Star Struck

Monkey To A Tree

Austin POV:

My mom finally got me to go to her house. I haven't talked to her since Madeline's funeral, but for some reason, she called me up and told me I absolutely had to go to her house for dinner. Rochelle, having come to New York with me, decided she had to come too. Then, since two stars had to make an appearance, Ethan went too.

But somehow I know my mom wanted to talk to me in private.

We walked into the old apartment complex, and Rochelle's nose scrunched together in disgust.

"You actually grew up here?" Rochelle asked, looking at everything as if she was only seeing the flaws. And knowing Rochelle, that was exactly what she was doing.

"Yeah, I grew up here," I told her, cringing a bit when I remembered how Madeline wouldn't be seeing the flaws at all- she'd be so intrigued with the place, and the architecture, that she would completely forget about all of the bad things here.

Rochelle didn't, and just clung to me like a monkey to a tree.

"I'm sooo excited to meet your mom, Austin-Bear!" Rochelle exclaimed, and held onto me even tighter- if that was even possible…

I just looked down at her with a vacant expression and sighed. I love Rochelle, but sometimes she can just get too out of hand.

"I know you are, Rochy Cake."

Rochelle smiled in contentment at hearing me call her by her nickname… that she picked out.

We walked to the elevator- the one I met Madeline in, and we waited… and waited…

While the elevator took it's time to get us up there, I was pulled into how Madeline and I met.

FLASHBACK-

By the time I saw who they were, my eyes widened. Her eyes reminded me of the stormy grey clouds, but intensified with so much knowledge in them that I was surprised. She was jogging, causing curly brown hair to bounce up and down, making me smile a bit. I immediately knew that she had not dyed her hair to get that colour, nor she had worn any makeup.

Her clothes were casual, something you'd wear on a Saturday night, bundling up with a book.

"Thanks," the woman sighed, leaning back onto the elevator wall when she finally got in, "I owe you."

I looked at her questioningly. Had she not noticed that I was Austin Klein? Teen superstar? I mean, has she lived under a rock for so long that she hasn't seen or heard about me?

"Yeah. You do. By the way, my name's Austin Klein," I said, and she looked up at me, her eyes wide.

"A-Austin Klein?" she stammered, her eyes still as wide as saucers.

"Yeah, that's me," I said boldly. I smirked down at her, and she lost that look of shock, replacing it with a look of remembrance.

"And I'm Madeline Harding. How do you do?" she asked, holding out her hand. I took it, and we shook hands… she squeezed my hand hard, and my eyes got wide. But it wasn't because of the squeezing part… I felt a jolt of a relieving feeling electricity go through my veins.

"Don't you know who I am?" I asked, looking at Madeline intently.

She just glared up at me and smirked, "I know who you are. As a matter of fact, I could care less about you." She smiled and walked to the other end of the elevator.

-END FLASHBACK-

I smiled a bit to myself, remembering how she was very cold towards me, and how I just wouldn't let her walk all over me.