Thanking Austin

I watched through narrowed eyes as Kira ran her fucking hand up and down Austin's arm.

No, seriously. She was practically drooling all over him, and he was just smiling and letting her. I knew we were over now, but couldn't he at least wait a full 48 hours before showing visible signs of forgetting all about me.

Fuck. I could feel the tears coming.

I had to get myself together. I grabbed a glass of the punch that had been put out, just to find that it had been spiked as usual. Good. Maybe I'd get shit faced and make my life so much better. I downed it quickly and reached for another. I never drank. One glass of punch should put me on my ass. Two would be even better. As I tipped that one down, I felt someone at my shoulder and a hand touched my waist. I inhaled and whipped around. Austin? No, it was Dez. I felt the air slowly rush out of me and I knocked down a third glass of punch, toasting silently to my disappointment.

"Hey, Ally! You look fab-u-LOUS, girl!" he leered down my neckline and waggled his eyebrows like a goofball. "Are you trying to make Austin insane?" he grinned as he pushed my shoulder. I knew he was only kidding. He was obviously sent my Trish to cheer me up and give me some male attention.

"I think Austin is otherwise occupied, Dez," I smiled weakly. Please don't let me humiliate myself in front of all these people; I silently prayed to anyone who might be listening from above. Any embarrassing deed of mine would be definitely recorded and turned into a YouTube video, especially since I was... well, better watched than most teenagers, what with being Austin's songwriter and my own career. I downed another glass of punch, not really giving a shit for now. With some false courage, I would be able to fake happiness through this horrible night.

"Well, shit, if he's not looking, lets dance," he snickered as he dragged me to the floor. I smiled and let him pull me along. Proof, I guessed, that I was more intoxicated than I should be. I couldn't dance to save my life.

The last glass of punch I'd gulped was giving me a nice, numb feeling. Dez was a decent dancer and thanks to his ability to think fast in tight situations, he was able to haul me around without being knocked over by my lack of dancing skills at this present moment in time. The alcohol helped relax me, and I was able to lean into Dez, closing my eyes and pretending that it was my Austin's arms that were guiding me.

It was slightly awkward, I guessed, since it was a fast song, but I didn't care.

Suddenly, Dez tensed. "Uh, Ally, I don't think Austin is all that occupied." I heard him gulp loudly. "Actually," he stuttered, sounding a little worried, "I think he's going to come over here and de-nut me." I scoffed. Like Austin cared what I did or who I did it with.

"He's with Kira," I mumbled into his shoulder. The four glasses of punch had taken immediate effect and I knew I wouldn't be able to turn and look at them. I couldn't deal with seeing Austin happy with somebody other than me.

"Look Ally, he's going to rip my head off if we keep dancing. What do you say we just go back and get something to drink," he dug me out of his shoulder and shepherded me back to the refreshment table.

Drink? Another drink? What a good idea; it sounded like it was just what I needed. Dez pushed another glass in my hand and took a step away from me. He was staring over his shoulder and seemed very concerned with what was there.

I owlishly glanced that way too and saw Austin staring at Dez, basically trying to kill him without actually touching him. I smiled at Austin and gave him a little wave. He was so sweet, all worried about me, I thought as my eyes tried to focus on his precious face. But... wait. Wasn't I mad at him for something? I tried to make my brain work through the alcohol-induced haze... Nah, it wasn't happening. Actually, he didn't look all that sweet at present. His face was all tensed up and his nostrils were flaring. I saw that bimbo, Kira, tugging on his arm, trying to get his attention. No, she wasn't a bimbo; I reminded myself as I shook my head. She was a nice girl, and pretty, too. I wanted to rip all of her pretty brown hair out, and we'd see how cute she was then.

"Let's just sit you down over here, Ally, by these nice girls," Dez pushed me a little frantically towards a quiet group of single girls. He shoved me into a seat. "Here you go, Ally. Need anything? No? Well, I see someone I really need to talk to…gotta go!" He was gone in a flash.

I looked around, a little confused. A minute ago, I was comfortably into my Austin fantasy, dancing against Dez's chest. In a matter of seconds, I'd had a drink shoved in my hands, a chair shoved under my ass and Dez had fucking disappeared like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse were after him. I snickered at the thought as I tried to focus on the crowd to see where he'd gone. My eyes fell to my hands. Oh, a cup! What goes in a cup? A drink! What a good idea! Let's have another one! Mmm. I loved this punch. Maybe, I should have some more. How did I live without it before now?

Before I could stagger to my feet, two black shoes appeared before me. I looked up slowly, dragging in my breath. About a foot too soon, my eyes took in the face of one of my classmates, Elliot Graves. Not Austin, Elliot. The air left my chest again. Fuck, this night was just full of disappointments.

"Hey, Ally, want to dance?" he inquired, smiling pleasantly. It was a nice smile. It just wasn't my smile. My smile was being given to that bitch, Kira. No, she wasn't a bitch. She just needed to get her ass away from my Austin. She didn't deserve a Austin smile. Austin's smiles were too nice for her.

"Shuuure, Elliot!" I wasn't slurring yet, I noticed with pride. But the punch was making short work of any inhibitions I might have had. "I'd love to dance.

He handed me another drink, seeming to pull it out of practically nowhere. I grinned at him, and put the cup to my lips. It tasted different. But I felt good afterwards. Really good.

"Great. I heard there's be lots of pretty girls at this party. Only seen one so far," I thought this was very nice and patted the arm reaching around my hips. The arm wasn't long enough, it wasn't muscular enough; it wasn't warm enough. It was the wrong arm. Another wrong arm came around my other side and I was crushed into another chest. This chest wasn't right, either. It was even worse than Dez's because at least Dez's chest was sort of the right type of smell and was about the right height. I sighed. One of the arms came up and a hand touched my hair. That was nice. Austin touched my hair all the time. Well, used to. This hand wasn't doing it quite right, but it was good enough for my purposes. I closed my eyes and pretended it was his hand stroking my hair. I could go with this.

I liked it. I liked it a lot.

"I'm so glad to get you to myself, Ally," a wrong voice whispered into my ear. I looked up confused. Oh, yeah, Elliot. I wished he'd shut up. He was messing up my hair fantasy. "It's good to see you away from Moon, for once," he was blabbing again. If he kept running his mouth, I couldn't pretend he was Austin.

For fucks sake, shut up, Elliot!

"He's with Kira," I frowned. I didn't need the reminder. Just get back to the hair thing, Elliot, I thought irritably. He did. I smiled and turned into his chest. That was better. My blood warmed with the punch I'd consumed. Mmm, Austin was running one hand up my back and digging into my hair. His mouth was against my ear and skating down my neck. His smell was off, probably because he'd been around that bitch, Kira, sweet, precious Kira. I was going to kick her ass in civics class. Austin was rubbing against me. I could feel his erection in my stomach.

"What do you say we get away from here...? We could go back to my place..." His voice was low and husky. I tried to shake my head, but I found I couldn't. I felt so weird now. Ever since that last drink he'd given me. I mumbled a reply that sounded like "no", and my hand feebly brushing against his chest, in a weak attempt to push him away. He held me closer to him, and I felt the two of us moving a little closer to the door. I was kind of starting to get worried now. His lips were trailing my cheek and had just touched my lips when suddenly, Austin was jerked away from me. I started to stagger but was saved when I was pulled behind a huge muscular body. Austin? Huh? Wasn't I dancing with Austin? Oh yeeeahhh, I was pretending Elliot was Austin. Right. I giggled. I was smaaart.

A furious voice bit out, "What in the fuck do you think you're doing, Graves?" Somehow, Elliot Graves had intruded into my Austin fantasy. A hand, Austin's hand was wrapped around my waist. I looked up to see Austin had his other hand thrust into the neck of a very startled Elliot Graves. Austin was shoving him against a wall, dragging me along behind.

"I am going to rip off your dick and shove it down your throat, you piece of shit," Austin's menacing voice growled into Elliot's ear. "Don't you ever lay a finger on her again."

I stumbled against Austin. "Heeeey, Austin!" I crowed. "You're with Kira," I nodded wisely.

Austin turned to look at me and suddenly his face took on a horrified expression. "Ally, you are drunk off your ass," he whispered savagely to me.

"Oh, no, I'm drunk on my feet, Austy," I giggled. I was very pleased I'd stayed upright the whole night. "I haven't fallen down once," I announced proudly.

Austin turned his basilisk like stare on Elliot once again and bounced his head against the wall. "What kind of low life fuck are you, getting her drunk and putting moves on her?"

Something terrible seemed to click in Austin's brain. His head whipped around to stare at me. A subtle change came over his face. It took on a feral quality I'd never seen before. Kinda like a serial killer.

Austin turned back to Elliot and literally slid Elliot up the wall a foot so he could stare straight into his eyes, making Elliot's body dangle like a puppet's. Whoaaa. Austin was strong. Austin's lips curled back from his teeth. He shoved his face into Elliot's and I watched as his eyes narrowed. He slowly and carefully turned his head as if he was positioning himself at just the right angle to rip out Elliot's throat.

"Did you put something in her drink?" his voice dropped to a slow, vicious whisper. The menacing sound of Austin's voice and his primal stance made my hair stand on end. Elliot's face had an expression of frozen horror. I tried to get Austin's attention but he was fixated on Elliot with the intensity of a predator before it struck its prey. Elliot gasped frantically as Austin's fingers tightened. Austin leaned in closer to Elliot's throat, almost touching it. The low, intense whisper continued. "I am going to tear off your head, you fucking-"

"Hey, Austin, we got it from here, man." The anxious voices of Dez and Trish surrounded us as they rushed up on either side of Elliot. They gave Austin reassuring looks as they tried to pry his hand off Elliot's throat. I could see Elliot's face was turning a strange shade of purple and his eyes were starting to bug out in a peculiar manner. Now that help had arrived, I relaxed. I looked at Elliot. He really looked very funny, dangling there. I started to giggle - loudly.

"Austin. Austin! You got to let the guy go. You're going to kill him!" The guys couldn't peel Austin's iron fingers back from Elliot's throat. "Austin, you can't rip his head off in public, dude." This struck me as funny, too.

"Take care of Ally. We'll take care of this guy. He won't bother her again. Ever. Will you?" They glared at Elliot who was making hysterical wheezing noises. He tried to shake his head against Austin's vice like grip.

"You're gonna crush the asshole's windpipe. Ally needs you, Austin. You have gotta get her out of here." Dez pleaded with him.

Elliot looked so funny, like he was going to shit his pants or pop his eyes out. I couldn't tell which first. I laughed uproariously as I weaved furiously about, anchored by Austin's clasp on my waist.

Austin glanced at me and finally relented his hold on Elliot's neck. Elliot crumpled to the floor and his breath rasped heavily in his throat. He looked about frantically for an escape but found none as Austin, Dez and Trish surrounded him. His face went from purple to white in record time, with dark red swelling already showing on his neck. He looked up at Austin like a criminal on death row, waiting for the end to come. By this time, I had deteriorated into snorting gales of laughter.

Austin turned me into him and seemed to be sniffing me cautiously. I started dancing in his arms, singing along with the music. This was a great song. I loved dancing. I was a great dancer and an even better singer. Right? Well I thought I was, anyway. Austin and Dez seemed to be arguing over something. Who cared? I was having a wonderful time. Kira Starr was nowhere to be seen. Maybe she got hit by a bus. Hopefully a big bus.

Suddenly, I was swung around and Austin strode out of the room, half carrying, and half dragging me behind him. He slammed open the closest exit door and dropped me on a bench just outside the building.

"Just what in the holy fuck do you think you are doing, Ally?" Austin snarled in my ear. I smiled beatifically at him.

"Hey Austin, I loooved my head rubbing. Would you do it again?" I tried to burrow my head under his tense arm.

"Again? Ally, I haven't touched you all night. That was Elliot Graves who had his hands all over you. And that's not the only thing he was rubbing against you!" Austin seemed to be about to blow a gasket. "Did he give you a drink?"

"Mmmmaybe. It's okay, Austin. I kept pretending he was you. It worked out just fine as long as he kept his mouth shut." I grinned at him so he would see everything was all right.

"It certainly is not okay, Ally! You were practically dry humping every guy you came in contact with!" He was not calming down. He seemed to be working himself up into an even more ferocious temper. "Did that son of a bitch give you a drink?"

I looped my arms around his neck as he was bending down with his face just inches from mine.

"Awww, don't fuss at me Austin. You don't lurve me anymore, remember? No, he didn't give me a drink. I did it all on my own. And I didn't hump anybody. I danced with Dez 'cause he was warm and he smells okay and he reminded me of you and I just pretended Elliot was you rubbing me. That's okay, isn't it? You were with her, you know. You're not mad at me, are you?" I stared into his beautiful eyes. I could feel tears pooling in mine. I couldn't stand for Austin to be mad at me at any time, but especially not tonight.

He looked stricken at my expression. "No, honey, I'm not mad-" he started to say and then interrupted himself. "Hell, yeah, I'm mad, Ally. I don't care what you were pretending. I can tell you what was happening: and one thing that wasn't happening. You were not rubbing yourself against me! Graves was all over you at that miserable party and you let it happen! And you were drinking yourself into oblivion!" He was seething.

I stared up at his angry face and promptly burst into noisy tears. Austin instantly sat beside me and scooped me onto his lap. I sobbed into his neck. He stroked my back soothingly, the way I had imagined that other guy doing it before.

"It's all right, sweetheart. It's all right. Don't cry now. I'm not mad anymore. I just don't understand. What's gotten into you?"

He was holding me close and rubbing my back in small circles. I shuddered and sniffed noisily. I leaned back so I could look him in the eye. "You were with Kira," I howled accusingly. I instantly felt the tears start again and I collapsed back into his chest, clutching his neck like it was a lifeline.

"Honey, I was just talking to her. I wasn't groping her or kissing her neck or humping her or even dancing with her."

"No," I sobbed, inconsolable. "She's too nice for that. She's so nice. I'm so ha-ha-hap-ahappy for you, Austin," I cried, clutching him as close as I could.

"You don't look too happy, Ally. Now, tell me what's the matter. You know you can tell me anything," he was stroking my hair and nuzzling my cheek.

"Oh, Austin, I'm such a stupid shit," I wailed, tears flowing.

"You are not a stupid shit, Ally. You just drank too much tonight. Now, what's going on?"

"I can't tell you," I hiccuped "It's just too hu-humiliating!" I couldn't look him in the eye; much less tell him what an idiot I'd been. I leaned my nose into Austin's neck. I how my Austin smelled. His nice smell mixed invitingly with the clean linen of his shirt. He looked so handsome tonight in his shirt and jeans.

"You smell so good, Austin. Have I ever told you how good you smell?" I rubbed my nose against his neck and then traced a line from his collar to his ear with my tongue. My inhibitions were all long gone. "Mmmm, you taste good too, Austin." I'd wanted to taste him for months. I bit his earlobe and swirled my tongue along the outer edge of his ear.

It finally struck me that Austin had suddenly tensed up and was no longer stroking me. He probably wanted to dump my drunken ass on the ground and go get perfect, sweet Kira.

"Ally, honey, stop. You can't be doing that kind of stuff in your condition. I can't take it. Now, let's get your things and I'll take you home."

"I don't want to go home, Austin. I want to be with you. You saved me, you know. Elliot was going to take me home... " I snuggled in his chest, happy again I'd gotten him away from that home wrecker, Kira. "Don't you want to be with me, Austin?" I ran my hand up his throat and turned his face till we touched noses.

He closed his eyes and groaned. His head fell forward into my neck and I could feel his nose slide up my neck to my jaw. Mmmm. My hands encased his huge shoulders. I reached around and ran my fingers up the back of his neck and into his silky hair.

"Ally, please, you don't know what you're doing," he moaned. "Now, keep your hands to yourself and let's get out of here."

"I know exactly what I'm doing, Austin," I whispered in his ear. "I'm seducing you," I giggled. "How do you think it's going?" I nudged my nose into the crook of his neck, and started tracing patterns with the tip of my tongue.

"Alright, that's it," Austin snapped and stood up abruptly. He held me in his arms and I wormed into his chest.

"Ally, keep your hands to yourself, now, I mean it!" he growled as he started moving towards the door.

I caressed his neck. I wanted it back. I started to whine. "But Austin, it feels lonely. It didn't get-" My arms were suddenly grabbed in one huge hand and brought down to my waist.

"Ally, I'm telling you right now, you have driven me over the edge." he hissed viciously in my ear. "I can't take any more and unless you want me to pile drive you against the side of this godforsaken club, you are going to keep your goddamn hands and mouth to your goddamn self. Now, do I need to be any more fucking clear?"

"Okay," I giggled. "That looks like a good place over there," I pointed to a columned area behind the club.

Austin stared at my face in shock and then clenched his eyes closed and lowered his head. "Christ almighty," he gasped. "Please, Ally, please, no more. For me, honey, please just sit quietly and don't say another word. Please!"

"Do you want her, Austin? Do you not want me any more? Did you love her?" I didn't think I could take the answers but I couldn't seem to keep my mouth from spewing forth the questions.

Austin inhaled slowly and paused before opening his eyes. He stared deep into mine. "Ally, you know there is no one for me but you. I don't want any girl other than you. I can't think of any girl, other than you."

I stared up in his beautiful, sincere eyes and burst into tears yet again. "I'm such a horrible person, Austin. I don't deserve you," I sobbed down his neck.

"No you're not. Now quit talking about yourself like that. We're going to get you home and get some coffee in you. And after you sober up a little, we're going to get you in bed. I won't leave you." He stroked my head. He was muttering under his breath.

"I'm supposed to be sleeping over at Trish's..."

"Then we'll get you to my house. My parents are gone for two days. You'll be fine, okay?"

"I just wanted to thank you..." I wriggled my hands free, and touched his face gently, moving my hand down his face, over his chest, to his trousers...

He caught my hand again, sighing loudly. "Ally, please. I'm begging you, stop this."

"Okay," I mumbled as he took my hand, leading me to his car. He had said something about his parents being away, right?

I smirked. Austin had visible calmed down, thinking my attempts to seduce him were over.

How many times did I have to tell him; I never quit at anything.

this was the product of sleep-deprivation and severe lack of auslly and raura. Don't judge me.