Short Love Stories

For the Love of Austin - 2

This short story is going to be a bit longer than most short stories, it depends on how much I can write and how many ideas I get. But I hope all of you reading this enjoy. Thank you!

. . .

I I sat looking over the edge, crying, for over ten minutes before Dally finally came running. I slowly turned around to see him and then turned back to the edge.

"What happened? I lost my brother, Austin, and heard someone yell his name. Was that you? Who are you?"

"Oh Dally..." I muttered between sobs.

He came over and sat down next to me. "Athena?" I nodded. "Where- where's Austin?" I shook my head and covered my face with my hands.

"Oh my God," he gasped and quickly looked over the edge. "Where is he?!"

"... He jumped but I couldn't find him down there," I finally spoke a full sentence.

"Why would he do this. How could you let him do this?!" He started taking his anger out on me.

"I tried to stop it! You were the one who wasn't even there for him!"

"Hey, I'm sorry I got mad at you. Thank you for trying but-" I could see that he had started crying now too. After all Austin was his brother, and he didn't even get to say goodbye.

He buried his face in his bent knees. I scooted closer to him and put an arm around his shoulder. When we were little, he used to comfort me when I scraped my knee or when my pet snake died, but now it was my turn.

He let me sit with him for a while but then said, "Can you give me some time alone. I'll come back when I'm done."

"Okay... you're not going to jump, are you?" I didn't want to take my chances. Just then a gust of wind rushes by, making me shiver.

"No, no. I just need to think."

So I left him alone, checking over my shoulder every few steps before I got to the end of the alley. Against the wall I saw Austin's backpack. I had forgotten about it until now. I slowly walked over and sat down next to it.

Picking up the bag, I look inside. I find a good sized knife with a sheath, a long rope, a bottle full of some sort of aspirin, and a light hoodie. I take out the shirt and hold it tightly. The wind blows again and I reluctantly pull the hoodie on. It's so warm and soft. I want to cry again but hold it in and put on the backpack.

Then Dally finally comes back down the alleyway. I guess he's a little shocked to see me wearing Austin's hoodie and backpack.

"I'm going home," he said and kept walking past me. "Would you like a ride to your place?"

I hesitated and then decided that I can trust him. "Yes please," I answered and jogged over to him to keep up.

When we got past the alleyway and all the houses, there's a motorcycle parked on the curb with a few bags and a helmet laying next to it. "Seriously? We're taking a motorcycle?" They weren't exactly my favorite.

"Yeah, it's all I really got." He handed me the only helmet. "Here, you take this. You'll be sitting behind me. Kay?"

I nodded and struggled to put the helmet on. When I finally got it on properly, Dally was already sitting on the motorcycle, waiting for me. I climbed on behind him.

He revved up the bike which made me jump and squeeze his waist with my arms. He didn't laugh though, like he usually would, definitely the result of losing his brother today.

. . .

On the way to my apartment, we stopped at Dally's place and he told me I could come over any time if I ever needed to.