Me Without You III

oooo

But most importantly, Miami had Ally.

And for him success wouldn't be worth it without her.

oooooooooooooooo

"Why are you smiling at me like that?"

Austin stood up abruptly, causing Ally to take a step back in surprise.

"Wha—"

He grasped her firmly by the shoulders.

"I'mnotgoingtoCalifornia," he said in a rush. "I want to stay here. In Miami. I want Trish to keep booking random gigs around town and Dez to produce my music videos with his cheap hundred dollar camera. "

"Ally, I want..." he paused, pulling her body closer. "I want to go out on stage singing the songs you write. And then come back here and work on more music together."

Austin stared at her with an unconscious eagerness in his eyes. He felt as if he just ran the 400 meter dash. His muscles were bunched together, he was hot and cold all at once and his lungs burned for air.

He felt her fingers moving across his bicep then her hand rested softly against his chest. There was no way she could miss the pounding of his heart.

"Austin," she whispered, smiling up at him, the corners of her warm brown eyes crinkling with happiness.

Man, he loved everything about this girl but her smile was his favorite. Because when Ally smiled at him like this, he felt like he could do anything.

Which was why he frowned, confused when she gently pushed him back down on the bench.

Ally draped his jacket on the piano behind them and sat down, close enough for him to steal the warmth off her body and smell the scent of her shampoo. He noticed the book sitting in her hands.

Leaning over, she rested her head against his shoulder, in the crook of his neck. Austin immediately wrapped his arm around her small frame, once again thinking of how well they fit together.

The paper rustled as Ally flipped thru her notebook. "I want to read you something," she said, stopping near the end of the journal.

ooooooooooooooo

He's such an amazing dancer! He looks like his was born to be on that stage.

When he's out there with all those screaming girls and the whole world watching, no one would believe me if I told them that just moments before every show I'd watch him bite his nails and crack his knuckles because he was nervous. He's so afraid of failing because he puts everything he has into each performance.

If he fails then it would mean he never had enough of what it took to make it in the first place. Seeing his fear reminds me so much of my own.

That's why I'm going to help him. Together we're going to write my best songs. Because everyone deserves a chance to be…more. I'm going to take him to the top of his career. And once at the top, he's going to show me that I had nothing to fear all along.

oooooooooooo

The book closed with a soft thump. Austin was speechless.

"Wow, Ally," he said into her hair. "I can't believe I've never read that before. I've been thru your whole book."

She laughed, poking him in the ribs. "I know. That's why I titled the entry, REASONS WHY I LOVE SCHOOL. I knew you'd flip right over it."

Ally sat up and turned her body so that she was facing him. "Austin this is more than just your dream. Trish, Dez and I all worked so hard because, somewhere along the way, your dream became a bit of our dream as well. Can you imagine what's going to happen when you're famous? New clients for Trish and better equipment for Dez!"

He laughed, looking at Ally with so many unspoken words in his eyes. She was either oblivious or she chose to ignore them.

Whichever the reason, Ally continued to speak as if nothing's changed. "Don't be so selfish, Austin. Go to California, see where this dream is going to take you. Then take us along for the ride."

"What does all this mean for you?" he asked. For us, he mentally added.

"Duh! It means my songs will eventually win a Grammy one day," she joked but quickly became serious when he didn't smile. "It means that I get to watch my best friend live out his wildest dream and know that I helped get him there."

"Don't let me down, Austin."

She was gazing at him with that soft look in her eyes. Austin couldn't really explain what he was feeling but it was as if the walls collapsed around them. And the roof overhead disappeared. The sky fell and the floor slipped out from beneath their feet. All the lights blew out in the universe.

Until it was just Ally.

Wonderful, beautiful, perfect Ally. His best friend, partner, better half. Whatever she was, in that moment, he was completely hers.

Austin glanced at her lips and leaned down, letting his eyes close.

oooooooooooooo

Ally scrambled off the bench, nearly tripping over her own feet. Her laugh sounded brittle and forced. "So whataya say? Ready to go get this dream started?" She punched him playfully on the arm.

Austin stared at the empty spot beside him, already missing the warmth of her body. All these years he thought that maybe she—...he was going to be sick.

Huh, so this is what a broken heart feels like.

She stood in front him and offered her hand.

Her smile looked weird and her eyes were glistening. If Austin wasn't so wrapped up in his own heartbreak, he might've noticed the way her fingers trembled or the tears choking up her voice.

But he couldn't see pass his own pain let alone notice hers. So instead he grasped her fingers, letting her pull him up and hoped that his face moved in the right places so he was smiling instead of dying.

Hand in hand, they walked toward the door. He glanced back, he couldn't help himself. It was his whole life in that tiny room. The old piano, the brown leather notebook and all the memories left behind.

"Austin?"

"Yeah," he answered, flicking off the lights. Apparently, there was no reason for him to stay. "I'm ready."

NOTE: It looks bad but just one more chapter. It's worth it, I promise! =)

NOTE: I'm sorry if some found it confusing when I said this was a "collection of my random muses." Lets make "Hanging By A Thread" its own story so not to confuse anyone else reading.