the BAD BOY and ALLY

TWENTY ONE: CLOSER TO ALLY

Austin's POV

After parking the bike outside Ally's house, I find her asleep and carefully turn to make sure she doesn't wake up. I pick her in my arms, remove the keys from her bag and walk upstairs to lay her on the bed.

It's about 7:30 and already pretty dark outside and Ally's face is looking so innocent and delicate. I could watch her like this the whole night. I notice her right arm bleeding. I take a role of bandage from the medicine box and dress her wound carefully so that she doesn't wake up.

I pull the blanket over her and as I try to move away, Ally grabs my arm and I end up sitting on the other side of the bed. "Stay here Austin. Don't leave me." She doesn't open her eyes. Just pulls my wrist closer and rests her cheek on my palm. A small smile decorates her face.

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I wake up in the morning to see Ally brushing her wet hair, wearing printed leggings and red top. She probably isn't aware I'm awake. "Good morning Austin."

"Morning Ally." I walk up to the window to climb into my room when Ally stops me.

"Austin wait. I need to talk to you." She comes over to me and hugs me. "Thank you. For yesterday. Thanks for caring so much."

"You don't need to thank me Ally. I'm your friend. I'll always be there when you need me. You know that don't you?" She pulls apart, nods with a big smile and waves bye to me. I climb back to my room and turn back to tell her that we'll go to school together, as usual.

"And thanks for the bandage too. I'll see you in 5 minutes on the door for school."  She shouts before I walk to the bathroom.

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Okay. Half of the day went perfect and I waited for this day so eagerly. It's finally time to talk to Elena for what she did with Ally. She'll pay for it. Sure thing.

"Ally! Wait." I rush to Ally as she walks towards a table with her lunch tray in hand. "We need to sort things out." She seems confused which will be cleared once we talk to Elena. She places the tray on her table and I grab her hand as we walk to the other table where Elena, Jim, Neil and Louis are having food. "Don't you guys think its time to apologize to someone?"

"Apologize? To whom? Oh! Ally. Hi. What's up?" I know Elena well enough. She'll not apologize that easily. "You want me to apologize her?"

"You got it right. Apologize or we're talking to Ms. Brinbale about this. The choice is your's." We start walking away when Elena speaks up.

"Wait. Okay fine. Look, Ally. I'm sorry for what I did. But I couldn't take up the fact that you have come so close to Austin when it's hardly been much time that you've met him. You guys are growing so close. I just couldn't do anything about it. I still don't regret on anything I said or did earlier." Elena knows the fact very well that I'm not a person who would want to get in any conversation with any of the teachers. She also saw how I could just go carelessly and talk to Ms. Brinbale about this. That was pretty easy to make Elena speak up.

"Oh great Elena. Not only you, but all of my group mates deserve a prize for this. What say?" All of them wait for what is about to come up with a confused and tensed face. "Guess what. I'm done with you guys. And Elena. You did this because you wanted to be closer to me. But you know what? I don't even feel like regarding you as my friend. Close enough? Stay away from me and from my closest friend. Mind you. Or else, find someone to protect you people from me. And yes. I'll not beat the shit out of you. I've promised Ally not to put up a fight with any of you. Coz you all are not worth anything." We walk back to the table where Suzanne, Jason, Jeremy and Maria are seated for lunch. "Let's go Ally." Ally follows me without questioning or saying anything. If my own besties can do such a thing to her, then I have to save her from anybody unknown as well.