If You Make a Deal With a Shadow...

Chapter 15

"So good to see you here. We both know it's been too long. Show me just how you feel before the song goes off. Back like we used to. This time I won't lose you. I still adore you."

- Song Goes Off by Trey Songz

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Austin walked into the apartment. He was in the middle of taking his jacket off, but stopped when he heard sniffling. He hung up his jacket in the closet and followed the noise closely. It was coming from Aubrey's room so he headed in that direction. He cracked open her bedroom door a little before peeking in.

"Aub?" he pushed it all the way open and stepped in. "What's wrong?" he walked cautiously towards her. She was curled in a fetal position on her bed while Junior played with his tablet that he got from his father. He had his headphones in and was too distracted by his game to pay any attention to his mother.

"Nothing. Go away," she sobbed and turned the other direction.

"Aubrey Nicole!" he whispered harshly before sitting next to her, but her body was facing the wall.

"No need for governments, Austin Ramón," she snapped back. Junior's attention was now on them.

He snagged the covers back to get a look at her face and she huffed a breath of irritation before looking at him reluctantly. "Aub!" he shrieked and she rolled her eyes.

She knew her face looked like someone ran it over and reversed... twice. "I know," she spoke with a sigh.

"What happened?" he asked before slowly getting off of the bed and walking into the bathroom.

"Payton happened," she grumbled while Austin drained a wet, cold rag and brought it to her.

"I'll kick his a—butt..." he fixed.

Aubrey half smiled. "It's fine. I'm over it," she laughed a bit before putting the whole towel over her face. It was actually quite refreshing.

"Get up," he tapped her leg twice and she felt the bed dip back up from his weight being taken off.

"Fuh what?" she asked as she peeked from under the coolness of the towel.

"Because your country áss needs to let loose. We're going out," he declared, strutting out of her room. She didn't even get the chance to say yes or no.

She sighed and sat upright. "But what about June Bug?" she yelled towards his room.

"I asked my mom to watch him," he hollered back.

She leaned her head back and growled in frustration. "Ugh!" she shouted to the Heavens. Of course he assumed she'd go with him so he had already reserved someone to watch Junior.

A few minutes went by of her wallowing in self pity before she finally decided to get up to find an outfit. When she couldn't find one that she found pleasurable Austin came in to help. She wondered in silence where Austin would bring—drag—her to this time.

Austin's mom loved watching Junior so she didn't hesitate to comply with Austin when he told her that he and Aubrey were going "out to eat". They were pulling up to a club by the time she even processed it all. "You are so typical," Aubrey smiled and he winked at her before getting out.

They walked to the front and straight in after the bouncer gave Austin a head nod. Aubrey didn't know how Aus did it, but it seemed as though he had his hands in every pie.

Literally.

As soon as Austin spotted the dance floor he began to mingle, pulling Aubrey with him. He turned around a few seconds later, looking at her attentively. "I'm going to only say this once so listen clearly, babes..." he began and she quirked an eyebrow. "Do not—I repeat—Do not take a drink from a stranger unless you were at the bar with them. Also, don't leave with anyone you don't know. Understand?"