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Derailed Chapter 7
. . .
"I've got that rock and roll, yeah yeah" Austin sang. He pointed to the crowd as they screamed and sang along. "I'll make you lose control, yeah yeah. Come on and dance to my flow, yeah yeah. Cuz I got what I got, don't you know, I got that rock and roll. Ha"
Austin raised both arms high, grinning like a fool at the crowd as he caught his breath.
"Thank you Seattle!" He yelled to the crowd and waved as he jogged off stage. Waiting in the wings were a small group of people. He was handed a towel which he ran over his head, ruffling his messy blond hair. A water bottle was handed to him and he began to drink as he walked to his dressing room. Dez walked beside him, congratulating him on another great show.
The nineteen year old star flopped onto the couch in his dressing room and took a deep breath. Adrenaline from performing and the energy from the crowd still surged through him. Underneath that he was a little tired though. This was the twenty-fifth show of a thirty concert tour and he was feeling it a little. The only problem was that two weeks after the tour ended he would get antsy and be wishing to get out on the road again. He would rest and spend the two week break in Miami before he threw himself back into work in the studio or Jimmy would send him on more publicity trips or interviews. Luckily his producer knew how busy he liked to be.
"We need to decide what kind of video you want to make next." Dez was saying.
Austin nodded and finished off the water bottle. Scarlett Brady, his new manager stuck her head in the door and got his attention.
"Clean up and get out here for photos. The fans are lining up." She said.
"Be right there." Austin called after her as she disappeared. She could be abrupt sometimes, but she kept him on track. Hiring her had been a good decision. Austin stood and shed his leather jacket then stripped off his t-shirt, soaked with sweat from all the dancing he did. He rubbed down with the towel and pulled on a clean dry shirt, ruffling his hair a bit more with the towel as he walked out of the room with Dez in tow. The redhead lifted his camera and began filming, putting together a small behind the scenes video to post on Austin's website for the fans.
Austin smiled at his fans who cheered when he came into view. Scarlett ushered him in front of a curtain where the photographer waited to take photos with the fans. Austin quickly downed the second water bottle she handed him and she took the empty bottle as the first girl rushed up to his side in a flurry of excited exclamations. Austin put his arm around her shoulder and smiled for the camera then signed the shirt and picture she held out for him with the pen Scarlett kept ready for his use.
"Thanks for coming." He said as the fan was ushered off and another took her place. He fell into the routine which didn't require much thought on his part. His mind drifted as people surged around him in a blur. Girl after girl posed with him for photos and he smiled his smile and left them all swooning while his mind wandered. Too tall. Too fair. Hair too dark or too light. Not petite enough. She would never wear that. Wrong color eyes. Too short.
The last of them walked away and Dez approached him with a knowing look.
"You're in Africa again." he said. That was Dez's code for when Austin's thoughts drifted to a certain someone. How he always knew Austin would never understand. No one else seemed to notice when he disconnected like this.
"Nah, just tired. I'm gonna go crash in the bus. See you in the morning?" Austin said, trying to play off his distraction and refocus the conversation.
"You can't fool me Austin. You were comparing them to her again, weren't you?" Dez asked.
Austin shook his head, wishing he'd never confessed that to his friend, and gave up. "I can't help it. She was the first and that sticks with you."
"Sure. Your first girlfriend sticks with you, but she shouldn't poison everything else." Dez said. "Ally was great. She was your friend as well as your first crush. That's special. But you have to move on, man."
"I've tried." He said, before walking through the halls and heading out of the building to the waiting bus and his bunk with his best friend in tow.
He really had tried to get over the little brunette from next door. After two years in Africa she finally got free of the gorilla camp and left, but she didn't come home to Miami. She moved to Germany instead and that had been a slap in the face to Austin. She wrote a few times after that but he never responded again, too hurt and convinced that now he would never see her again.
The guys filed into the bus and went straight to the bunks where Austin began getting ready for bed.
"Kissing Piper once and saying there is 'no spark' is not trying. Taking Cassidy to school dances but never really giving her a chance is not trying. Refusing to date because you are too busy on the road or with your music is not trying." Dez listed off.
"Dez." Austin whined.
"She's in Europe, Austin. She's surrounded by German guys with cool accents who get art and are probably way more intellectual than we can imagine. She finished her GED when we were still juniors and after that you barely graduated high school. Do you honestly think she's still pining after you like this? No! There's no way. Besides, you haven't spoken in years and you don't even exchange emails anymore. Let her go." Dez said.
"She did go." Austin sighed. "It's not like I'm great boyfriend material anyway: I'm always busy and I never stay in one place for long. Besides, if I don't get attached to anyone, they can't hurt me."
"You have done a good job at making yourself unavailable." Dez agreed.
"Then what do you want me to do, Dez?" Austin asked.
Dez grinned. "Have you ever met Jimmy's daughter Kira?"
"I don't remember. Maybe once in passing a few years ago. Why?"
"She knows the business and has a career of her own in modeling. You two may have more in common than you think. She's going to be in Miami when we get back. Let me set up a dinner for you to get acquainted." Dez said.
"Fine. I'll let you set me up this once, but I can't promise anything more." Austin said.
"Oh, don't you worry buddy. I think this may work out." Dez said confidently.
"Sure. Whatever." Austin wasn't convinced, but he had agreed and he would give his friend this. After all, Dez was on his side and always had his back before. What could it hurt?
With that thought he crawled into his bunk, pulled the blanket over his head, and gave in to exhaustion.
. . .
Ally shuffled through the mail and uncovered a flat package. She smiled as she picked up the thin box wrapped in brown paper and saw the return address from Miami. She carried the box to her bedroom in the small apartment she and her mom shared in Berlin. It was evidence of just how much her mom was paid that they could afford a place with two rooms. After the tents in the sweltering jungle of Gabon, having the privacy of her own bedroom and a real bathroom with flushing toilet that they shared was a true luxury.
She closed the door and sat on her bed before she ripped open the paper. She held the cd case in her hands and stared hungrily at the face on the cover. She hadn't gotten used to how easy it was to find photos of her best friend everywhere after she emerged from the jungle. This photo was like all the other recent photos she'd found – heart-stopping. The last four years had been good to Austin Moon and the 19 year old was handsome in the black and white photo. Ally sighed and set down the disc to pick up the note that fluttered out of the paper.
.
Ally,
Austin asked me to send this your way. I saw him in passing when he had a cd signing at Sonic Boom a few weeks ago. He's touring again but tries to say hi when he's in town. Your dad sends his love too. Next time I hope to deliver in person but college is expensive. Talk to you soon!
Trish
.
"I owe you one." Ally said quietly to the empty room. Trish had been amazing over the years, keeping in touch despite the distance. Luckily, Ally had been able to call several times since she arrived in Berlin and the more reliable internet allowed them to chat in real time and skype on a regular basis.
Ally opened the cd case and placed the new disc in her laptop while she flipped through the small booklet, pausing at photos and glancing at the song titles. She plugged in her earbuds and sat back against her head board, getting comfortable as the music started. She closed her eyes and smiled when she heard his voice. She still missed the old days of goofing off with music in his room back when they were just kids. Halfway through the first song Ally opened her eyes and sent a quick thank you to Trish.
She and Penny had moved to Berlin almost a year and half ago. Ally still didn't know how to drive but there was great public transportation available so she wasn't worried about it. She did have a bike though and loved riding through town. The city had been such a relief after being in the jungle so long. Her mom thrived in the wilderness and was doing her best to recreate that in the new gorilla habitat, but Ally loved the city. It hummed with life in a different way than the jungle did and it suited her better. On occasion she did get overwhelmed by large groups of people but over all she was just so happy to be back in civilization again that she didn't let it bother her. Besides, the art and architecture surrounding her were enough to make her cry in joy.
Being older and finished with school, her mom had given her more freedom than she expected when they arrived in Berlin. She quickly became acquainted with the closest museums and parks. For the first few months they spent each weekend exploring nearby towns and countryside, becoming familiar with German life and traditions. Ally took a few classes here and there, starting with learning German of course. Now she had her sights set on university. The hard part was going to be breaking it to her mom. All of Penny's colleagues had championed various schools throughout Europe where Ally could continue her education. She had given up on going back to Miami since both of her parents seemed dead set against it. So she gave in and looked at the various schools in northern Europe that were recommended to her. She had been accepted to three of them over the last few months and her mom knew it was time to decide. She was just afraid that Penny wouldn't like her going to another country on her own, but Oxford was her first choice and London was a dream of Ally's. If she was lucky she would start her new classes in two months.
Penny wouldn't be home from work for a few hours and Ally would try to break the news then. For now, however, she was going to enjoy listening to Austin's music. As his voice and the upbeat music carried her away, she let her mind drift into old daydreams where she was by his side as he rose to fame and fortune. A fantasy where they were still together and he loved her.
. . .
Austin's latest breakup was splashed all over headlines everywhere he turned. He hadn't been nearly as shocked as the entertainment community when his casual dates with the actress hadn't turned into a burning love, but Hollywood insiders were rocked to the core. On paper Austin and Tori seemed like a good match and there was no denying that they looked great together, but they just never made a deep connection and despite what the media said, they had parted amicably as friends rather than heartbroken lovers.
He shut off the tv and rubbed his hands over his face in frustration. Austin was alone in his high priced and ultra-modern apartment in L.A.: something that rarely happened and he embraced the quiet. It was fall and he was barely twenty-two yet somehow the world seemed shocked that he was single again. He'd had a string of girlfriends over the last two years beginning with Kira Starr that had ultimately provided him a nice set of friends between the music and modeling industries and only recently had he gotten involved with a few actresses. Most of them simply grew into friendships if they passed beyond acquaintances and he actually kept in touch with several of them, texting and getting together for dinner when they were in the same city. Other people were often more upset than he was that he didn't form long term relationships. At least it kept Dez off his back about finding love.
The two friends had moved to L.A. a year ago when Dez started film school. Austin was still making music with Jimmy Starr but it took longer to make records these days since Jimmy had so many more clients and Austin was getting pickier about his music. His music was changing along with him, maturing and growing and he wanted a certain sound. L.A. brought more and varied songwriters into his circle as well and he found a few he liked working with here. They were almost finished with another record which he would release at the beginning of the year and he would go on another tour. Truth be told, he was ready to be on the road again. With no girlfriend and nothing to hold him down he needed to be busy.
Austin pulled his phone from his pocket and scrolled through his messages and email. His mom had texted the dates of their next trip just like she promised when he called her yesterday. An email from his dad copying him on the Moon's Mattress Kingdom's financial reports was next. Mike still held out hope that Austin would one day take an interest in the family business.
What Mike didn't know, and no one knew actually, was that Austin was taking online classes from a business school and trying to learn about management. He did feel an obligation to learn a bit so he could help out if his parents ever needed it. He knew the store was their livelihood and retirement, so if he could step in and help out when they got older he could secure their financial well being. His own was already covered by his singing career and the money he'd been putting away and investing along side of having the car of his dreams and a whole lot of fun.
Austin scanned through more messages, surprised to find an email from Trish. He hadn't seen her in three years, not since the last time he ran into her at Sonic Boom during a cd signing. He had given her two discs, one for herself and one to pass on to Ally. They hadn't had much contact since. He had mostly lost touch with her once they graduated from high school. He noticed that Dez was copied on the email too, so it wasn't going to be too personal.
.
From: Guesswhogotemail
To: AustinMoooon and DirectorDez
November 5th
Hey guys!
So I finally caught up with our elusive world traveler! (Sorry Austin, you are the second world traveler among us.) I saved up and flew out to see her in person after all these years and thought I'd share a pic if you still remember our little Ally. She didn't want me to put it on social media since she's still a bit behind on all that stuff and doesn't trust it. (one of the scientists in Africa was a big conspiracy theory nut and some of it rubbed off on my girl.)
Anyway, I spent a week with her and she showed me the ins and outs of Europe and her mom's work at the zoo. Pretty cool. Did you know you can take trains anywhere here? Anyway, she's still Ally, just older. I told her I'd send this to you guys but she thought you wouldn't care or remember. Try and write her sometime. She won't say it but I can tell she gets lonely despite having a few new friends. Hope you guys are good. Text me if you're ever in Miami.
Trish
.
Austin wasn't prepared for the photo at the bottom of the message. The Eiffel tower stood in the background, placing the girls in France, not Germany, so Trish wasn't kidding about running around Europe. Ally had an arm slung casually over Trish's shoulder and her face was radiant and joyful as the two were caught mid-laugh. Her brown hair was long and lustrous in gentle curls as it fell over her shoulders and framed her face. Her face was more mature but still so young and pure. She didn't have the cold eyes of a woman who had lived too rough a life like Austin encountered so often here – girls who had to grow up too fast. She was still unspoiled by the world. She looked a little older and wiser, but not made bitter by life yet. Her skin was still pale and unblemished like he remembered and his fingers itched to reach out and touch her soft cheek. She was so beautiful it hurt.
Austin's insides swirled with emotion and then dropped. There was no way Ally was still single. What guy could walk by her and not want to know her better? There had to be a dozen guys lined up to date her, no matter what Trish said about her being lonely. Ally was too sweet, too beautiful to leave alone. He knew that from personal experience. The years they'd been apart had clearly been good to her. She was curvy in all the right ways and he knew if he saw her again he'd get lost in those brown eyes. And he knew right then that he would happily drown there and be lost forever.
Austin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was exactly the kind of thinking Dez had been trying to cure him of for over 5 years. He had to be honest with himself. He didn't know that girl anymore. She'd lived in Africa and Germany and grown up. They'd been children, only 15, when they played at falling in love before she went away. They'd both lived so much since then. If they ever met again it would be a miracle if they could find something to talk about. So why did his chest still ache when he thought about her?
Austin's phone buzzed with a reminder about a meeting he had that afternoon. His free time now gone, lost in thought and memory, Austin hurried out the door. He was meeting with his choreographer and some principal dancers to begin planning his upcoming tour. They had a lot of work to do on his new music as well as redesigning some old numbers.
It didn't take Austin long to drive to the dance studio where his manager Scarlett was waiting with his choreographer CJ. Two of his main dancers, Ryan and Amanda, were there as well. He greeted them all warmly, happy to be surrounded by friends after his sad trip down memory lane earlier. They got straight to business as he put the disc with the four finished songs into the player. The first track was slower, a love song which he quickly skipped, not ready to deal with that after seeing Ally's photo. The second track was fast, upbeat and loud. He smiled as the guitar and drums washed over him and then took his place behind CJ, next to Ryan and Amanda, as they began experimenting with steps to find the right choreography for the song.
He lost himself to the creative process, not even minding when they started to tackle the love song two hours later. It was decided he would stand at the mic and sing while three sets of couples danced behind him. He left Ryan and Amanda to figure it out, trusting their taste in steps. He'd been working with them for two years and knew their style meshed well with the kind of show he wanted to put on. Happy and tired, Austin drove home and showered, cleaning up from the hours he spent dancing, and ate dinner
That night he met Dez, his girlfriend Zoe, and some other friends at a club. Time for Austin to play the guy rebounding after a breakup.
. . .
I know they are still apart but don't hate me and stick with me. You should love the next chapter! For now though, tell me what you think about this one and where they both are in life.
weesh