Alone Together. [An OM&M FanFic]

Chapter 22: Heart to Heart.

Hannah.

We'd made our way downstairs and out back towards the pool, where less people were than before. Austin had cleaned my face off ALL makeup, with my permission, in the bathroom and quite gently, and talked me back out. We walked farther and sat on the edge of the party group, on a double sides bench that was made to oversee whoever the owner's parents were, garden.

We sat side by side and I had been quiet all this time, not even thinking about anything in particular.

"Are you feeling any better?" He asked and leaned back comfortably on the bench. I nodded solemnly and sighed, folding my hands into my lap.

"Just tired now." My voice was barely reaching a whisper.

We were quiet again, just listening to the people behind us, jumping in the pool, calling out to each other, and laughing. Surprisingly, it sounded far enough away to sound soothing to me.

"Hannah?"

"Can I ask you something?" I blurted before getting asked if I was OK again.

"Sure, anything." He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and squeezed.

"Why did you get so upset back at my house? When I was complaining about my grandparents getting a divorce?" I turned slowly to look at him and he was staring at the grass. "Austin?"

He snapped out if it and blinked rapidly before talking again. "I didn't get upset because you were telling me your grandparents were getting a divorce. I was upset because of what you added at the end."

I tried thinking back to what I said. Nothing was coming to mind and I guess Austin could read it in my face because he spoke up with a mumble. His tone was stern though, and at my own words being thrown back at me, I flinched.

"You've never had to deal with divorce or anything majorly tragic."

I said that? When and why I such a mean person? My eyes were running ragged over his sad facial features that looked even sadder in this lighting, trying to find the answers to my own unspoken questions.

"I can't believe I said that..." I looked down at my hands that were awkwardly curled in my lap and sighed, not even sure where this conversation was going now. Is he going to ask me to move out? Was I too rude and not what he thought? What can my only friend think of me now? "I- I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have judged."

He looked over at me and I could feel his stare wandering over my face of shame. I knew he wanted to say something, but hasn't yet, so I decide to sit and wait it out here in the dark confines if the swing.

"I want you to know I have dealt with tragedy in my life. My mom.. We were so close. She was beautiful, and supported everything I ever decided to do and more, and my family, we watched over each other and care for one another.. And I guess you could say, I was a mommy's boy." He managed a small smirk and looked down at his own hands, loosing himself in his own confessions.

I molded up some courage and looked at his shadowed face. He was preparing himself to say something else and I wanted so badly just to shake him silly to get him to keep going. He finally sighed and leaned back into the swing and draped an arm over the back of it, avoiding touching my arm.

"My mom died... I've always felt like she follows me everywhere, that she still lives in the house with us and that she's always watching over me. I still get caught thinking about her on her birthday, on my parent's anniversary, whenever I wish I could say something.. Like good news with the band, I think of her. I ALWAYS miss my mom, and her passing away killed me inside for a long time, but then, you moved here and you showed up and it seemed like music wasn't the only thing keeping me alive anymore." He smirked a little and looked over at me, who was now watching his face with full sorrow and interest.

"Austin I-" I felt myself get stuck on my own tears that were falling down my cheeks, and I really didn't know what to say. Anyone that's ever passed away in my family I either didn't know or it was when I was super young. I can only imagine how he feels right now, especially sharing all this with me.

He shook his head and was still smirking, but he let his hand fall from the swing and touch my arm, pulling me over to him comfortingly and I could hear his own crying next to me, trying to stay hushed. I sniffled, "how is it you're the one comforting me when I should be comforting you?" I wiped my tears away neatly and shook my stupid head at myself.

Austin leaned into my ear, "because I want to." He nudged me with his nose on my temple and caused me to give a weak smile in return.

He sat up straighter in the swing and we rocked there for awhile, watching the other party goers do belly flops and other stupid drunken acts around the pool as we seemed to wallow in our own thoughts. Well, if I'm being logical, I was probably the other one wallowing.. But it made me feel better to think he might be too.

((Kind of a short chapter, yeahhh, but it was just a little something that need to be done, as always, I have a reason for everything.:P Comment, Vote, Follow, Read on, & Add to your library!<3))