"Ally, I'd like to meet Austin and his best friend, Dez." Her mother said with a smile on her face. At the mention of his name, Dez raised his hand and waved happily from behind the two.
A glance, a frown, and the reverberating slam of the white door was the only answer to her mother's introduction. Her mother's smile dropped from her face, and Dez still waved to the closed, white, wood door.
"Well, that went well." Austin said facetiously, his smile just a bit unsure and confused.
Dez stepped forward and placed one of his hands on his friends shoulder, a cheeky grin still emanate on his face, regardless of the short brown haired girl's blatant rejection.
"I think she likes us."
He was about to interject, however the distinct sound of a door locking answered the blonds comment. In spite of the girl's less than friendly response towards his best friends' obliviousness, Austin couldn't stop the small smirk from forming on his face. The girl had sass. He gave her that.
Dez, however, seemed to be taking it a different way as he harrumphed, furrowing his eyebrows and frowning, a clear contrast from his usual quirky personality. "Well, that was rude." He commented, still scowling at the door. Austin attempted to comfort his friend, but was once again, interrupted by the girl's mother's apology, who had seemed to snap out of her shocked trance-like state.
"O-o-oh. I-I-I am so sorry, for Ally's behavior." She stammered. Her cheeks flushed crimson as her face rose a few degrees higher, much to her chagrin. Penny was still in a state of shock, mortified by her daughters' faux pas, and the unwanted attention that was included with it. She bowed her head in a submissive pose, pressed her lips together tightly, and kept her eyes glued to the bottom of the door in front of her which had become suddenly interesting. Light was showing though the cracks at awkward angles from the frayed hairs on the carpet. Part of the white paint was chipped, which betrayed the original light wood hiding underneath.
"It's okay, Ms. Dawson. No biggie." A relaxed smile graced his features; brown eyes looked back at the door. Ally's attitude intrigued him. He felt half confused, half excited, half nervous, half anxious, and half jumpy; all at the same time. Normally, girls and guys swooned over him; not to brag about himself, but he was pretty easy on the eyes. He snapped back as Ms. Dawson's mumble intruded on his thoughts.
"-understand if you want to leave"
"Nah, we'll stay. Right, Dez?" Austin looked over his shoulder at the redhead. Dez continued pouting, but looking at the blonds' hopeful smile and eyes, he let out a loud defeated sigh. Austin rolled his eyes and his lips upturned at Dez's melodramatics.
"Oh, well, that's fine, if you want. I'll just be in the kitchen if you need me." She stumbled over her words as they were jumbled in her head, remixed in her larynx and lost at the tip of her tongue. Her face turned a light pink and the tips of her ears felt warm. Blushing furiously, she wove her way though, flinching as she brushed by the two boys' arms in attempts to remove herself from the doorway and get through the narrow hallway. She kept her eyes cat downward and didn't say another word to the two as she rapidly walked away, her heels creating hushed clicks against the wood.
She didn't lift her head until she recognized the island and barstools in the middle of the kitchen out of her peripheral vision. As she lifted her head, she saw her ex husband, grinning smugly at her, and once again, she looked down sheepishly.
"So, I'm assuming it didn't go well?" He smirked, but the sharp glare she gave him in no way deterred him as he watched complacently.
She sighed, resting her elbows on the table and propping her head up in her hands. "I don't know what to do anymore. She won't talk to me, she doesn't talk to Trish, and she never leaves this house. I'm scared that's she's going to hurt herself one of these times."
The self assured grin disappeared as quickly as it had came at the mention of their daughter, and a sour look replaced it. He, too, was worried for his daughters' sake. It just wasn't healthy for her to lock herself away from the outside world. He saw he little baby girl deteriorate right in front of his own eyes, and there was nothing he could do to help. She refused to see anyone, and whenever they even remotely brought up the topic, it would only end in her screaming, running towards her room and locking the door. He tried telling her some jokes. Hey, Ally! Why couldn't Beethoven find his teacher? Because his teacher was Haydn. Nothing worked, and he never felt so helpless.
He reached across the table and stroked her forearm reassuringly, a rare display of affection. "I'm worried, too."
She lifted her head from her hands and offered a soft smile, silently thanking him. Worry lines soon reappeared on her forehead. Her mood swings were soon becoming as frequent as Ally's. "I thought that bringing someone like Austin would help Ally come out of her shell, even just a little bit." An air of melancholy once again surrounded the two adults, as they both sighed, thinking of how they first met the two boys.
Hearing the slam of the door once again, he removed himself from the living room couch. By now, the space that was once occupied with music and laughter was filled with screams that faded into deafening silence. He headed towards the end of the hallway, his footsteps made thick clomp as he trudged to his daughters room.
"How'd it go this time, Penny?" He whispered to his ex wife, who was currently looking down at her hand which clenched around a locked doorknob, willing it to unlock itself. He knew that Ally was most likely directly on the other side of the door, hanging onto every word he said, but at least he could try to seem more covert about it.
"Same as last time, Lester." He looked back at the white door that stood in front of him. "We need to do something. I-I can't just have her lock herself in her room." He placed a gentle but firm hand on her and began to rub soothing circles, in attempts to try to prevent Penny from breaking out into hysterics. He shushed her quietly and he could feel her body convulse as she wept beneath his hand, yet no sound came out of her.
"Hey, hey, hey. How about we head to Sonic Boom, I need to lock up. We can get out of here and leave Ally alone for a while. Maybe we'll see Trish and ask her to come over or something." He tried to calm her down, she was trembling and he could only hear the faintest sniffle come out of her. There was no doubt that tears would be cascading down her face. Her hands still held onto the door handle, gripping it as if it was the only thing that kept her upright.
"I just want my baby girl back." She mewled and tried once again to forcibly unlock the door by violently shaking the knob once again. He grabbed onto her shoulders and removed her away from the door. Taking a hold onto her wrist, he pried her hand away from the doorknob. Tears streamed down her cheeks and her hand blocked her mouth as silent sob racked her body.
He came closer to the white door. "Ally?" He asked her, gently, not wanting to frighten her. He paused, and pressed his ear to the wood, but he wasn't able to distinguish any recognizable noise. All sounds were stifled by the thick, white, wooden barricade. He should've known either way. She barely uttered a sound now. The ghost of his daughter loitered around in their household, a stranger to him and everyone else, noiselessly haunting whoever occupied the shared space.
He looked back at the young woman who used to be his wife, teary eyed and red faced. "Your mother and I are going to head to Sonic Boom for a while, but don't worry, we'll be back in about an hour or so. We love you." He waited a few more seconds before removing himself from the door. He placed his hand on the small of her back and led a teary eyed Penny to the hall closet. He held out the back of her lightweight jacket and helped her guide her arms through. Quickly slipping on his own jacket while she slipped into her shoes, he escorted her out the door.
Looking back inside, he saw the pale walls and white siding and the sconces that were now off. He saw the cherry wood floors and how the natural light that peaked through the lattice windows created odd shapes. He didn't see his smiling princess as she would talk avidly about whatever was new. He didn't hear the feathery sounds that drifted through the air as her nimble fingers hit piano keys. He shut the door and locked it with his keys. Without the two in there, even with a person still occupying the house, he only heard silence.
Walking on the sidewalk was quiet, the only sound was their synched footsteps, the leaves rustling as the wind ticked it, and the occasional car that passed by. He didn't speak, instead, he allowed his wife to calm herself. By then, the tears had stopped rolling down her cheeks, and all that was left was the faintest trail, and the rest was evaporated into the air. She wiped her face with the back of her hand and let out an uneasy, breathy chuckle. He turned his head and asked if she was well.
"Yes, I'm fine now." said Penny. "Oh, god. What did I just do?" She chided herself for her reckless outburst at their home.
"It's okay. You were upset, it happens. But let's not think about that now. It's a sunny day and there's just enough breeze. Let's just enjoy this moment, alright?" He timidly grabbed her arm and looped it around his. It wasn't too intimate, but it showed that she still cared for his ex. She looked his way, and this time, she could feel the wind as it laced through her hair, tugging a few loose strands out of its natural hairstyle.
"I'd like that."
...
"Okay, Lester. We need to find a friend for Ally." Penny informed her ex husband once again, as they walked through Miami Mall. She knew her daughter needed someone to hang out with, especially since Trish moved away. Penny frowned; Ally had refused to go see a therapist, after him. She mentally cursed the boy who caused her daughter so many traumas. Ally had never told her the extent of what exactly happened, but she knew enough, and every day she would see her only child recede into herself, lonely and depressed.
"I know, but let me just go lock up Sonic Boom first." Lester told her, snapping her back from her thoughts. She looked around, children were laughing and playing outside, the sun warmed her skin and a cool breeze tickled as it wove between her locks of hair. She began thinking of her daughter once again, trapping herself in her room for the 4th time that week. She quickly shook herself out of her morose thoughts as the store came into view. The sound of drums reached their ears.
It didn't take much to have Lester delink their arms and start running- well, jogging- towards the store to unveil the culprit. "No one's supposed to be playing the drums!" Lester exclaims and pushed through the double doors of the store. Penny followed in pursuit, attempting to catch up, wondering who was playing.
"Hey, kid! Did you not see the 'Please do not play the drums' sign?" Walking through the doors, she heard him ask the boy who was currently sitting on the drummer's seat with two corn dogs in his hands, a cheeky and carefree smile played on his face.
Despite the boy not being able to follow the rules, she liked him; he looked ambitious. He had that certain spark in her eyes that was parallel to Ally's before him. He seemed to have that love of music and simply a joie de vivre, much like a young child.
Before the free spirited boy could answer, another boy with red hair stepped forward, addressing her husband. "Sir! We are making a music video, I am the director, although I prefer the term, filmmaker." Penny looked at the two boys; they seemed to be about Ally's age, the tall redhead seemed a tad odd, but friendly none the less.
"Listen, I don't care if you are making a video or not, unless you plan on paying for those drums-"
"Lester, Lester, Lester." She interrupted his rampage, in attempts to placate her ex husband. She already had an idea in her head, and having him drive away the two boys would surely ruin it. Yes, it was a long shot, but after numerous locked doors from one side, and tears from both, she was getting desperate.
She took a hold of his arm and forcibly yanked him away from where he stood firmly, planted to the floor, glowering at the two boys. "Would you two mind staying there for a moment?" She threw them an overly pleasant smile and gave one last sharp tug to eventually uproot her ex husband.
The two boys stood watching with puzzled looked, but after watching as the man was moved, the blond shrugged along with his friend and began to munch on the corndog in his hand.
"Penny, what are you doing?" At her pointed glare, his eyes widened in realization. "No. Penny. No." He started to beg her. In response, she nodded her head in the two boys' direction. Turning back around, Lester grimaced slightly as he witnessed the boy eating his corndog that he used to play the dusty drums with. "They're teenage boys. Teenage. Boys. Why can't we just ask Trish?" He protested, pouting out his bottom lip. At her single raised eyebrow, he sighed. He knew Trish was, for the most part, out of the question. She was working like crazy; her mother actually forced the girl to maintain a steady job.
"Fine." He gave in, pulling a face, still upset over the matter, but knew that is was futile trying to argue with her when she set her mind to something. She smiled broadly at her triumph, and scooted past Lester, who continued to sulk and clapped her hands together.
"Hello, boys. I'm Penny Dawson and this is my husband, Lester." She introduced the two of them, leaving out the 'ex-' for the sake of privacy. "Lester here owns the store, don't you?" She asked him, she gave him a quick jab with her elbow into his side and he forced a smile.
"Yup." He acknowledged through gritted teeth.
"Oh, I'm Austin and this is my friend Dez." The blond introduced himself and gestured to the redhead.
"Well, we were wondering if you two would meet our daughter." She smiled, in attempts to convey a friendly suggestion.
"Oh, uh, well." The blond flustered. "Thanks Ms. Dawson, but I – uh – I'm only 16 and – um- I mean-" He stumbled over his words, and she quickly intervened, saving him from a more awkward situation.
The boys were both looking at her as if she suddenly grew two heads. "Oh, no. My daughter, Ally, is a bit shy, so she's having some trouble making friends. She's a very nice girl, though." Penny assured them, hoping that she sounded sincere and genuine.
The blond and redhead turned their heads to look at each other, sending silent messages to each other. She knew that she probably sounded insane to the teens; having a grown woman ask two fairly young teenage boys to her house to supposedly meet her daughter, didn't exactly sound appropriate. Hoping to persuade them after seeing their dubious expressions they sent each other, she composed an offer for the two of them.
"If you meet our daughter, you can... have this drum set." She knew it was a long shot and probably sounded similar to a young child being coerced into a white van with candy, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Ally wasn't going to come out of the house, so the only other option for her to meet new people was to invite them over, no matter how strange it many appear.
"What?" She turned her head at the squeak and saw Lester gawking at her with an open mouth and wide eyes. She sent him a fierce glare, daring him to say more. His mouth tightened into a thin line and his face turned a few shades pinker. Her attention turned back to the two boys that talked to each other in hushed whispers. Even though the redhead seemed a bit more easygoing, the blond looked much more skeptical on the situation. Eventually, after watching the two slightly argue under their breaths, they both faced her. She crossed her fingers and held her breath, waiting for an answer.
"Okay. We'll do it."
The two sighed simultaneously. Despite Lester's original impression of the blond and redhead, he still thought they were nice boys, well, nice enough.
"I'm so worried, Lester." She told him.
"I know, Penny. I know."
Hearing the heels clicking away as they went down the hall, Austin faced the door once again. Once again, incertitude washed over him. How was one supposed to talk to a door? Doors didn't talk. Doors didn't answer. Doors didn't laugh or smile or listen or breathe or blink or think or anything that a person did. Especially nothing a short girl with pretty, brown hair. Well, maybe except for swallow. He continued to look at the door, contemplating his options. He already said he would stay, but something told him she wasn't exactly in a talkative mood.
He looked over his shoulder, and shrugged. Dez, over his dramatics, walked closer to the door, rubbing his palms together. Austin backed away from the door, giving Dez the space he might need.
"So, uh, Ally. Nice weather we're having, huh?"
No answer.
"How about them Mets?"
Nothing.
"Have you heard that new song by R5?"
Nope.
"Did you see what happened on the news?"
Nada.
"Your, uh, door really brings out the color in your, um, flooring."
No.
The last piece just resulted in a confused look from Austin. Dez could be a tad bizarre, yes, but even that was a bit out there. He saw as Dez's shoulders slumped as he huffed and crossed his arms against his chest. He slowly approached the, once again, bitter redhead. Dez abruptly turned to face him, a moue on his face.
"Austin, don't ever leave me alone with her. I was trying to make small talk, but the girl was giving me nothing."
The two jumped at the sudden bang in response. It was like a person using their fist to strike the door. Austin dropped down and peered through the small crack at the bottom of the door. He lay down on his stomach with his two hands by his shoulders. He could see 2 bare feet. He smiled and looked up to Dez who returned his smile. Austin looked through the door crack again, the two feet remained planted into the carpet.
To reply to her, he moved one of his arms, slowly unsticking and unbending his arm as if afraid that a loud creak of the floorboards may scare her away. Smirking, he replied by knocking back a few times on the white wooden door. He watched as one of her feet took a step back, surprised. He grinned and rapped against the door a few more times.
Knock-knock-knock-knock-knock
He heard two claps in response. Wait, claps? He looked up once again at Dez who was smiling down at him with both of his hands together. He chuckled lowly; sometimes Dez was such a goofball, but in the best way.
"Dez, not you." He laughed. "Wait, I have an idea!" He pushed himself off of the floor and stood up. "Why don't we just talk through knocking and stuff?" He beamed brightly at his new idea. In retrospect, he knew that he shouldn't have been that excited about knocking on doors to someone who slammed a door in your face and doesn't even want to talk in the first place; but hey, it was something. And something was always better than anything, or was it nothing?
"Anyway, now we can talk to her, we'll just have to ask yes or no questions" He explained.
Dez's hand shot up and he waved it around in the air frantically while bouncing on his toes. He kind of looked like an overly eagar little kid, hoping to be picked on by the teacher to answer a question. Regardless of the fact that he was the only one raising his hand, Austin couldn't help but laugh at his best friends' quirky personality. He gestured to the redhead with a smile that only widened once he saw him doing an arm pump alongside a whispered 'yes'.
"Ooh, ooh, I know, I know. Thirty eight for yes, forty seven for no!" Although he tended to agree with most of Dez's ideas, he had to interject. What if he lost count?
"How about 1 for yes and 2 for no, Dez?" He offered instead.
"Where's the fun in that?" Dez pouted once more, upset by having his ideas rejected once again. Austin smiled weakly at him, and rubbed his arm in support before resting his hand on his friends' shoulder, without bending his arm. His best friend returned the favor by copying the blonds actions and placing an hand on the other's shoulders and happily sighed.
Oblivious to him was the girl listening behind the door with a dumbfounded expression at the two boys, well, more specifically the one who wanted her to knock on the door forty seven times as an answer for two lettered word.
Austin reluctantly neared the door. He didn't know why he was so nervous. "S-so, Ally, what do ya think?" He mentally scolded himself as he faltered over a word. He was supposed to seem calm, cool and collected, but instead here he was, stuttering like a nervous kid on the first day of school. He waited a few moments, holding in his breath as to not miss the sound of a single knock.
If only one came.
He was going to wait, just a few more seconds. Just... fifteen more seconds.
One one thousand...
Two one thousand...
Three one thousand...
Four one thousand...
Five one thousand...
Six one thousand...
Seven one thousand...
Eight one thousand...
Nine one thousand...
Ten one thousand...
Eleven one thousand...
Twelve one thousand...
Thirteen one thousand...
Fourteen one thousand...
Fifteen.
He dropped his head in defeat. She wasn't going to talk, and she definitely wasn't going to come out. Why would she? He turned and walked away, down the dark hallway, illuminated yellow by the sconces and swallowed by the dark flooring. He thought he could do it. He could've saved the princess from the dragon keeping her locked up in a tower. But that's what it was:
An unreachable tower.
She couldn't answer. He throat closed up and her body stilled. What was she thinking banging on the door like that? It was exactly those actions that would always get her in trouble. She was only allowed to speak when spoken to. That's how it was supposed to work. If she didn't, no one would like her. Why would they like her?
She wasn't like other people. She wasn't pretty. Her brown, dull, boring, lifeless hair fell just below her shoulders. Her scarred, flawed, and pasty skin. Her thin, bony, short and weak frame that looked like it could barely hold her up as it is. She's a hideous creature. That's what he told her. She can't help but hate everything she is. Why would they like her?
They don't really care about her. It's just a sick, twisted game they planned in their heads. She was better off on her own. She couldn't show vulnerability and expose herself to two strangers; she'd only get hurt in the end. It wasn't worth the chance of getting hurt later on. There were so many unknown mysteries and fears that came with meeting new people, and that was a risk she didn't want to take. She was safe in her room. People couldn't come in. It was only her. Why would they like her?
But, her mother looked so hopeful when she answered the door. And the two boys looked so genuine. She was right. It was only her. It wasn't him. He wasn't there, anymore. She solely raised her fist and positioned it in front of the hard, wooden, white door. She paused, not positive whether it was a good idea or not. There were risks and consequences involved, ones that she wasn't completely in control of, and unsure about. But she couldn't do it by herself.
And she gave a single knock.
He walked away, his sneaker soles brushing against the floorboards, uttering not a sound. And then he hears it. A single knock. Coming from the end of the hallway. Austin did a quick about-face and headed back towards the door in disbelief.
"What'd you say, Ally?" He asked the door, a cheerful grin on his face. He waited.
One one thousand...
Two one thousand...
Three one thousand...
Four one thousand...
Five one thousand...
Knock.
His smile widens and his heart starts to beat wildly in his chest. Albeit, she took some time to respond, but he could live with that.
Maybe that tower wasn't so unreachable after all.
"So," He drags, trying to find a question to start with. There still was the initial awkwardness of sitting and talking to a door, but it was worth it. Now that he actually has the chance to talk to her, he suddenly draws a blank. He turned around at his friend who was lounging around while sitting on the floor. Meeting his eyes, Austin shot a silent plea for help. Austin watched as Dez rested his chin on one of his fists, pouted and scrunched his eyebrows in thought, before whispering, "Ask if she likes Zaliens."
He grinned back in response. That was a great question; who didn't like Zaliens? "Do you like Zaliens?"
He waited in anticipation, praying for a one knock answer. After a few moment of waiting, he frowned. Was it something he said? Did she decide that she didn't want to talk anymore?
Or worse. "Do you know what Zaliens are?" He questioned meekly, not quite sure if he wanted to hear the answer.
The two held their breaths and leaned forward, simultaneously, waiting to hear a response. Two knocks proceeded. Dez gasped loudly and drew back with his hand over his heart. A forlorn expression crossed over the redheads' freckled face and he shook his head sadly, tut-tutting through his teeth. She was a lot cause in the world of Zaliens.
He continued to ask her a few more yes or no questions, with the help of Dez.
Do you play any sports? One one thousand... Two one thousand... Three one thousand... Four one thousand... Five one thousand... Two knocks.
Are you in high school? One one thousand... Two one thousand... Three one thousand... Four one thousand... Five... One knock.
Do you go to Marino? One one thousand... Two one thousand... Three one thousand... Four one... One knock.
Do you like school? One one thousand... Two one thousand... Three one thousand... One knock.
Do you have any brothers? One one thousand... Two... Two knocks.
Do you have any sisters? One one... Two knocks.
Did you ever break a bone? Two knocks.
Have you been out of Florida? One knock.
Do you like sunsets? One knock.
Do you like the beach? Two knocks.
Do you like going to the movies? One knock.
Do you like horror movies? Two knocks.
Do you dance? One knock.
Are you a good dancer? One one thousand... Two one thousand... Three one thousand... Four one thousand... Five one thousand... Six one thousand... One knock; but that one took a while for her to answer.
Have you ever tried to break a world record? Two knocks.
Can you spin plates? Two knocks.
Can you lick your elbow? Two knocks.
Can you do the splits? Two knocks.
After a few questions, Austin was slowly running out of ideas to ask her, he wasn't used to the pressure.
"Do... do...?" He turned around with a playful smirk on his face. "I just said do-do." He giggled alongside Dez. He didn't know what to ask her anymore. There were only so many yes-no questions he could ask to a door. There had to be some other way for him to actually have a conversation with her. He looked back at his friend once again, in times like these, sometimes he needed Dez's brain to help him think of ideas.
"What about s'mores code?" He offered with a wide grin, after a few moments of contemplation.
"Dez, that's-" Austin started, before pausing, himself, to think. "Amazing!" He beamed. Sometimes Dez could think of some pretty crazy ideas, but this idea seemed fool proof. Well, except for a few things. It was a-few-things-that-could-cause-some-problems-but-other-than-that fool proof.
"But does she know Morse code?" He asked. One knock. The two jumped, momentarily forgetting the girl on the other side of the door. Austin laughed quietly, not wanting to be too loud. She definitely had sass. Although she seemed a bit timid and shy, maybe just a bit awkward, she still had that certain spark in her personality which seemed so rare. He couldn't quite place it, but he just knew that there was more than what she really let on.
He turned back to Dez after his laughing settled down. "Wait. Dez, you know Morse code?" He asked him, a bit bemused and a bit shocked that Dez actually knew it and didn't tell him.
"Of course, Austin. It's only the best type of sweet talking." At that, he received an unusual look from the blond. Austin wondered how Morse code could ever be considered 'sweet talking', but he knew better than to question Dez on that sort of stuff. It would most likely only lead to over complicating things, causing the explanation to jumble in his head as he tried to comprehend whatever Dez was saying, and it would just confuse him further. Dez looked at the white wooden door before turning his head and facing Austin with a relaxed smile on his face. "So, what do you want to say?"
"Can't I just talk and she can answer back?" He questioned. It seemed like a much easier way to do things.
"Austin, Austin Austin." Dez babied "Young, naïve Austin. You clearly don't understand s'mores code. Let the professions handle it."
He sighed. "Fine. Uh, ask her what she likes to do for fun."
Dez nodded, cracked his knuckles and with a determined look, he faced the wall. He tilted his head from side to side and neared the door. Austin couldn't help but roll his eyes and chuckle. Dez had his own way. Even though he could be a little theatrical, at least he had someone who knew what he was-
"Graham marshmallow graham marsh choco cracker marsh graham chocolaty marsh cracker choco mallow?"
-doing
Austin listened with eyes wide. He wanted to ask her what she liked to do, not what you put in a campfire treat! He grabbed his friends forearm and yanked him back. "Dez," he whined. "You said you knew Morse code!"
"No, I said s'mores code. C'mon Austin. Pay attention. Who knows Morse code anyway?"
Knock.
Austin clapped his hand over his mouth as he tried to hold in a laugh. Sometimes this girl was just too much. He watched as his friend pouted and put his hands on his hips and he spun to face the door
"Well nobody asked you." He told the door stubbornly while sticking out his tongue like a little kid.
Knock.
"No."
Knock.
"No."
Knock.
"N-"
Despite the immense amount of amusement Austin got, watching as Dez became a bit pink faced as he argued with Ally on the other side of the door, he knew that the best thing to do was to pull them apart -well, pull Dez away from the door, he wasn't exactly sure what he could to with the girl- before things got ugly. Dez harrumphed, frowned, crossed his arms over his chest and turned away from the door.
"Okay. So Morse code doesn't word. Why don't we try..." He looked around the small hallway, hoping for a hint or a clue of some sort. He was running out of ideas. There was only so much a two people could do when one of them didn't speak and there was no way to see each other or touch due to the large slab of wood that was separating them. His eyes landed on Dez's backpack.
Okay, so what do most people carry around with them? Money, keys, sunglasses, cell phone.
"Cellphone!" exclaimed Austin.
His sour mood forgotten, Dez spun around on his heels, an animated and broad smile on his face as realization set in.
"Austin, if she had a dog in there, I can bring my dog. My dog can text her dog. Her dog can text her. She can text her dog. Her dog can text my dog. My dog can text me. I can text you. You can text me. I can text my dog. My dog can text her dog. Her dog can text her. She can text her dog. Her dog can text-"
"Dez, Dez, Dez." Austin laughed, trying to prevent the redhead from continuing. "Why don't we just text her?"
"It'd be weird if we are texting her in dog, Austin. Wait here. I'll go get him." He held up a single finger, before grabbing his backpack by the straps and taking off down the hall.
"Dez!" he tried to call out for him, but his friend had already turned the corner, prepared to go grab his canine. He looked back and forth between the end of the hallway and the white door, contemplating whether he should chase after Dez or just stay with her. Deciding to stay, he suddenly became a bit nervous. It was just him and her, now.
"So," he began, "do you have a cell phone?" He asked the door.
Two knocks.
He backed up against the white wood and slid down. His knees were brought up, halfway to his chest, his feet were separated and spread, he wrapped his arms around his knees and grabbed his wrist with one hand. He leaned his head against the wood and titled his head to the side.
"So. Do you have any ideas?" He inquired tiredly. There was no knock in return. The two stayed in comfortable silence. Austin rested his eyes, enjoying the quiet. It was different. But it was nice. He was never really able to enjoy the quietness. When he went to the beach, he could always hear the waves as they crashed onto the sand or children splashing and laughing and they ran about. In the mall, there were always people talking with each other, the rustle of shopping bags and cell phone beeps. The only time when it was quiet was at night, but even then, there was always the faint rustle of trees or crickets chirping. Here, it was soundless. And he liked it.
He didn't know how long he must've stayed, sitting there, leaning against the door, but it could've been long. The silence was broken by the soft creak of the floorboards coming from the inside of the room. He lazily opened his eyes and listened. He heard the soft padding of bare feet as they glided around the room. He heard a muddled clanging and the sound as things slid against each other. He could make out the footsteps returning, and eventually her sitting back down on the directly opposite side of the door. He heard the tear of paper and could just make out the sound of a faint scratching as she wrote.
He saw the edge of the white lined paper as it slid underneath the door crack. It was one simple word.
Hello.
He smiled. He was about to talk back through the door but thought better of it. He didn't want to disturb the peace.
"Can I borrow a pencil, Ally?" He whispered through the door. He listened to the gentle creak of floorboards and the padding of feet. He heard the clanking and the feet returning once again. Like a gumball machine, the pencil was rolled out from underneath the door. It was an old fashioned pencil, sharpened to the point. It was completely red and towards the golden metal piece at the end, which held a perfect eraser end, were the words 'Ally Dawson' written in golden script.
He took the piece of lined paper and a line underneath hers, he wrote back.
Hey. You have really nice handwriting :)
Looking at the two hard writings, his looked so much messier.
Hers reminded him of his mother's handwriting: orderly and neat. Her handwriting was small, not slanted and rounded. Her letters connected, almost like cursive like. The l's were thin and her 'o' was closed with a little tail at the end. His, however, resembled his father's handwriting: chicken scratch.
Thanks. And can you tell me what a "Zalien" is?
He laughed to himself.
It's a zombie-alien.
Ahh, okay...
The two continued to write back and forth. Ally enjoyed his company. It was different from her mother and fathers conversations'. They always walked on eggshells around her, warily glancing between them. It was forced and eventually died within a few moments. With Austin, the conversation flowed pretty easy. She actually felt somewhat comfortable talking, well, writing, with him. She learned that he was an only child, like her, even though he's convinced that he has a long lost brother due to the fact that there's someone famous who looks exactly like him. She also knows that his favorite color is orange, he's absolutely mental about pancakes, he likes going to the pizza parlor and the arcade, he likes The Galactic Adventures of the Electric Avengers, he had the chicken pox when he was nine, he wished to be stuck in a freezer full of ice cream and whenever he burps, he is worried there is an alien in his stomach trying to bust out.
Then it happened.
Your dad owns Sonic Boom, right? Do you like sing or play any instruments?
I can play the piano, and I sing and write songs. But I don't anymore.
But whyyyyy? You should! I bet you sing great and your music is amazing!
"You're a great singer, Ally."
"Your music is amazing, Ally."
She chastised herself, mentally. She wasn't going to think about him. She wasn't. She wasn't. She wasn't.
I couldn't ever do something with it. I'm not good anyway.
Awwww :( Don't way that. You're smart! I'm sure you'd be awesome.
"You're so smart, Ally."
He wasn't here anymore to tell her lies.
Don't say that.
Why not?
Just don't
C'mon Ally. It's true. Haven't your parents or boyfriend or whatever ever told you that?
Boyfriend.
Yes, he told her all those things.
She stood up from her original place by the doorframe.
He told her when he thought she was getting a bit chubby on the edges. She couldn't go out looking like a mess in her apparel. Other people would definitely judge her if they saw the monstrosity she called a clothing ensemble. He always had to check what she looked like before she went out. He cared for her, making decisions for her so she didn't have to, giving her what she needed. He didn't want her to embarrass herself.
She ambled about her room, just running her fingers across the different surfaces. Memorizing their shape and texture. She felt the fabric of her comforter as it was draped over her mattress. She could feel the slight indentations and dips from the sewing, causing different outlines of shapes. Her foot hit one of the legs of the bed with a muffled thump. But she didn't flinch. She didn't feel a thing.
She thought she heard someone on the other side of the door, yelling her name. But the ringing in her ears quickly muffled it out.
She shouldn't have talked back to him. Who was she to say anything about him? She shouldn't try to change him. That wasn't how relationships worked. She should've been more worried about not being such a bother. He always accepted her.
She could feel the smooth surface of her bedside table, painted; she couldn't feel the pores of the wood, but she felt a small bump where the paint overlaid or the faint roughness whenever she hit thin layer of dust. She reached the lamp with no light bulb. She felt the smoothed lamp base as she glided over the polished glass. She slid her hands over the rougher material of the lamp shade, she could feel as the fabric covered the wiring of the shade. Her knee hit the side of the table rather harshly, causing the lamp base to shake and the metal from the bulb-less lamp to clink together. But she didn't flinch. She didn't feel a thing.
Two different timbres joined the first, but they were all pushed to the back of her head.
He didn't want her to see some of her friends and family. She was supposed to be a loyal and loving girlfriend; she wasn't supposed to go out. How could she take care of him if she was out? She always felt guilty after that. She was always a bit quiet, so what was the point of going out when they would monopolize the conversation? Plus, if her phone battery died, he would have no way of knowing where she was. He was worried and wanted to make sure that nothing happened to her. He decided she wasn't going to go out anymore unless he was with her.
She could feel the sleek and glossy coating of piano keys. She felt the sharp yet smoothed edges as they skipped from one to the next, running over the bumps of the black keys. The sheen keys were a strict contrast between it and the hard plastic. Compared to the creamy keys, the plastic almost felt sandy, with bumps that she could feel on her fingers. She skimmed her hands over the buttons and slides. Her arms moved towards the music stand, cold and metallic. With gaping holes and sharp turns and edges. Her foot caught on the leg of the music stand, and then on the electric keyboard. Her hip smashed against the keyboard and the silver music stand cut her thighs as they both came crashing down. But she didn't flinch. She didn't feel a thing.
She heard a pounding. Almost like the bass to a song that wasn't playing.
At first, he used to lie to her, just to make her feel better. But she knew that lies only led to hurt. She needed to come back down to earth. And that included not sugarcoating herself. He must've already known that, because he told her exactly what she was. She was nothing; just a single person out of seven billion. She was nothing special. He gave her that reality check.
She moved towards the vanity that she never used. She lifted her hand up and traced the outline of the mirror. She felt the carve of the wood as it outlined the mirrors edges. She ran her fingers inwards towards the mirror. It felt... crystalline. Polished. Almost Metallic. Fragile. Breakable. She lifts her head, and looks at her reflection. A broken soul looks back at her, gazing hollowly back at herself. How she loathes this mirror. It reflects everything that she is. Everything that she's become. And everything she hates about herself. She detests the way it makes her feel. And she hates even more how it's telling the truth.
Because mirrors don't lie.
So maybe he stayed out into the long hours of the night. But it was okay because she could always wait for him at home with a nice book as she waited for him to get home.
And maybe he called her names that would cause her to run out of the room and cry. But it was okay because it was her who couldn't handle the joke.
And maybe when people questioned their lifestyle, he would stretch the truth a little bit. But it was okay because he just didn't want them to break them up.
And maybe he ripped and threw the book she was initially reading from her hands when she didn't answer loud or clear enough. But it was okay because he wanted to make sure that her voice was heard.
And maybe he would grab her arm a little too tight. But it was okay because he wanted to make sure she stayed on the right path and didn't stray.
And maybe he would slap her when he thought she was cheating on him. But it was okay because he was just being protective.
And maybe he left cuts and bruises that branded her skin. But it was okay because he always patched them up later. Except when he didn't.
And maybe he hurt her. But all of it was okay.
Because he loved her.
She screamed and slammed her fists against the mirror, watching as it cracks and breaks into ribbons and cobwebs. It was shattered. Nothing more than jagged shards of crystal. Pieces were missing revealing the gray backside and her face was scattered. It's just as broken as she is.
Seeing the reflection of a broken girl in an equally broken mirror, she almost resembled something beautiful.
"Ally!" he yelled through the door. "Ally! What's going on? Open the door!"
He pressed his ear to the door, trying to distinguish what was happening on the other side of the door. He heard a muffled thump and heavy footsteps as she walked around the room. He rattled the knob frantically, frustrated to remember that it was locked. "Ally! Ally!" He yelled through the door. His attention was distracted as he heard 4 pairs of feet rushing down the hallway behind him. He turned around to face Mr. and Mrs. Dawson.
"What is it?" Mrs. Dawson asked, out of breath, her eyes were wide and frantic looking.
"It's Ally. She's not opening the door. I think she's throwing things or hitting them or someting" He explained. He turned his attention back to the door. "Ally!"
"Ally, sweetie, open the door." Her two parents cooed.
"Can you open the door?"
"Please, let your mother and me in."
"Say something, Ally. Say something."
They heard something loud as it rattled opposite the door. He watched as the two adults turned to him. "Austin, we're going to try to look for a key for the door. Just... keep on doing what you're doing."
He nodded, not looking at them, but he heard as the two turned and their footsteps getting softer the further they went.
He pressed his ear against the door. Nothing.
He started pounding against the door, still calling out her name. He continued to hit his fist against the door when he heard a large crash. He stopped al his previous movements and placed his ear against the door, once again. Nothing. No sound.
Austin jumped back from the door as he heard blood curdling scream along with the sound of shattering glass coming from the room. He raked his hands through his hair, slightly pulling at it and pacing back and forth trying to think of what to do.
There wasn't enough time to wait to see if Mr. or Mrs. Dawson could find the key. The only other option was to break down the door.
He knew that his onetime breaking a board wasn't enough to qualify him to break down a door, though. He surveyed the door. Good, it swung inwards. He raked is hands through his hair once again, and backed up a bit, just enough to get his leg up.
He placed his left foot firmly on the ground, lifted his leg and kicked, right next to the lock. He backed up, assessing his damage. The door began to splinter around the edges. A self satisfied smirk graced his face. He heard the sound of glass shattering once again. He kicked the door, once, twice, three, four more times. By then, his leg was aching like crazy, but he couldn't stop. He almost had it. With one forceful kick, he watched as the wood completely splintered around the locked door and the door was forced open.
He took a step into the room, he saw Ally. Her body was backed up against the wall next to a broken window, her entire body shook. She was grasping a shard of the broken window; blood coated her hand as she gripped the glass tighter. Austin held his hands up, trying to show a surrending pose and not scare the already terrified girl.
"Ally." He began. "It's me, Austin. Calm down." He tried to soothe her, taking a tentative step forward, always keeping his eyes on her.
"Get away from me!" She wailed. Her grip on the glass tightened and drops of blood began to flow down her arms and dripped on the carpet, dyeing it scarlet. She screamed hysterically, tears streamed down her face as she sobbed. He began quickly thinking about the best way to get her to drop the glass before walking towards her, taking hesitant steps forward. She screeched and pointed the sharpest end towards him, ready to use it as a weapon.
"C'mon, Ally. Drop the glass." He pleaded with her. He had no plan, truth be told. He never thought that a situation like this would ever happen. Right now, he was just hoping that he wouldn't be impaled. Before he could take another step, Ally lunged at him, shard aimed right at him. Her bare foot landed on a piece of the broken mirror, causing her to stumble as it slipped from underneath her. It slowed her down just a bit, but it gave him enough time to run around her body and press her back against his chest.
He seized both of her wrists with each hand and crossed them over her body, forcing her to drop the bloodied piece onto the carpeting. He felt as she struggled violently. Her nailed tried to dig into his flesh and she ended up elbowing him a few times in his ribcage. Sobs shook throughout her body, and he could feel the fear that was practically emanating from her body. He held on tighter, squeezing her close, calling out her name.
"Ally! C'mon Ally! You know me! It's okay. You're safe." Her red rimmed eyes were glassy and unresponsive, and tears still streamed down her pink cheeks.
"It's okay, Ally. I'm not going to hurt you. You're safe." He repeated. He watched as her eyes, which were once wide and filled with fear, were beginning to return to normal. Her sobbing ebbed away into small sniffles and she relaxed a bit in his arms.
"You're safe." He calmed her. She looked up at him, her eyes tired. She said nothing, but he knew what she was saying.
I'm sorry.
"It's okay, Ally. It's okay." He murmured in her ear quietly. Her eyes drooped closed and she fully went limp in his arms, passing out. He began backing up from the broken glass with her still in his arms. Once he was an adequate distance away from anything sharp, he slowly began to lower himself down. He held her in his arms, listening to her even breathing. She seemed so calm and at peace at that moment. He didn't know how long he stayed with her, being calmed by the stead beat of her heart, but he turned around gently when he heard Mr. and Mrs. Dawson enter.
"Sorry about the door." He apologized
"It's fine." He handed the small girl from his arms into theirs. He watched as they carefully maneuvered her. Mr. Dawson cradled the girl bridal style in his arms and Mrs. Dawson headed for the bed. She ghosted her hand over the top, checking for extra glass before pulling back the covers and heading towards the walk-in bathroom, dodging the broken glass and turning on the light. He slowly came to his feet and stood in the center of the room awkwardly. He saw Ally's father place her on the bed and Ally's mother emerge with a first aid kit in her hands. She handed off the box to her husband before turning to him.
"Thank you, Austin. You have no idea how appreciative we are." She gave him a small smile that he returned, but he knew they were both sad and partially forced. Who would be able to smile anyways? She turned back towards the bed, where Mr. Dawson was picking small crystal shards out of her bloodied palm with tweezers and gloves, placing them aside. "But I think we can handle the rest. You can go home." She told him. He nodded, understandingly. Mrs. Dawson turned away from him and he watched as she also put on the other set of gloves, took a disinfectant wipe out of its packaging, and carefully began to wipe the soles of her daughters' feet.
He began heading towards the door, but stopped once he saw the edge of white paper. He looked behind him, but Ally's parents were too busy to notice that he hadn't left yet. He bent down, picked up the forgotten white lined paper full of the notes they shared, folded it up, and placed it in his back pocket.
He turned around and looked at the bed. He caught a glimpse of her face, and she looked so peaceful. Even though he knew that she wouldn't respond, he waved, a hopeful smile caressing his face, and walked out. He didn't want it to sound like a goodbye. It wasn't going to be a goodbye. He wasn't going to let it be.
See ya later, Ally.
The beam of moonlight hit her closed eyelids. And she sat up, opening her eyes.
Slowly, but steadily, her eyes adjusted to her surroundings. She was in a bed, securely tucked in. It was her room. The desk and chair were opposite the bed. She saw the vanity with the mirror cracked and broken. She turned towards her once covered window, patched together with gray duct tape, allowing few streams of moonlight hit pieces of her furniture and walls. She scanned her room. And only then did she see her door.
The one thing that she used as a barrier to protect herself, was now broken.
This was actually written by my friend, "Red Compassion, Red Love, Red Hate" on the Austin & Ally Wiki... So... Go check them out. Red suggests you listen to either Dark Side by Kelly Clarkson or Demons by Imagine Dragons. Both songs are supposed to represent the conflicting emotions that Ally's feeling at the end of the chapter with everything that's going on. However, Dark Side sets the scene for the next chapter.
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