Hey guys! So, I didn't realize how pressed for time I was to get this story done before Christmas so the updates will be all over the place for the next few days. But, the last chapter will definitely be on Christmas. So, enough of my talking... Enjoy!
Ally got up when she heard a knock on the door, putting her book on the coffee table.
She looked through the eye hole without really seeing anything before unlocking the door to find her curly haired best friend holding a brown bag in one hand, and two chocolate shakes in the other.
"I got lunch. The really good stuff too because I need to be a good friend for a few hours." She said smiling and wiggling the items of food in her hands. Ally raised her eyebrows and Trish sighed.
"I'm really sorry okay? I've been trying to get this new talent to sign with me and they have me running around everywhere. Some crap about, 'making me prove I'm a good manager'." She said rolling her eyes. Ally sighed and laughed silently before looking up at her best friend again.
"If it means anything, I know your a kick-ass manager." Ally said, and Trish smiled. Ally opened the door a little wider, inviting her friend in.
She walked straight to the table sitting right next to the window to the kitchen. Ally looked at Trish as she handed her the bottle of ketchup to put next to their food through said window.
"Just out of curiosity, why are you running around for this 'talent'?" Ally asked, sitting across from Trish as she pulled food from the bag. Trish sighed, opening the wrapping on her chicken sandwich from the diner down the street, who's foo happened to actually be very good considering they lived in New York.
"They are so good Ally. I haven't seen anybody so good since I heard you play the piano." Trish said, making Ally blush as she passed the
freshly shaken bottle to her. "Jace thinks I should give up on them, but I know they're going to be huge. And if I don't sign them I'll miss such a big oppurtunity." She said, shutting the cap of the ketchup.
Ally bit into her burger, careful to make sure none of the extra pickles fell off of it. She chewed thoughtfully and so did Trish before they both swallowed. "Well, if they're as good as you think I am—"
"Think? Ally your amazing. I don't know why you stopped playing." Trish said, taking a sip of her shake.
Ally shrugged. "I just don't have time. And, I'm sure you'll have these people signed before the end of the week." She said, changing the subject smoothly. Trish sighed, accepting the subject change as gracefully as she could.
"Yeah well, we'll see. But enough about me, what's going on with you? Have you been able to avoid Jack-ass Charming?" Trish said, biting into a ketchup covered fry.
Ally bit her lip before sucking on the straw in her shake. Trish raised an eyebrow. "What did you do Dawson?" She said, with a look of bemusement on her face. Ally dipped a fry in her shake and ate it, ignoring the disgusted look on the latina's face.
"Well, you know how I have that thing where I have too fix everybody's ideal on Christmas if its negative?" Ally said. Trish nodded.
"Yes, I do. And you have to warn me before you do that." She said pointing to the fry the brunette was currently dipping in her shake, making Ally roll her eyes and stick the fry in her mouth deliberately slow so her friend could see.
"Anyway, well I found out the reason why he was so rude to our decorations." Ally said. Trish raised her eyebrows in question.
"He doesn't believe in Christmas."
"Doesn't believe? That's different." Said Trish. Ally nods, finishing off her burger by popping the last little bit in her mouth.
"I mean, the kid in The Polar Express didn't believe in Christmas, but I can't really take Austin on a magical train to the North Pole so," Ally said, taking a sip of her shake. Trish laughed.
"So his name is Austin? He must be really cute if your willing to devote the whole of your Christmas plans to making him believe in Christmas."
"Yeah, well I still can't figure out what I'm going to do first. I usually have these things planned out but I can't think of anyhing." Ally said, dejectedly eating her last fry. Trish pursed her lips and leaned on the table.
"You could always wear ugly Christmas sweaters and sit on the couch and watch Christmas movies to prove your point. And throw in some type of Christmas beverage." Trish said, sipping on her shake. Ally looked up and smiled.
"Trish you are a freaking genius." Ally said excitedly. Trish just sipped her shake before speaking.
"No need to point out something that we all already know." She said, and Ally threw a balled up napkin at her.
"Come in!" Ally shouted from her room when she heard a knock. She heard the door open and some barking along with it.
"Come on, Kash. Settle down, don't you want to make a good impression?" Ally heard Austin's voice utter in a compassionate way. Ally walked out of her room, her natural curls bouncing over her shoulder as she crossed her apartment to step in front of the door. She smiled when she saw the blonde along with a fluffy yorkie puppy in his arms.
"Aw, he's so cute." Ally said walking up and scratching the puppy's ears. He barked happily.
"Yeah, I got your note when I got home, but I didn't have anyone to dogsitt. Is it ok if he's here while we do your thing?" He said, looking up at her with his hazel eyes. Ally looked away from the dog and smiled at him.
"Of course. Sit on the couch I just have to get some stuff out of the fridge. And the pizza should be here—" She said as there was another knock on the door.
"Right about now." She said, smiling as Austin walked into the living room with the puppy.
Ally paid the pizza guy, before walking into the kitchen and grabbing the drinks she had sitting on the counter and walking into the living room.
"There." She said, setting the pizza down on the coffee table. Austin looked up at her. "So what exactly do you have planned this evening Miss Dawson?" Austin said in a calm voice. Ally rolled her eyes.
"Believing in Christmas is not something that can happen over night. Or, maybe it can actually but that isn't the point." Ally said hastily, making Austin laugh.
"If you haven't noticed, I have systems for everything. So, we are going to follow a system of steps called, 'Ally Dawson's Very Merry Jingle Bell Rocking 5 step plan to believe in Christmas'." Ally said. Austin laughed at the brunette.
"Did you just make that up off the top of your head?" The blonde said, and Ally nodded with a triumphant look on her face, tugging her sweater a little lower over her jeans. Austin shook his head, before his eyes landed on her sweater.
"What the hell are you wearing?" Austin said looking at her sweater with furrowed eyebrows. Ally looked down at herself. Her sweater little pom poms as ornaments on a Christmas tree along with actual lights that lit up when you pressed the star button at the top.
"Oh," Ally said, a hint of amusement on her face as she picked up the bag sitting by the side of her couch and handed it to Austin. He pulled out a Christmas sweater that had a felt version of the snowman from Rudolf touching the red nose of the reindeer. Austin looked up at Ally.
"Press the nose." She said, smiling. He pressed Rudolph's nose and sure enough, it lit up red. Austin pursed his lips before looking up at Ally in question.
"Its part of our first step. Watch Christmas movies while wearing ugly Christmas sweaters. And we'll drink hot chocolate and eggnog after we eat dinner." Ally said, showing him the Christmas DVD's she had just picked up. Austin looked at the sweater and then at Ally.
"The sweater is not optional, before you ask." She said, as Austin opened his mouth. Kash jumped up on to the table, and Ally grabbed him before he could scuff anything. She brought him up so she was looking in his eyes.
"Do you want daddy to wear the sweater?" Ally said, and Kash barked. Ally looked back at the blonde who was in the middle of rolling his eyes. "Are you sure that was a yes?" Austin replied, getting up to take the sweater off that he was currently wearing. Ally turned around and inserted 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town' in the side of her tv.
"Absolutely positive." Ally said, as she grabbed the remote, making Austin laugh.
"This is actually really good, considering the name." Austin said, sipping his eggnog. Ally wrinkled her nose as the credits for their last movie rolled by.
"Yuck. I can't stand that stuff. I only bought it so you could taste it. Take it home with you." Ally said, setting her hot chocolate mug that was overflowing with marshmallows on the table and turning to Austin.
He looked up, setting his mug down on the table as well. "Yes?"
Ally perched her elbow on her knee, placing her chin on her fist. Austin laughed. "So Mr. Moon, what did you learn from watching our Christmas marathon?" Ally said. Austin looked up thougtfully.
"I learned that reindeer named Rudolf have red noses, Santa Claus's family was actually elves, that there's a green monster who lives above Whoville who has a really small heart but it got bigger, and that a magical train comes and picks little kids up on Christmas Eve and brings them to the North Pole." Austin said, recounting the plot for the movies they had watched this evening. Ally rolled her eyes.
"No, the meaning behind them." Ally said, straitening and folding her legs indian style. Austin looked up thoughtfully again.
"Well, they all had something to do with Christmas." He said, completely serious, but she could see the glint of amusement in his eyes. She clapped once.
"Genius, I never would have thought Christmas movies would be about Christmas." She said, with a wondering tone in her voice. Austin just shook his head with a smile on his face. She had noticed he did that a lot.
"Ok, what was your favorite since you obviously didn't understand what any of them meant Mr. Grinch." She said, sipping her hot chocolate again.
"Um, The Grinch was my favorite, actually." He said, taking a drink of his eggnog. Ally raised her eyebrows. "Why is that?" She asked curiously. He took another sip of his eggnog before he answered.
"Because it wasn't just about Christmas."
"It wasn't?" Ally said.
"No, it wasn't. It was about the Grinch being a better person overall, not just him realising how great Christmas is. His heart when from this," He said holding his hand up to show a little circle, "To this." He said spreading his arms wide, and making Ally laugh.
"I see your point. But, the reason his heart did that was because of Christmas." Ally said reasonably. Austin sighed. "Everything we do is going to lead to Christmas isn't it?" He said and Ally nodded.
"Yup. Because the whole point of this is getting you to believe in Christmas if you've forgotten that promise you made me already." She said, crossing behind them to wake up the sleeping yorkie.
He had fallen asleep during the second movie that they had watched. She felt bad that she had to wake him up when he looked so peaceful.
"Come on, Kash." She said, rubbing his fur as the small dog opened its eyes. It yawned, making Ally smile. She picked it up gently and handed it to the blonde. She walked him to the door, unlocking it for him.
"Do you want this back?" He said hopefully, pulling on the bottom of his Christmas sweater. Ally laughed.
"Nope. That wonderful, hideous sweater is yours to keep. Everyone has to have at least one ugly Christmas sweater." Ally said. "Consider it as a first time Christmas gift." She said, leaning on the door as he stepped out of it. Austin laughed, Kash barking in his arms.
"Well then, thank you." He said sincerely. Ally bowed her head.
"It was my pleasure, really." She said with a smile. Once they said goodnight Ally closed the door, already thinking of what step she was going to do next.
So I hope you guys liked it! Don't forget to review, I love hearing from you guys!