There's a change in pressure
I'm never gonna lie to you
My broken veins say
that if my heart stops beating
we'll bleed the same way
My broken veins say
Ally shook her head, sitting on the other side of the recording studio, a large glass window separating herself from Austin.
"I'm never gonna lie to you." Ally scoffed under her breath. An interesting line really, considering Austin lies to his fans every morning he wakes up. The man beside her didn't seem to hear her incoherent muttering, unless he was ignoring her. His stubby fingers messed with buttons on the soundboard in front of him.
The click of a door opening grabbed Ally's attention. She turned on her chair and her eyes opened a little bit wider than their original doe size. The dark man standing in the doorway made her heart trip. Ally cleared her throat, shaking up her fantasying thoughts on the rich man who she has only dreamed about meeting since Day 1. The man who was supposed to make her dreams come true.
"You must be Ally Dawson." The darker man smiled, showing pearly white teeth. He walks towards her with a swing in his step, outstretching his hand.
Ally didn't have to force a smile meeting Jimmy Starr, the man who she's only dreamed about signing her. She thought about pinching herself - she had decided to drop her dream about becoming a musician. This was her job now and it was as close to the music industry that she was going to get, she might as well accept it.
Ally grabbed his hand, giving it a firm shake. "I am." she said.
"I've heard good things about you." Jimmy said, thoughtfully. Ally smiled in return. Jimmy neared her, standing in front of the window and watching his musician. "How are you liking my talented boy?" he questioned.
Ally nodded stiffly, "He's great." She hoped it didn't come out as a growl.
Jimmy nodded, his eyes catching Austin's for a quick moment before Austin continued to sing with his soul. "He may be difficult to work with but he's the best musician I've ever signed. No regrets."
"I guess not." Ally replied.
Finally, Austin took off his head phones, dismissing his band with the flick of his finger in the air. The immediately scrambled around as Austin made his way through the door, joining Jimmy and Ally.
Jimmy looked at his musician, "So, what's this about releasing a song?"
Austin sighed, shaking his head as he looked down at his feet. "Jeremy quit. I guess he's decided he doesn't want to write for me anymore. Trish said it'll be best if I release a song to buy us some time to find a new writer."
Jimmy's eyes grew slightly, staring at the star incredulously, "You lost Jeremy? Our best writer in the business?" Jimmy's voice got slightly louder.
Ally awkwardly looked at her lap and then focused on Austin's face. His jaw was set and his eyes were colder. He genuinely looked fed up with everything, with everyone. She silently wondered how it felt to know everything that was going wrong was really his fault. She also wondered if he'd ever admit it or not.
"You say it like it was my fault, Jimmy." Austin said, keeping his voice as void of emotion as possible.
Nope, definitely won't admit it, thought Ally.
"Tell me that I'm wrong and that it wasn't your fault." Jimmy said.
"Okay," Austin shrugged, "It wasn't my fault. Jeremy got tired of his job and quit."
Jimmy shook his head, running a hand over his face. "Austin, Jeremy was your best shot. He's been your writer since you were sixteen, after you fired your first one."
"Ah," Austin lifted a finger, "My first writer didn't have what I was looking for, my taste changed and he didn't agree with me, his disappearance really was my fault. As for Jeremy, that was his own choice. His loss. This album could've made him some good money."
"Your attitude has-"
"-Been way out of line, I've heard it all." Austin rolled his eyes, he waved his hand dismissively, "Trish will get things sorted. I'll have a new writer in no time. According to Cassidy, I have many writers itching to work with me."
"But none have what Jeremy had." Jimmy ground out. "I won't have just any writer for you, Austin. You need the best of the best. You are at the top of everything, you always have been, and we're not letting you come down from such a high level. You've already been waning enough as it is."
"Ally, Go." Austin dismissed, glancing sideways towards her. "I expect a coffee by the time we leave."
"Yes." she squeaked, getting up from her seat. At least Austin bought her a ticket out of the tense room, she might thank him later for that. The man working with the soundboard took his leave with Ally, following behind her. Nobody wanted to be left in that room with Jimmy and Austin. Even Austin's band had already left.
Once the door had been shut and Ally was no longer in the room, Jimmy looked at Austin. "You better hope she stays, boy."
Austin folded his arms in front of his chest, leaning back on the counter behind him. He rolled his eyes heavenward. "You're a little late; Trish has already warned me."
"You best listen to her, because if that girl leaves, I just might take back on your record deal." Jimmy threatened. Austin's eyes widened and he stood up straight. "You losing so many staff says a lot about you, Austin Moon, and I can't have that kind of musician on my label."
"Jimmy-"
"-We will release this song as I see it's been recorded. I'm hoping this will stall your fans long enough until we can find you an experienced and professional songwriter. You better not lose Ally within this time." Jimmy said.
"Oh, I won't." Austin smirked. "She needs this job."
Jimmy sighed, "I'm dismissing you, Austin. I wish you good luck on finding a writer that can actually replace Jeremy." Jimmy turned, leaving the recording booth.
Austin sighed, shaking his head. He rubbed his head, miserably. He could feel his career spinning out of control. He went from having such a laid back career, to having it crumbling right inside his palms. He glanced out the opened door and saw Ally holding his coffee in one hand, and using her other hand to text on her phone. He sighed again.
x
"Well, Ally, this is what an Austin Moon concert looks like." Cassidy said.
Ally smiled slightly. She had never been to a concert before. She never had the time or even the money. The last concert she had actually gone to was when she was six, when her mom had taken her, but she hardly remembers that. Her father had always forced her to work in his music store since as long as she can remember. Her mom stopped seeing her a long time ago, after the divorce, she had disappeared, leaving Ally nothing but a wedding ring and a silly note on her bedspread. At least Ally had her mother's lipstick stuck on her forehead when she'd woken up. But lipstick doesn't ease the pain of abandonment.
Ally glanced around the concrete walls, her eyes scanning over the hurrying bodies that rushed passed her, yelling out schedules. It might smell like coffee and sweat back here, but it was like a dream come true. A shattered dream come true.
Once again, she slipped into a fantasy of what if this could've been for her? She shakes it off, again. She really needed to stop going there. This was her job. This was her job. This was her stupid job.
Suddenly, Trish came barreling out one of the doors. She would've looked nice in her suit and heels if she hadn't of had that stressed look on her face. Ally could see a vein bulging at her temple. "Has either of you seen Austin?"
"I thought he's been with Ally?" Cassidy frowned, looking at Ally who shook her head.
"I thought he's been with you." Ally said, nodding towards Trish who shook her head, scrubbing her fingers through her gelled curls. She grunted in frustration.
"This boy will be the end of me!" she howled to the two girls. "I haven't seen him all afternoon! He's missed sound checks before, we've always worked around it, but he's normally always here..." Trish trailed off to take a sneak peek at her watch, "thirty minutes before the show!"
"Relax, Trish," Cassidy told her, "I'll send people to find him. Ally, go find Austin, get everyone to look for him." Cassidy said, taking off.
Ally looked at Trish, "We'll find him." Ally said, turning on her heels to walk away.
"Ally," Trish called.
Ally looked over her shoulder at Trish, "Yes?"
"Can you bring me a coffee? I need one to bring down my stress." Trish said. Ally slowly nodded. "Oh, and Ally," she called again, "You're doing really good." Trish smiled genuinely, watching as Ally's lips curled upwards, too, "The best assistant we've had. You're on top of everything and you always know how to stay relaxed in moments like these. You're the kind of person we need around here."
Ally laughed slightly, "I'll get your coffee after I find Austin."
Ally walked off, travelling down the halls. She tapped shoulders, begged that somebody had seen him, she checked her watch, and peeked inside several rooms. Cassidy had texted her eight times declaring that Austin was no where to be found. If Ally had been sitting, she'd be on the edge of her seat right now.
She made it down the narrow hallways. She could hear the crowds shouting for Austin through the concrete walls and it made her feel like tearing her hair out. They were down to twenty minutes now. There was no way Ally could get him changed and ready in time.
Ally knocked on his dressing room door, turning the knob and marching in. "Austin!" she called, looking around but the room was empty. She was starting to make a list in her mind of all the things Austin was selfishly doing wrong, things Ally would never dream about doing. Not showing up to his own concert was one of those things.
Ally peeked in his bathroom, but it was also vacant. She sighed, running her fingers through her hair. Ally opened the door in a rush, ready to start bolting down the halls, but as she opened the door and readied for a sprint, she bumped into a hard chest.
She stumbled back to take a look at the attacker who was barging into Austin's room. Her eyes found broad shoulders, then a confused face, and then, finally, the blonde hair. "Austin." Ally growled, out of breath.
"Ally," Austin's lips curled loosely into a grin, "What are you doing in my room?"
"Where have you been?" she hissed, shoving his chest. "We've been looking everywhere for you! We're down to fifteen minutes now! You are on in fifteen minutes and you're just showing up now - Are you drunk?" Ally asked him, taking a giant step back.
"Tipsy." he corrected, smirking at her.
"Austin, you can't be tipsy! You have to perform!" Ally shrieked.
He rolled his eyes, "I've performed drunk before." Austin told her. His lips twisted into another lazy grin, "Best time I ever had. But then I threw up on Trish." he crinkled his nose. "I don't have a strong stomach."
"Good to know, we have to get you on stage!" Ally exclaimed. Ally turned to grab him his clothes when his palm locked around her wrist, twisting her towards him. She looked at him. "What are you doing?"
"You're in my room." he smirked at her, bringing her closer. Ally tensed. He let out a giddy laugh, releasing her. "Do I make you nervous, Ally?"
She slowly looked up at his eyes. "Now that you've told me about the time you puked on Trish, yes." she said softly, hardly being able to find her voice.
He chuckled to himself, grin widening. "You're cute," he told her, "It's too bad that you're my assistant. We'd be good together."
"Get your clothes on." she demanded, going towards the chair that his clothes were set on and throwing them at him. He caught them as they hit his chest.
He smirked, "You'd prefer them off now, wouldn't you?"
Ally turned towards him. "No, I wouldn't. Now get off your high horse and respect your fans for once in your goddamn life." she spat. He stared down at her, eye brows pulling together. "You might think you're hot and high in all of your glory, but a musician who respects his fans, wouldn't do this to them. He wouldn't get drunk before a show, he would get ready for the show, because he'd want the best show to give them, because he'd want them happy, because they mean a lot, because they devote every second thinking about him and he wants to make their night. He doesn't sit on his ass to drink and feel sorry for himself. Everything that happens to you, has always been your fault and unless you change something, it will always be your fault."
"You don't know a damn thing about me, Dawson." Austin growled in a tone she'd never heard him use before.
"I don't have to know you to tell you that what you're doing is wrong." Ally said. "Lay off the stupid remarks and cocky smirks, would you? I know this career means something to you, now do something about it." Ally snapped.
Ally began leaving his room when he grabbed her arm, stopping her. She sighed. She looked down at her arm where his grip was tightly wrapped around and then looked up at him. He was crying.
She pulled her arm from his grip, not tearing her eyes from his. "People here do a lot for you so you can live out the one thing you've dreamed about since you were a kid, and those fans out there, you wouldn't be here without them either, they're the ones who love you endlessly, through absolutely anything. They're the ones who have stayed here when nobody else did. You go out there and you put on a show, and I swear to God Austin Moon, you better get yourself lost in the music."
She slipped past him, but before she could leave the room completely, she heard him call, "And will you?"
"Will I what?" she pressed, exasperated as she looked at his backside. He didn't turn around to face her.
"Will you stay?" he asked her.
She was a little bit thrown off by his question, but she didn't waver from where she was standing. All she said was, "I have no where else to go."
She left after that, only the sound of her heels clicking in the distance on the concrete floors. Austin stood there in the door way, very aware that he most likely had less than ten minutes to get ready. It was like Ally had just drained all the alcohol that was left in his body. He suddenly felt tired, and oddly enough, defeated, in his own way.
Austin wasn't sure of a lot of things ever since he was given all of the bad news about his crumbling career, but there was two things he was absolutely sure of since Ally showed up: One being that he had never saw her coming, and the second being that he would never be the same.