The rulebreaker ✔

Chapter 21: No crushes

When I wake up, I realize I'm lying down on the floor in front of Austin whose arm is wrapped around me. I turn around and face him staring at him in the dark. I wonder what so many people see in him.

Bronzed skin, tattoos on his arms, muscular medium build, and an oval face. Thick eyebrows and long brown hair and a straight nose as well as full lips. I would be lying if I said he wasn't super attractive. But with the looks came the arrogance and the overconfidence.

His face is completely free of emotion and is calm as he sleeps. I consider removing his arm from around me but don't want to wake him up.

As I'm lost in thought, looking at him, his eyes flutter open, "What you staring at?" he asks.

"Nothing," I mutter and turn around, the weight of Austin's arm still on my waist. I feel his fingers twisting my hair and playing with it and my skin tingles as his finger brush against my back and neck.

It tickles me and I giggle.

"Who knew you could laugh?" Austin says.

I wonder how I can stop him without being rude, so I turn over and get up. "What's the time?" I ask him. He looks at his watch, "One pm,"

"Shit I'm hungry," I say. "How the hell has no one noticed that we're missing?"
"I'm sure they have; they just don't know where we are," he says.

"I'm sorry that you're stuck here with me for hours and that I sh-"
"No, it's ok. In fact, if I could choose to be locked in a room with anybody at all it would be you," he says.

My cheeks redden again and I'm so glad for the dark. Not knowing how to respond, I scoot over to the other side and begin to search for something among the dusty shelves.

"C'mere," Austin calls me, and I turn around and face him. I feel his arms around me and feel the warmth of his body engulf me as his hair brush my neck and my hair rises and I feel the goosebumps on my skin. He doesn't notice but pulls me onto his lap and tightens his grip around me.

I feel ridiculously good and wish I could freeze this moment forever. His fingers brush against my neck and he smells of mint and hot chocolate.

I shake my head. Why am I feeling this way? Austin is just my friend; isn't he? This is the same feeling I had with Aiden before we started dating.

Oh no no no, I think I have a crush on Austin.

Mr. Perfect, hot, sweet Austin. No wonder the anger when he hooked up with Ash. What will I do now?

Austin, oblivious to my discovery is busy drawing with his finger on my neck.

Suddenly the door bursts open blocking all other thoughts. Abbey is standing in the doorway and I notice her expression darken as she sees me on Austin's lap. I quickly scramble off and Austin runs to her and pulls her into a hug.

"Thank god Abs! How did you have the sense to check here?"

"We looked for you both everywhere. Austin, I was honestly so worried," And her voice cracks as she sobs and her beautiful eyes brim with tears as Austin kisses her cheek and hugs her, squeezing her waist gently.

I realize how much Abbey cares about Austin and the possibility of her still having feelings for him rushes through my head. And why wouldn't Austin like her too? She's beautiful, confident and smart.

I feel irritated but ignore it as Donald Duck rushes inside and takes a deep breath and rants on and on about our stupidity. After lecturing us for half an hour, he sends us to eat dinner.

Austin and I sit in silence and eat dinner.

Then he insists on dropping me to my dorm and Abbey also follows. He gives me a hug, kisses Abbey's cheek and then goes.

Abbey lingers in my doorway. "Come inside," I say.

"No, I um, just wanted to ask..." she mutters vaguely pinching the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger, "Do you and Austin have something going on?"

"No, we don't," I say.

"Ok, because I just wanted you to know that I still love Austin no matter what, and that he broke up with me but I was never ok with it and I will always love him and I should go now because my head is hurting." she says in one breath and rushes off.

I'm stunned.

I just shake my head and lie down. But I can't sleep.

I open my eyes and slip on my dressing gown over my spaghetti top and shorts. Then I head downstairs into the garden. I sit there in the dark on the rusty bench, thinking about Austin.

Am I going to tell him how I feel? But what about Abbey and what if he says no? I hear a scuffle and a loud thunk beside me. I am just about to scream when a soft hand clamps against my mouth and I see Austin sit next to me.

"What the fuck Austin?" I ask him once he removes his hand.

"I wanted to talk to you and you weren't in your dorm so I expected you to be here,"

I take a deep breath, "You wanted to talk to me at midnight? About what... and why couldn't you have texted me?"

"I wanted to be with you," he says, and he slips his hand around my waist and undoes the belt of my dressing gown removing it.

My skin heats up and my heart races so suddenly that I lean away from him. He doesn't notice but pulls me close and I rest my head against his chest, feeling his heartbeat rhythmically.

"Austin?" I ask.

"Hmm?"

"You'll always be there, right?" I say just wanting to hear the assurance that he wouldn't leave me.

"Always," he replies, and I feel the warm feeling in my stomach as he strokes my hair.

I wish I could tell him how I feel. I wish I wasn't such a coward. I wish he felt the same way. And I wish we could be together; just both of us and that he would never leave me, no matter what.