So I read your reviews, and I finally gave in. To be honest, a part of me always wanted to continue it anyways, but I couldn't really figure out how. So I just started writing, and…this came out.
Enjoy.
-Fartemis
~FO~
FOUR YEARS LATER
Ally slid into the seat of her car and sped away from the curb, trying to drink coffee and steer at the same time. Her black pencil skirt dug into her thighs, and she felt like the buttons on her matching jacket were about to explode. She wore uncomfortable black stilettos that made pressing the gas a pain.
The red Beatle zoomed down the highway, breezing past palm trees. Cars jumped out her way as she drove maniacally, not wanting to be late for her job interview.
When she thought she could do it without spilling hot coffee on herself, Ally reached out and turned the radio on, listening for any new songs.
As usual, another hit single by Austin Moon came blaring out of the speakers. Ally rolled her eyes but didn't change the station. Every time she heard one if his songs, she didn't know whether to smile, cry, or rip the radio to shreds. All she saw when she went to the store were tabloids plastered with Austin's face, gossiping about his latest breakups and movie roles.
Ally remembered the tentative, shy teenager she had left in Ohio, the one who would only write "real music" and couldn't stand the mainstream celebrities. Now he had turned into one. All he produced were crappy pop songs about girls and crushes. Ally doubted he even still remembered her. For the first six months she had been back in Cali, they had kept in touch as promised, keeping each other up to date on gigs and deals, and even writing a few songs together over Skype. But then Austin had started to drift away as his fame had escalated, and Ally had kind of just faded into the background.
She sighed and pulled into the parking lot, shutting off the radio and the car and climbing out. Balancing precariously on her shoes, she took a deep breath and walked inside the tall, gray building.
A receptionist's desk waited just inside the lobby, manned by a bored-looking middle-aged woman.
"Hi, welcome to Beach Studios," she said in a monotone voice, addressing Ally. "How may I help you?"
Ally stepped up to the counter wearing a smile. "Yes, I'm here for a job interview with Mr. James."
The receptionist gestured in a random direction while gazing at her computer screen. "His office is that way."
A little miffed, Ally clicked her way down the hall towards Mr. James' office. She came to two huge, red double doors, with a plaque that read "Gerry James, owner of Beach Studios." Ally tentatively knocked twice on the door, interrupting muffled laughter coming from inside.
"Come in," a throaty voice called, and she nervously opened one of the doors and stepped inside, shutting it behind her.
His "office" was more of a playground for adults. It was a huge space, the size of Ally's loft, and it had floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking downtown Los Angeles. Red couches were perched on a furry white rug, with a clear coffee table in the center. Various musical instruments, including a huge white grand piano and expensive-looking bass guitars, were lined up, shiny and polished, against one wall. A giant slide dominated the room, curving and twisting dangerously. There was a bar area in the corner, manned by an actual bartender.
Mr. James was sitting on the red couch, looking expectantly at Ally. He wore a sleek black suit and a red tie, and his black hair was perfectly cut. He was once an extremely attractive young man, and now in his early fifties, he was an extremely attractive middle-aged man.
There was a suit-clad young man sitting across from him, still smiling at whatever joke had been made before.
"Ah, you must be Ally Dawson," Mr. James greeted with a genuine smile. "My apologies, I was in the middle of a meeting. But as soon as I am done here, we may discuss the terms of your job here."
He gestured to the red couches, still smiling. "Sit down, have a drink, make yourself comfortable. We're just waiting for another of our party to return from the restroom."
Ally nodded and strode to an unoccupied love seat, sitting down and awkwardly crossing her legs. Mr. James and the other man resumed their conversation as she looked around, marveling at the decorum.
Just then, a door opened at the other side of the room, and a young man stepped out, closing the door behind him. He wore jeans and a black T-shirt, and red shoes. Ally could see his messy-looking blonde hair but couldn't really see his face. But as he came closer, a growing sense of familiarity washed over her. When he was finally standing directly in front of her, her entire body was frozen as she stared at the man in front of her.
He had muscled up a bit more, and it showed through his shirt. His height had definitely skyrocketed. But it was still him. She'd recognize that smile anywhere.
"Ally Dawson, I'd like you to meet Austin Moon," Mr. James declared.
For a second, Ally spotted a flicker of recognition flash across Austin's face, but he just smiled cockily and stuck his hand out. "Nice to meet you, Ally."
Her eyebrow raised, Ally slowly took his hand an shook it. "You too, Austin," she replied, putting emphasis on his name. Austin sat down next to her on the love seat, leaning back as if he owned the place. Ally had the strong urge to place her hands around his throat and strangle him, but then she probably wouldn't get the record deal with Beach Studios.
"So, Ally," Mr. James started. "We are here to discuss your future with Beach Studios, so discuss it we shall. I figured you could give us a little show; sing a song or something. If we like it, you get the record deal."
Ally nodded, still a little shaken up by seeing Austin again. "Yes, sir. That sounds great."
She stood, trying not to look at the boy next to her, and walked over to the piano. Sitting down, she cleared her throat and placed her shaking fingers on the keys. She sighed and, in a rebellious mood, began to sing the last song that she and Austin had written before they had lost contact.
The song was very slow and tasteful, like kissing on a warm day. Ally belted out the lyrics that she so dearly remembered, the lyrics she had painstakingly wrote. The lyrics that she still sang every day, that she still hadn't forgotten.
When she finally finished and looked over at Mr. James, he was beaming and clapping, along with the man sitting near him. But Austin looked shocked, like he had just been slapped and hadn't reacted yet.
"That was wonderful," Mr. James praised, ceasing his clapping. "Did you write that?"
"Yes, I did," Ally answered. She flicked her gaze towards Austin. "I wrote it with an old friend who doesn't remember me anymore."
Austin furrowed his eyebrows while Mr. James shook his head. "Pity," he said. "Would've liked to meet the person."
They discussed the record deal, and Austin sat through it all with a scowl on his face and folded arms.
"Welcome to the Beach family!" Mr. James finally said, shaking Ally's hand. "You'll be a wonderful addition to our legacy of stars. Austin here is one of them."
Austin forced a fake smile. "Welcome, Ally. We'll make a great team."
After the meeting was over, Ally was the first one out, trying to run in her heels as tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. But Austin was faster, grabbing her elbow and pulling her into a storage closet.
Before Ally could say anything, Austin's lips were on hers, silencing any rude words that were on her tongue. She relished in the kiss, breathing in his familiar scent, moving her lips against his.
Austin finally pulled away, looking into her eyes. "God, I missed you, Ally," he breathed. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for it all: the girls, the music, cutting you off. It isn't real, Ally."
"What happened?" she whispered. "What happened to you- to us?"
Austin ran a hand through his hair, a habit Ally remembered well from when he was nervous. "Hollywood happened. It's so...so different here, Als. It's not like Ohio."
A few tears rolled down Ally's cheeks as she looked down at the floor, refusing to meet Austin's eyes. "I waited," she said quietly.
"What do you mean?" Austin replied.
"I waited for you," Ally said, looking up. "I waited for you to call me back. I waited for you to use our songs. I waited for you to go back to being the Austin I knew. God, I waited so long. But this...this was so not worth the wait."
Ally turned to leave, but Austin gently caught her wrist. "I'll make it up to you," he promised. "Someday, somehow. I...I still love you, Als."
With that, he reluctantly let her wrist go, and she turned and fled from the closet, from the building, straight to her car.
As soon as she got back to her loft, she ran to her closet and reached for a faded box at the back, buried under dresses and shoes. She fell to her knees with it in her hands and blew the dust off. Then she opened it slowly, feeling butterflies flutter in her stomach. She hadn't opened the box in years.
Once the box was open, she stuck her hand inside and gently lifted out an old, brown sweater. She held it close to her chest, rocking with silent sobs.
***
A few weeks later, Ally arrived at Beach Studios to begin work on her album. She hadn't seen Austin since the job interview, but she had noticed that he had been in the tabloids less.
She parked her car, walked inside, and almost immediately rammed into Austin. Austin looked down at her in surprise. "Oh, hey Ally," he greeted, then he jerked his head toward the stairs. "Let's go up to the studios."
They found an unoccupied one and slipped inside, unnoticed. Ally sat, legs crossed, in a rolling chair, and Austin sat across from her in an identical one.
"We need to talk about this," he said, after awkwardly clearing his throat.
"What is there to talk about?" Ally said bitterly. "I mean, I've moved on, and you've obviously moved on. Let's just be business partners-"
"No!" Austin snapped, causing Ally to jump in surprise. "You don't get it, do you? It's all an act- Mr. James makes me do it or he'll release me from my contract."
Austin paused and rubbed his face, scowling. "That...monster made me stop hanging out with Dez and Trish. I haven't talked to them in years. He didn't know about you until my parents accidentally let it slip."
Ally leaned forward. "So...all of this...dating and music...it's all fake?"
"Yeah," Austin replied sadly. "And I hate every minute of it. But my contract is almost expired. I only have a month left, and then I'm signing on with Birch Records. I'll be able to recreate my image."
"And I'm supposed to be happy about that?" Ally replied, switching back to her bitter tone.
"Well, yeah," Austin said, "because...I was kinda hoping...you'd wanna get back together."
Ally looked up at him, unable to believe his words. "Are you serious?" she asked.
"Of course I am," Austin answered enthusiastically, mistaking her anger for pure disbelief.
"How dare you?" Ally spat with barely contained anger. "Four years, Austin! It's been four years! Do you honestly expect me to just be okay with getting back together with a boy who I haven't talked to in years?!"
Austin sat shocked. "You mean...you mean you don't...love me? I thought you did...we promised forever!"
Ally gave a bitter laugh, a tear streaming down her cheek. "Yeah, well, we were young and stupid back then. We thought we were going to move to Cali together after high school, and get a record deal, get married, and live happily ever after. But it didn't happen, and it never will, okay?"
"You can't blame me for you moving back here!" Austin scolded. "I had no one; Dez and Trish making out while I sit there, alone! Thinking of you sucking face with some fake-tanned surfer guy!"
"I never got in another relationship, okay?!" Ally yelled, tears now streaming down her face. "I would try to date, after you disappeared from Skype and texting. But all I could think about was you. I comforted myself with thinking that you were having the same problem, but I turn the TV on and what do I see? You dating some bimbo named Tracy Anglin! And you said you still love me?! You're mad at me for not wanting to get together?!"
Austin had his own tears forming. "It was the only way I could cope," he replied, quietly and sadly. "I hated Tracy. I hated all of those girls. I couldn't see you anymore, but I couldn't get you out of my mind. No one else is as beautiful, and smart, and talented as you. Nobody else compares, Als."
Ally let out a sob and frustratingly wiped her tears away. "God, Austin, why do you have to make this so difficult? I don't know whether to come back to you, or...just move on."
"Just kiss me," Austin whispered. "Then you'll know."
Ally leaned forward and their lips met in the center, moving in sync. Austin's hand moved to Ally's cheek, feeling her hot blush, the wetness from the salty tears. It was just like old times; almost as of they were back in Austin's room, pausing the video game so that they could make out.
Ally pulled away this time, out of breath but smiling slightly.
"Made your decision yet?" Austin asked.
"I think so," Ally said, biting her lip.
"And?"
"Here's your answer," Ally replied, leaning in for another kiss.
~FO~
So I think after this I'm going to do an epilogue, and then I'll be done with this two-shot plus epilogue. Hope you liked it, and review please.
-Fartemis