Fifth Destiny // Ever After High as Fifth Harmony Fanfiction

Chapter Twenty-Four: But I Lied

{Chapter 24 POV: Holly O'Hair}

"And, Holly, your feelings toward Austin here are?"

I was giving it lots of thought. Days, weeks, maybe a month of thinking.

That's too long to be fearful. Too long staying secured behind closed doors and minimally going out in public just to avoid a friend. I didn't think I could go on too long pretending I was okay by myself, holding it all together (but not well) in front of everyone else, in front of the cameras, in front of the media.

For the sake of everyone's careers, I should pretend I don't have feelings.

Somehow, I did.

"Holly?"

My feelings toward Austin are...

I was overreacting, and I know I was. Austin was just a friend and that's all I feel.

I should just say that.

My mouth opened, and I heard the words echo in my head, but my lips would not form the words.

He was looking at me. He was smiling. They all were. A smile from Shawn, a sure, supportive smile. A smile from the therapist, an encouraging, urging smile. A smile from Kitty, an ever-present, dramatic smile. A smile from each of my girls and their guys, sympathetic, pitying smiles. A smile from Austin, a persuasive, secretive smile. Somewhere, the biggest names in making Fifth Destiny happen were watching this or would be soon, and they would be smiling, nervous and excited smiles.

Blake did not smile. He frowned, looking so concerned when the therapist asked this I thought I might bust into tears. There was something about how his hazel eyes melt right into me. I felt like a scoop of ice cream, sitting out, dissolving from the warmth he gave me. I was cold to the touch and warming by the second, but on the inside I was a surprising confection turning to mush.

Everything about Austin was sugar-coated into a pretty package paired with a good voice and some decent dance moves. Blake appeared rugged but felt like all heart, through and through, genuine and real.

Before I knew the words were leaving me, I said "Austin is Blake's friend."

Was that all he'd ever been? Had I ever been able to claim his friendship as my own, and not just an extension of someone else's?

This was not the answer, or one of the answers, the therapist was expecting, if it could even be considered an answer. A concentrated crease formed on her forehead, between her eyebrows. "I'm told you've been avoiding him. Why is that?"

I swallowed. My eyes fluttered to a couple others, but they always settled back on Blake. And he would be watching me. Something about him made me feel safe. Something about his presence made me feel like I was under some kind of truth serum. No matter how harsh the truth, with him there I could not feel threatened. I blinked my long lashes at him, as if I expected the answer to appear written on his face. My eyes remained there for a minute before I drew up some confidence in my words and faced the therapist again.

"Austin told me that he had feelings for me, and I was scared by that." I gulped, contemplated saying more. "I do have a right to feel scared by that."

Austin's expression physically did not change. Before he'd looked sincerely bored, but now I could feel his eyes piercing like daggers in the side of my skull, his grin becoming maniacal with anger.