A Fire That Burns

by Kirsty-Anne Still

  “You don’t have to worry about me,” Tom battled back reassuringly. “Believe me, I know our mom like the back of my hand and I’ll break her down sooner or later.”

  Austin sniffed and wiped the back of her hand down her cheek, “But you shouldn’t have to do that.”

  “I’m a big boy,” Tom fought her woes quickly. “Plus I wouldn’t be the best big brother if I kicked you out on the street. That’s not my style and now I have you back I really ain’t ready to let you go, Aus.”

  Smiling a little at her brother she couldn’t help herself with admitting the truth to him, “Why do I have to love him so much?”

  Tom smiled sadly at that admittance, “Simple,” he began to tell her and wiped a tear away. “For the same reason he loves you so much.”

  Feeling her lip quiver, she dropped her gaze, “Will you just stay with me?” she asked her brother, “I feel so lonely.”

  He knew it wasn’t a jab at him, he knew she loved having him around and appreciated his support that was evident in her asking him to stay with her. For that reason, he accepted and got her to lie down and he pulled the sheets over her before lying down on the bed. Neither said a word to the other, but Tom pulled his little sister into his arms and allowed her to cry for a little while.

  She needed to get this out and if this was it, then he would wait it out. He would even do it every night until she climbed out from rock bottom.

  Going back to his bedroom almost two hours later once Austin was sleep, Tom went over to his bedside table and pulled it open. Grabbing an old folded piece of paper he slumped onto his mattress and opened it. He ran his finger across it to straighten the creases out and sighed as he read for yet another time.

  This was almost a religious act now. To sit and read the last real letter that Austin had written. The letter he had kept a secret and which kept his last promise to his little sister.

  Reading again, he knew that before long he would need to use it to prove to this small minded town what had really happened to make Austin flee. Tom knew it wouldn’t take too long to make Tyler realise that his precious new girlfriend was the root of Austin’s demise. It also wouldn’t take long for Tyler to understand what the final straw was that broke Austin’s back.

  For now, he was giving Austin the benefit of the doubt to build her life back up.

  And if that meant making a new - ignorant of reality - connection with Tyler then so be it he would allow it.

  For now anyway.

  Chapter Six

  YOU go to San Francisco and the whole world follows,” Austin heard over her shoulder making her jump.

  Turning she saw her brothers, along with Tyler and his sister too. She didn’t know how to react to this sudden gang standing opposite her. She didn’t know if she’d drank too much or not enough. Her mind and body were working against her, not allowing her to flee or unleash some sarcastic wit. She had fled Point Arena only days after her midnight breakdown just so she could feel like she could breathe properly.

  “Just gonna sit there, Sunny, or dance?” Tyler asked as he bypassed the gang and went towards her with his hand out.

  When she didn’t respond he took her hand and drug her out to the middle of the dance floor where he immediately started to dance with her like they were six years younger and dancing in their bedroom together. It seemed that a few days of space kept bringing the pair closer each time.

  It didn’t take long for everyone else to join them and the party to get started and as Tyler tried his hardest to keep Austin’s sole attention on him, he found himself failing. He had no other prior thoughts, Austin was occupying his mind and when she excused herself all of a sudden he had to follow. He wasn’t ready to let her vanish from his sight. Not again, not now.

  Finally making it to the bar, Austin slid her arms across the mahogany top to look for the bartender, seeing him serving she pulled up a stool and plonked down on it.

  “Are you stalking me?” she asked Tyler as he joined her. “You know my weaknesses so your efforts are futile.”

  Tyler chuckled and leaned in, “You mean this one?” he asked as he finished the question off by leaning in further and bringing her head closer to his as he kissed a spot behind her ear and heard the familiar gasp as he hit the right area. Satisfied, he sat down and took in her awe filled gaze. “So why did you come all the way out here?” Tyler questioned her, leaning in again to snap her out of her trance, “And all alone?”

  Austin looked at him and realized the game was up. She hated that Tyler could do this to her and she willingly let him. She hated that he could read her so bloody well! “Two reasons,” she began, putting two fingers up at him for emphasis. “One, I needed to get out, and two, I have friends in San Fran that asked to meet up before they headed out.”

  The bartender came over and smirked at Austin, leaning down he played with a curl and looked at Tyler who growled, but he didn’t deter, “Hey Pretty Lady, sorry about the wait.”

  “That’s fine, Hot Stuff,” Austin flirted back sweetly and held up her money, “Two tequila slammers, please,” Austin ordered with a cheeky smirk.

  Tyler knew this was natural progression, but pure jealousy raced through him instantly. “You trying to get me drunk, baby?” Tyler asked her casually as the bartender disappeared for a moment.

  She never said a word until now. Austin looked at him pointedly, “Who said they were for you?” she asked him and downed the first shot, shaking her head in disgust as the venom of the alcohol hit her taste buds. She slid the next one to him with a smile and winked at him before turning on her stool to watch him. “Drink up.” she watched as he exacted her disgust of the taste after swallowing the shot size of alcohol, “So how did you find me?”

  “You’re not the only one who can use a computer, y’know?” he commented back with a sanctimonious smirk and watched her giggle the sweet laugh he used to always love to hear. “We’re all checked into the same hotel too.”

  “Now you lot just got scary with your finding me,” Austin pointed out amused. “Another round?” she asked as she wanted to get drunk and complete her plan – Mission forget everything.

  Tyler reached around into his pocket and pulled his wallet out, “This one is on me.”

  “Goody,” Austin sounded as Cassie came and joined them, dragging Tom with them. “I’d get your orders in, Mr. Armstrong here is ordering.”

  Tom smiled at his sister as he realized just how like her old self she was being. He knew it was temporary; after all she had been drinking for the most part of her day, but whatever the reason he was going to enjoy seeing her like this. He liked having the old Austin back. She was more lively, bubbly, less like a shell of herself.

  As the drinks began to flow though, he could see how dangerously Tyler and Austin were playing with fire. Here they were all over one another, flirting to the nines, nicknaming one another, touching and feeling whenever the opportunity arose. He worried that his sister was being set up for the greatest fall ever.

  “Aw Stud, you know you should never take on a Goddess like me!” she told him sarcastically as she dramatically flung her arms around in her drunken state. She hiccupped as she noticed they were alone once more, “Especially when it comes to drinking you under the table.”

  “You know you’re on!” Tyler accepted the challenge and grabbed the bartender for more alcohol.

  After another three shots the pair sat looking at one another, conversation drying up, emotions pouring out, and alcohol lining their system fully. Feeling the chemistry building, she felt their bodies being drawn together, the lust exploding in short shots around them and she knew there was a kiss somewhere in this evening.

  However, Austin didn’t know that she wouldn’t be on the receiving end of it.

  Tyler knew he shouldn’t be doing this, but six years was too long to wait and it was too long to allow things to build up without just relinquishing their old flame – even just once before his reality snapped back.

 
; For Tyler that was sooner rather than later.

  “Baby!” Natasha’s voice broke the moment and the pair literally flew away from one another. “Sorry I’m late, Ty.” The moment she got close she put a ringed left hand to Tyler’s face as she kissed Tyler. She didn’t even acknowledge Austin.

  Austin’s arch nemesis had won. Just like she had told Austin she always would. She felt like she had been sucker punched and hard – right in the heart. The alcohol she had just consumed was burnt straight out of her veins. There was the kiss of the evening and the shot of realisation penetrated her harshly. She might have left her heart in Tyler’s hands, but that was now under Natasha’s foot.

  Suppressing the anger that ripped through her she painted a smile on her face and looked at the happy couple. “I’m going dancing,” she declared cheerfully and left them be, getting lost immediately in the crowd. She wasn’t going to stand around for hellos, or welcome backs; she was just getting out of there. It wasn’t just the sight of Tyler with Natasha wrapped around his waist, it was more the look of pure glee on Natasha’s face that struck daggers into her chest.

  Watching, Tyler ignored Natasha until she moved to be in front of him. He looked down at her and saw the fury in her face, her eyes darkened and heated, her brow furrowed as her chest began to heave with aggression and momentary envy.

  “Honey, I came here straight from work like you asked of me and then you don’t talk a lot,” She tried to win him over with exchanging the cold, angry exterior with sweet talk and puppy dog eyes. “What gives?”

  “A long commute,” he muttered back, his eyes wandering across the club. They stopped when he saw Austin with an unknown male.

  “She’s fine you know?” Natasha mentioned in utter putrid hatred and looked at Austin before turning back. “She’s over you – officially.”

  Ignoring his girlfriend for a moment he let out an overprotective growl as he witnessed what was rolling out. “Excuse me a minute,” he said and headed across the club and to where Austin was literally being groped on the dance floor and he knew if he left it any longer then he would be witnessing a lot more than just hardcore groping.

  She hadn’t even been dancing for more than five minutes and already she had a man all over her. Not that Tyler was surprised; he remembered just how much sex appeal that woman held and how she loved to use it to weaken him. He shouldn’t have been so surprised that she was gaining all of the attention of the men in the bar. Why would it be any different when she was a sexy twenty-five year old?

  The moment he was near, Tyler pulled her away from the man’s groping hands. He was enraged. He turned him around and went to hit the stranger, but Austin stood in the way and he dropped his clenched fist. With that notion diminished he dragged her towards the door.

  “Tyler!” Austin said as she pulled her arm free of his angered grasp, “You do not get to do that!”

  “He was all over you!” Tyler defended pointing in the direction to the man in the middle of crowd as he stood still confused.

  “And?!” she shouted back in frustration, “I’m a single twenty-five year old woman; I can handle a man wanting me! It wasn’t illegal the last time I checked!” She took in his aura and sighed heatedly, “And you do not get to do that to me when you’re with her and forgot to drop that into conversation.”

  With that said she left the club and headed back to the hotel.

  Chapter Seven

  AUSTIN went back to the room, not knowing that her brother was close behind her. She had blanked out almost everything as she walked back. Her veins were pulsating with heated rage and jealousy, and her misery was slowly building up in her throat like bile. She wanted to scream, cry, run, but she knew there was more than just Tyler Armstrong riding on her existence being back.

  Getting to her room she fought angrily to get her key card to fit into the slot, and she growled and hit the door as it failed. More haste, less speed, she chided herself.

  “Everything okay?” Dean asked as he casually leaned against the wall by Austin’s hotel room. “You left pretty quickly.”

  “Tired I guess,” she feigned and looked at him and knew immediately that he had caught her in a lie. “Why are you here?”

  He smirked, “Let’s go and raid the mini bar,” he told her and took the key before pushing her key card in and entering her hotel room.

  “I thought you were my least favorite fan?” Austin scoffed, she knew her brother well and the hate she received back at the house was all too real. She didn’t know why it was now gone and he was caring.

  “Time’s just change,” Dean said as he went for the mini bar in the corner. “However much she fights it, and fights you, mom really is glad to finally have you home.”

  “Got me duped,” Austin mocked as she went over to him as he got out every bottle of liquid. She looked at her brother and felt herself lose control again, but shook it away. She didn’t want to cry right now.

  Dean sighed and stood up, placing his hands flat against the bar he watched her. “I saw what was going on,” he started and saw the fear ignite in Austin’s eyes immediately. “It was like watching you two six years ago and I gotta admit, it was the best thing I’ve seen in that length of time too.”

  “Shame it was just me being foolish,” Austin batted away his observation and reached for a small bottle of wine.

  “Natasha is still his rebound girl,” Dean told her truthfully.

  Austin opened the bottle and took a quick swig, “Engaged rebound girl, Dean. Engaged rebound.” It was as she said that she felt her eyes fill with unshed tears. “I shoulda known. I shoulda known it would always be her.”

  “You weren’t to know and believe me; we all disapproved of it when he finally started to date her. Tom, and Tyler’s dad especially. The boy is pretty much in love with the wrong girl.”

  Feeling the tears escaping Austin felt like a complete failure. “I am such a fool,” Austin wallowed as she sunk her head into her arms and made a low whimpering noise.

  Dean decided to finally be a big brother to his sister. “You know a heart is a muscle,” he started and paused watching her sit up to just stare at him, “and what do muscles do when they tear or break?” he quizzed her and she just shrugged. He raised his glass at her and leaned in towards her, “They fix themselves and become stronger.”

  “This one’s got a long time to take,” Austin muttered to her brother with her voice still a miserable whisper. “It’s kind of hard to deal with that when being back home at long last feels like you’re finally home, but slowly kills you all at once.”

  “C’mere,” he told her and pulled her into his arms as she broke even more. “I missed you, Kiddo,” he told her as he let her go and pulled his phone out as it vibrated, “But I can’t do this alone.” He finished as he finally looked up from his phone. He didn’t give her a chance to argue or say a word; he just let her remain clueless.

  As her brother went to the door and opened it. She watched intently as he welcomed her other brothers and sister into the room. Immediately she was doused with hugs and attention. Austin realised that although she was dealing with a broken heart, her family were slowly letting her back in and she knew once she had that back, her heart would slowly piece back together.

  ***

  Getting back that following Sunday, Austin knew she had to let Tyler go once and for all and realize Natasha won like she had always promised she would. As she jumped down out of Daniel’s truck she saw Tyler in his parent’s house and quickly grabbed her bags and said goodbye before either her mother or Tyler knew she was there.

  She then quickly left the group and began the short walk to Tom’s. She had spent the whole day Saturday with her brothers and finally felt like her life was here. All she had to do was break through her mother’s tough exterior and find her own place and she would be happier. That, of course, was ignorant of her constantly breaking heart.

  “Tyler, leave her!” she heard Dean cry out and she hastened her pace.r />
  She could hear him getting closer, her name leaving his lips, but her heart was thrashing so hard it pained her chest and rang in her ears. All she wanted was to just be inside and out of the way once and for all.

  “Sunny,” he called out one last time as he was hot on her heels, he then grabbed her stopping her in her tracks so he could get in front of her. “Where’ve you been?”

  “San Francisco,” she said in a toneless voice. “You forget you were there too?”

  “What is with you?” Tyler asked as he eyed her up and down. He wanted to ignore the blatant throb he had and he wanted to ignore how messed up his reality was becoming.

  “You led me on!” she shouted at him in dismay, her voice quaking all of a sudden.

  “No I didn’t,” Tyler fought back at her as he continued to walk backwards.

  Austin huffed, “Oh no? So forgetting to just drop into conversation that you’re dating, oh no wait – engaged to Natasha Truman wasn’t something that you thought was important to tell me when you’re kissing me and flirting with me!”

  “Oh-” he started to try and form an argument, but was failing.

  “I might have done the running, and that might make me a coward and whatever other name this town has labelled me, but I am nobody’s mug and I am certainly not yours, Tyler!” she told him, “Now move and let me go home.”

  “I just wanted to apologise. It was wrong of me, but I have my reasons. I gave my life to you and then you were gone. I miss the feelings you make me feel and how complete I feel around you, Aus, but I had to move on,” he looked at her as she slowed almost to a complete stop. “I want you to be my friend,” Tyler admitted to Austin, “More than anything, Austin, but I need you to understand that I just can’t put myself back six years for you to run away again. I moved on with Tasha and Friday I was drunk and-”

  “I’m not going anywhere, Tyler. I have nowhere to go anymore. I am here to stay,” Austin argued back, but she could see it was a futile feat. This last bit was all a lie. She had nowhere to go when she was nineteen and still made a living, but she was scared to do it all over again.