It started pouring rain just when we arrived at the hotel.
"You better stay here for a while, Ally," Mimi said. "Until it's calmed down a little bit."
It was really bad outside, so I didn't disagree. We went up to Austin's hotel room. Mimi left towards her own, but Dez, Austin and I sat on the couch.
"You want something to drink?" Austin seemed a little uncomfortable. He was clearly trying to be a good host. I giggled at his attempt.
"No thanks. But if we're stuck here tonight, we're going to have to eat."
"You should cook," Dez said. Austin's eyes doubled in size.
"Uhm, yeah, let's not do that."
"Why? You wrote in my book that you're a great cook," I said teasingly. Dez started laughing and Austin started blushing.
"Well…"
"You're not telling me you lied, are you? Because Liar would definitely be a characteristic I´d have to include in my article." He was now vigorously blushing and I was really enjoying myself.
"Pff, I wasn't lying. I don't lie. I'll cook for you," Austin bluffed. He turned around in the little hotel kitchen and Dez moved towards me.
"After he fails, we'll order pizza."
I laughed. I really liked Dez. He was bit weird, but good weird.
"Do you wanna put in a movie?" he asked. I nodded. Dez looked through the dvds.
"Man, this is all romantic crap! Where are the Zalien movies?"
Austin popped out from the kitchen.
"They're not crap! I like romantic movies. And I really don't think Ally would appreciate a Zalien movie." I smiled at him, and made a note in my head to include Romantic on the list.
I'd never actually met a guy that liked romantic movies and wasn't ashamed to say so.
But then again, I hadn't met that many guys.
"I'll be fine. As long as they're not really scary."
"They're not," Dez said.
"They are," Austin said at the same moment.
"He's only saying that 'cause he wants to watch some sappy romantic movie with you," Dez laughed.
"Do not!"
"Do too!"
Zaliens 1 started playing and Austin disappeared again.
Austin was definitely right, though. After 15 minutes of watching the movie, I had three options left. Burying my head in a pillow, escaping the living room, or never sleeping again.
"Dez, I'm going to check on Austin," I said. I didn't wait for his answer, but bolted to the kitchen.
It really was a little kitchen. I only just managed to squeeze myself in next to Austin without touching him.
It was a good thing I was small.
"Hey," he smiled.
"Hey."
"You scared?" He motioned towards the living room, clearly indicating the movie.
"Pff, no," I said. My voice went high.
Like it always did when I was lying. So I sighed.
"Yes."
He laughed. It sounded like music in my ears after all the screaming Dez had been doing.
"I always get scared during the Zalien movies. I wasn't lying when I said I like the sappy romantic stuff. Prefer them, actually."
For some reason, I found that really cute.
"How's dinner coming?"
He raised a brow and motioned towards the pan.
"What do you think?"
I started laughing. He was attempting to cook pasta, but it was clear he had cooked it way too long. It was thick and clearly not edible.
"I think you should just throw that away."
"Together with my pride, you mean? No way. It has to be saved!" he said dramatically. I laughed. He started laughing as well, and before I knew it, we were having a laughing fit.
After a couple of minutes, we calmed down. He smiled at me. Suddenly, I realized again how close I was to him.
"So, uhm, yeah. You throw that out and I'll see if we can find a pizzeria that delivers in this weather, yeah?"
I ran out of the kitchen, throwing myself on the couch next to Dez. He looked up at me.
"Pizza time?"
"Pizza it is."
It wasn't pizza. The weather had taken a turn for the worst and no one was sending people out to deliver.
It was actually on the internet. A warning that people should stay inside, not to go out if not needed.
So we settled on noodles. Austin didn't have anything else.
After Zaliens 1, we popped in Titanic. We ignored Dez's protesting, since he had picked the first movie.
Halfway through the movie, I looked around. It was dark outside. The rain was ticking on the windows, and I could hear the wind blowing. I was actually kind of glad I wasn't alone in my dark little apartment right now.
I looked over at the boys. Austin was completely absorbed in the movie, even though he'd admitted he'd already seen it about twenty times.
Dez was counting raindrops on the window, losing count after 5 each time.
If only Trish was here, this could actually be a perfect night.
I kept my eyes focused on Austin. He was so into the movie that I was fairly certain I could just watch him for a little while. I noticed the way his jaw tensed when Rose did something stupid. How a very small, barely noticeable smile crept up on his face when the romantic scenes were there, and how he bit his lip when it was time for the sad part of the movie.
I noticed how his hands were folded in his lap. The hands that were a little rough, something I'd not expected when I first saw him. But they were rough for the right reasons; because they had been playing guitar with passion. Because they had touched thousands of fans. Because they had wrapped around the microphone with force whenever he had to get a high note out.
Suddenly, he turned his head towards me. On reflex, I immediately directed my attention towards the screen, but the movie was finished.
Wow, I had been watching him for a long time. I had to stop doing that. People could think I was a creep.
Or worse, Austin could think I liked him.
Which I did. But he clearly didn't have to know that.
"I'll go talk to my mom about it." I looked up. Crap. I hadn't heard a word of what he had said.
Austin left the room and I turned to Dez.
"So, how long have you been in love with Austin?"
I started having a coughing fit, after accidentally swallowing air I was supposed to inhale. When I finally regained my posture, I sighed.
Denying it wouldn't help me here.
"How'd you know?"
"Girl, the Titanic is a long movie. I would know, because I have spent the entire length of it trying to ignore it. And you just spent the entire length of it staring at Austin like you were ready to jump him."
I could feel I was as red as a tomato.
"Don't worry, I won't tell him. I'm actually really happy you like him. You would be a good girl for him." He stood up. "Like I said, Austin and Ally, it has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
I didn't say anything when he left the room.
So much for hiding it. Great job, Ally. Really great job on not being obvious about it.
But I didn't have much time to think about it, because Austin walked in.
"My mom totally agreed with me."
"On what?"
He turned towards me, furrowing his brows again.
"Have you not been paying any attention? You can't go home in this weather, Ally. You're staying with me tonight."