Stay Happy Chapter 1: Part 1, an austin & ally fanfic

(A/N: My -shot! I came up with this when I was writing a song for my school variety show. I like it a lot, and I hope you guys like it too! Read and Review!)

Ally's POV

He's different now.

It seems like just yesterday he was scribbling over the pages of his coloring book, ignoring the lines that were meant to be colored into. I feel like he was just messing with the instruments in Sonic Boom, turning them into swords and shields, and sports equipment. He seemed like he was just breaking all the rules in the store, giving me both a migraine and a warm feeling in my stomach.

He seemed to be Austin Moon, the crazy, energetic person that didn't stop dreaming for anything or anyone, just yesterday.

But then again, it was yesterday.

Not today.

There was a day when I realized that his blonde hair was a bit duller, and his eyes were missing their familiar spark. He seemed a little less energetic. He would smile at me, but when I looked at him when he thought I wasn't looking, his face seemed sad.

Really sad.

He began to scold Dez for touching the instruments, and he still colored, but inside the lines. He thought window burgers were gross, and that my songs were too perky.

It grew worse. He wouldn't even smile at anyone but… well, me. And when he did, it was strained and halfhearted. His eyes had completely lost their warmth. He lost the perkiness in his voice. He always had dark bags under his eyes, due to lack of sleep. He was never hungry, and always turned down my famous pancakes.

That used to never happen.

He was always busy, but when I asked his mother what he was doing, she would say he spent hours locked up in his room, strumming his guitar.

I didn't think he would play his guitar, because it seemed his passion for music had faded. I mean, it was still there, but it was evaporating slowly. He went from five concerts a week to one concert a week, and then one a month, and then one when we could encourage him enough.

I would write songs by myself because he was "busy." He would never answer his phone, and when he did, he would listen, not talk.

Then it got really bad. He spent literally all his time in his room, only immerging to use the bathroom or get a small amount of food, which he would end up discarding anyway. He skipped school and wouldn't talk to his family, Trish or even Dez.

Only me.

I would spend an hour or two every day up in his room with him, with the doors shut. We would talk, and occasionally he would smile at me, but nothing more than that.

He was slipping away. A part of him faded every single second, and I knew if I didn't stop it soon, he would fall and shatter into a million pieces.

Going.

Gone.

Then there was a fateful day. A day where I dared to ask him what happened. I risked him throwing me out of his room, never to speak to me again.

But I did it anyway.

He was laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. I was sitting on his carpet, cross legged, fiddling with my bangles. We were sitting in a mix of comfortable and uncomfortable silence, and I dared to ask.

"Austin, what happened to you?"

I expected him to be surprised, or maybe jump up and kick me out of his room. But he remained motionless, chest rising up and down at the speed of his breathing.

He stayed silent for a good five minutes, before he opened his mouth and spoke, still staring at the ceiling.

"I lost my chances at something very dear to me."

I remember being startled by how open he was being, and I sat up, pushing it a little more by asking a follow up question.

"What do you mean?"

He sighed, and scratched his head, messing up his now dull blonde hair a little. He continued staring at the white ceiling, but he did not leave me without an answer.

"There was something that was really dear to me. I cared so much about it, but I took it for granted. I never really noticed how much it meant to me. But then, someone came along and stole it. He stole what was rightfully mine, and it shattered me."

I was confused at his words, but got the basis of it. I questioned further, wondering how much I could get out of Austin.

"Why don't you take it back, then?"

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. His voice cracked when he spoke, but I ignored it. I needed to hear him talk about what's causing him to fade away from the world.

"Because, really, it never was mine, because I never realized how much I cared for it, therefore not protecting it from being stolen. The person who took it cares for it every day, and is treating it well. And I think it is better where it is now."

I swear I saw Austin blink away a tear, but as soon as I saw it, it was gone. He continued to speak about the thing that was so precious to him, and it got me wondering what the thing was, exactly.

"That doesn't mean I don't want it back. I yearn for it so badly, but I want the best for it, and the person who possesses it now takes better care of it. I just can't redeem myself, and I just wish that I did something before it's too late."

I wanted to ask what the mystery item was, but I forced myself to stop questioning further. I think he admitted more than he wanted to.

We sat in silence before Austin sat up and looked me in the eye. His eyes were dead and cold, and I just wanted to make him better.

"Ally, can you promise me something?" he asked quietly. I nodded immediately. He took in a shaky breath and opened his mouth, his lips quivering a little.

"Promise me you always know what you have. Never let something important to you slip away, because it will crush you. It will tear you apart knowing the one thing that keeps you happy is out of reach. Don't end up like me. Just… stay happy, okay?"

I was shocked by his words, but murmured a small, "I promise," under my breath.

I drove to my house that day knowing that one of the things, or people, per say, that meant the most to me was slipping away from me right now.

And there was nothing I could do about it.

''''

Austin's POV

Elliot.

Even his name sounds stupid.

Him with his perfect hair and stupid glue gun that he carries around in his pocket. The way he can woo Ally and make her blush and laugh drives me crazy.

I used to do that!

I used to be Ally's number one guy! The guy she would spend all of her time with. The guy she would hug and hold onto a second longer than necessary. The guy that would make her laugh and blush and everything.

The one guy she seemed to care about more than everyone else.

I was that guy.

But then came Elliot.

He snatched her right away from me. He turned everything that I made her do into what HE made her do. He acted all nice and friendly, but deep down inside, all he's doing is telling me to back off.

He had her wrapped around his finger. She agreed to go out with him the second he asked. Now, they are boyfriend and girlfriend, and have been going strong since six months ago. He pressured his dad into letting him stay in Miami, using his stupid good looks and his stupid charm.

The sad thing is, I could have had Ally before he came, and then I'd still be her guy. I was too stupid and foolish to realize what was in front of me until it was ripped away. And I don't have a second chance.

And ever since I realized I liked Ally, I have been slowly wearing down. Every time I see her laughing or holding hands with Elliot causes me to break down a little more. The person who gives me the most delight can also shatter me into a million pieces without realizing it.

I really tried to be happy around her, but whenever I did, I just thought about how much happier I could be if she was mine. How much happier WE could be.

I started losing interest in everything. I didn't find it fun playing with the instruments, and coloring bored me. I slowly and surely broke down little by little.

It became so serious that I didn't want to do music anymore.

I just didn't see the point in things if I wasn't Ally's number one. I only played with the instruments so she would stop me with her adorkable speech on rules. I only colored so I could show her the scribbly mess I made in the end. I only sang to see her smiling at me from the crowd. Not smiling at some other guy while I sang our songs.

I just didn't care anymore.

School didn't matter, because when I went to school, all I could see was Ally and Elliot holding hands. He carried her books as they walked to class, and she would bump hips with him, causing a blush to arise on her face.

I couldn't even talk to Trish or Dez, because they constantly reminded me of Ally.

I noticed the bags forming under my eyes. I noticed how my hair had faded a couple shades. I noticed how my eyes looked dead.

But she was always staring at him, so what did it matter what I looked like?

The worst part of all was the fact that I couldn't live without seeing her, but when I did, it hurt me so badly.

I only let her in my door. I would only see her because she was my addiction. No matter how much it hurt, I didn't care. I NEEDED her.

She would come every day for a couple hours, and we would talk. Nothing changed, except for the fact that every word burned like hell. Every smile was forced, but at the same time, it came naturally.

I knew the day would come when she asked me what was wrong with me. And when that day came, I was prepared.

"Austin, what happened to you?"

I was going to reply. I knew I was. As much as I wanted to tell her to drop the subject, I knew I would answer. Because she could get anything out of me.

"I lost my chances at something very dear to me."

It was all true. Ally was off the market. I had missed my chance with her. All I want is to be able to go back and fix everything. I just want to be her first priority again.

"What do you mean?"

I knew she wouldn't understand. It is all just too complicated. I didn't want her to know she was the thing I lost. She was the thing I should've taken better care of.

She was the one causing my depression.

He came along and took her right away. I was named second priority, while he was first. And all because I was too stupid to claim her when I had the chance.

"Why don't you take it back, then?"

I can't take her back because she is happy. Elliot makes her smile wider than I ever could, and she is always talking about how great he makes her feel. I can't just take that feeling away from her, as much as it hurts.

Because she's my number one priority, and I want her to be happy.

I just want her to be happy.

My feelings don't matter. Her's do.

I don't want her to end up as heartbroken as me. If that means she stays with Elliot forever, then so be it. I just need her to be happy.

"Ally, can you promise me something?"

When she gave me a nod, I swallowed the lump in my throat and continued.

She seemed nervous at my statement, but she promised any way. I think she is just glad that she got some answers out of me.

When she left, I watched her walk to her car from my window. The way she walked was flawless, and when I listened really closely, I could hear the click her heels made when the made contact with the pavement.

And as I watched her drive away, I knew I would always stand by her. Best friend or more. Maybe one day Elliot would make a stupid decision and leave her, or she'll come to her senses and dump his sorry ass.

And when that happens, I'll be waiting.

And then, just maybe, things will work out.

(A/N: Gosh, I love this! I left it to the imagination of you guys to determine what happens next. If you haven't read my other fics, then you should! I am currently working on one called Dead in her Tracks, but I have many more you can read! Until next time!)