Across The Stars

Chapter 5.

I look between Austin and Toby, praying to whoever is listening that this whole thing wasn't about to go spiraling out of control within a matter of seconds.

"What're you doing here?" I hiss at Austin.

"I spoke to my manager!" He nearly shouts.

"I told you not to worry about it." I say through gritted teeth, feeling Toby's eyes burning into the back of my head.

"But she's on board! She wants you to come in and meet with my label."

I shake my head in disbelief, royally pissed off that Austin went ahead and did this even after I told him not to.

Its only until then, that Toby finally decides to speak. "Annie, what the hell is going on?"

"Annie? That's cute." Austin grins at me, causing my blood to boil even more.

"Austin go home."

"No, why don't you stay." Toby sneers, crossing his arms over his chest.

I turn and look at him, my eyes pleading with him.

Austin narrows his eyes at Toby, but let's himself in. "Don't mind if I do."

"Does someone want to explain what's going on here?" Toby asks, looking directly at me.

Shit. Of course Toby thought something was going on. Why wouldn't he think that?

I should've told him.

Nothing happened.

Nothing will ever happen.

"Austin came by the store earlier to see his record on display then we grabbed coffee." I tell him, figuring there was no reason to continue beating around the bush any longer.

Toby nods his head a few times before looking at Austin. "What does your manager have to do with this?"

"I wanted to help Annie break out into the music business." Austin says, making me cringe at the sound of him using my nickname.

From what my mum told me, Toby started calling me that when we were younger, and the name became a family nickname. No one outside of my family knew me as Annie.

But now Austin does.

"She went on this big long rant about how she's trying to find herself, so I figured I'd help her." He continues.

"Annie can manage well enough on her own. She auditioned for Juilliard and she's guaranteed to get in at this rate." Toby counters.

"If only you knew how competitive the music business is to get into." Austin smirks. "If Annie has connections then she'll be making records in no time. You really should hear her sing."

"Alright, enough! Toby, I never asked Austin to do this." I explain to him. "It came up in casual conversation. That's all."

"Well maybe we can continue this casual conversation over dinner." Toby retorts, making my heart sink. "I'd love to hear more from the guy that my girlfriend has suddenly taken an interest in."

Fuck.

Even Austin doesn't say anything at first, looking at me with a confused expression.

"I think Austin should be going..."

"I could eat." He suddenly says, cutting me off.

I glare at him, then at Toby and realize that there was only one way this was going to end.

And it wasn't going to be pretty.

***

I couldn't keep my clear levels of agitation from showing as Toby and I sit across from Austin at the Chinese place that Toby had mentioned going to a few weeks ago.