Chapter 23: How I Knew I Missed Him.

Ally was in the small courtyard. It was tiny, just a picnic bench in the middle, and grass surrounding it. She was pacing, like a mad woman. I'm going crazy! It had been a few days since Austin had dropped her off, and she hadn't heard from him, she hadn't heard a single word, and she was losing her mind.

She knew that Austin was going to be busy, because he'd took so much time off work, he was bound to have a lot of work to do, but she missed him and wanted to talk to him. She hadn't slept well either, had barely eaten. Her mom had tried to comfort her, but all Ally could do was stare mindlessly at the wall, and floor. I just want to talk to him.

This feeling was new to Ally. She'd never needed someone this much, it was like she needed him to breathe, eat, and sleep, but he was miles away in the city, in his office, living his billionaire life, and well, she was stuck in a safe house, because of her dad.

Maybe if I sneak out and see him?

"N-No, I can't do that," She ran a hand through her hair, then stared up at the night sky.

Maybe he's sleeping, like I should be sleeping.

She wanted to tell him that she loved him, and she hoped he could find the time to come and see her, but she knew after his episode when he dropped her at the safe house, that he might try to withdraw himself from her, and she didn't want that. He couldn't leave her on her own, not after everything they've been through.

Austin has changed her life so much, that the thought of her life going back to normal, terrified her, because she didn't want it. She wanted Austin. She needed him.

"I'm losing my mind," Ally sat down on the picnic bench, then sighed. "I wonder what he's doing now."

"Who?" Ally jumped, and her gaze flew over to the door. Jaime was standing there, in some dark jeans, and a navy blue sweater. Her eyes looked red raw, but not from tears, from lack of sleep.

Over the past few days, Ally had begun to observe Jaime. She didn't seem to like to talk to people, and she was very introverted, but if you pissed her off, it was like she turned into a completely different person. Although, there was a boy she seemed to always be with, what was his name again? Erm…Gregory, that's it!

They both sit and watch the television together, and Ally had listened to him make a joke, which wasn't even that funny, but Jaime still smiled, and Ally had concluded that he had a goal to make Jaime smile, and it was a nice thing to see.

"My boyfriend," Ally said, and she cringed when she said it. Boyfriend just doesn't sound right, it's not strong enough.

"Is that the blond man?" She asked, and Ally nodded her head.

"He promised to call or Skype me everyday, but he hasn't contacted me since he left me here," Ally explained, and Jaime smiled.

"Sounds like he did a little ditch and leave," She walked over, and sat down on the picnic bench.

"Excuse me?" Ally's voice was strained, and Jaime rolled her eyes.

"It happens a lot around here. People get ditched here, thinking they will soon be leaving, but no one ever comes for them, and they're stuck here, forever," She explained, and Ally shook her head.

"Austin wouldn't do that to me," Ally hissed, and Jaime raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh, Austin Moon is your boyfriend," She laughed. "Good luck with that."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Ally snapped, and Jaime just stared at her with a blank look.

"He's known as a player, it seems like he's just scraped you off his plate, cleanly," Jaime glanced up at the night sky, then sighed. "I could be wrong, but I doubt it."

"You don't know him," Ally pointed out, and she shrugged her shoulders.

"Maybe I don't, but he has a past, does that not bother you?" Jaime questioned her, and Ally clenched her hands in her lap.

"No, it doesn't bother me, because I love him and he loves me-" She began laughing hysterically.

"He loves you!"

"Yes he does! It's nothing to laugh about!" Ally shouted, and she stopped laughing instantly.

"I think you're in for a nice surprise when he shows his true colors. Things aren't always as they seem, trust me, I know a liar when I see one, and he has it written all over his face," She got up from the picnic bench, and left. Ally stared at the spot she had previously vacated.

Her heart was beating furiously in her chest, and it was so painful, that it brought tears to her eyes. Jaime was making her doubt Austin, doubt his love for her, and it hurt, a lot. Ally glanced up at the night sky, and let the tears fall from her eyes.

She wasn't getting any sleep tonight.

…

Ally stepped out into the common room, and she saw Dallas sitting on the couch, watching the television. She hadn't gotten any sleep last night, because everything Jaime had said, had kept playing repeat in her head.

She walked over and sat down next to him. He glanced over at her, then nodded as a greeting. She smiled back, then looked at the television. Still nothing from Austin. She was worried, because the longer she didn't hear from him, the more she believed what Jaime had said. It wasn't fair that she was feeling this way. She wanted to be happy, with Austin.

"Have you heard from him?" Ally asked, her voice showing her tiredness.

"No," He replied. "He's probably just really busy."

"I know," She sighed, then rubbed her eyes with her hands.

"What is it?" He asked, and she shrugged her shoulders. "Has someone said something to you?"

"Jaime-" Dallas growled, making her pause.

"Ignore her," He said through gritted teeth. "She gets off on provoking people."

"I can't help, but believe the things she said to me," She said, and Dallas looked at her with a sympathetic look.

"Jaime…is…well, she's a complicated person."

"I know."

"You've got to know her story to understand her," He explained, and she nodded her head.

"What is her story?"

"It's not my place to say," He said, and she glanced at the television.

"You seem to handle her well," Ally admitted, and a small smile appeared on Dallas's face.

"I know," His smile didn't fade from his face, and Ally sensed that there was more to the story, then he was telling.

Ally looked over her shoulder, and saw Dez walking in with her mom behind him. He smiled at her when he stepped inside, and she nodded back at him, but there was something wrong with his eyes, he was feeling sorry for her.

"Can I call him?" She spoke up, and Dallas looked over at her.

"He's busy," Dez said, and her gaze flew to his.

"Why can't I-"

"I've already told you, he's busy," He grunted.

"What aren't you telling me!?" She snapped, annoyance ringing throughout her tone.

"Ally, he will call you when he's got time," He replied, trying to keep his tone calm.

"I miss him," She whispered, and her mom walked over, and sat down next to her, then pulled her into her arms.

"Poor you," Jaime snickered, stepping into the room.

"Knock it off Jaime," Dallas growled. "Now's not the time."

"It's never the right time," She retorted.

"What the hell is that meant to mean?" Dallas shot up and stalked over to her.

"You have ears, use them," She crossed her arms, and she walked out the room, with Dallas following behind her.

…

Ally rubbed her arms to sooth her goosebumps, and she stared at the gate on the other side of the courtyard. She couldn't see what was on the other side, but she knew it was freedom, freedom, which she desperately wanted.

She sniffled, then wiped away her fleeing tears. Still nothing from Austin. Ally was now believing in what Jaime had said, and she hated herself for doubting Austin, but she was alone here, and he was outside, free.

She wasn't stupid, she knew he used to be a player, but she thought she'd changed him. Maybe, I didn't. The thought made her want to cry more, and she wanted him to hug her and tell her everything was going to be okay. It wasn't the same when her mom did it.

The sky grew darker than the night, and thunder rolled through the clouds. They opened up, letting rain hammer down, but Ally didn't move. She felt like her feet were glued to the ground. Her eyes never moving away from the door in front of her.

If she escaped, she knew she'd make Austin mad, but what if he was just out there, with another girl. What if he did just drop me off to get rid of me? The rain soaked her clothes, and her hair. Shivers, twitched through her body, and her lips turned blue, but still, she didn't move.

The rain droplets mixed in with her tears, and whimpers fell from her baby blue lips. She has only been here for a few days, and she was already losing her mind, but all of her anxiety, and stress was colliding, and she couldn't get her mind straight. She couldn't think properly.

He wouldn't leave me, would he?

Her hair clung to her face and neck. She hiccupped a sob, then tried to wipe the water, and tears from her face, but they all seemed to be endless. I hate feeling like this. I want to go back to being his personal assistant, why couldn't things be how they used to be?

"Mommy," 8 year old Ally, called out. "The girls were picking on me again today."

"Honey come here," She ran into her mom's arms, and her dad, walked out of the bedroom.

"What's wrong sweetie?"

"The girls were picking on me again," She whimpered. "Now, I'm sad."

"Do you know what you have to do if you're feeling sad?" They walked over to her dad's piano, and sat down on the bench, Ally wedged in between them both. "You sing the songs which makes you happy."

"Forever in my mind only you. The pieces in my life go away with you. Forever in my mind only you. The pieces in my life run away with you. You're my first love." Ally hummed, then bit down on her trembling lip.

The door opened behind her, and she finally tore her gaze away from the door in front of her. She saw Dez standing there, and he nodded over his shoulder.

"Austin-" Ally walked inside, and she let Dez lead the way. They walked until they were at her room. She opened the door, and saw a laptop on her bed, then Dez shut the door behind her. She walked over, and sat down on her bed.

"Austin," She breathed out, and her bedsheets became soaked from all the water on her body.

"Ally-" He's eyes landed on hers, and they widened. "What's wrong? Have you been out in the rain? Why have you been standing out in the rain for? For god sake, I can't leave you alone without you getting yourself sick! I knew leaving you there was a bad idea! I'm going to be having serious words with Dez-"

"Austin," Ally laughed. "I'm fine," She lied. "I just haven't slept well that's all."

"I know when you're lying to me-"

"How has work been?" She cut him off, and he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Fine," He grunted. "Busy."

"Well don't work too hard," She replied, and she could feel his eyes trying to work out what was wrong with her.

"I know I said I'd talk to you everyday, I've just had a lot to sort out," He explained, and she flashed him a weak smile.

"It's okay, I'm just glad to see you," She responded, and grabbed her blanket from her bed, then wrapped it around herself.

"How is it at the safe house?" He asked.

"Quiet…I miss you," She whispered, then looked at him with sad, weepy eyes.

"I miss you too…I'll try and visit in a couple of weeks, I've just got a lot to sort out," He admitted. "I haven't slept well."

"Me neither," She pulled the blanket, tighter around herself. "It's lonely in this room…it's not home…my home is with you, and I don't have your right now," She bit down on her bottom lip, and tried to stop her tears from falling, but they seemed to fall down effortlessly.

Ally saw the pained expression on his face, and she inhaled sharply. He glanced at his watch, then over at something else. The connection seemed to break, and the screen went blank. Ally slammed the laptop closed, then brought her knees up to her chin, and cried into her blanket.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

The door opened, and Ally looked over to see her mom standing there. Penny walked over, and sat down on the bed.

"I miss him," She whimpered. "This whole thing is a mess."

"We'll be able to leave soon," Penny said, and Ally wiped her tearstained cheeks.

"How long? Because Austin said he'll visit me in a couple of weeks, that's not soon!" Ally shouted, but her voice was filled with sadness. "This is all dad's fault! And he's not even around to see us suffer!"

"Honey, your dad tried to save us-"

"I know that! But, he died mom! He's dead, and he's not coming back to stop this! He might have tried to save us, but he didn't! Now, look at us. Look at where we are!" She yelled, then silence consumed them. Penny glanced at her, then over at the door. She got to her feet, then walked out, leaving Ally alone, again.

She cried on her bed for what seemed like hours, and it was, because she glanced at the clock and it was midnight. Her eyes were sore and puffy. Her cheeks were red and her lips were dry. She pushed herself up from the bed, and walked out into the hall.

She dragged her feet with every step she took, until she got to the common room. Her heart was heavy in her chest, and her brain was pulsing in her skull. She was sleep deprived, hungry, thirsty, scared, and lonely, but all she wanted was for Austin to hold her.

She collapsed onto the couch, and she shivered. Her damp clothes clung to her skin, and her hair was frizzy. Her nose was beginning to tingle, and she knew she'd caught a cold from standing out in the rain.

She stared at the blank television screen, and her mind went blank. She was beyond tired now, she was exhausted, but sleep had never seemed so far away. So, she stayed there, staring mindless at the television, and she didn't look away until Dez walked in the next morning.

AN: Hi! Sorry this took so long, I just didn't feel the motivated to write, because I didn't get a good response for the last chapter, and I just wasn't feeling it, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop writing this story. Most of the time if I take so long to update, it is because I'm busy, and I know that is all I ever seem to be saying, but it's true, I've got work and school.

Anyway, thank you to the people that did review, please review this one! I know Ally seems to be a bit depressed right now, and it will linger over her head for a bit, but I promise you, it will get better :)

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