I promised you. | Austin Butler

Part 23

I could have gone back to Austins place there and then, but the reality of everything that was about to happen in the next few weeks of my life came crashing down on me when we walked back into the kitchen, the fresh glass of champagne Danielle had poured me not long before sitting there bubbling away. I feel Austins thumb tap my hand as we reach the table and I let our fingers and palms fall away from each other as I resume my position in the stool, hand clasping instantly onto the glass of bubbles and taking a deep sip. Austin watches me, a soft smile on his lips that turns to a chuckle when I place the glass back down, before taking a sip of his own beer. He places it back down softly and places his elbows onto the island, resting his hips into the side as he leans forward, his index finger coming to my forearm and tracing lines up and down it. We sit like that for a few moments, basking in each others company, his eyes on me whilst my eyes are transfixed to the touch of his skin on mine, the soft hum of our best friends talking in the living room just behind us. 

"Did you tell Brad, when you went outside?" I ask now, my eyes turning to his finally. He nods. 

"Yeah. And I imagine he's told Danielle." I nod back, and then silence for a few moments again before the sound of my best friends voice filters through the house. 

"Are you both okay?" 

Austin looks up instantly and I turn my head to look at her, her eyes tell me she knows that Austin is about to flee sooner than expected but my soft smile instantly washes away the tension I can clearly see. 

"We heard you go outside, I didn't realise you'd come back in..."

"We're good." I say, and she pauses for a moment before looking back to Austin. 

"I got used to having you around again, you know." 

I laugh, and Austin laughs too, his finger no longer on my skin as he walks his way over to Danielle and pulls her in for a hug. She hugs him back immediately and I don't even need to analyse her features to know she's trying to hold back her tears. I look away quickly, knowing it lays deeper than just the thought of Austin leaving. I take a deep drink of my champagne again now to wash away the lump thats formed in my throat, and I finish the whole lot, my head already starting to feel light and tipsy. I could drink champagne until the cows came home but the adrenaline of the day was making it all too easy to go straight to my head and had to admit, I wasn't mad about it. 

It's Brads voice who pulls me out of my transfix then. I can hear Austin and Danielle laughing behind me, their voices still muffled which tells me they're still embraced in a hug, but Brads voice comes loud and clear at the side of me. 

"You good?" he asks, and I smile instantly before turning to look at him. My head running with so many thoughts I hadn't even heard him come into the room. I nod, because the lump in my throat is still there and  his hand comes  to my shoulder and he gives it a firm but comforting squeeze. I place my hand on his and link our fingers slightly. 

"Thank you." I whisper, hearing Austin and Danielle pull away from their embrace now, and Brads squeeze against my fingers lets me know its more than just a thank you for the champagne. It's a thank you for the last 5 years, a thank you for keeping secret about the meal we had a few weeks ago, a thank you for already being a support system to me over the next few weeks without even having to ask him. 

"Like a little annoying sister, aren't you?" he says now, and I erupt into laughter immediately. He always knew had to make me feel better, no matter what the situation. Years and years of friendship, we had a special bond that I was so grateful for. 

"What joke did we miss?" Austins voice is clear now as he resumes his position at the side of me, leant over the island and taking a drink of his beer. One quick glance shows me he's already half way down it and I know he notices me looking because a small smile plays on his lips. Brad removes his hand from mine now and walks his way over to the other side of the kitchen, laughing to himself whilst Danielle resumes her position on the stool at the side of me. Like the brief 20 minutes before us had never happened. One quick glance at my empty champagne glass, one quick glance at Austin, and her eyes tell me she already knows the answer to her own question.