A/N: I just wanted to thank you guys for making this my most popular story yet! It means a lot, every favourite, every follow, and every review just brighten my day so thank you so much!

Chapter 7

Ally's POV

I stood at the rail with my parents as the boat began to pull away from the dock. Everyone was waving and smiling and having a good time but I could only stand there gripping the railing like my life depended on it. As I watched the boat drifted further and further out to sea. I watched as it got to be more and more surrounded by water, I started to panic.

Awful thoughts began to fill my head. Thoughts of us sinking, of people screaming and running about, being washed away, being trapped...

I had to get away from this even if it was just back to my cabin I just couldn't be at the rail. I couldn't stand to look out across the water which now surrounded us. I quickly told my parents I was going for a walk before quickly rushing off.

Austin's POV

After a couple minutes of waving I started to get bored so Dez and I decided to go find something exciting to do. We were just walking along the deck talking about all of the possibilities when suddenly I crashed into something, or rather somebody. I quickly threw out my arms and caught them.

I looked down and saw that it was a girl with long, lightly curled brown hair. She was smaller than me for sure but looked about the same age. When she looked up my eyes met with hers and I held her gaze. Her eyes were a beautiful chocolate brown and I just couldn't bring myself to look away.

Ally's POV

I raced along the deck not paying much attention to my surroundings, trying to regain positive thoughts. I hurried along the deck until I collided hard with something. I felt myself falling. Suddenly strong arms went around my waist steadying me. I looked up to see who had caught me and found myself staring into the most beautiful brown eyes I had ever seen.

I had opened my mouth to say something but no words came out. We just stood there looking into each others eyes for what felt like forever until a voice drew us out of our moment.

"Umm hello, still here you know," they said.

"Oh sorry," said the boy with the brown eyes, finally looking away, though he still didn't let go of my waist. I took this opportunity to get a better look at him.

He was tall, probably around six feet, and muscular. He had blonde hair which was swept perfectly across his forehead. He had beautiful brown eyes which seemed to sparkle and his features were well defined. I was still looking at him when he turned back to me.

"I'm Austin and that's my best friend Dez," he said nodding towards the tall redhead standing next to him. He was scrawny and was wearing a crazy outfit. "What's your name?" Austin asked me drawing my attention back to him.

"Ally, thanks for catching me," I said.

"Ally, that's a pretty name," he said and I could feel my cheeks fill with colour. "And no problem, it was my fault you fell, it was the least I could do," he finished with a big smile.

"It wasn't your fault, I wasn't watching where I was going so it was my fault. I'm so sorry for running into you I was just in a rush..." I rambled. It was super embarrassing. Why did I have to start rambling every time I got nervous?

"Oh sorry, did you need to be somewhere," Austin asked. I was confused for a second before I realized I had told him I was in a rush.

"Oh, no I was just trying to get away from the rail. You see I am actually terrified of boats and I was starting to have a panic attack so I was just trying to get away," I explained. An amused expression crossed his face.

"So you're terrified of boats but you went on vacation on a cruise ship?" he asked with a smirk.

"It wasn't exactly my choice," I replied returning his smile. I once again just found myself staring into his eyes. I was slightly aware of his hands still on my waist.

"Hello, Austin, Ally, once again still here," Dez said drawing us back to reality once more. Austin seemed to just realize he was still holding me and quickly pulled his hands away. I admit I kind of missed the feeling. "So are we just going to stand here all day or are we going to go do something?" Dez asked.

"Why don't we go exploring, it's a big ship, I'm sure there's lots to see," Austin suggested.

"Ooh an adventure, I'm in!" Dez yelled.

"What about you Ally, are you going to come?" Austin asked me.

I thought about it for a second. What else was I going to do? Go and sit in my cabin alone?

"Sure, I'd love to," I replied giving him a big smile.

"Awesome," he said and the three of us started to head over to the elevators. Austin pressed the button and soon there was a ding and an elevator opened. The three of us climbed in and the door closed behind us. Austin stood staring at the elevator panel.

"So where are we going first?" he asked.

"We could just start at the bottom," Dez suggested.

"Okay," Austin replied and pushed the button for the first deck. "So Ally, tell me a bit about yourself," he asked as he leaned back against the elevator rail next to me.

"Well, I'm 17 and I love music, but have awful stage fright. I spend much of my spare time either writing songs, doing school work, or working at my dad's store. Oh and I love pickles. What about you?"

"I'm also 17, and I also love music but I love to perform except I can't write my own songs. I love to play my guitar, hang out with Dez, and have fun in my spare time. Oh and I love pancakes," he finished with a big smile.

"Are you from Miami then?" I asked.

"Yup, I live pretty close to the mall actually," he replied.

"Wow, so do I, I'm there all the time. Actually I work there."

"Oh cool, how have I never seen you? Where do you work?" asked Austin.

"My dad owns Sonic Boom, the music store," I start but Austin cuts me off.

"No way! I love that store! How have I never seen you, I go there all the time."

"I don't know," I said laughing at his enthusiasm. "I might have been upstairs in my practice room. I spend a lot of time up there."

"You have a practice room?" Austin asked.

"Yeah, it's not much, just a piano and a few other small things, but it's cozy, I like it."

"Cool," he replied. Just then the elevator dinged and we came out on the first deck.

"So," said Dez, "which way?"

"It just looks like cabins both ways," I said.

"Well we could show you our cabin Ally, it's on this deck," Austin suggested.

"Okay," I agreed. I admit I was kind of excited to see where his room was. Then I'd know where to look for him. Wait, what am I saying? I just met him. Who knows if he'll even want to hang out again.

The three of us headed down the hallway almost all of the way to the back of the boat.

"Here we are," Austin said gesturing to room 1442. Dez pulled out a keycard and opened the door going inside.

"Welcome to our room," Dez said stepping inside giving Austin and I room to enter. He gestured me in before him. "As your host Ally, it is customary for me to offer you a hot beverage, but I don't have one so please don't want one," he said giving me a pleading look.

"Don't worry Dez, I'm good right now," I said with a slight laugh.

"Oh thank god," he said plopping down onto the bed. The room was very small and crowded, nothing at all like mine. There was barely even room to walk. The pathways were extremely narrow and the only furniture in the room was the bed and a small armchair.

"So what do you think," Austin asked, looking over my shoulder.

"It's small, but looks quite cozy," I replied with a smile. It was the truth. To be completely honest I was expecting our room to be more like this rather than the huge suite we ended up in.

"That might be so if it was just the two of us, but my parents are in here too so it's just really cramped," Austin said.

"Oh, how do you all fit, I mean there is only one bed? " I asked curiously.

"Our beds fold down from the ceiling," Dez said sitting up and pointing to some panels in the ceiling.

"Oh, well that's interesting," I said wondering how that even worked.

"So Ally, where's your room," Austin asked going to sit down on the bed next to Dez and gesturing for me to sit. I took a seat in the armchair facing them.

"Oh it's on deck 7, room 7294," I replied not wanting to say too much about it and sound like some rich kid.

"Cool, what's it like, is it bigger than this?" he asked.

I hesitated. I didn't really want to tell him the truth, but I hated to lie so I did anyways. "It's a suite, so it's quite a bit bigger," I said.

"Oh cool, do you think you could show us sometime?" they both asked.

"Um yeah I don't see why not," I replied nervously. Just then the door opened. In came two people who I assumed were Austin's parents.

"Oh there you boys are! We've been looking everywhere for you. Could you at least tell us where you're going next time?" asked the women. I just sat there awkwardly.

"Yes, mom," Austin said. That's when she seemed to notice me.

"Oh hello there, who are you?" she asked me.

"I'm Ally," I said holding my hand out to shake their hands.

"She's a friend of ours," Austin said.

"Well it's nice to meet you Ally. I'm Mimi and this is my husband Mike," she said gesturing at the man behind her.

"Yes it's nice to meet you, well I'd better go and get ready for dinner," I said standing up. "It was nice meeting you all and thanks for catching me earlier Austin."

"It was nothing," he replied blushing slightly as his parents looked between the two of us. This caused me to blush too.

"Hopefully I'll see you guys around," I said before waving good bye and leaving their cabin.

As I walked back up towards the elevator I couldn't help but think about Austin. He was really nice and I just couldn't shake the awesome feeling he gave me when he was holding onto me. I know I just met him, but I really want to see him again. I hope I do and real soon. I don't know what it was I was feeling, but it made me determined. No, I didn't hope I'd see him again, I was sure of it. I hadn't seen the end of Austin.

A/N: Woo long chapter! So Austin and Ally finally meet. What did you think? Let me know in a review! Until next time!