Austin

I kept a fast-paced walk as I cut through people walking down the sidewalk, in a hurry to make it to the gym before seven. The irony that I was now late to meet with Ally for a session didn't go unnoticed, but I felt horrible considering Saturdays were the only day the gym opened late, meaning there was no one there to let her in. And since I knew I was going to be late this morning before leaving the gym last night, I had gone through the books looking for Ally's number.

However, when I called this morning, it went straight to voicemail.

For all I knew, she could be ridiculously hung over and still in bed, and I could be rushing for no reason. Although, Ally didn't seem like that type of girl, hell, she wasn't even of age yet. But I knew plenty of people that didn't care about the age restrictions, or the consequences that came with them.

Once I hit the block and saw her chewing her lip outside of the gym, I cringed a little. I was nearly twenty minutes late, and she had been out here sitting in the cold waiting for me. The guilt I felt for pushing her so hard Wednesday was nothing compared to what I felt now.

"Hey," I breathed, and she whirled around, slightly taken off guard. "I'm sorry, I tried calling you and telling you I was going to be late this morning, but I couldn't get ahold of you. You have every right to yell at me."

She laughed as I unlocked the main door to the gym, flipping on the lights and locking it behind us. "It would be well warranted," she joked, rubbing her arms. "But I'll let it slide considering you tried to get in touch but seeing as I don't have a working phone at the moment." She trailed off, tilting her head to the side as I turned from the thermostat to look at her.

"What happened to your phone," I asked slowly, and when she let out a huff, I contained the smirk that itched my lips.

"A drunk Cassidy knocked it out of my hand, into the road, and it got smushed like a pancake."

I sucked in a breath through my teeth. "Damn," I claimed, logging something into the computer before motioning her forward to scan her gym id. "Sounds like you had a good time."

She let out a little smile. "Besides that, I did actually. I don't think I'll offer to take care of a drunk Cassidy again, but it was a much-needed day."

My eyes fell on her at the lightness in her voice, finding that I liked it a lot more than the hardness that normally replaced it.

If there was anything I wanted for this girl, it was to see the weight of the world ease off her shoulders. I didn't want to see the pain I knew she carried continue to rule her life the way I knew it had been. It was easy to see how much it affected her, and I knew she hadn't taken up kickboxing to get in shape.

Pain wasn't something that I was estranged too; just like everyone, I had, had my fair share of grief. But unlike most, I had found an outlet when I was only sixteen years old, something to take my frustrations out on.

And the connection I felt towards the brunette in front of me had everything to do with how much of myself I see in her – the bag that had been an outlet for me for almost a decade now was slowly becoming one for her.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it," I admitted truthfully.

I watched as her eyes grew curious, studying me for a long moment. But I didn't give her too much time to think on whatever was running through her mind.

"Now, get your ass up the stairs. I have a new move I want to introduce you to."

Her brows twitched and the tiniest smirk lifted her lips, but nothing was said as she nodded, grabbing her bag and jogging up the stairs with me right behind her.

We spent the next fifteen minutes warming up along with body weight workouts that had Ally huffing and myself chuckling - the girl barely weighed a hundred pounds soaking wet. Although I would give it to her, within just a week, I could see improvements in her strength. Her boxing combinations were good, great almost, but her kicks needed more power, which is what I planned to work her on today.

She probably wasn't going to like me very much at the end of the hour.

"Higher, Ally," I demanded, watching her struggle to reach the spot that I had instructed for her to meet.

I see her jaw clench as she tried again, getting closer than before.

"Again, higher with more power. Use your entire body," I ordered.

She blinked back an eyeroll; I had found within the last week she hated being corrected. And upon finding that out, I had corrected her every single chance I got.

Ally steadied herself, hoping once, twice before concentrating at her core and bringing her leg up high, kicking exactly where she needed with enough power to satisfy me. When she looked at me for confirmation, I nodded, and she stepped back from the bag and placed her wrapped hands on her knees.

"You are trying," she gasped, "to kill me."

"I told you to be prepared, didn't I?"

She shot me a deadly glare, but I shrugged it off, walking up behind her. She straightened, turning to face me as I reached forward, steadying the swinging bag.

"We are going to learn a jumping roundhouse kick."

Ally's eyes widened marginally, seeming to waver at the sound of it.

I guided her back, taking place in front of the bag and while turning my head to face her.

"You are going to keep the same stance as if you are going to do a normal roundhouse kick," I began, positioning, "but before you kick, take the opposite leg, lift it up and jump back onto it as you are bringing your leg towards the bag." I moved slowly at first, using myself as an example before doing it in one swift motion.

Ally took a step back, wincing at the sound of my shin connecting with the bag. She looked weary as I waved her forward, staying back behind her. I reached, hovering my hands beside her waist, my chest close to her back. "Keep your core tight and your spine straight."

Her head turned only a centimeter before she nodded. She corrected her form, bringing her dominant leg up before jumping and letting it hit the floor as her left leg swung around.

I moved quick as soon as she staggered, grasping her small waist in my hands to steady her before she could roll her ankle. Her small frame clashed with my chest; my arms taught as I caught most of her weight. And once she realized how close we were, she entire body went rigid, her heartbeat picking up speed.

My own heart thrashed against my rib cage as my fingers unintentionally lingered on her torso. She was so tiny; the span of my fingers nearly meeting in the middle of her abdomen as I held her, her back perfectly snug against my chest with her head nearly hitting my chin.

Taking a step back, I didn't skip a beat, "when you come down on your right leg, make sure you're bracing for impact and be sure to keep your foot flat."

She swallowed, bringing her tongue out to wet her lips before nodding. Turning back to the bag, I repositioned myself behind her exactly like I had before but making sure I immediately released her the moment the move ended.

And it took nearly ten tries before she was landing correctly.

On the first correct landing, she turned to face me, excitement covering her features as she waited for approval. And when I nodded, she let out a tiny squeal before turning around, wanting to do it one more time.

"Good," I commented, clasping her shoulder. "Now, to add it to the combinations."

Thirty minutes later, Ally let out an exhausted sigh as she leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down it until she was seated with her knees to her chest.

I shook my head, bending down in front of her to begin unwrapping her hands.

"I think this one was worse than Wednesday," she spoke in between battered breaths.

"Oh, really," I asked, tossing the tape to the side.

"Yep," she released the word with a pop, "could you hand me that."

I looked to where she pointed, reaching to grab her water bottle before deciding to take a seat beside her. For the next few minutes, I listened to her breathing level out while I watched her for a few moments. And when her brown eyes opened and landed on me, I watched as something deeper than curiosity pooled in those orbs as they traveled over my features.

"Why were you late this morning?"

When I lifted a single eyebrow, she rolled her eyes.

"The other morning you asked why I was late," she pointed out, "so, why were you late this morning."

I pondered the question. "I had to go see a friend of mine, he needed some boxing gloves for a match this weekend and didn't want to break in new ones."

Dez wasn't just a friend of mine; he was my brother, just not through blood. He was someone that had become family through all the years of hell we endured during the system. Something that no one talked about and overlooked because ignorance was bliss apparently.

"Oh." She was quiet for a moment. "Do you participate in boxing matches?"

My eyes shifted away from hers, scratching at the scuff on my jaw. "I used to, but not anymore. I haven't since I was twenty-two."

That little mouth formed the shape of an 'o' as wonder flooded her features.

"How come you don't box anymore," she asked, her voice full of curiosity.

Taking in a breath, I moved, an uncomfortable heaviness settling over my chest. "I couldn't control my anger during matches, and during my last fight three years ago, I – ," I took in a deep breath. "kept hitting a guy while he was down. My best friend, Dez, pulled me off before I could do anymore damage. My opponent had been out cold."

Looking over, I expected to see judgement or pity, but instead, I found understanding followed by a slow nod. It had been years since I had told anyone that, and it shook me to my core at how easily it had rolled off my lips.

But upon seeing that understanding in her eyes, I knew I hadn't been wrong, that we were one in the same – she felt that same anger and that, more than anything, had been the unexplainable connection I felt towards her.

"How did you get into boxing," she questioned softly, her head tilted down shyly as those big brown eyes settled on my face.

I bit the inside of my cheek, forcing a swallow as I contemplated my words.

Normally when this question came about, I shot down any chance of the conversation with a harsh answer or by just ignoring the question completely. But as I heard the genuine interest in Ally's voice, I looked for anyway to subtly beat around the bush while answering as much as I was comfortable with.

"I stumbled into a boxing rink at the age of 16 in downtown Denver." I shrugged, "that's where I met Dez and we instantly became friends, and it intrigued me."

She watched me for a long moment, her gaze traveling over my features and body language before biting her lip thoughtfully. When her tongue jutted out to wet those lips, I let my eyes fall to them, hating that I noticed how they formed into a perfect pout.

Desperate to change the subject, I nodded towards her lap where her hands rested – to where her thumb twisted the ring adorning her left ring finger.

She was always doing that; fiddling with it whenever her hands weren't busy. And it never failed that the moment her hands were unwrapped after a session, they instantly flew to where the piece of jewelry hung safely from whatever necklace she wore that day to slip it back on her finger.

I nodded towards it, "that seems important to you."

In an instant, her body went stiff, more so than when I had my hands on her, and I knew that I had hit a nerve. Whatever had happened, whatever part of her life that had caused her to close in on herself involved that ring.

She looked down at it, her chocolate waves falling in front of her face as she stroked the tiny diamond atop of it. "It is," she mumbled softly, and if I wasn't mistaken, I thought I heard her voice tremble.

"A family heirloom," I asked, "from a boyfriend, a friend?"

I expected her to say one of the three options I had listed, but the one she replied with hadn't been what I was ready for. And I tried not to think about the way my breath caught in my chest when the answer fell from her lips.

"Um, a boyfriend."

A boyfriend? I hadn't known she had one of those, but then again, I wasn't very surprised. Although closed off, Ally was gorgeous no matter how much shit I gave her for being as tiny as she was. Despite her only being five two', she had legs that went on for days, and just enough curves that would make men drop to their knees. But I knew it wasn't just her body that held her best characteristics, and I had only known her a week; therefore, I wonder who got past those walls she had built.

But I didn't miss her wording – a boyfriend. One that she had, and they were no longer together? I wonder what happened between them for her to still wear and cherish the ring on her finger.

Confusion must have been written all over my face because I watched her sigh, focusing her gaze on something behind my shoulder.

"My boyfriend," her face scrunched as if the word hurt to speak aloud, "gave it to me before he passed away."

My body went cold as I blinked, staring at the girl before me. With parted lips, I struggled to find words that could comfort her, but nothing felt good enough. What the hell did someone say to that? I'm sorry was a useless apology, and nothing short of what I felt in that moment.

As I continued to stare at her, I felt the shock slip into something resembling empathy, and I found myself wanting to know more; more of her life, more of her relationship that clearly remained a huge part of her.

"What was his name," I finally asked quietly, and her head shot up to look at me, eyes widening slightly. "If you don't mind me asking."

The smallest smile crept onto her lips, and I wonder how many people had responded with a simple 'I'm sorry' and couldn't have cared less since it wasn't them that it was happening too. She bit her bottom lip, her eyes filling with so much love that it radiated through the room, allowing my own heart to feel it, and in that moment, I prayed that he loved her as much as she loved him.

"Dallas," she stated, "Dallas Harrison."

The way her eyes lit up had been exactly what I was looking for – she needed this, she needed to talk about him. Had she talked to anyone about him?

"How did you two meet?"

I twisted to face her, tucking one foot underneath me as I waited for her response, and when her eyes met mine, uncertainty plaguing them, I nodded encouragingly.

"We met in high school, freshmen year. He was my high school sweetheart," she laughed softly, but it was full of pain that had me wanting to reach for her. "He had never even asked me to be his girlfriend, it just, happened. One minute we were friends, and the next he was laying his claim by having me wear his name and number to every football game." Another chuckle fell, but it was lighter, full of amusement. "Talk about a high school romance."

I returned her chuckle with a nod, remembering relationships like that, some being a few of my own that didn't last longer than a few months.

"But in all honestly, he didn't have to ask because we both knew. And we were attached at the hip every single day."

Suddenly, within a second, tears were filling her eyes and she quickly ducked her head, trying to hide behind a curtain of hair.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry," her voice cracked, and out of every punch I had taken in my life, none had been as strong as the metaphorical one knocking every ounce of air from my lungs in that moment. "I," she tried, but another wave of emotion stole her words.

"Ally," I whispered, reaching forward to gently clasp her knee. When she didn't look up, I scooted forward, moving the hair from her face as I tilted her chin up to look at me. At the sight of her tears falling, I forced away every ounce of my own emotion as I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's okay. I want you to talk to me."

I needed her, wanted her, to trust me.

Not everything made perfect sense, but that bit of information, the fact that Ally had lost one of the most important people in her life so young gave a little insight to who she was. She was no longer an enigma; she was simply a broken girl who had lost a piece of herself that she had yet to get back and she had been dealing with that turmoil alone.

Ally had built walls up and around herself that trapped her inside her mind. And while most seen it as her keeping people away, it was Ally keeping herself away from the world, and if she weren't careful, that mindset would kill her – isolation mixed with that kind of pain was dangerous.

"Consoling a crying mess isn't a part of your job description," she tried to joke, but more tears began falling and I wiped each of them away.

"Ally," I soothed, my voice deeper than it had been a minute ago. "it's okay. I promise."

With a shuddering breath, Ally nodded, curling her lips before parting them and letting out a slow exhale. "You asked one question and I started blubbering like a baby," she claimed, gnawing her lip as she tried looking away from me, but I turned her head back with my finger.

"You don't have to talk about it, but I think talking about it would be good for you." I wiped another falling tear.

A sad smile crossed her face, and she sniffed before shrugging. "I never really get to talk about him." Her voice was small. "I feel like everyone is tired of dealing with my tears, or they are just as upset as I am."

I clenched my jaw, leaning back but keeping a comforting hand on her knee cap. "I want you to be comfortable enough to talk about him as much as you want, whenever you are ready, and whatever you want to tell me."

Her tired eyes met mine, her lips trembling once again. "I feel bad for calling you an ass now," she teased, her voice thick.

"Oh, I can be an ass," I said factually, earning a breath of a laugh from her. "But I seem to have a soft spot for crying messes."

Her eyes shot up to meet mine, and she reached forward to push my shoulder. I laughed causing her to stare at me for a moment longer before she realized I was joking. "You aren't funny," she pouted, looking down at the ring once more.

I stared at it with her. It was simply Ally; a tiny and beautiful band that fit perfectly around her finger, and I knew that it had been given with the intention to be replaced with a wedding set one day. And I hated for her that the one that placed it there didn't get the chance to fulfill that promise.

We sat in silence for a moment, and I watched Ally stare at the floor. Her eyes were distant as her mind undoubtably whirled, and I wondered what was going on in that head of hers.

I wanted to know more, more about her and her life, before and after Dallas.

But when she pulled a deep breath in through her nose and stifled a yawn, I knew she had reached a mental limit – I had gotten more from her today than I thought I ever would, and I would take what I could get.

"Why don't you head home, rest a little before work," I encouraged, pushing onto my feet before holding a hand out to her.

She took it gratefully with a smile, and when I pulled her up, her chest brushed against mine.

Her eyes locked with mine, and I could see the faint blush that crossed her cheeks as she stared up at me, neither of us taking a step back. Our chest rose and fell in a steady, simultaneous rhythm.

"Thank you, Austin."

I stared down at her expectantly, causing another wave of pink to fan across her face.

"For listening." She dropped her eyes to her feet. "You barely know me, but" she sighed, running her hand over her head before grabbing at the ponytail and pulling at it, allowing her dark locks to cascade over her shoulders in tousled waves.

Sensing that she didn't know what to say, I stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder, strands of hair tickling me as I gave a light squeeze. "You have nothing to thank me for," I assured, "you can talk to me about whatever, whenever you would like, Ally."

Her brows furrowed, and I watched as a sort of realization crossed over her features. However, she just sent me a small smile, taking a step back from me and tilting her head down with another 'goodbye' falling from her lips.

And before I could say anything else, she slipped out of the door.

Ally

I didn't know whether I should have been worried or frustrated as another thought of Austin passed through my mind on my walk home from work.

Since this morning, his face, his words had been on repeat in my head, and no matter how much of myself I buried in work, I couldn't distract myself from the way he had comforted me after I had cried in front of him this morning.

Telling Austin about Dallas had never been in the cards, and it sure as hell wasn't supposed to be in the cards after only knowing him a week.

But as he told me something that clearly bothered him before asking about the ring on my finger, I wasn't able to stop myself from answering whatever he wanted to know.

And while I expected the grief to wound itself around me like a blanket, where it would normally stay for days on end; it felt easier than ever to talk about him. To talk to someone that hadn't already knew everything there was to know about Dallas. I got to relive that memory, retell it to someone who had fresh ears and a comforting heart.

A tiny smile crept across my face – if someone would have told me that Austin Moon would be the one lending a listening ear when it came to talking about Dallas, I would've out right laughed in their face.

But just like I knew that Austin knew there was more to me, I knew there was more to him.

He carried the same weight on his shoulders that I do, but from what, I didn't know, and I wondered if I would ever find out. If I would ever be comfortable enough to unleash my own hell onto him in order to learn of his own in return.

I shook my head, swallowing hard as I turned the key to open my apartment door.

Austin was my trainer; there was no room for me to learn anything about him or for him to learn anything else about me.

And before my mind could make of that what it would, I stepped into my dark apartment, flipping on the light and spotting a little, rectangular box with a sticky note on the entry table to my left.

Setting my purse and keys down, I plucked the note from the book and brought it closer, chuckling softly as I read Cassidy's beautiful cursive.

I'm so sorry for being an idiot!

Trish gave me a recap of last night first thing this morning, and I feel terrible. So, I called daddy and he was able to save your sim's card, so whatever was backed up is already set up on this one! I'm so sorry, Als. I love you so much. Thank you for the most amazing birthday yesterday. I don't deserve you.

P.S. – I picked the mint one because it was the happiest color they had 3

I chuckled, kissing the note before folding it neatly and tucking it safely into my wallet.

Picking up the box, I carefully unwrapped it, opening it to reveal the brand-new phone with a seafoam green finish. Clicking the button on the top, righthand side, I was happy to find it already set up with nearly everything the same.

I would have to redownload some apps, along with logging back into mostly everything, but as far as photos and contacts, everything was there. Clicking on my messages, I held my breath, hoping that all my messages had transferred over, and I let out a relieved breath as they popped up along with some new ones from over the past twenty-four hours.

Dad – 6:45 p.m.

Did you tell your mother about the flower garden? I think she is onto me.

I laughed aloud, shaking my head, scrolling through a few more.

Cassidy – 5:12 p.m.

I'm sorry…again! I love you.

Trish – 12:36 p.m.

Here is the pics we took yesterday!

Unknown – 6:40 a.m.

Hey, it's Austin. I grabbed your number from your information. I'm gonna be a little late this morning.

I raised a brow. I had wondered how he had gotten my number after telling me that he had tried to get ahold of me from his own cell.

Clicking on the phone icon, I scrolled through my missed calls, noting that two were from early this morning along with the unsaved number. I made sure to swipe over, creating a new contact and saving it.

It wasn't until after I saved Austin's number that I had seen he had left me a voicemail. I stared at the red notification tab and inhaled slowly. With a shaky thumb, I quickly clicked at the bottom corner, opening the lists of voicemails – all of them were there.

But instead of clicking Austin's, I stared at Dallas's name attached to the voicemail that made my bones physically ache at the thought of listening to it again. The same voice mail with the time and date stamp reading the night Dallas died. The same voicemail that caused a constant war inside my head; a war with whether to cherish it or rid of it completely.

The same thumb that had hastily brought me to this page hovered over the voicemail with a steadiness I didn't know I still possessed.

I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood.

"Why now," I whispered to myself.

I couldn't understand why I felt the overwhelming urge to listen to it now. After nearly two years of letting it sit, untouched, un-played, I wanted to listen to it now – on a random Saturday at nearly seven in the evening while standing in my foyer.

I brought the pad of my thumb down, opening the voicemail, and before I could stop myself, I hit the speaker.

And it began to play.

"Hey baby…" There was a heavy sigh. "I was just calling to tell you I'm heading home from Max's." There was a pause. "I love you, Ally-cat. you are my entire world," Another heavy sigh. "Look, I needed to tell you - oh shit!"

The table knocked loudly against the wall as I grasped the edge, my body's stability gone and replaced with tremors. I lowered myself to the floor, my knees hitting the tile and the phone still clasped in my hand as I stared at it, tears rushing down my cheeks.

Why had I done this to myself? Why did I think anything other than agony would come from this?

I dropped the phone, wrapping my arms around my waist as I fought desperately against the weight crushing my chest.

The moment his voice filled my ears, it was as if gravity didn't exist – his 'I love you'. But the moment I heard the squeal of the tires, the curse that fell from his lips, I clattered to the floor. And when I closed my eyes, the sister's words played in my head.

Ally, he's gone.

*sigh* My poor Ally girl.

I hope you all enjoyed a little bit of Austin and Ally's interaction this chapter, and what is in store for them in the future! This story is kicking my butt and challenging me in quite a few ways, but I hope you are all enjoying it as much as I am enjoying writing it for you.

I'm thinking of releasing a little summer thriller, maybe three chapters long, so be on the lookout for that within the next few weeks. I may have a description or summary in the next chapter!

Thank you all for reading and listening to my rants. I love you!

-meg