Two Stars- An Auslly Fanfiction

Chapter 25

I knock on Austin's door. I hadn't seen him at all in school, I don't even think he went, and usually he comes over afterschool, if not to see me, at least for Dez. I don't need to be with him every second, but I do enjoy his company.

His mom answers to me. "Ally!" she greets me warmly. I give her a half-hearted smile.

"Hi, Mrs. Moon. Is Austin home?"

"He's in his room. He stayed home, claiming to be sick. I don't buy it, but...well, we all have those days where you just need a break, right?" I nod. I think I like this woman a lot more than I did a minute ago.

"Right, so is it okay if I just go in then?" She smiles.

"Go right ahead."

Austin is just messing around behind the keyboard, no surprise there. He looks up when I open his door, and grins. His smile is a lot like his mom's. It just brings a different kind of light to his features, he looks so carefree.

"Why weren't you at school today? Like since everyone knows you're in perfect health and stuff." He shrugs.

"I didn't know if you'd be there or not. If you hadn't gone, I was gonna come over, but...anyways, how was life today?" It's such a general question, but he actually cares. I sit on the edge of his bed and press my lips together tightly.

"Life was...interesting," I finally proclaim. "Surprising, even. And I have something for you. Catch." I toss him his medal. He doesn't know what it is at first, but as soon as I see the realization in his expression, it's like he's holding a time-bomb. He literally throws it out the opened window, I hear it land with a thud on the back porch. I raise my eyebrows at him, but this doesn't surprise me.

"I appreciate the thought," he mutters. "But no thanks." He bites his lip.

"I just don't understand some things."

"Neither do I. I just know that she was right. I don't know why I didn't move, maybe I could have saved a life, if I'd tried. But I got scared. I froze. It was like I could see everything so clearly, but I was trapped inside myself."

"Water wouldn't put out the fire of an electrical engine," I murmur, but he doesn't hear me. "So, at the beach...you weren't scared then?"

"Not in the same way, I guess. Because I knew I'd be able to save you. I mean, I was terrified for you, but I knew you'd be alright. I told myself you'd be alright if I saved you. I couldn't watch death a second time." He shudders. He stands up and joins me on the bed. "And you would've died, Sonali would've been right...I couldn't just let you die." I move closer to him, so I'm practically on his lap, and he just holds me.

I hope I never have to witness death.

"I don't understand a lot of things," I rephrase.

"What do you mean?"

"Like people. I don't understand our thinking, why we do the things we do. I don't understand instincts. Like why do you freeze, when you don't want to? Like yesterday, Eli had the perfect way to get us, home, but I instinctively shut him down. I thought I wanted to go home."

"So did I. But maybe...well, think about it. What do you have here that isn't there?" He asks this question in a way that makes me certain he's got a certain answer in mind, but I have no idea what that answer is.

"You?" I guess. He smiles faintly.

"Well, yes, but you also have freedom. You were trapped in your orchard, we both know that. You may love your home, but what you don't love is the idea of being trapped all over again." I nod slowly, musing over his words.