Chapter 27

Ally set out for Lighthouse Book Café. Trish and everybody else was no where to be found. When she woke up that morning, all that was left was a note saying that Trish would be busy all day. Ally just shrugged it off and looked for a good place to work on her story. So Lighthouse Book Café it was. And frankly, due to all the hysteria and drama from the past few weeks, she hadn't had time to work on... even she forgot the name of her story. That's just sad.

Chance Meetings! There we go!

As the Word Doc opened up, she quickly read the title refreshing her mind. She skimmed over her past writing, fixing some mistakes and spelling from time to time, refreshing her mind of the plotline.

Reading the story, something in Ally clicked. Now it all made sense. She scrolled up to the beginning of her story.

This story is centered on a shy insecure girl by the name of Halle Aaron. She was a small skinny girl of age sixteen.

Sixteen. Ally had been sixteen at the time, exactly ten years ago. Shy, insecure girl? That was her ten years ago! Small and skinny? Took the words right out of her mouth! Halle Aaron. Halle. Ally. Hal. Al.

Ally scrolled more down skimming past Halle's and Natalia's conversation first day back at school.

"Hey Natalia," Halle called to her best friend.

"Hey Girl! Ready for junior year?" she exclaimed.

That character was so much like Trish's. 'Hey girl'? That was Trish's line. Always her line. Aside from the usual 'I got a job!'

Then she read from where Halle and Natalia were describing the love interest in the story. Justin Archuleta. Justin. Austin. Justy. Austy. It was all the same! She read the conversation between them.

"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!"

That's so Trish! Intrusive in on other's love lives! And that'd be her exact comments. And Drama. Ally hated Drama Class to the last extent. She could sing, beautifully in fact, but she hated acting. She just couldn't be someone else.

"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.

Taller. Blonder. More muscular. Totally Austin.

Ally thought for a minute. Halle and Justin. Justin and Halle. Ally and Austin. Austin and Ally. It worked both ways. This story... it was... proof of...

-Flashback-

"Hey Ally," Trish called.

"Hey Trish," she greeted back.

"Ready for Junior Year?" Trish asked.

"Hell yeah! I heard there's this new teacher who teaches history. I hope she will be just as good as Mr. Baker."

"Oh, Ally. Mr. Baker was such a bore. More than half the students for the entire year got caught up on their sleep thanks to him!" her Latina friend argued.

Ally scoffed. "But hey there's this ne-"

Trish cut her off. "So how are you and Austin?"

"Trish," Ally warned testily.

Suddenly a guy shoved the books she was carrying to the ground, laughs in her face and runs still laughing. Meanwhile she did nothing. She just stood there and looked straight ahead while he was doing all that. When he was gone, she squatted and started to pick up her fallen books and papers. Austin just gritted his teeth at the sight, but he couldn't help but feel sorry. So he went up to her and helped her.

"Thank you," she muttered, not looking his way.

"It's no problem."

"But why are you doing this?" she asks.

"Because I've seen you around and you always do nice things for people." Yeah he's seen her and she just helps people and she doesn't ask anything in return. "And it's time someone return the favor," he continued.

"That's not how to pick out a book, you know?" someone commented behind him.

He frowned in annoyance. "Why'd you care?" he spit back without looking at the speaker and sifting more books.

"Because I think everyone should pick up a book once in a while and venture into the world beyond," that person said.

That girl, yes, by her high octave voice, was most certainly a nerd or worst a geek. What was he doing? He should walk away! He didn't want to be alloyed in with those type of people in the school. It'd ruin his rep. "Um.. I have to go," he lied, walking away, still not looking at the person.

"Wait!" she called, running up after him. "Mr. Tate wanted me to help you pick a book."

"Why would you even consid-" He finally turned to face the girl and his voice hitched in his throat. "Ally," he mumbled her name.

"Oh? So you know my name?" she mocked, sarcastically. "Didn't think someone of your 'status' would know me."

"I.. uh.. well... You're Elliot's sister! That's only why I know you," he hastily found an excuse.

"Oh." She deemed disappointed. "It's okay. It was just... just a joke."

"Austin, what are you doing here?" she quizzed.

"Look Ally, I need to talk to you. I know you're avoiding me in school, so I decide now was the best time. Where you're trapped and you can't run away," Austin launched off with his prepared speech.

"Oh." Ally hesitantly laughed. "About that..."

"Save it." He raised a hand, silencing her. Boy, he must look macho right then. "I know why you're avoiding me and I know the reason. But we need to talk about it. We can't just let it go."

"Oh, why not?" she burst, but quickly quieting herself.

"Because! One, I took your virginity. And if that happens we need to talk. Two, because that happened, what about us?" he reasoned.

"Fine," Ally grudgingly agreed. She piled up her notebooks, papers in one stack and stacked her textbooks in another pile next to her bed. She slammed the laptop cover and plopped herself on the bed with her arms crossed like an eight year old. Austin chuckled at her behavior, but sat next to her on the edge of her bed.

"Okay...?" he started off. "First order of business. Was it a mistake, that night?"

Ally thought for a moment before answering. "No, at least in my opinion. One of the best nights ever."

"Why? You lost your innocence."

"Because it was with you. With any other guy, I'd be pissed. But with you, it was amazing and a dream come true."

"Okay, so you like me?"

"When'd I said that?" she fired back.

This really wasn't going the way he expected. He was supposed to pour out his heart, okay maybe later, but now he was just interrogating Ally. Which really wasn't his purpose, but he needed to know if she returned those feelings.

"Just assuming..." He cast her a teasing look.

"What?! No! I didn't say that!" she protested.

"Okay, okay. So you don't think it was a mistake?" he asked again.

"No. What about you?"

"Well... that's why I'm here." This was it. It was time.

"Oh. Really? So did you think it was a mistake?" she repeated, softly.

He sighed, building up the confidence. "No." He looked at her shocked features. He guessed that she was thinking that he thought it was a mistake. This surely caught her in surprise. "It wasn't a mistake. In fact, I've been waiting for like forever to do that with you. Why? Because Ally I like you. More like I love you. When? Since I've laid my eyes on you.

"At first it was just a friendship love. Growing up with you in elementary was so much fun. Every field trip, every smile, every laugh, I cherished every memory of you. But then came middle school and finally high school. Those years were most difficult. We started breaking away. I didn't want that. But those feelings increased and strengthened. A few years back, that's when I realized that I was head over heels for you.

"You once asked why I have this "bad-boy act" now I'm telling you why. Because of you. I liked you. And I thought that being Mr. Popular would bring attention. But it was from the wrong people. I wanted attention from you. But you're Ally. You don't like bad-boys. You liked down-to-Earth Austin Moon.

"And he will come back. Just like I confessed my feelings. Ally, I really like you and I'm willing to put aside Mr. Popular to be with you." He finally looked at Ally straight in the face.

"Hello. Welcome to Sonic Boom, how may I-" Ally looked up. "Oh! Hey Austin!"

"Hey, Alls!" he greeted waving the drinks.

"One for me?" she asked. He nodded handing her one. "Ohh!" She squealed after taking a sip. "Citrus Crazy!? My favorite!" She took another sip and looked up at him. "Thanks a lot Austin."

"Welcome," he replied, while clambering onto the counter-top of Sonic Boom.

"Austin!" she scolded. "How many times have I told you not to sit there!?"

"Umm... once... twice... ten times... thirty-six... sixty-nine... hundred ten..." He pretended to think for another second. "Oh yeah! One thousand three hundred fifty seven!"

"Really?!" she raised her eyebrows. "You keep track?"

"Peesh! No! I was just guessing then."

"Oh." She looked down at her songbook and started to write some things. "So what are you doing here?" she casually asked, not looking up.

"Well.. I wanted to surprise you with that drink."

"'Kay." Still she didn't look up.

"And... Well... Um... Here's the thing..." Austin shifted uncomfortably on his counter top seat making her look up.

"Are you okay?" she asked, genuinely worried.

Yep, she fully trusted him... when he didn't deserve it. "Exactly how busy are you?" Austin asked.

"Not so busy." She looked around, scanning the store for lingering costumers before adding, "store's empty."

"Okay." He jumped off from his seat. "Come up to the practice room. I want to talk to you." With that he just barged up the stairs to their hang-out.

...

"So that's what you're worried about?" Ally asked, giggling a bit. "I trust you with my life Austin!"

Austin winced at her words. "That's... uh... that's the thing. You trust me when you shouldn't be."

She looked at him, surprised. "What?!"

"You trust me when you shouldn't," Austin repeated. Ally stayed quiet staring at him to continue. "Have you always wondered why I started paying attention to you?"

Ally thought for a minute before answering. "Well you confessed that you liked me for years... so I'm guessing only this year you plucked up the courage to start flirting with me."

Austin shook his head. "Half of that is true, while the other... not so much."

"Why...?"

"Because E..." He stopped himself. He'd tell Ally only if she asks who did it. He didn't want to jeopardize Ally and Elliot's brother and sister relationship. "Erm... because..." He sighed. Better now then never. "InthebeginningoftheyearIbettedwithsomeonethatI'dh aveyouwrappedaroundmyfingerbeforeIleaveyouwiththeg reatestheartbreak," Austin said in one breath.

"What? Can you say that again?" she requested, tilting her head, so maybe this time she'd get it.

He sighed, not wanting to repeat those wretched words. "I did have feelings for you. Besides Dez someone else realized it. That someone..." He tried not to look too conspicuous with not naming that 'someone.' "So he made a bet with me, that I had accepted, that'd I'd loop your heart around my finger and when the end of the year came... " He closed his eyes and painfully let out the words. "I'd dump you." There he said it. Cautiously he looked up at Ally.

He could see that the gears in her head were spinning too fast, thinking of possibilities. "So that's why you started to pay attention to me?"

He nodded, ashamed.

"What was the prize at the end?"

Austin was staring at had predicted that she'd be shouting by now. Maybe Ally's not that type of girl. "5K," he answered.

She nodded and slowly got up as in a trance to a small cabinet in the practice room. Austin watched her every move. She moved some things around, making some things fall out, but she didn't pick them up. After several excruciating seconds, she pulled out a box, two in fact. Out of one she took out a stack of papers. Or was it pictures? They were certainly small or was it postcards? In the other she pulled out a thick wad of green bills. Money.

Ally quietly walked back and stood up next to Austin shoving the money to his face.

He just started at it, confused. Then he looked up to her. Clearly you could see pain written all over her beautiful face.

"Here." She shoved the bills roughly to him again. "Your $5,000. You won the bet. It's yours."

He dodged the money she tried to give him and stood up facing her. "What?! I don't care about the money! I care about you! I don't care about the bet anymore! It's non-existent."

"To you," she calmly stated. "But not to me or that other person. I'll save them the trouble and give you your prize because it seems you won."

"What?!" he yelped. "Ally! No! Please!"

But it was too much for Ally. She wanted to calmly face this... but her anger got the better of her. "You care about me?!" she scoffed. "Really? Then why don't I tell the world to save you some trouble."

Austin looked at her as if she was delirious.

She turned around the room as if there was an audience. "LISTEN UP EVERYBODY!" she bellowed. "AUSTIN MOON CARES ABOUT ME!" She laughed like a maniac before turning to Austin, directing the anger to him. "Like he would ever care about me." Then she sat down on the ground in sobs. "Like he'd ever..." she whispered.

"Ally I care about you..." he rushed to her side, trying to soothe her.

"No! Get away from me!" she screamed, pushing Austin away from her. Austin couldn't feel anything but his heart break. He'd once swore that he'd break the guy's face who would make Ally cry and now he was the one who made her cry. He tried to get closer, but she just scrambled away from him.

She unsteady stood up, taking a step back as Austin tired to help her up. One final stance, ran through her head. "If you truly cared about me, that'd bet would not at all have been made. If you truly cared you would have came up to me on your own accords, not because of some bet. And if you truly cared about me then you... then you..." she paused, thinking. "Never mind. You won. It's over. Gave me my heartbreak. Here's your money." She looked down at the money, disgusted. Then she threw everyone of them to Austin showering him with money.

She turned to walk away, before remembering something. "Oh, yeah! Burn these for me." She shoved the other stack of postcards or pictures to him, which he caught.

"Ally, wait!" he called after her.

She turned around again. "I want you gone. Gone out of Sonic Boom. Out of my heart. Out of my life!" It really must've pained her because a tear fell down her smooth face. "Please Austin," she begged. "Leave me alone."

"Why?" she demanded. "Why can't I?"

"Because!" her dad exclaimed, exasperated. "You're too young! I can't let go move halfway across the country!"

"I'm sixteen, dad. Sixteen! Not a twelve year old!"

"Yes, but you're still young."

"No I'm not! I can totally fend for myself!" she argued.

"Really?" he scoffed.

"Really! I work for my own salary at Sonic Boom. I pay for my own clothes with that money! You raised me to be independent. And when the time comes to let me be free you keep me caged?! That's absurd! And a load of bullsh*t!"

"Ally!" he scolded. "Language!"

She just started daggers at him. "I. Don't. Care."

"Ally!" he repeated.

Then she tried her last card, hoping to win the argument. "If Mom was here, she'd let me go!" she cried out desperately.

Lester Dawson stared at his daughter in shock. "I.. uh.. you-you k-know... but.. she.. Ally!"

"What?!" she snapped deep with venom.

"I know it was hard when your mom left for Africa three years ago, and haven't heard from her since, but she will come back."

"And if she were here she'd let me go!" she retorted.

"You know what! FINE!" he yelled. "I don't care! Pack your bags and get out! I don't want to see you ever again! And if you come crying back..." he paused to catch his breath, "Believe me because I'm NOT taking you back!"

"You're too mean," she gasped. "You don't know how hard this is for me! I can't face Austin! I don't ever want to see him again!"

"Just like how I don't want to see you too!" he dared.

Her fingers clenched into fists as she tried to hold her anger down. But it got the best of her. "Fine! I'll go.. but believe me too. You'll Never see me again! And see if I care!" And she stormed out of the room.

"Chapter One: Miracles

"WHO AM I? And how, I wonder, will this story end?" she read. She had always loved the name of the first chapter and its first line. It mean a lot. She ran her fingers over the words of the page and sunk into her thoughts.

Who am I? She had always ask that question to herself. Three months ago she knew exactly who she was. She was a Marino High junior who dreamt of going to MUNY. She was going to be the valedictorian and the daddy's girl who always had her father' back. She was part of the foursome who always had each other. All while staying next to Austin's side. Now... she had no idea who she was. She wasn't a Marino High student, and long ago gave up on MUNY and music. Valedictorian? As if. Her father? He gave up on her, so it seemed fitting she give up on him. And her best friends. She had to cut ties with them because... because... of him!

Austin...

They were so sure. Of their plans for their future. The college they'd both attend, all while climbing the musical leaderboards. How they'd get married one day. Her dress, the chapel, the cake. Everything. How many kids they planned to have. Sure, they were only juniors, but they believed in themselves that much. Or so she had thought! He betrayed her!

The memoires came flashing back as Ally leaned against the steel bookshelves. She sunk to the ground, cradling the book. Tears streamed down her face as she let out some of the pain. But it only came harder, faster, and more painful. She clutched her heart in hopes to calm herself down. In and out. In and out. Deep breathes, she took. Strangled gasps escaped from her as she fell to the ground.

She looked at the book and sadly smiled. "The book's supposed to touch your heart, not make you cry full on."

Ally shook her head and held on tighter. She let out a few more choked sobs before speaking. "I-I never finished t-the book."

May nodded. "Hm. Why is that?"

Because Austin and I never had the chance, her heart answered for her. "N-never had the c-chance."

-End of Flashback-

Letting those memories flow through her, brought back many years of pain. But what Ally didn't get was how she was able to put in the bet and how she was able to write about it all. But she knew about the bet and probably... her heart, just wanted a way out.

Seeing the story before her, Ally realized something. She really wasn't that angry or hurt anymore. Maybe writing her feelings down, thus the story based on her life, maybe it helps letting go of the past. She still remember her past, but writing it all out, her feelings, all the hurt and sorrow, it left. The past haunts you only if you keep it all in. You have to let out and learn from it.

Finally she was ready to let go. Start a new with an enlightened mind. Suddenly all in one notion, her doubts were erased. But still... she didn't know how her story would end.

She finally had found her reasons why she and Austin... why they belonged as one.

He had always been there. No matter how far she had gone away from their path.

He treated her like his. Even if she didn't treat him with misunderstandings in her heart.

He believed in her. Even when they had first met, he knew who to believe in.

He caught her every time she fell. No matter how many mistakes or failures Ally would have, she could always come running to Austin.

He knew her true self. Even in the darkest times when she didn't even recognize herself.

The list could go on; forever down the line, but the reason that stood out the most was that Austin...

He loved her for no matter what.

And with that thought in mind, Ally knew how her story would end. But in real life... still... it was a blank road ahead. But she hoped, with every inch of her heart, that he would be with her.

A/N: Shout-out to Daddysgirl11. 200th reviewer girl! :P

Personally, not my best, since I slapped this thing together in two or so hours and plus, most of has already been written. So its like a throw-back chapter. But I'm fairly satisfied. Let me know your thoughts.

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