Chapter Two

He sat down and took a sip of his coffee, or that's what it seemed like.

"So..." Ally began cautiously.

"Well," he interrupted. "I'm going to go grab a book." He pointed to the bookshelf, then stood up and made his way over.

While he was looking over the books with a semi interested mind, Ally was deep in thought about this guy.

First of all, he's rude. He just interrupted while I was talking! Then he uses an excuse that clearly doesn't work! And boy he is cute, though. Stop it, Ally! Don't let a guy break down your walls. Remember Junior Year? Yeah. With that guy Dustin or Justin? Oh! That's perfect I'll use that name Justin in the story. Justin and Halle. Okay, back to that guy. I should really find out his name. But even though he's a guy there's something about him. Ya know? Somehow he's different than most other guys. And I sense something familiar about him. It seems like I met him before, did I? Hm, I'll ask him, she thought.

Meanwhile Austin was roaming though the romance novels. Yeah a brawny ice hockey player like him, reading a romance novel. But it's true. Horror movies scare him, but he is always up for a good romance movie or book. There's something about the love, heartaches, the passion, and all that sappy stuff.

He was running his hands over the books when one catches his eyes. It was titled The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. He's read other books by the same author and they were good. But he never had the chance to read this. Greatly intrigued he grabs the book and walks back to the girl.

She was immersed in her computer again. Well, I probably should leave her alone, he thought. So he sat back down and got reading.

And he was right to leave her alone because she was in Pierson Clark, Missouri with Halle and Natalia on their first day of school.

It was lunch time, but they both weren't hungry so they decided to walk around the campus to their favorite hangout which had been theirs for the past couple years. This hangout place of theirs was special. It was where they first met and where did it turn out? A great best friendship.

"So what are you most excited about this new school year?" Halle asked her best friend.

"Well if there is some one cute boys around, I'm most excited to meet them," she joked.

"Come on! You know what I mean!" Halle whined.

"Fine. I'm glad that I got to drop US History, because that class and I won't ever work out," she replied. "How about you?"

"Glad I don't have to take Drama anymore. Man that was a nightmare. I can sing onstage but acting as someone else is just not my thing."

"But hey, do you still have that Major crush on Justin Archuleta?"

"Natalia?!"

"What? It's not my fault for being curious!" Natalia replied cheekily.

"Nat!"

"What? It's just my best friend's failing love life!"

"Please stop," Halle begged.

"No. And you know better. I need to know," she emphasized.

Halle sighed. There was no escaping Natalia when she was determined. "Okay! I'll tell but I got to go!" Halle ran and she knew her best friend was up for the chase.

"You're going to get it Hal!" Natalia shouted.

Halle ran. Legs pumping. Hair flying. Heart beating. Arms failing. There was no stopping her. Maybe except a person. She ran right into someone taller, blonder, and more muscular. Luckily he didn't fall or it'd been awkward, but she ran right into his arms and it was still awkward.

"Whoa! Slow down, girl!" a deep voice said.

"Sor... Sorry," she stammered. And she looked up. Her worst nightmare had come true! It was Justin Archuleta. Her biggest crush.

"It's okay. Sooner or later you were going to fall and better in my arms than the ground," he said, quite smoothly.

She blushed.

"I'm liking this Justin character," someone commented beside Ally.

She gasped to find the blonde guy looking at her computer, reading. HER STORY! She quickly slammed the computer shut. "What are you doing?!"

He pointed to her computer. "I was reading a great story."

She blushed. "You think it's great?"

"So far," he commented and she swatted his arm.

Wait why is she doing that? She's blushing? She's swatting a guy's arm? That's unusual even for Ally Dawson.

"Why don't you go back to your seat?" she asked rather pointedly with a very, very straight face.

"Sheesh! Someone's cranky." But he did go to his chair and took another swig of his drink.

"I'm not cranky!" Wow, what was this guy doing to her? She doesn't normally do things like that! "And I'm an author so this is my newest story in the works."

"Oh, so you're a writer?"

Ally nods.

"Well I'm a professional hockey player for the Colorado Avalanche team*," he introduced.

"Wait did you say Colorado?"

He nods. "Yeah, why?"

"If you play and probably live in Colorado what are you doing here in Vermont? Isn't it hockey season? But sorry I don't know anything about hockey," she hurried.

"It's fine. And I'm off for the season. My leg was sprained last week and I have a few broken bones in my left arm," he explained.

"Ouch!" She flinched thinking of those injuries. "But why Vermont? Does your family live here?"

"No. They live in Miami, but I heard news that my long lost love is here."

"Wow. In search of true love. That is so romantic," Ally gushed. "But I'm from Miami, too. So what's this girl's special name?"

"That's the thing. All I remember of her is her soft brown hair with blonde highlights and that she left in high school."

"Man, that's too bad. But good luck in your search," she said.

"Thanks," he returned. "But enough about me. What about you?"

"Wait, wait. What's your name first? Then I'll talk about me."

"I'm Austin. Austin Moon." He held out his hand and he could see Dallas giving him a very stern look.

She shook his hand. "I'm Ally Dawson. It's such a pleasure to meet you Mr. Moon."

"Oh, don't call me mister. It sounds old. Call me Austin."

"Okay... Austin," she said, testing his name. It just rolls off her tongue. That's nice. Whoa! Wait! What is she thinking!? "What do you want to know?"

"Well what college did you go to?" he questioned.

"Yale," she simply replied before taking yet another small sip of her espresso that had gone cold.

"Yale?" he hooted. "What is a Yale graduate doing in a dingy café in Vermont?"

"Hey! This is my favorite place in the world! And it's not dingy. It's the Lighthouse Book Café."

"Okay, when you're done expressing your love for this café, aren't you going to answer my question?"

She rolled her eyes. Wow, this boy is just too cocky with an enormous ego. "As I said I'm an author, as well as an editor and a journalist."

"Okay, so what story are you working on?" Austin continued further.

"I call it Chance Meetings. And it's a sad yet romantic story about Halle and Justin. And how they are reunited ten years later."

"Seems interesting. I'll be the first to read it, am I?"

Yep. Super sized ego. "Yes. And I've been meaning to ask. Do I know you?"

He clapped. "So you do watch hockey! You've seen me play right? My sick moves. Am I right?"

"No," she countered. "I remember you from somewhere else. Like a distant memory. Are you sure we haven't met before?"

He smirked but replied with a snide comment. "Maybe in an alternate universe."

Wow! Can you believe the nerve of this guy! But then she spotted the book he was supposedly reading. "So if you're a hockey player, why do you read romance novels?"

He reddened in the face. She got him good. "Well... you see... I... Fine, I absolutely love romance."

"Awww, Austy lurves romance!" she cooed. Again, really? Baby talk? To a guy? Ally you need to get yourself in line!

"Yeah, yeah. But I got to go. Maybe I'll see you around." He stood up.

She waved. "Yeah, maybe."

"Mh-hm. Vermont is not that big of a state so I'll catch you later, Ally."

"Bye, Austin." When he left, Ally sighed contentedly. What was with her today? But then something about her and that guy clicked! Like they were made for each other! Like they were supposed to meet according to fate! Whoa! Ally, slow down. You just met the guy.

But she couldn't help but feel completely smitten by Austin Moon. Hm, when will I see him again?

But soon she drifted away from her day-dreams to her story land.

*This is a real team, but I know nothing about hockey so I don't know if they're a college team or a professional one. But Ross was from Colorado and he said he'd be a hockey player if he wasn't an actor so I'd have Austin have his dream career.

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