Say You'll Stay

Chapter 2

Austin's POV

All those crazy things we did
Didn't think about it, just went with it
You're always there, you're everywhere
But right now I wish you were here

-Avril Lavigne, Wish You Were Here.

A week, one week, and I had yet to run into Ally. Well, considering that I had only left my house to go to work then went right back home, how would I have seen her. That doesn't matter though. Today was a Friday, a Friday that I didn't have to work. Meaning that Dez, Trish and I were going to have breakfast. Not with Ally. No, that would be against the rules.

I pull into the small diner to see that they're both already here. I find them at a booth in the back, whispering to themselves. "Hey guys." Their necks snap up when they hear my voice.

"Good morning!" Trish says way too happy for it being nine in the morning. She's not usually a morning person. "We're both glad that you could make it." Dez nods at Trish's statement.

They are acting weirder than usual. "Thanks for inviting me." I slowly sit down across from my two friends, confusion written on my face. "Is everything okay?"

They look at each other, Dez decides to speak first. "Why wouldn't everything be okay?" He nervously laughs, Trish hits him on the head. "Ow!"

"Austin, you know that we love you." Oh god, here we go. The Ally speech was on its way.

"I already know that Ally is back." I know that they don't expect the words that make their way out of my mouth.

They look surprised. "Really? How?"

"I ran into Lester last week and he let it slip." I shrug my shoulders, attempting to play down the fact that I'm freaking out inside.

"Oh!" Dez and Trish look at each other again. "Well than I guess that you won't mind that she's going to be at the engagement party tomorrow night then." That's when my mind snaps. I knew that Ally was back for the wedding, I had accepted it. Or at least I thought I had.

She was going to be there, for everything. It was going to be weird to go from being banned from hearing her name in a sentence, to having to have dinner with her. Was I going to be able to handle this?

I had to leave. "I'll be fine tomorrow, and I promise to be on my best behavior." I stand up from the table. "But, I need to go." I leave the dinner faster than I entered it.

If you've ever been through a break up that you knew was bound to happen but ignored it, you would know how I felt while walking past my car. I couldn't just sit there and have them talk to me about the person who had been banned for four years. I wanted to stay oblivious for a while, at least until tomorrow at the dinner.

I walk past my car, deciding to walk to where ever my feet may take me. While my feet move, my mind wanders to a distant memory of New York.

New York in late Summer was hot. And when I say hot, I mean hot. It was only our first Summer in New York, eventually our last. But let's not focus on that. Let's focus on the day that would be known as the last good one.

What makes a day good? Good company and good food is the answer that first came to my mind in early August while walking in Central Park.

Ally walked beside me, we held hands while ignoring the sweat that was coming down our fore heads. "Why is it so hot?" Ally asked me when we turned the corner to cross the street. She pulled at the shirt on her back that was drenched with sweat. "And I thought Miami was hot."

"Miami is hot." I started to say after making it across the busy street. "But, it's hotter here because of all the cars and people walking." I pointed to all the things that were around us. "Remember how cold it was in the winter? You'll be wishing that it was this hot in November." I could feel the chill on my finger tips just from thinking about the winter time.

"I guess you're right." Then her face lite up. "I have an idea!" Her idea had been to go to this bowling alley that was in a bus station. Ally said that she heard someone in her summer class talking about it. So we went to the bowling alley, that was thankfully air-conditioned, and ate some nachos and hot dogs while I kicked her butt in a game. (Okay, she kicked mine, but I deny that out loud.)

It had been a fun day, it really was. That night, as we walked home in the humid air, I whispered in her ear that there would be many more days like that to come. Oh how wrong I was. Because only two months later, I left for Miami and she stayed in the big city, that was starting to cool down for the fall.

The memory stops as I realize where I am, the park. My feet walk over to the bench where I had seen Ally at many moons ago. She had sat on the bench, writing in her book. I can remember how loud my footsteps had sounded. It felt like I had walked to my execution.

"Hello Austin." She had said when she saw me coming.

I shake my head, blonde hair getting messed up. Stop thinking about it. But I can't. I remember reading the words that she wrote in that book of hers. And the message that I had written for her.

When ever you need me by your side I'll be there. Let me be your super hero.

I wasn't her superhero any more, that time was long gone. Along with everything else.

I find my self sitting down on the bench and leaning my head back. It was going to be a long day of mulling over love and lost.

Ally's POV

A week. A week in Miami had gone by and I was already missing LA. Well, I don't know if missing is the correct word. I just didn't like the pit in my stomach I would get every time I would leave my house, the fear of running into Austin. Could you call it fear? Yes, along with nerves and every other bad feeling in the world.

Friday marks the official week, I was celebrating it by going out to brunch with Dez and Trish. I haven't seen Dez since I've been back so I'm excited. With a little fear, but let us ignore that.

I walk into the small dinner, that must have opened while I was gone, to find the two whispering to them selves. They don't hear my footsteps coming so they jump when I say hello. "What's got you two so jumpy?"

"Ally!" Dez jumps out of the booth to give me a hug. I hug him back and sit down at the bench across from my best friends.

After ordering, I allow my self to look at the two. While working with celebrities I have learned to read body language. And I could tell that they were tense, I think I know why. "So, tomorrow's the engagement party!" I say as a general statement and their faces turn white.

"Ally, we have to tell you something." Trish starts to say. "Austin still lives here."

"I know." I sip my tea, and try to ignore the voices in side my head that are screaming.

"How?" Dez asks, they look like they have had this same conversation before.

"I ran into Austin's parents last week and they mentioned it." I nonchalantly sip on my straw.

"And you're okay with that?" I shrug my shoulders. "That's great! Because he will be at the dinner tomorrow." Trish says the words that I already knew were coming.

"It's fine, I've moved on and I'm sure that he has as well." I watch their facial expressions but they stay the same. Has he moved on?

Brunch goes the same as every other brunch we ever had together. After I finish my salad, I say good-bye and head back to my dad's. My mind was still going over the idea that I would have to see Austin.

While driving past Austin's parents house, I'm taken back to a distant memory.

It was about six years ago. When Austin and I were in our sort of friends, sort of more phase. It was right after the thing with Cassidy and fake dating Elliot. It was in the middle of the week. I'm not quite sure of the actual date. (October 30th) We had sat on Austin's back porch, I was reading a book and Austin was playing with my hair. "Put my hair down." I had said to the boy after he had pulled on the strand of hair too hard. He had obliged, only to play with my hand.

I put my book down to look at him. "Are you bored?" He had nodded his head. "Do you and Dez have plans for Halloween tomorrow?"

His eyes had lit up. "Yes, and I was hoping that you would come with me."

"Where to?"

"Trick or treating, duh." I rolled my eyes at his child like ways. "So, will you go?"

"I don't even have a costume."

"I'm sure we can find you one." So I was forced to put my book down and go to a costume shop. After looking at tons of costumes, Austin found the perfect one for me. Sandy, from Grease. And he was going to be Danny.

"No, no, no!" I yelled at him as he pulled out the leather outfit. "There is no way that I would wear that!"

"But why?" He held up the costume. "We could match!" Austin begged and begged and begged for me to dress up as Sandy. Eventually he broke me down and I did.

So on Halloween, I was Sandy and he was Danny. That was the first time that I could tell that being just friends wasn't going to last much longer.

There was a quote in the book that I had read on that after noon that stuck in my head. I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.

The memory fades away as I pull into the drive way. Luckily my father is still at work so I have the house to my self. I open the front door to the home that I grew up in. Everything looks the same as it was four years ago. But yet it's all different.

After putting my purse down on the table, I allow my self to go upstairs to my room. I have stayed in it the past few days but I haven't really looked around. I only went in there to sleep and that was all. Everything was the same, my dad would never have the heart to change anything around. So as I open the door to the room that used to my sanctuary, I go to the closet and open the door. I stand up on my tippy toes to feel for the box. The box that holds mementos.

I somehow feel it and pull it down. After sitting it down on the floor, I sit criss cross on the hard wood floor. I stare at the box, the lid is mocking me. Open it Ally. It whispers. You know you want to. But I didn't want to. I haven't in a long time and I wasn't going to start now.

My arm makes its way to the lid but my brain stops the movement. "God, Ally. It's just a box." I say out loud. Was it just a box? Of course it wasn't. It's almost as sacred as my book that I don't even write in any more. I have out grown the leather book that used to be my therapist.

The other arm starts to lift but again my brain tells it to stop. That's when I hear my phone ding from my pocket. I stand up to reach into the pocket of my jeans.

I unlock my iPhone to see a text.

Can't wait to see you

My heart flutters at the message. I'm reminded of how I really have moved on and how I was going to show Austin that tomorrow night.

Hello! I know that it's been over a week since I last updated and that makes me sad. Not a lot happened in this chapter, but a lot happens in the next one. Like a lot. So hopefully I will have that ready by the weekend. Who texted Ally? You will know the next chapter!

I have posted a lot of one shots in the last week so check them out if you want to. There's not much else to say. I know that this chapter probably wasn't worth the wait, but the next one will be.

I hope you liked this chapter. Please leave review, I like to know if people are reading and if you're liking it. I'm not saying that I'm not going to update until I get a certain number of reviews, I would never do that. But if you have the time and any comments on the chapter, I would love to hear them :)

Chapter 23- When they talk at the park.

Chapter 24- When Austin reads Ally's book.

Chapter 25- Austin's message in Ally's book.

I do not own the quote from the Fault In Our Stars or Austin and Ally or Wish You Were Here by Avril Lavigne or Grease.