Chapter 8

Ally didn't even turn his way when he dropped the coffee and the cake. She was too busy talking to the guy. Then trying not to step in any coffee or cake, he cautiously made his way to Ally's table. He hid behind a potted plant trying to listen in on their conversation.

"What are you doing here?" Ally asks.

"I just missed you," the guy said.

"No, really. Why?" Ally repeats.

"I just wanted to see my favorite girl. Is that such a crime?"

Ally looks at him and laughs. "I guess not."

What the hell is that guy doing? Making a move on my girl? Am I missing something? Austin thought to himself.

"So how has the past years been? It's been like two years since I saw you," he continued.

"I've been good. And its fine. You don't have to worry about me Elliot." Ally shrugged.

"Why won't you come back home? Everyone in Miami misses you." he said.

W-wait. Home? Did they live together? I know she used to live in Miami. Oh! What if she's just like Katie in Safe Haven? And I'm Alex who saves her. And this guy is an abusive husband trying to get her back? So then she leaves and finds comfort in another state in another guy's arm? Is that her backstory? Austin fantasized. But wait. If he's the abusive husband... he doesn't look like one. He looks orderly and I guess like Ally. But she called him Elliot right? Somehow that name rings a bell in the back of my head, but I can't put my finger on it. Then he continued to listen in.

"Look Elliot, you know why I left and you know I can't go back," Ally agrues.

"You can't run away from your problems Allyssa," he sighed.

"Don't called me Allyssa. It's Ally," she snaps.

Whoa! Ally's full name is Allyssa. Allyssa Dawson. Allyssa Moon. Got a nice ring to it, he thought and he smile at his fantasy.

Elliot sighed again. "Okay. Ally, I know its hard but..."

"Can we talk about something else?" Ally interrupts.

"Okay. Still writing huh?" He smiles.

"Yeah, and I've got this new story in the works. I call it Chance Meetings. Its a sad tragic romance novel," Ally rants.

"That's great! I'll be the first to read it, right?" Elliot jokes.

Oh, no, you don't. I'll be the first to read it. Then it hits him. He's Elliot. He's the Elliot from his high school. He was a year older and he was the one who started it all. He was the one that caused him all that heartbreak and the one who made him lose the love of his life.

Austin hands balled in fists and his mouth clenched tight. He really wanted to barge over there and punch that guy to bits, but he couldn't with Ally right there. But he couldn't take it anymore. He just stood up, ignoring Dallas's smirk and walked out without a look back. Austin marched over to his parked car, wrenched the door open, and sat himself behind the wheel. Sitting there he just wanted... he wanted... Yelling in frustration he slammed his hands on the wheel.

There's no way Ally is cheating on him. He was sure of that. There was something different, something genuine about Ally. He groaned in frustration and threw is phone onto the passenger seat. Thinking again he grabbed his phone and typed in a number. He knew the number by heart, but never called the person in three, four years.

"Hello?" His call was picked up after five rings.

Ally was early. She arrived at the Lighthouse Book Café twenty minutes early because the meeting had gone better than she thought. Early autum winds whipped her hair as she walked down the streets to the café.

Sitting in the same seat at the same table, she took out her lap top and decided to work on her story. It's been days since she's updated, but at least now than never.

Halle was standing by her locker with her friend Natalia. They were discussing homework, boys, clothes, boys, movies, boys, people, and did I mention boys?

"I mean did you see the way he looked at me during science?" Halle gushed as Natalia rolled her eyes. Her friend had gone boy-crazy since that little incident on the first day and honestly Natalia didn't know her friend anymore. "I mean right into my eyes." Halle sighed, daydreaming.

"So what'd you get on your social studies quiz?" Natalia attempted in civilized conversation.

"Oh, a B." And just like that Halle was up in dreamland, again.

Natalia sighed. And opened her locker looking for her math textbook and her algebra notebook.

"Hey," someone spoke behind them. "Can I speak to you Halle?" It was Justin. Halle gasped, nodding and Natalia just watched them, noting every move.

"So do you wanna go on a date with me, Friday night?" Justin looked at Halle for an answer.

Her mouth dropped. "Uh... Well... I..."

Natalia could hear every work and looked at Halle who was looking her way. They were supposed to have a sleepover/movie night on that day. So she shook her head vigorously behind Justin, telling her answer.

Halle felt guilty doing this to her friend. "Well?" Justin asked.

Halle nodded, agreeing. "I'll see you then."

He smiled. "Great! I'll pick you up at eight."

Once Justin was gone and Halle walked over to her friend. "So guess who has a date Friday night?" she sang, happily.

"Great," Natalia smiled meekly and slammed her locker, a bit too hard and walked away. Her best friend, dump her for a guy? They had promised not to let guys bet between them! But I guess that was far from her mind, she thought. A single tear caressed her cheek and she wiped it away and walked hurriedly ignoring Halle's calls.

"Hey Alls," someone said, interrupting her thoughts.

Ally looked up. "Elliot!" she squealed and jumped into his arms. It had been a long while since they've seen each other.

Faintly she heard a clatter of plates and cups, but thinking of the jerk Dallas she just ignored the sound. They let go after a short while and he took the seat opposite her.

"What are you doing here?" Ally asks.

"I just missed you," he replied.

"No, really. Why?" Ally repeats.

"I just wanted to see my favorite girl. Is that such a crime?"

Ally looks at him and laughs. "I guess not."

"So how has the past years been? It's been like two years since I saw you," he continued.

"I've been good. And its fine. You don't have to worry about me Elliot." Ally shrugged.

"Why won't you come back home? Everyone in Miami misses you." he said.

"Look Elliot, you know why I left and you know I can't go back," Ally agrues.

"You can't run away from your problems Allyssa," he sighed.

"Don't called me Allyssa. It's Ally," she snaps. She really wasn't fond of her full name, but it still was her name.

Elliot sighed again. "Okay. Ally, I know its hard but..."

"Can we talk about something else?" Ally interrupts.

Elliot looks around and sees her computer and notebook open. "Okay. Still writing huh?" He smiles.

"Yeah, and I've got this new story in the works. I call it Chance Meetings. Its a sad tragic romance novel," Ally rants.

"That's great! I'll be the first to read it, right?" Elliot jokes.

Ally hesitates with her answer. "No, I kinda promised someone else to read it first. You should totally have to meet him while you're here."

"Ohhh! Does my little sis have a boyfriend?" he teased.

"Maybe." Ally smiled thinking of Austin.

"What's he like? Is it going to work out this time? Unlike the first attempt at dating when you first came here after that high school incident."

Ally laughed at the memory when she first had attempted to start dating again. "It's going really well. He's such a gentleman and made a real good impression so far. He's such a sweetheart."

"Sweetheart? Are you sure you're my sister?" Elliot jokes. "What's his name?"

"Austin. Austin Moon," Ally replied as she stared out the window dreamily.

Elliot's eyes bugged out in realization of the name. "Austin?! Austin Moon?!"

"Yeah..." Ally still in dreamland state.

Elliot looked around. He wasn't here. Where was he? Should he tell Ally about him? It seems like they don't remember... But he should warn her at least. Yeah, that's what he'll do. They'll find out eventually so better now that they let go before it gets worse.

"Ally. Ally!" Elliot snaps grabbing her attention.

"Huh? What?" she looks at him weirdly.

"Please break up with him," he begged.

"Why?"

"He's just bad news. Please Ally."

"No! He's the best thing that ever happened to me!" she protested.

"If you don't want to relive high school, break up with him, now!" he said sternly.

"You're not the boss of me!" Ally gives him one more disgusted look and storms out with her things leaving him there thinking of all the possibilities where this situation could end. And most of his thoughts strayed to the hospital.

A/N: So the brother. Some of you guessed it and you were right, but you didn't expect that last bit, did you?
So tell me what you think and major drama on its way! Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming, I just love to read them.

And yes, Austin did a double take, which is the second track on his album! (Jimmy in S1 finale) Love that song!

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