continuing to put away her clothes, now knowing that she would no longer need any of it. After a minute or two of silence, Ally spoke up again.
"What time is it, anyway?" she asked with a yawn, rubbing her eyes.
"Like 10:00," replied Amanda as she glanced down at her knees, "I just woke up half an hour ago."
Ally nods, and then smiles as she thinks about all that awaits her on this day.
"The dance is going to be so fun!" she shouts suddenly, without warning, giggling at Amanda's surprised expression, "I can't wait!"
Amanda nods with a grin. "Well, then we should get the day started! Come one now, Bryan and I planned last night that we would all meet each other behind the camp at 11:00. Are you coming or not?"
For the hours that led up to the exciting event that was to come, Ally did not do much. She, Austin, Amanda, and Bryan all hung out near a broken section of the fence, talking lightly and tossing around a Frisbee or two. It was all they could think of to do that afternoon. Sure, it may have been the last full day of camp, but they were positive that the fun of the dance would make up for what little activity they had planned for the day. And besides, it was their last chance to hang out with each other as a group. Few could call that a waste of time.
For the entire conversation, Ally could do little but chat about the upcoming social gathering. It was part of her nature to babble, even more so because she was excited, and soon all three of her companions were forced to tune her out.
"I get that you're excited, Ally," Austin had told her with a laugh as they had munched on a few hamburgers for lunch, "But do you really need to talk about it THIS much? Lets try to talk about something else for a little while, it'll make the time go by a lot faster."
Ally had nodded and agreed, yet five minutes later she was back to discussing what she would wear for the night. Austin had rolled his eyes with amusement, but did not stop her. Somehow, she looked even cuter when she was obsessing over something.
Eventually, the time did pass, and the boys and the girls were forced to separate. Amanda and Ally went to their room, nearly skipping with excitement, and as the door swung shut Ally released a happy, girlish shriek.
"Only an hour left!" she said, jumping up and down on the spot, "Oh, it's going to be so fun!"
"I bet it will be," Amanda had replied, smirking slightly, "But we'll never know unless we actually manage to pick out our outfits and GO to it. So what are you waiting for? Let's get started."
It takes forty-five minutes for the girls to finally find what they are to wear. Neither, of course, had packed anything fancy when they had come here—as this was a camp, after all—but Ally did find a few nice skirts and blouses tucked away in the back of her suitcase. She had picked out something to wear herself, with a few smart comments from Amanda, and then helped her roommate out by designing an entirely new look for her. After doing both their makeup, Ally had them stand in front of a mirror so she could smile at her project. In her opinion, they both looked absolutely stunning.
Ally, herself, wore a yellow, tucked-in blouse, which was paired with a flowing, red skirt. She carried a matching yellow handbag and in her hair were the exact same butterfly barrettes she had worn on her first day of classes. With a light layer of natural makeup, Ally felt she did quite a nice job. Her favorite part of her outfit, however, were her tall, golden shoes. They were high-heels and had been a gift passed down from her mother. Sure, they were old, but in Ally's opinion they were absolutely beautiful. She couldn't wait for Austin to see them!
When it came to Amanda's look, Ally was even prouder. Not only did she make her look great, but she did it in a way that still showed Amanda's personality. She had dressed the poor girl in a beautiful, lacy top the color of shining, metallic blue. Her skirt was a pasty white, and up to her knees in length. Matched with blue flats and a plain, white barrette in her hair, the girl nearly glowed. It was mostly because Ally had been so used to seeing her roommate in just a t-shirt and jeans that she was so stunned to see how she looked in something more. By the time she had finished with her masterpiece, Ally had not hesitated to move Amanda in front of the mirror and watch as a look of pleasure spread across her face. Now, right next to her, Ally happily accepted the girl's compliments.
"Wow, Ally," Amanda said, stunned, "You did an amazing job with us! You're a natural! Wow, just wow. Thank you."
Ally beamed at her, grabbing onto her arm and squeezing tightly.
"The boys are gonna be here any minute now," Ally said with a twinkle in her eye, "And I can just guarantee that Bryan is going to think that you look beautiful."
Sure enough, thirty minutes later Amanda and Ally are both at the dance, happily accompanied by Bryan and Austin. The party, packed with nearly every kid in the camp, is taking place in the cafeteria, the only room big enough to hold so many children. The tables have all been moved out of the way, only a few left in the corner to hold plates of food. A blue banner, inscribed with the words "Last Day of Camp Dance," hangs inconspicuously in front of the doorway. Behind it, Ally can see a whole array of different colored streamers and strange lighting. The tables have all been covered with blue tablecloths and in the background a form of loud, popular music is beating to the tune of the girl's own heart. She smiles. She can already tell that she won't be disappointed.
Within a few minutes, Amanda and Bryan already get separated from Austin and Ally, and now the two teens have some time alone.
"You really do look beautiful, Ally," Austin whispers to his date as they walk around for a little while. He links his arm with hers, and Ally blushes.
"Thanks Austin," she whispers back, "You look great too. I just know we're going to have such a great time tonight."
"Me too," Austin says to her, his voice loud as he tries to be heard above the music.
Ally smiles at the boy, as happy as ever, but already something is tugging at the back of her mind. Her long heels, though quite attractive, are turning out to be very uncomfortable. She flinches slightly as she takes each step, and receives a pinch in her ankle. Just deal with it, the girl tells herself as she continues to walk, it's nothing. Just deal with it, and you can still have a great time tonight.
After a minute or two of polite, slightly-awkward small talk, Austin decides to speak up. "Want to get something to eat?" he asks her, "There's a desert table somewhere over there."
Ally nods, focusing on the rumbling of her stomach, and Austin agrees with her. As the girl looks over to where the food is, however, she suddenly looses her appetite. It's all the way on the other side of the room. And the room is LONG.
"Uh… actually, never mind," Ally says suddenly, her mind on her already aching feet, "I'm good… lets just stay here."
"Oh, come on Ally," Austin says with a grin, tugging her arm, "If you're hungry, it's not a problem. Let's go."
Unable to resist, Ally follows him. She forces a smile on her face, despite the fact that each step she takes is like the stab of a knife. What's wrong with these shoes?
After getting something to eat, the two continue to walk and talk for a little while. Ally pretends to be enjoying it, but on the inside she's nearly screaming. It strings so badly, still she is determined not to make a scene out of it. She has to stay strong. She can do this!
Suddenly, in the midst of a conversation between the two teenagers, the music in the background changes, and Ally nearly shrieks from excitement.
"Ohh, I love this song!" the girl screams to Austin, "It's my favorite!"
The boy raises his eyebrows mischievously. "Want to dance, then?" he asks her. For a moment, Ally is unsure. The pain in her heels is getting worse. Much worse. But of course, she ends up nodding. She can't let a little thing like that ruin her night. And besides, this IS a dance, after all. So why not dance?
And so, intent on being happy, Ally follows reluctantly as Austin leads her to the dance floor. She forces a smile on her face as Austin takes her by the hand and they begin to dance.
I've been makin' my way downtown.
You've been waiting for me to come get you.
I know just where you wanna go (I know).
I love it when we're together.
You know that we could drive forever.
Let's go to the place we only know.
Ally tries hard to indulge herself into the music. Or to focus just on the feel of Austin's strong, warm hand against her own. But it's hard. These heels obviously were not the best choice for tonight. Her feet are screaming.
Me and you, we're gonna get away
To see those city lights.
Make our way through the promenade,
And we're gonna dance all night!
Come on!
Oh gosh, Ally thinks to herself as she clenches her teeth, why does this hurt so badly? Austin takes her by the arms and spins her around, and the pain only worsens. For a moment, despite common logic, she's certain that a snake has somehow crawled into her shoe and is now biting away at her foot. Still, she tries hard to distract herself from the pain.
Whose got your heart, got your heart baby?
Whose got your heart, got your heart baby?
Whose got your heart, got your heart baby tonight!
I've got your heart baby!
Austin pulls the girl close to his chest, and Ally does all in her power not to cry out in pain as her heel digs even further into her shoe. Come on, Ally thinks to herself, the song is almost over! Just deal with it!
I've been waitin' to see you again,
Hopin' this time it will never end.
Just call and say you wanna go.
Me and you gonna get away
To see those city lights.
Make our way through the promenade
And we're gonna dance all night!
Come on!
She gasps as another strike of pain hits her feet. She's not so sure how much longer this can go on.
Whose got your heart, got your heart baby?
Whose got your heart, got your heart baby?
Whose got your heart, got your heart baby tonight!
I got it, I got it!
Ally can't take it anymore. She just can't. Suddenly, to the surprise of her companion, she pulls away from his grasp. He just stands there in shock, watching hopelessly as she scurries over to one of the tables. Now he's alone on the dance floor. And hopelessly confused.
I can see you and me,
Dancin' free under the glow.
Take my hand, it's our chance,
We'll never stop,
Let's go!
The last words of the song nearly mock the boy. All the other couples around him are dancing with each other, laughing and smiling as they hold onto each other for dear life. And then there's him. Standing here alone, with a not-very-attractive look of shock plaguing his face. As fast as he can, the boy scurries off the dance floor.
Before long, he finds Ally sitting on the floor near on of the tables, struggling with the strap of her shoe.
"Ally, what happened?" he asks her, slightly annoyed yet far more concerned, "Are you alright?"
The girl looks at him and quickly nods. He can see in her eyes that she's quite upset.
"I'm sorry Austin," she whispers to him solemnly, "It's just that my feet were KILLING me. I couldn't take it out there anymore."
For a moment, Austin is silent.
"Why didn't you just tell me, then?" he asks, confused.
Ally blushes and looks down sheepishly. "I didn't want to ruin the night by complaining," she answers, "I thought if I told you I would spoil the fun."
After about five seconds of a stunned look, Austin tilts his head backwards and bursts out laughing.
"Ally, that's no reason at all. Trust me, you can tell me everything. Now take those shoes off, I want to take a look."
Austin helps her pull the sticks off her feet, and as soon as he does so he flinches at the sight. Her feet are covered in blisters. Bright red and stinging, it's no wonder Ally is feeling so much pain.
"Wow, Ally," he says, concern edging his voice, "How did this happen? Let me see your shoes."
The girl hands them over, and the boy inspects their souls. After a few minutes of searching, he finally finds the culprit.
"I know why this happened," he explains, as if he's just made a groundbreaking scientific discovery, "The soft and squishy part, where you're supposed to put your feet, is gone. It must have torn out or something. The part below that is like sandpaper! No wonder you have blisters!"
Ally moans. "Of course!" she says, "I'm so stupid. I noticed that, but I thought they were made that way. I didn't realize they were broken."
"Wait here," Austin says, not listening to her angry words, "I'll go to the nurse and get some bandages. Don't move while I'm gone."
"I'm not going anywhere," Ally says with a faint smile as the boy runs off, "It's not like I can just get up and start dancing again."
Ten minutes later, Austin returns. He's carrying a handful of little Band-Aids and some strange, clear cream. He begins to apply it to the damaged areas.
"This might hurt a little," he warns her as he begins to rub the disinfectant on her blisters. She flinches slightly, but otherwise remains still.
"You know," she tells him, "If this didn't sting so much, it would practically feel like you were giving me a foot rub."
Austin chuckles and continues to rub on the cream. When he's done, he quickly bandages up both feet so that none of the sore, red spots are showing.
"Feel any better?" he asks her once he finishes off. She nods.
"Yeah… thanks Austin," she tells him guiltily, "I'm sorry I made us waste so much time with this. This night has turned into a real bust…"
Austin shakes his head, looking into the girl's beautiful, dark eyes. Gosh, she's so hypnotizing.
"Come on, Ally," he tells her, "Tonight's no bust. We still have plenty of time left."
Ally shakes her head sadly, biting her lower lip.
"No, we don't," she answers, "I can't put those shoes on again, Austin. I'm going to just have to walk back to my room and rest my feet. I can't do anything… this is my fault. I'm really sorry."
Austin laughs and shakes his head. "Ally," he tells her kindly, "I remember the first time we came here you told me that as long as we were together, we could have a great time. And, as it turns out, you were right. I've had an amazing summer with you, and it's all because of your positive attitude. So, come on, get up. I think there's a slow song playing next. Leave the shoes, you can dance barefoot."
Ally looks up at him as if he were crazy. The boy loves that look.
"Austin!" she exclaims, "This is a formal party! I can't just dance barefoot!"
Austin hands her one of his famous, movie star smiles. "Watch me," he says to her, as he strips off his shoes and socks, "I'm going to dance out there all by myself, without shoes or anything. I'm going to look ridiculous. Eventually you'll feel so bad that you'll HAVE to dance with me!"
Ally giggles. "You wouldn't," she says through the spurts of laughter.
"I'll show you," he replies with a smile.
"Please don't."
"I will."
"No you won't."
"I'm going now."
"Liar."
"I may be lying, but are you willing to take that risk?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Fine!" Ally finally shouts, nearly falling over with her silent giggles, "I'll dance with you. Gosh, you can be so needy sometimes."
Austin laughs at the girl's joking tone and goes to pick her up, bridal style.
"What are you doing?" she exclaims as she's lifted from the floor, "What is this?"
"You don't expect me to let you walk like that, do you?" he asks with a smile, "Now come on, let's dance."
Once on the dance floor, Austin puts her down. Just as he expected, a slow song begins to play next.
Austin takes his hands and puts one on Ally's waist, and the other between her fingers. He holds her body close, feeling her breath against his neck. He's never felt so tingly in his entire life.
"Anything hurting?" he asks her, smiling at the sweet scent of her hair.
"Nope, not at all," she replies honestly, smiling right back. Now that her feet aren't killing her, she can REALLY focus on the closeness and warmth between them. Wow, it feels so good. Just... right. She's 'ought to do this more often.
Slowly, the two begin to move closer and Ally begins to lean her head on the boy's shoulder. It's nice and warm, and it's almost as if it were made for her.
For a moment, the girl looks to the side and see's Bryan and Amanda dancing together on the other side of the room. They're practically in the same position as Austin and Ally, holding each other close as they sway side to side. Amanda looks so gorgeous in this light… and so happy. Ally smiles. Today really is the best day ever, isn't it.
"Did I ever tell you how cute your feet are?" Austin remarks jokingly in a whisper as he glances downwards. Ally giggles.
"I don't think so," she answers with a smile, her eyes closed as her head still rests next to his, "But it's good to hear."
For a few minutes, there is comfortable silence between them. All that's heard is the soft, romantic sound of the music playing behind them.
Suddenly, Austin speaks up. "Oh, and Ally?" he whispers, "There's something else I think I might have forgotten to tell you."
"What's that?" she asks, not fully paying attention. Only focusing on the slow, soothing beat of his pulse.
"Oh, it's nothing," he answers, "You probably don't want to hear it anyway."
"No, I do," she answers honestly, "Tell me."
Austin smiles, knowing this would be her response. "You sure?" he asks her gently.
"Yes. Tell me."
"Okay, here it is."
The boy opens his mouth, and in one simple flick of the tongue, the three most important words of his life escape his lips.
"I love you."
So, what did you think? I feel a little bad about this chapter, honestly. It's super rushed, which would be okay if this weren't such an important chapter. know I could have made it a lot better if I had had less homework and more time to write. But still, it's not horrible, so here it is. I really really really REALLY hope you liked it :). If you haven't yet, please review!
Btw, if I wrote a sequel, would you guys all read it? I have some news about that, which it'll share with you all next chapter ;).