Abused {ACM}

Chapter 26

Abby's POV

And at that moment - I could've sworn everything was fine. The stars were out - not that I could see them through the smog of New York City. City lights were shining through my window. Taxis were heard honking on the crazy streets filled with traffic. People had lives and people had loves and people were everywhere in this city filled with tall skyscrapers and pedestrians who had no intention of following street signs at all. The sun was going to come up tomorrow morning. I was free from my dad. And now...now I have Austin.

"Austin?" I choked out.

I heard his breathing hitch on the other line, and I brought my knees up and hugged them to my chest. I said his name again, this time in a mini-sob.

"I...I don't think you have the right number. Because you sound a lot like my girlfriend right now but the authorities told me that she wasn't allowed to call until she's 18 but she's not turning 18 for another two years and - I just don't need any more false hope so I'm just going to hang up no-"

"Austin, it's me. It's Abby."

More silence.

"I only have 10 minutes and I -"

A sob. "Austin?"

I heard a small sniffle. "Austin, are you crying?"

"Abby, is it you? Tell me that it's really, truly you. I need - I need you."

"It's really me, Austin. I promise, it's really me."

"I thought you said you couldn't -"

"It doesn't matter. All that matters right now is you and me."

"How are you? Do they know where your father is yet? How was the foster home? The cops told me that you had an aunt who adopted you, but I'm not allowed to know where you are. Are you well? Are you eating? Have you made new friends? Everybody else misses you, but not like I miss you, Abs. I miss you so much I think it physically hurts me. I need you back - I need you back so I can kiss you and protect you and love you like I can love you and -"

"Austin, breathe." I chuckled. "Yes, I'm well. No, they don't know where my father is yet. Aunt Amy has a teacher come to the house so I'm being home-schooled, so no, I haven't made any friends. In the foster home I met four excellent people though, and once I turn 18 I'll introduce them to you."

I heard Austin taking deep breaths, and a familiar sense of familiarity and beauty overwhelmed me.

"Austin?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you so much. And I miss you so much, like the sky misses the stars during the day. I need you, too." I whimpered.

I could tell Austin was taking that in. "Say it again."

"Say what again?"

"Say that you love me. I've yearned to hear it in your voice again, it's just been so long..."

I smiled. "Austin, I love you. I love you with all my heart. Thank you for being there when nobody else was. Thank you for being you."

I could practically feel Austin's grin. He laughed, a deep hearty laugh that tickled the back of his throat. "God, Abs, I love you. I love you."

"I know. I love you too." I laughed. I was hugging myself, keeping myself in one piece. Because as much as I missed him, just hearing his voice made me want to touch him. I wanted to run my hands along his jaw and over his eyelids and under his eyelashes and over his cheekbones and over his stomach and I needed him. And talking to him just made me miss him even more.
"Abby?"

"Yeah?"

"Sir Squiggles says 'hello'. He misses you oh-so very much."

I giggled. I've missed this. I've missed being playful and childish with him. Austin, the boy I could be 2 years old and 200 years old with.

"Why hello, Squigs! Mommy misses you very much, and she shall see you in 2 years!" I laughed.

I asked how Zach and Alex and Macey and everybody else was, and he told me about how they've figured out their plans for the future and what college they want to get into.

"I know what I'm going to be when I grow up, Abs." Austin admitted.

I grinned. "Really? Tell me!"

"...I think that...I think that I want to be a public speaker. You know - the ones that go around the world and raise awareness at business firms and schools and stuff like that? I think that I would like that."

"That's wonderful, Austin. I could really see you doing that."

"But...the only problem is...I need you to be with me."

I smiled. "You know I want to be a writer - like my father. Writers could travel. We can travel the world together and see new things and explore, and I'll get inspiration for my books and you could raise awareness of bad things and get people to help the world out so that it'll become a better place and...and I could really see it, Austin. I could see us together in the future."

"Abby? It's been ten minutes." Amy knocked gently at my door.

My heart immediately dropped.

"I - Austin, it's been ten minutes. I have to-"

"Please don't."

I curled up even tighter, clenching my eyes shut.

"I have to." My fingers were gripping the phone so hard that they were white.

"Please."

Hurt grasped my heart and pulled it under, drowning it in a sea of remorse and regret and hope, so much painful hope. Amy knocked again.

"Please..." Austin whispered. "Don't tell me another goodbye."

"I love you." I whispered. "Just remember that I love you."

"I'll be waiting for you." Austin murmured.

And with that, we disconnected.