"Oh."
Was that really all he could say?
Ally was still trying to bite back tears. This was Austin, she never had a problem with crying in front of him before but right now she couldn't break. Not after what happened at Starr Records. Ally forgave him, of course she did. She knew he was upset and he had ran there, whilst sick, to make it up to her. It was useless holding a grudge, it was Austin, she could never hold a grudge against him.
"That's great news Ally!"
The brunette blinked, as if doing a double take. "What?"
"MUNY, it's great news. It's your dream after all," The smile on Austin's face was so wide Ally was sure it hurt to keep it up. It wasn't a genuine smile, it was a false, fake, a façade. His real smile was so much brighter than that and so much warmer, it was everything the smile that was currently eating his face was not. "I should probably get going. I'll see you Ally," His voice cracked as he spoke.
"Stop lying Austin," Ally tugged at the sleeve of his shirt and pulled him back down on to the bench. "You're not happy about this."
The young rockstar looked ready to lie again but seemed to think better of it. "No I'm not. You're leaving, again. I thought the first time was bad, this is worse."
"I don't want to leave," Ally explained. "I accepted the scholarship when I was mad at you."
It wasn't like Austin could say anything to argue against her. When Ally was upset she just changed her life path, when Austin was upset he lashed out at his friends and family. His behaviour was considerably worse but at least Austin could make up for his behaviour, how could Ally turn this around again? She'd already declined MUNY once before. What if this was her third chance at her dream? If she gave up on it again now she'd never get it back.
"I don't want you to leave either."
The two didn't speak for some time. They just sat in silence, both staring at the ivory piano keys in front of them as if the old piano itself would give them the answer.
"When do you leave?"
Austin's voice broke the silence, startling Ally somewhat. She felt like Bambi and his voice was the gunshot. Though unlike the sound of a bullet being fired from a gun Ally actually liked the sound of Austin's voice, it carried a peppy melody that occasionally made her swoon like a fangirl at one of his concerts.
"Not yet. Two weeks, I think. Not long."
"Oh…"
"Yeah."
More silence. The silence was heavy, like it was somehow stealing all of the oxygen from the room and making Ally's chest constrict uncomfortably.
"What if you just go for a semester?" Austin suggested his eyes brighter than they were before. His sunshine smile was back and the happiness his voice was projecting told her that he felt his idea was on par with the cure for baldness or the recipe for no-calorie mayonnaise. That good.
"Hmm?"
"Think about it," Austin swiveled on the bench, turning so that his body faced hers. "If you go for only one semester then you can come home and say that you tried but you were homesick. Ally, it's perfect."
Austin did have a point. If she went for one semester she could be back in Miami by Christmas with the pretense of being homesick. Not only that she would have gained valuable experience from her one semester. "Austin, you're a genius!" She beamed at the blond before throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him close. "Ahh! Trish is going to be so excited and Dez. Yay! Yay! Yay!"
Austin chuckled along with her, enjoying the embrace. "Plus it's only one semester so it's not like you'll miss anything here. Well, other than me, Trish and Dez," He grinned cockily.
"Austin Monica Moon, you ego maniac," Ally shoved him playfully.
Her friend was right, it was only one semester and then she'd be back. There was nothing to worry about.
"What about you?" Ally asked, suddenly remembering that Austin had his own set of problems to be dealing with. Problems that had nearly shattered every piece of their precious friendship.
Austin shrugged. "I don't know. I'm still upset about yesterday but there's something that is more important to me right now."
"What's that?"
"My friends," He smiled crookedly at her, his eyes twinkling as he did so. "Ally, I know yesterday was bad, for both of us. I shouldn't have talked to you, or Trish, that way. Neither of you deserve it. Maybe it's too soon to be asking but Ally Dawson, will you –"
Ally could feel her heart picking up pace in her chest, she didn't care that one of her vital organs was currently abusing her rib-cage in a painfully violent manner. She didn't care that her hands were now shaking with excitement. Heck! She didn't even care that yesterday she had firmly believed that she and Austin would never be friends again. No, the most important thing right now was that Austin was going to ask her to be his girlfriend. It was going to be fantastic. A little inconvenient because she was leaving in two weeks to New York City but wonderful nonetheless. It was the moment she had waited for since he'd pressed his lips to hers the day before the road trip. Ally had to clench her teeth together to stop a small girlish squeal escaping her. Now was not the time to make an idiot out of herself.
"Be my partner again?"
Ally's jaw dropped, but she quickly brought it back up, not wanting Austin to sense her disappointment. Maybe it was for the best. It was too soon after their argument for them to get together, they needed time for the wounds to heal. Maybe once she got back from New York they could attempt a relationship. Maybe.
Despite her sadness at Austin's lack of asking her on a date, Ally was still happy that he had asked her to be his partner again. When the blond had announced the end of Team Austin the day before, Ally had been more than a little heartbroken, she had been devastated.
"Of course I'll be your partner again Austin," Ally nodded enthusiastically. "And I'm sure Trish and Dez will be just as happy as I am that Team Austin is back together."
"We were only apart for one day," Austin laughed. "And I promise this time will be the last time we have to get back together, because from now on our friendship comes first. Record labels like Starr Records are overrated anyway; all I need is Team Austin to get me where I want to go."
Ally couldn't help but giggle at his cheesy monologue but it warmed her heart no less. "You're only telling yourself this to make the whole Jimmy thing hurt a less, right?"
"Maybe just a little," Austin admitted sheepishly. "But I meant what I said, I want you guys in my life forever. You mean more to me than being signed ever did."
"Thanks Austin."
The pair hugged once more before finally letting go, Ally smiling excitedly and Austin smiling along with her.
"If it's not too soon, maybe you'd like to get back up on stage?" Ally asked, her delicate hands moving swiftly to the piano keys.
Austin cocked his head questioningly at her and Ally couldn't help but feel that if he'd hung his tongue out of his mouth he would have look exactly like a puppy. It was kind of adorable, not that she planned on telling him that.
"The library is having its annual fundraiser, and I figured that maybe you could perform at it. It's for charity so you wouldn't get paid or anything but it would be good publicity for you and –"
"Ally," Austin laughed. "You don't need to convince me, I'll do it. It could be fun."
"Awesome!" Ally grinned, further excitement blazing through her. Everything was finally falling into place. "If you're not busy now we could work on a new song for your performance? I've already got the melody down I just need –"
"As much as I love your excitement Als," Austin interrupted placing a hand over hers to stop her from pressing down on the piano keys. "I shouldn't be here right now."
"Huh?"
"I kinda snuck out to come and see you, my mom grounded me for running off to Lake City so I've gotta get home before she notices I'm gone."
Ally nodded in understanding, her brown curls bouncing on her shoulders as she did so. "Okay, I'll call you later."
Austin beamed at this. "Sure. See ya later Allycat."
And then he did something so unexpected, so surprising, and so perfect that Ally was surprised she didn't melt into a puddle on the floor. He kissed her cheek.
When Ally called Trish at work that afternoon to announce she had forgiven Austin the young Latina couldn't help but feel a little torn about the situation. Of course Trish was happy that all was forgiven between Austin and Ally, it had many positives and Trish loved Austin like a brother but at the same time, Trish felt somewhat agitated by Ally's easy forgiveness. What Austin had said to them had been wrong, couldn't Ally see that? Though maybe he had gone to see Ally, gotten down on his knees and begged her for forgiveness. Maybe he had confessed that he was wrong and pleaded with her to be his friend and partner again.
At least that's what Trent did to her.
Ever since Trish had dumped Trent after he hit her the boy hadn't left her alone. Her phone had been plagued with messages and texts, her laptop attacked with emails and IMs. He'd even had the audacity to come to her house and demand to speak to her.
Trish hadn't expected to see Trent waiting for her on her front lawn when she had walked home from Starr Records. At the time Trish had been grumbling loudly to herself in Spanish, her anger towards Austin yesterday afternoon had been running wild, she'd even kicked over a trashcan in her fierce temper. Managing Austin had been the best job she'd ever had, it was the only job she'd ever really taken an interest in and then he'd gone and fired her, and Ally, and Dez all at the same time with use of only four words.
Trish had been so startled by the sight of Trent lounging on the freshly cut grass outside her home she had stumbled over the curb and almost face planted the ground.
"Trent what are you doing here?" Her voice wavered as she spoke, though not because seeing Trent scared or upset her. Her voice wavered because she had only just notice the few tears that had slipped from her eyes and down her cheeks.
"I wanted to talk to you baby," Trent's voice was smooth like chocolate and he had lifted a calloused thumb to wipe the tears from her face but Trish flinched away from him, not wanting him anywhere near her let alone touching her. Trent didn't seem to notice this and continued talking. "Where have you been? I've missed you."
"I broke up with you yesterday," Trish said, her voice was hard and her face set in a glare. "Now get out of here before I call the cops."
"Why would you do that?" Trent asked, following her up the driveway and towards the house. "I'm not doing anything wrong."
"Aside from hitting me?" Trish's voice oozed with sarcasm as she fumbled with her house keys, struggling to unlock the door. "And if that doesn't work for you, you're also trespassing. Now get out."
"Trish, baby, boo," Trent's nicknames all hit her with the force of a dagger to the heart. "Please don't do this. I'm sorry. I love you."
Trish could feel the bile rising up in her throat. "No Trent. Leave." With that final word Trish had slammed the door in his face, making sure to lock it behind her. There was no way she was letting him into her house, especially not after she had let him into her heart and he had broken it.
The next morning Trish had awoken to the sound of voices in the kitchen. It was an unusual occurrence in the De La Rosa household. Most days Mr De La Rosa left for work early and didn't return until late, and her mother would follow suit, leaving not long after her husband though she was usually home by the time Trish and JJ returned from school.
It was now nearing on noon; Trish had school the next day and so had slept in to catch up on the sleep she had missed out on during her trip to Lake City. That and she didn't have work until two. Trish didn't need to be a genius to know that she should have been alone in the house. She'd gotten up to pee at the same time her dad had left the house, and JJ had school today, something Trish had made fun of him for. JJ was still in elementary school so did not have the benefits Trish did from bug infestation and so did not get the extra-long weekend she did.
As Trish's feet padded against the plush carpet in the hallway and her hands rubbed sleepy dust out of her eyes, Trish's heart stopped. She should have been the only person in the house, so why were there people downstairs talking? The clank of plates and the sound of water running told her that the voices were coming from the kitchen.
Trish moved cautiously down the stairs and through the hallway. It was only when she saw her mother's corkscrew curls so like her own could she breathe easily. Mrs De La Rosa was leant over the kitchen sink scrubbing at a plate JJ had undoubtedly abandoned earlier that morning. At first Trish thought her mother had lost her mind and was talking to herself, it wasn't until her ears caught wind of a masculine voice did she realise her mother had company.
Sat at the island in the centre of the kitchen was Trent. Suddenly Trish didn't feel quite so at ease, she wanted to run as fast as her short legs could take her back up to the safety of her room but she couldn't. Her feet were rooted to the ground preventing her from making any sudden movements.
Mrs De La Rosa finished wiping the ceramic plate in her hand and turned around to talk to Trent, her eyes locking with Trish on the way. A large smile spread across her mother's lips and she waved her arms to welcome her in. "Mi hija! ¡Adelante! ¡Adelante! Why did you not tell me you had such a handsome boyfriend?" Mrs De La Rosa smiled warmly at Trent a she wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulders, crushing her daughter to her body.
"I didn't tell you because he's not my boyfriend, mama," Trish said, gently pushing her mother away.
"But Trent said –"
"Well Trent lied," Trish sent a venomous scowl in Trent's direction, though it went unnoticed by the teenager who was eating a bowl of her mother's fruit salad, the kind she always made for family functions.
"Buy why would he lie mi hija? He's such a wonderful boy," Mrs De La Rosa's eyes were full of warmth towards the boy. This was something Trish struggled to understand, her mother barely knew the boy.
"Trish just doesn't want anyone knowing about our relationship right now," Trent responded, and it took every fibre of Trish's being not to hit him. "You know how she gets."
To add to Trish's initial shock, Mrs De La Rosa nodded in agreement with Trent. "Ah yes, she's always been this way. Ever since she was a little girl and she –"
"Mom! Can you not?" Trish snapped, she in no way wanted her mom divulging stories of her embarrassing past to a boy she wanted nothing more than to hit with a truck.
Trish's pleading did not seem to stop Mrs De La Rosa as she continued on with her tale and Trent continued to evilly at her. Trish was not staying there any longer, with a animalistic growl she turned on her heel and stormed up the stairs to return to her room.
On a normal day it took Trish an hour at the least to prepare herself for the day ahead, and then an extra thirty minutes on her hair. Today Trish did not care. The Latina grabbed whatever clothes she could find and didn't even consider doing anything to her hair. Within ten minutes she was out of the house and on her way to work, not caring that she had left her mother alone with Trent in her wake. For the first time in her life Trish actually wanted to work, maybe that would take her mind off today's events.
