“What?” I ask her.
“This sounds weird because you are my sister, but you look hot.” I can’t help but laugh.
“Thanks,” we leave the house and start to head downtown to one of the more laid back bars, as we get out I see all of Mar’s friends coming over to greet us. I smile, politely at the rest of them as Toby walks over and I get a glance of him as he kisses Mar and I can’t help but grin at her as he walks away. We walk up to the front of the bar and Mar walks in and we all follow behind her. I hope for my sake that Austin isn’t here tonight.
But I spot him the moment we walk inside, already in the back corner kissing on some girl. I know that I am torturing myself by even looking at him.
An hour and a few rounds later we are all sitting around a table talking, and laughing. I can’t help but watch Austin as he gets up from the table and walks across the room. When he reaches the door to the restroom he turns back once and grins when he sees that my eyes are still on him, he looks back into the room as if telling me to come follow him, and I can’t help but look down at the table and smirk. I’m just drunk enough to follow him and I’m getting ready to stand up when I hear someone speaking to me. “What do you think, Soph?” I hear Becka ask me and I look over completely unaware of what she is asking me.
“Huh?” she laughs at me.
“Let’s all go swimming.” They all say in unison.
“Swimming in December, that is definitely something that I am going to have to get used to,” I say as everyone starts to laugh. “Nah, I should probably get to sleep soon. You know Dad can overlook Mar being hung-over but not me.” I say almost a little smug. I think that I have embarrassed Mar as I feel someone slide in next to me and I freeze as I feel his hand slide over my thigh, but I don’t tell him to move it. I’m not sure why. It’s been a week since I have spoken to him and this is how he interacts with me, “But Mar, if you want to go, go I’ll call a cab.”
“Go where?” I hear Austin ask me as he slightly drifts his hand up higher. I’m pretty sure that my cheeks are on fire now.
“We’re going to go swimming, you want to come?” Marr asks him.
“Nah, I’ve got to get to bed. I have family shit to do tomorrow, but I’ll give you a ride home, Soph.” he says turning to me and I mumble to him a pathetic sure.
We all walk out of the bar together and everyone walks to the designated cars and gets into them. Austin walks with me to my side of the car opening the door for me and I’m pretty sure before he shuts it Matt tells him to Have fun with a wink. I can’t keep my eyes off of him as he walks around the car to his side.
We pull out of the parking lot and start towards the direction of our houses. As I see everyone that we arrived with fade into the distance of the rearview mirror Austin sighs and looks over to me.
“Why haven’t you called me?” I almost laugh at his question.
“Why am I supposed to call you?” He sighs again.
“Look, Soph, I don’t know what to say here.” He pauses and I have no clue what he is going to say. “But let me be honest. You do something to me.”
“That’s called a boner, Austin, I feel like you of all people should be familiar with that.” He doesn’t appreciate my joke and glares at me while we slow to a stop at a light.
“Damnit, Sophie, listen to me,” he says, “Fuck, you have this effect on me, it makes me want to change, want to be better. I can’t fucking explain it, but I felt it the first time I saw you when we were in Savannah. I have never believed in love at first sight, Soph, but that night when I met you. It was as if I already knew you.” he admits to me.
“Because you know my sister,” I tell him.
“No,” he yells, causing me to jump, and he hits his hands on the steering wheel. He doesn’t say another word until he pulls up into the driveway and gets out of the car to walk me to the door. We stop at the door and as I look over he runs his hands over his face. “I mean it.” he says leaning in closer to me and for moments longer than life I feel as though I cannot breathe, as if he has taken all of my breath away.
“Stop, Austin,” I say with a weakened voice and he pulls back looking to me confused, “All of this you will regret saying in the morning, so why don’t we forget you said it and go about things as they were… as us being friends.” I say then rush inside the house, quickly closing the door and leaving him out on the porch. I rush up the stairs as my phone vibrates in my pocket.
Austin: Friends; that means that you will call me, right?
Yeah
The majority of the night I don’t sleep, in fact when I actually begin to feel tired I still haven’t heard from Mar but the sun is starting to come up. So, it’s a surprise to me when I finally wake and its well into the afternoon. I roll over and look at my phone which is lit up. I see the screen display Austin’s name and I smile.
Austin: Good morning, I hope that you slept well. I’m not sure if that is a “friendly” text
Something like that. I type back placing my phone down on the table and walking into the bathroom; I let the water over my body for longer than normal and then dress afterwards. I smile wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top and then start to walk down the stairs. I hear voices as I reach the bottom step and my body freezes when I see the silhouettes in the kitchen. I hear my father’s voice first, and then I see him as he rounds the corner and we come face to face. I can’t move although I look to the back door and I think about making a run for it. I smile to him as my mother and Mar round the corner behind him. I see that Mar is still in the clothes from last night, and that she looks exhausted.
“Nice of you to join us this afternoon, Sophie,” my father says snidely at me, emphasizing afternoon. Then he shakes his head looking back at me, “Can you put something on more presentable for the first time that you have seen us in over a year.” I don’t say a word, but nod my head, turning around, and walking back up the stairs. I walk into the room that I have been staying in, and walk out onto the balcony. I stand staring out into the distance, at the ocean lapping onto the sand. Up here, away from the family that never wanted me, I feel at peace. I hear my phone beep in the corner and walk over to it.
Austin: You know that I can see you, right?
I actually did not, what a creepy thing to send someone.
Austin: Ha, you alright? You look pretty upset about something, still upset about the whole Joe thing?
As much as it had hurt me when it had happened I wasn’t upset that much about it anymore. It had happened, and I had moved on. Joe wasn’t worth my time and feelings so I gave up on him.
No, actually the parents just got here.
Austin: You guys don’t get along?
No, I’m more like the child that they never wanted.
I thought that after I shared such an intimate detail of my life that he would respond with anything, but he didn’t the only thing that I got was radio silence. I sigh to myself as I change into a pair of jeans and then a nice blouse as I walk down the stairs for a second time I hear laughter erupt from the main floor, I turn the corner as my dad looks over to me and sighs, again, shaking his head, and says, “Sophie, it took you long enough,” and then another sigh, “Are you trying to out stage us now, I mean I know that you blew all the money that you did make in that ridiculous business of yours on clothing, but that outfit probably costs as much as my mortgage payment.” I couldn’t argue with him, he was right. I look behind him and I see Austin standing in the room with him; he’s wearing a simple pair of jeans and a black T-shirt. The laughter that I had heard from my father was because something that he had said.
“Awe, John, I think she looks stunning.” He smiles at me, “She always does, I have never seen her look bad since the moment that I first saw her.” I watch as my dad turns to look at him, stunned, I am sure of it. I mouth the words thank you in his direction and he smiles at me and nods. I am sure that he is aware that my thanks are because he came to ease the tension in my family and for sticking up for
my clothing choice and my father seems to admire him.
“Come on, Austin, the lunch is ready out on the porch. It really is incredible outside.” He says and walks with Austin, not once asking me to join. As they approach the door Austin stops before crossing the threshold and turns to look at me.
“Soph, are you coming?” he asks me and I notice my father’s surprised expression by his interest in what I am doing. Heaven forbid anyone wants to be interested in anything that his screw up of a daughter is doing. I look from Austin to my father.
“Yeah,” I tell him and exhale, Austin walks up to my side and holds his hand out to me. My father huffs out of the house and Austin smiles to me. “How did you do that?” I can’t help but ask him.
“Your dad? OH, I met him a few months ago. They came down for whatever reason and Mar had invited us all over, you see I manage to do really well with parents… except for my dad.” He smiles, “I knew that he liked me, and thought that if I came over then maybe he wouldn’t give you so much crap.”
“How did you know he would give me shit?”
“Because I’ve met him before, I just didn’t realize he would be like this to you.” he smiles, but it’s a sad smile. We walk out of the table and sit down, Austin sitting right next to me. I don’t say a word for some time, not wanting the conversation to verve to me and my screw ups. It doesn’t take long though before my loving father looks to me.
“So, Austin you are representing Sophie in her latest fiasco, how is that going?”
“Well John, I can’t really talk about that, seeing as it is confidential.” I look down because I can’t help but smile as my dad scoffs.
“Soph, what happened to Joe? We liked him. It’s a shame that you ran him off.” I knew that Mar hadn’t told him what had happened, and it shouldn’t surprise me that he thought it was my fault we weren’t together anymore. I don’t say anything just set my fork down on my plate as my mother scolds him for saying it as he did. “What I mean, I shouldn’t be surprised Barb, she never could keep a man that was decent in any sort.” I feel Austin’s hand wrap around mine and he squeezes it several times as if telling me when to breathe. I feel the tears stinging at my eyes and I watch Mar’s sad expression look at me, as the corners of my mouth turn down. “So, Sophie, what did you do this time?” His tone is even harsher than it was at first.
“John, don’t.” I hear Austin say next to me.
“What are you standing up for her now, after the work that she has managed making for you to do.” His voice seems to rise with every word, but I know it’s not directed at Austin, it’s solely directed at me.
“I don’t mind, really.”
“What are you even in trouble for, Sophie?” He pauses looking to me along with everyone else, I know that I won’t be able to get out of this one, “Huh, what is it?” he is yelling now.
“Aggravated assault, along with a couple other things.” He laughs at me now.
“Oh course you are. Is that why Joe left you?”
“John, don’t.” I hear Austin say again before the anger begins to coil up inside of me and I interrupt him.
“You want to know what happened.” I look at him raising my voice, emotionless, “After I lost my business, my apartment, when I had to move in with him, that fucking useless piece of shit.” I hear my mother gasp at my use of profanity. “He came home that night after I locked the store for the last time, didn’t realize that I was already there. Well he came home with his girlfriend, who he was with before he even met me. I heard them talking, talking about how he was planning on marrying me just so he could divorce me and take everything that I had worked hard for. It was their plan from the beginning. So you want him to be around good go fucking find him, maybe then you can find someone to be proud of because I have never been able to do it for you.” I say tossing my fork onto my plate, getting up from the table, and stalking off down the beachfront. I’m standing far enough away from the house when I feel hands on my arms and I look over seeing Austin standing there.
“Is he always like that way towards you?” I see the sad look in his eyes.
“Since I can remember, Mar was always their favorite” I look down at my feet.
“I’m sorry,” he says pausing, “I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to catch up to you.”
“Well,” I say trying to stay mad at the scene that had taken place, “I quickly realize that you can’t walk down the beach pissed.”
“Is it too beautiful to stay mad?” He says sarcastically and I force myself to not crack a smile.
“No, it’s more like, you can’t stomp in the sand.” He laughs, standing beside me looking to the ocean, and then looks over to me.
“Come on, I want to take you somewhere.” He says pulling me by my arm as we go up to his house and get into the car, pulling off down the road.
When we pull up I see the giant stadium in front of me, “Why are we here? Is there anyone even here?”
“Nope,” he smiles to me and I look at him confused, “So, a little secret no one knows about me, but my mother’s side of the family owns the stadium.”
“No way,” He nods.
“Come on, let’s go.” He pulls my hand, we walk inside of the building and as we pass a janitor that is mopping he looks up to Austin,
“Good afternoon, Mr. Calloway.” He nods to him.
“George.” He pulls my out into the stands and down onto the field.
“Austin, what are we doing?” I ask him and he smiles back at me.
“I come here sometimes when no one is here, and hit some balls around.” He smiles to me walking to a dugout and grabbing a couple of balls and a bat. He hands me the bat and then walks to the mound.
“Are you going to hit me with the ball?” I joke.
“It’s possible.” He shrugs and then laughs, “Just focus all of your anger onto the ball.” I watch as he pitches it and it comes to me. I swing with as much force as I can produce and watch as the ball flies into the back field.
“Wooooo,” I scream and toss the bat down and begin to round the bases, Austin is laughing as he turns to watch me run. “Home run, bitches” he laughs harder with my addition.
“Sure if I don’t attempt to go and get it.” I stick my tongue out at him and He laughs again. “Doesn’t that help?” he asks and I nod my head. “Come on let’s go somewhere else.” He says grabbing my hand and leading me into a bar that sits inside of the building.
“What are we doing in here?”
“Shh,” he says walking up to where a mic sits and turning on some switches. “Come on help me pick a song,” he says to me. We scroll through many songs before he picks one out and walks over to the microphone and begins to sing along with the music. I laugh hopping onto one of the stools and watching him sing into the mic. I clap as loud as my hands will let me. He finishes and walks over to the bar pulling up one of the bottles of liquor and pouring us both a shot.
“What are you doing?” I ask him and he smiles.
“You’re next,” he laughs as I shake my head, “Come on, Soph, I’m the only one here.”
“Fine,” I say and toss the liquid back into my throat. I pick out Flyleaf and start to sing, I see him smiling at me until the song ends.
“Wow, I knew that you could sing, but I didn’t know you could sing like that.” I laugh it off as we take another shot. We continue to sing along to songs, taking turns, sometimes singing together, until I start to sing Coldplay and I realize that I am singing it to him. That I want to fix him; that I want him to know that he is worthy of love, when I say the last words before the instrumental part of the song I see his eyes deepen as he gets up off the stool, abruptly, and walks over to me, pressing his mouth forcefully to mine. I kiss him back passionately and he tangles his hand into my hair. He pulls back with the last line, singing it to me, telling me that he wants to heal me, and I smash my lips back to his. He pulls me back up to the bar as he lifts me up so that my face is level with his and pulls b
ack looking at me, “I just want to kiss you tonight.” He tells me and pushes his face back towards mine; I’m not sure how this makes me feel because he is willing to jump into bed with anyone… except for me.
We finally leave later on in the night, late enough that I hope everyone in the house is asleep. We stop in the driveway and Austin comes over opening the door for me and walking me up to the house.
“Good night, sweet Sophie,” he says and leans over slightly to kiss me again. I intensify our kiss as he pulls back, “I meant it when I said only kissing for tonight, and if you keep that up I won’t be able to help myself. Goodnight,” he pulls back and kisses me on the forehead.
“Goodnight,” I say as I walk in through the odor. I shut it quietly and as I pass the dining room I see my mother sitting, waiting for me; almost like I missed curfew.
“Sophie,” she says stopping me in my place.
“Mom,” I turn and look at her.
“Sit, please,” I obey for the first time in my life and I think that it shocks her just as much as it shocks me. “Have you been gone with Austin all afternoon?” I nod my head, telling her that I have. She smiles, “He’s a very handsome man.” She says and I again nod my head. “Do you like him?” I look at her confused because she has never once asked me about any interest that I have had in guys.
“Mom, this thing with Joe and I just happened, I think it’s a little soon to like anyone, don’t you?”
“No,” she smiles at me, “I never thought you loved Joe, I think you were more in love with the idea of being in love.” It shocks me that after all this time that I thought she didn’t know me she knew me better than anyone, maybe even myself.
“That’s probably true.” I tell her and I think that she laughs because she knows it’s my way of telling her that she is right.
“Austin though, he seems to care for you a lot, not like any other girl.” She adds.
“How do you know that?” I ask her.
“Oh, sweetheart, before your father I had an Austin only his name was Ryan and he was a drummer to one of the bands that I went to see in college, we had a whirlwind romance one summer until he left for a tour.”
Fated Page 6
