This is me updating after..3 years. I lost motivation to write, and never seem to have the time to get back to writing and finding ideas to write until recently. I looked at my reviews for this story and that gave me the motivation and confidence to write again so thank you!

"Note to self:

Do not under any circumstances fall in love again." - Cecelia Ahern, Where Rainbows End.

"Austin."

His mother called his name for what she felt like the hundredth time tonight on the dining table.

"Hmm?" He responded, pausing his thought of Ally that never seemed to die down for the past week. Nothing helped. He tried watching Zalien movies with Dez, he tried making out with girls here and there, but she stayed in his mind. Firm and grounded. "I'm fine, mum."

She laughed, a real hearty laugh that Austin hadn't heard for God knows how long and this made Austin look at her, eyebrows furrowed.

"That's not what I said. In fact I haven't said anything."

"Oh."

Mimi continued when she figured her son wouldn't continue his speech. "I haven't had the chance to apologise to you about that dinner we had. It was disastrous, and I knew it from the beginning, but deep down inside, I still had a bit of hope. I didn't want that door to close completely."

People and their doors, Austin thought.

"I've always wanted to work it out, because you deserve a full family Austin", she continued, "but for the first time in my life, I realised that maybe a happy half family is much better than a full family with too many lies."

Austin studied her, how her eye bags hung on her face like a tattoo, how her hands are decorated with slight wrinkles and how her ring finger, was finally empty.

"You finally took it off." He said to her as he held her hand.

"It was what I needed to let that door close."

/

Austin was locking lips with a girl when Dez reached his locker.

"Nice to see you still firm with your hobbies." Des stated and looked away as the girl ran her fingers through his locks. "Yuck."

Austin pulled away, almost pushing her away and let her walk through the busy hallway. "Call me!" She shouted.

"Don't you think it's slightly unhygienic to have different salivas on your mouth almost everyday?" Des asked, still bewildered at his best friend's strange hobby.

He shrugged, crossing his arms and leaned his body against his locker he never put to good use, except to hold different girls occasionally.

Dez noticed Austin had been stressed out lately, the way he hardly put his hair the right away, or how he never seem to pay any attention to anything.

"Why are you staring at me?"

Dez sighed. "I'm your best friend right?"

His question received a slight smile from Austin and a head tilt.

"So far you're the only person I can tolerate, so yes. You are."

Dez imitated Austin's body and so they were both leaning against the lockers, watching people go back and forth in the hallway. "Then if there's anything wrong you would tell me..right?" He asked, slowly. He knew Austin was always a private person, so he didn't want to push it.

It was Austin's turn to sigh. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry man. I just don't know where to begin. Whether these things are even worth my time. My parents. My dad. Everything. I just don't know."

Dez nodded and gave his best friend a pat on his shoulder. "We can have a barbecue in my place later? Just to cheer you up?"

Just then, Austin noticed a brown-haired girl coming out of the nurse - which was only a few feet away from his locker - and he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Ally was wearing a beige sweater, and a pair of light-coloured jeans. Austin was thinking about who would dress her so nicely that he didn't realise he was walking up to her.

"Let me help you with that." He offered, grabbing her bag and her arm.

Austin hadn't realised he was smiling until he felt his face fatiguing.

"Hey there. Haven't seen you all week." Ally said before laughing to herself. "Well, technically I haven't seen you at all. But you know what I meant right?"

Who was this girl? She just laughed at her own joke! About being blind! Who would ever just be so carefree about not being able to see? Austin had never, ever, met anyone who smiled as much as Ally did. She laughed like the world was her best friend.

He laughed awkwardly next to her and began walking to her to class as he looked at her schedule. "Why were you in the nurse? Are you okay?"

She smiled and shrugged. "Oh nothing. Just the usual. Fell on the floor." He looked her up and down, she was wearing a sweater with one sleeve rolled up, and saw her left elbow decorated with a bandage. Austin had seen her fall so many times, heck, the first time he met her she was on the floor.

B14..

Austin tried to ignore the growing stares he was receiving from eighty-percent of the school's population as he walked down the corridor with Ally. Somehow he knew Ally noticed too, especially since shoutings lessened and whispers started to fill the corridor. She chose to be quiet about it.

"Here we are. B14." He smiled at her and ran his fingers through his hair stupidly as he realised she wouldn't be able to see that.

Ally gave him her heartwarming smile before thanking him. "You didn't have to do that. Firstly because you would be late to your class and secondly..I don't want you to feel like you have to pity me."

What was she saying? He had helped her numerous times. In fact, those times were the only time he was ever with her. Okay, Austin knew he was never the type to help people, but Ally..she was different. She was beautiful in a way that made her almost radiant. The fact that she doesn't know she was beautiful made Austin feel something. He knew that was part of the reason why he was helping her most of the time. Why did she choose to say this now?

He frowned and stepped closer to her. "Hey..no. I don't pity you. I just wanted to help. People aren't so nice here, Ally. I wasn't -"

With that she gave him a hug she hoped would suffice her appreciation for the boy with the kind heart.

I'm so sorry for the short chapter..I'm a little rusty with writing.