Long Distance

Six-Austin

(a/n hey everyone! Thank you so much for reading Long-Distance! It's my first story on Wattpad and so far it .has not very many reads or votes. I am asking you please, please to spread this around!! If you like my story so far, shout it out and get me more reads! Also, don't forget to vote and comment and maybe give me a follow. You guys are awesome, thanks xx. Here is chapter six(:

--Haley)

I SIT ON the rock outcrop, overlooking the sea. I'm alone, because this is my place. I'm sure other people have discovered it, but I like to pretend that I'm the only one that knows about it. That it's only mine. In the rocky cliffs, there is a jagged piece if rock, jutting out over the ocean waves. It's where I'm sitting now, a few miles from my home, and it's always where I go when I need to be alone. When I'm sad, confused, or simply just need to think about things.

The rock looks out over the sea, but also to the left of the point is beaches, as far as I can see until more mountains. Little villages, people strolling around, but they are all too far or me to see details, for I am settled high up above everything. To the right, I see more rocky cliffs. And mountains, and trees. I've known about this place do years, yet the only person I've ever brought with me, or showed it to, is Lexi. We would come here and sit for hours, talk, do homework, eat a picnic, or whatever, stretched out on a blanket. We would pour our hearts out to each other, tell secrets, kiss when we felt like it. This was our place to get away. But now she's gone, and this place has once more become a place I go when I'm down. Like right now.

So many emotions are ping through my head right now, and I feel clogged. Lexi's abrupt absence is slowly tearing me apart. However, your last strange phone conversation has me worried. I miss everything about her, and I sincerely hope she's doing alright in Oklahoma.

•••

My eyes are beginning to close in relaxation when my phone vibrates next to me on the hard rock. It's an unknown number calling, and I hesitate before answering.

"Hello?"

"Hey babe!"

"Lexi?"

"Yes!"

"Who's phone are you using?"

"Mine. I got a new number because of the move."

"Oh. Did you go to school today?" I ask.

"Yup," Lexi replies.

"Well, how was it?"

"It was good, actually. I made some new friends."

I smirk. Lex never had trouble making friends.

"Good, I'm glad. What's up, gorgeous?"

"I'm getting ready for a party."

"A party? Already?"

"Yeah, it's my new friend Morgan's."

"That's fun."

"Yeah, I guess. So what's up with you?"

"I'm on our rock," I tell her. She knows what I'm talking about.

"I miss you, baby."

"I miss you more."

We talk for almost an hour before Lexi says she has to go. I hang up the phone, feeling satisfied and in a happier mood.

•••

I ride my bike home and crash on my bed until Mom comes in to wake me.

"Austin, honey, you and I are meeting a friend of mine for dinner tonight. Her family just moved here, and I went to college with her. Her daughter may be with her. Dress nicely, we're leaving in thirty minutes."

Ugh, fantastic. Dinner with Mom and her buddy.

I dress in a nice plaid shirt and gel my hair, dreading the event. When my mom pulls the car into the parking lot of the restaurant, the wait is really long, so we sit on the benches outside, waiting for a table.

A mom and daughter begin to walk in, and I recognize the daughter. Blonde hair, green eyes, blue tank-top.

"Hey, Taylor," I blurt before I can stop myself.

She sees me and her eyes light up.

"Austin!" Taylor exclaims. "I didn't know our moms knew each other!"

Confused, I turn to the side to see my own mother and Taylor's mom, Cathy, locked in an embrace. And before long, they've started a conversation.

So apparently, the friend my mom was talking about ended up to be Taylor's mom.

"Austin, this is Taylor," Cathy introduces me.

"Mom, we know each other from school," Taylor tells her.

Our moms find this "cute," and go back to their own conversation. Taylor and I sit on the bench next to them, still waiting on the restaurant to open up a table for us.

"I'm starving," Taylor says, smiling. "Does this place have good food?"

"Yeah, it does," I tell her. "We come here a lot."

After a few more minutes of awkward talking, the four of us are seated at a booth, and we order our food.

"So, do you have any siblings?" I ask Taylor, trying to keep the conversation going.

"Yes, but my only brother is almost thirty and lives in Texas with his wife."

"That's cool," I say. "What about your dad?"

She shrugs. "He's here with us, but he decided to stay at home because he's not feeling well. Where's yours?"

I look down, feeling uncomfortable. "We don't talk to him."

"Why?"

I want to tell her that it's a private subject, but I can tell that Taylor has trouble taking hints. So why not just go ahead and tell her?

"Um, well, he was an alcoholic and beat my mom, so when I was six, my mom and I packed up, moved here, and left him in California."

Taylor's green eyes are wide. "I'm sorry," she says. "That's terrible."

The rest of the dinner is mostly spent talking with Taylor. I decide that I really like her. She's sweet, thoughtful, bubbly...and really pretty. For some strange reason that I try to ignore, she makes me nervous.

•••

When it becomes time to go, we stand and make our way to the front of the restaurant. Taylor grabs my hand, pulling me outside-away from our mothers.

"I really enjoyed talking with you tonight," she says softly.

I nod. "Me too. It was fun."

She smiles sweetly. "We should hang out sometime."

I feel my heart pounding in my chest. I know I shouldn't, I know it's wrong, but the question comes out of my mouth without permission.

"How about dinner tomorrow night?"

Though she tries to hide it, her excitement shows through.

"Alright," Taylor beams.

"Great," I say. "Meet you here at seven."

"Awesome...thanks, Austin."

That's it. Now our moms walk outside.

"Let's go, Taylor," Cathy calls. "It was nice to meet you, Austin. Bye, Linda!"

My mom and I load inside the car, a smile creeping along my face.

"What are you smiling about?" Mom asks.

"Nothing," I reply.

But I can't ignore how much things have changed in the past few days. I wasn't myself, I was sad without Lexi-and still am-I wasn't whole, but then I met this awesome girl, and now I've got a date. I'm still dating Lexi, I think, and I'm happy with that, and I'm still in love with her.

But I've got a date.