Chapter 23: Chapter 23
“Austin. Austin?” what got him distracted?
“Yeah Snoopy.” eyes still ahead his head gave the signal that he's with me. But he's not, I know it.
“Are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong?” I ask worried I might have upset him maybe that's why he's not just himself since yesterday.
“No, no, why will you say that?” he faces me briefly.
“You seem different today. You left me standing at the court watching you go. You look so mad I was scared I did something to vex you.” Catching a frown on his face.
“I’m sorry, I was uhh thinking, stressed, and I just needed to get some air you know.” He smiles humorlessly.
I know something is wrong. Why is he acting weird? I’ve never seen him this angry before. His eyes were red, his hands formed into tight fist. I wanted to go close to him but at the same time I was very scared of what he might do. I stood there watch him battle with his inner self before he left me. What happened? What made him act as such? My eyes begged him to come back to me, I would prefer the cocky maybe rude Austin but not this angry Austin. I screamed in my heart for him to please come back, he didn’t. He was so into the anger consuming him to hear my cries.
“Will you tell me what happened back earlier today?”
“I said its fine Snoopy.” His voice was different, not my Austin. I want to push further, to get the answers to my questions but the finality of his words stop me, I sigh looking out the window. I know something is troubling him. It’s written all over him and I don’t know how to help him when he acts this way. One thing I found out about Austin is that, when you push further to question or pry into his life, he tends to withdraw going back a thousand steps
back. I want him to talk to me, to confide in me his problems but at the same time I can’t force it out of him if not it pushes him away. I sigh. For all the times we have been out together this is the first the car ride is silent, odd and uncomfortable. I lift my hands from my thighs placing it on his thighs, he seems to like it due to the comforting sigh that escape his lips. I hope he talks to me.
“I miss you.”
I blurted out for the first time. I can see the effect it has on him. He rewards me with a happy grin, one that took my breathe away. Not the cocky, smug or arrogant grin. A pleasant smile that lit up the dark gloomy car. His eyes glow in satisfaction, the worry lines disappeared and for the first time his face flush.
“Yeah? You miss me?” He asks with a hint of uncertainty. I want to wrap him in my arms as an assurance. A proof that in all, I still miss him because he secured the way to my heart. Him alone. He sound scared like one who is about to lose something he values. I unbuckle my seatbelt leaning towards him, he eyes me skeptically from his side view. This is the only way he will believe me. I lean closer kissing him on the cheek dangerously close to his pink lips trailing down to his neck, I left a soft kiss there before inhaling his scent. He sighs in delight; my heart did a triple flip for joy.
“Yes, I miss you Austin.” Pulling back, I relax on my seat buckling back up trying my possible best not to look swoon.
“I miss you Snoopy, so much more.” He took the hand on my thigh bringing it to his lips where he places a soft kiss on it with each word he spoke. I smile.
Looking at a boy like Austin the first thought on your mind is; he is a brooding, arrogant and rude boy that you should definitely stay miles away from but, these few weeks have taught me how sweet, kind, caring and soft this so called bad boy is. He deserves the kind of love that will not give up on him. I just hope I can give him that.
“I really miss you.” His voice breaks. I close my eyes not wanting the tear threatening to spill fall down my eyes. God, I love this boy.
***
“This is one of the many places where I play my gigs. Today I have to perform that’s why I brought you here to watch me perform.” We sat inside a crowded bar. Almost all the tables are occupied.
“What will you play for them? An original or a cover?” I ask which he smirk replying. “You’ll see.” came as his reply.
Standing up he left for the back. I am so excited right now. Here am I in a bar he plays at, I do want to hear him sing and I can’t wait. The stage lit up, he saunters to the stage in all smiles tapping the mic.
“Whoa! it’s good to be back again right?” The crowd cheered for him, mostly the ladies. I smile. He’s such a lady magnet, I can’t argue with that. Getting over the fact he has swarms of them in different sizes, shapes and color fawning over him. I’m the one for him, only me. The memory of when he said that to me will never delete from my brain. It is an assurance that I will forever hold on to.
“Glad everyone missed me because I was close to bawling my eyes out. Embarrassing for a handsome fella like me right?” That made me and everyone else in the bar laugh.
Strapping a guitar on, he continues. “This song is for a special girl in my heart who graced me with her presence somewhere in the bar now. This is for you Snoopy.” He chuckles looking direcy at me throwing a wink. Inside I’m screaming, doing back flips and blowing kisses at him, on the outside my face looks poker watching him smile hearing whispers
around the bar and people looking for the special girl who holds Austin’s heart. Yep that’s me. I’m his special girl. His Snoopy.
Gosh, I hate that I love that name.
Smiling, I mouth to him using my index with emphasis. “I told you you’re crazy.” He smirks taking his attention to his guitar. He began to sing the weekend earned it. So beautifully, so perfect. His eyes trained solely on me smiling as he sings each lines. I couldn’t seem to take
my eyes off him. Austin, captain of the quarterback and a notorious flirt is singing for me, his next door neighbor and tutor. I can finally die in peace. With each lyric he sang, he tells me how he feels with me, how perfect I am to him. We have a bond that surpass anything else, something magical, something beautiful. What we share is magic and it truly is. How I wish this magic lasts forever. I didn’t know I teared up till I felt the wetness on my cheeks, chuckling I wipe it off. I couldn’t be more in love with him than I am already. I get it now; I can positively relate with Julia Michaels. Austin is my heaven, it isn’t the one where I love him and he doesn't love me in back; neither is it the one I lost myself in him; rather it’s the one he loves me just as much as I love him.
The sounding clap of cheers drew my attention to him taking a bow as he exists the stage. I right myself watching him walk towards me.
“So do you like? He says smugly.
I tiptoe feeling emotional right now wrapping my arms round his neck. “You earned it.” I smile cheekily looking to his beautiful face. His arms wrap round my waist pulling me closer straining down eyes watching me smirking smugly.
“Anything for you Snoopy.” We stay that way, arms round each other in our own world. Listening to our heart beats, the thump of blood pumping in our veins, goofy smiles on our face. I can just cry right now but that will get him alarmed and worried so I stuck with enjoying his smile with a smile of my own.
“I hope you had fun tonight?”
“I totally did Austin. Thanks for inviting me exclusively.” I sigh pulling away the smile still on our faces.
“Do you have an answer for me yet?” He asks nervously scratching his hair.
“Yes but not tonight.” I say playfully which he groans. “I’m sure you can survive till Bailey’s birthday.” We both sat down opposite each other. He relaxes on the chair smirking and I rest forward, my left arm resting on the table and my right balance to hold my chin smiling to him.
“You are mean.”
“Nahhh. I think that’s your specialty.” He laughs and I grin harder.
“Come on let’s go somewhere.” He helps me up. I follow, I always follow.
We drove to a lone road, he parks and help me down. Confused I look around. “What are we doing here Austin?” I squeal which he chuckles when he grips my waist and sat me on the hood of his car.
“Nothing. Just having a moment with you that’s all.” The car shakes when he climbs on.
“I think you should lay off from whatever you are eating or taking.” I mock, he rolls his eyes at my joke.
Pulling out a beat box and his iPhone, a different playlist began. It was slow, smooth, sensual and soft. Nothing loud or boisterous just matching the serene environment. We lay back resting on the windshield of his car eyes up in the sky, a beat box separating us by inches apart, then I see it. I know what this is all about. Billions of stars lit the sky, twinkling into the night.
“It’s so beautiful.” The words escape my lips.
“I wanted to recreate the park moment with you alone.” He held my hand. “Just the two of us. To show you how beautiful you are to me. When I look at the stars it’s only you I see, always you Snoopy.” I inhale deeply trying to control the rate at which my heart speed up, thumping so loud I fear he may hear.
Taking a glance at him, I watch him watch the night sky, I look back up watching the sky with him. Seconds later I feel him stare at me briefly before going back to watching the stars.
Exhaling, I blink wanting this moment to last forever, just the two of us.
Austin is my Heaven. There's no doubt about that. I smile letting a delightful sigh escape.
I’ve fallen for my own bad boy.