Chapter 12
Ally ran. Even with her wedges on that sort of made it challenging, she ran. She had heard Austin's last words, but she ignored them.
How could he? Call her brother a jerk?! Well, even though they were not on good terms at the moment they were still siblings. And how could he have wanted to punch Elliot as hard as fast as he could? How could Austin be like that? He wasn't the guy she knew at the moment. Was Elliot right? Was Austin really the guy she didn't think he was?
But Ally stopped for a second. Now she was at a mini-mart in town. It the quick two minutes from her run from the park she was at the town center. A thought had struck her.
Did Austin really mean it? She didn't even let him tell her the full story. Maybe she should go back? Maybe let him tell the full story because she knew that wasn't the full story.
When she realized it her eyes got big. She did wrong, and she knew it. She had to go back. She needed the full story. She wanted to prove that Austin wasn't that type of guy.
But she looked worriedly at the sky which was now a brilliant dark grey. It was a sign that a storm was rolling in. Dark weather to be soon over them. She shook her head and wrapped her grey wool winter coat tighter around her. She tightened the neckline and turned around. Winter was surely on its way.
She backtracked and walked to the park. She knew she should hurry, but the strong breeze made that challenging as well as her aching legs. She surely was tired.
After a five minute walk, she trailed back to where he had held the picnic, but when she got there... Austin was gone. He was no where to be seen. The only sign was the trample grass from where the blanket had been set. She looked around but no one was near. There wasn't even a sign of his car. He had left.
Ally sighed. She knew better. She knew he wouldn't stay. She had left without a word, ignoring his last words. She knew him better. He would have gone looking for her, but he wouldn't know that she'd come back.
In pure disappointment her shoulders drooped and her grim smile furrowed deeper. Suddenly with a loud shudder, the trees shook in the wind and rain started to fall. Bullet sized rain fell on her head and she just ignored them as bullet sized tears fell from her eyes.
With tears streaming down, she ran through the rain to the closest place she was familiar with. Lighthouse Book Café. It was not busy because it wasn't peak hours, but there was a reasonable amount of customers.
"Whoa! Ally, you okay?" Dallas asked as she approached the counter.
"Huh?" She quickly wiped her tears and replied. "Yeah. I'm fine. Can I have a cup of hot chocolate?"
He nodded. "Sure." He quickly ringed up her order and with the drink he gave her a towel. "I think you need this." And he looked at her wet hair.
"Oh. Thanks." She grabbed her order and the towel and made her way to her usual spot.
Ten minutes later of wringing her hair and watching the rain fall, Dallas took the seat opposite of her.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, concerned.
Ally smiled. Lately, they've been on friendly terms since that incident with Elliot and Austin at the bar. Thinking of that pained her, bringing tears.
"There they are again." He quickly leaned over the table and brushed the tears aside. "You need to stop crying these days, Ally. I need you to be your usual happy cheery self."
Ally chuckled. "Thanks. I needed some cheering up. But aren't there costumers?"
"No. It's raining right cats and dogs right now. No one in their right mind would be out and about." His shoulders shook as he laughed as his own joke. "So... you want to talk about it?"
Ally sighed. "I know you mean good... but I'm sorry. It really doesn't concern you and... I really don't feel comfortable talking about it with you." Ally gave him a weak smile but it was a sincere one.
"Okay. It's fine." He got up. "But if you need someone, come to me, okay?" Ally nodded and once he got an answer he walked back to his station behind the counter.
She smiled gratefully at him and he returned it just as bright.
Elliot groaned in pain and frustration as he laid himself in the couch in his aunt's living room. She was out and the maids were in, but he didn't want to be disturbed, so they didn't bother him due to his orders.
His chest had been tightly bandaged because apparently he had broken a rib or two during the scuffle when his aunt had taken him to the hospital. He also had a cast around his left arm and was ordered a week of bed rest. He wasn't too happy that he couldn't be out and about to break apart Austin and Ally.
He abruptly sat up, groaning, as a new plan formed in his head. Casting the thought aside he grabbed the TV remote and turned on the flat screen in front of him. It opened up to a comedy slash drama series. He watched two football friends just joking and hitting on girls. He chuckled at their childish behavior and frowned upon a memory trigged by the scene.
-Flashback-
Elliot sighed as another school day began. It was routine day after day, sometime you had to get tired of it. Even though he was Captain of the football team and girls threw themselves onto him... he did get tired of it once in a while. He was graduating later this year and he was just sad that he had to leave. But his sister Allyssa was a year younger and boy was she lucky! She didn't even have to deal with the popularity status. Sure they were siblings but they only acknowledged each other at home. It was a complicated relationship, but they were fine with it. It just worked.
"Hey dude. Why so bummed out?" A blonde bounced over with his red headed best friend.
"Hey man!" Elliot instantly cheered up. He quickly high-fived both the guys. "Ahh... nothing. So is there football practice today?"
"Nah," Dez said. Sure he was quirky and wore funky clothes but on the field, he was a rock star. And he really could sport a football uniform. "Cancelled. Rainy weather. So what you been up to?"
"Eh... nothing much. Just the usual." Elliot shrugged and turned back to his locker grabbing a few books. Even though he was the star quarterback, he needed to keep up his grades to play and he came from a smart and responsible family so he was brought up that way.
"Yeah... Homework, girls, drama, girls. You know what I mean?" Austin joked.
Elliot laughed. This guy was just so funny. Even though Austin and Dez were a year younger, Juniors, the three became fast friends through their love of football. "Yeah, yeah. I know."
"So... what are you doin-" But Dez stopped mid-sentence to watch two girls walk down the hall.
It was his sister Ally, and her best friend Trish. They all had met once before when they had visited his home when Ally and Trish were having a sleepover. Elliot knew Dez liked Trish as did Austin and they teased all the time. But Elliot had a burning suspicion that Austin had taken a liking to his sister. Well if you look past the flirty smiles, waves, comments and his somewhat shy attitude around her... you wouldn't see it.
So as Ally and Trish, who were not populars, passed by, Trish gave a small wave to the three and Dez literally died. As for Austin he gave Ally a bright smile and Ally returned it. Boy, he would soon melt. Elliot gave his sister a small smile and turned around to face his locker again. Once they were gone, Dez and Austin soon were squealing like two fangirls.
"Did you see her wave? It was at me... right?" Dez gushed.
"And her smile. Her..." Elliot knew Austin was talking about Ally... but Austin cleared his throat when he saw Elliot staring. "What.. no. You can't prove it," he quickly rushed.
Elliot chuckled. "Anyway, you like her do ya?"
Austin sighed. "Yeah... But I'll back off if you don't want me to."
"Nah. Don't care." Then an thought struck Elliot. He later regretted it, but at that moment it was all fun and games. "Um, hey Austin!"
"Yeah?"
"Why don't we have some fun with this?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, why don't we turn this into a bet?"
"Really? What?" Austin asked.
"I dare you to wrap Ally's heart around your finger. Then drop her at the end of the year." Elliot said all of this with a smug grin, not really thinking about the whole situation.
"What?!" Austin's mouth dropped in shock as he registered what Elliot had just said.
"Break her heart?" Dez echoed.
"Yeah. And if you do it five thousand dollars await you," Elliot said.
Austin thought this over. Ally was just another girl on the street. There were plenty of other fish in the sea. And Elliot did have enough money since his parents were like filthy rich.
"But if I lose... I can't pay that much!" Austin complained.
"Won't it hurt your sister?" Dez questioned.
"You won't have to, Austin. It's just my half. And what she doesn't know won't hurt her right?" Elliot retored.
"But you want to see your sister hurt?" Dez asked.
"Quit the crap, Dez!" Elliot snapped. "Okay its my last year here and I want some fun. Some drama. So ya up to it, Austin?"
"Yeah. And be prepared to lose Elliot!" Austin hooted.
-End of Flashback-
And Elliot hated himself from that day on. That was such a mistake. On his part. He was supposed to be the older brother. The role model. The one would she would run for. The one who would back her up. The one who cared for her with all his heart. But all he did was break her.
He really didn't mean it back then, but it was all fun and games. He really didn't know what it would lead to. And that was his dirty little secret.
That's why he wanted them apart. He never knew they'd meet up again. But they didn't seem to recognize each other. And now as his duty of being her older brother, he didn't want to break her further. He wanted to do his job correctly this time around. And he was going to succeed or die trying. So before they recognize what the past held, he had to tear them apart. He had to or he'd be in the open.
Running his hands though his hair, he focused his mind to the show, not really wanting to think at the moment.
"Ally!" Austin cried. "I'm sorry!" But she didn't look back.
After getting to know Ally for a week, he knew once she made up her mind there was no changing it. So he just packed everything and walked to his car. He sat behind the wheel for a minute before leaving.
That date was such a disaster. Why did he have to admit it?! Why?! Just like in high school. He admitted something and the love of his life left too. Two girls let him go because of such a bold act. What was wrong with that?
He knew he should give Ally some space, so he would. She probably didn't want to talk to him... so he left it at that.
Driving around town, his thoughts always strayed to Ally. Her charming smile. Her beautiful personality. What was with Ally that you wouldn't love? Oh yeah, her idiot brother. He hated that guy for what he had caused in high school. But something was off. Did Ally not know what happened? Or did she just love him that much? Well they were family... so it was possible.
Then driving past the high school, a thought occurred to him. If the love of his life, aside Ally, had gone to high school here, then her picture would be in the yearbook right? He was 26 now, so 10 years ago.
Rain was pelting the ground, but he quickly parked and ran into the administration building. Lucky it was still open because it was late in the afternoon after a school day.
"No way! You're Austin Moon!" a teenager exclaimed as he barged in.
"Um, yeah. Hi." Austin turned to look at his fan. It was a guy about a head shorter with a gym bag slung across his body. "So who might you be?"
"Hi." He held out his hand. "I'm Colby."
"Well nice to meet you, Colby," Austin replied shaking Colby's outreached hand.
"So what are you doing here? I play hockey because of you! You want to play?! I bet some of the guys are still at the rink! Wanna come play with us?!" he suddenly exploded.
"Maybe some other time, kid." Austin smiled at how his image really affect others. "But thanks. So I'm here looking for someone. Do you happen to know where past yearbooks are kept? From maybe ten years ago? Class of 2004."
"Yeah." Colby nodded and started walking down the halls. "Its in here! Its just some storage, but I found it exploring the place. There's several copies from ever year. Some as far back as 1995."
"Thanks." Austin entered the cramped, dimly lit room and rushed to the boxes. Shifting the contents he found a copy of one with the year, 2004, stamped across the cover. His wiped dust off it as his heart rape increased dramatically. This was it. He was going to find her.
Turning page after page, he found the Senior Class of 2004. After one or more pages turned, he found the picture of her. With her bright smile and her warm eyes. With her brown locks with blonde highlights. He missed her. But looking at the picture, he frowned, she looked very familiar. He moved his hand down so he could see the name. He froze.
There it was clear as day. Her name. Allyssa Dawson.
A/N: Dun. Dun. Dun. On a brighter note, Heeeyyyy! I bet you all have been waiting for this... haven't you? EVERYTHING REVEALED, XD
Review, follow, favorite?
So until next time Addio! (Italian)
And... in the D23 Expo with Raini she said a crush comes up in Season 3... They're setting up some Trez and more Auslly. It's going to be good. ;D Hint: Dez gets jealous.