#8: 12:51

An Austin Moon and Ally Dawson song-shot

~ ~ ~

Even before they were present in the store, both Trish and Dez heard two arguing people. The two friends looked at each other and they know exactly who those two arguing people are.

“Austin and Ally.” Trish and Dez muttered in unison.

Soon enough, the overnight Internet sensation and his shy songwriter came walking inside Sonic Boom, their argument still in their tight grasps.

“I told you Austin, what’s the point of chasing her when the girl said so herself, she doesn’t see you the way you see her!” Ally said, finally stopping by the counter and faced Austin.

“So? Ally, I can make her fall for me!” Austin argued.

“Austin, no! You don’t understand. What if you got hurt like I was with Dallas?” Ally asked.

“Don’t…compare Dallas with Cassidy! She’s different. She’s the coolest and most awesome girl I’ve ever met!” Austin responded.

“What? I thought I was—”

“Wait, wait, wait; are you jealous, Ally?” Austin asked.




“No, why would I?” Ally answered.

“Then stop meddling with me and Cassidy! I can date whomever I want. Besides, why are you acting that way? It’s not like you’re my girlfriend.” Austin snapped quite a bit harsh and bitter.

Ally froze. Austin’s right. Who was she to Austin? She’s just someone he met because of him drumming with corndogs; because he accidentally walked inside Ally’s practice room asking for a discount on the harmonica; because he unintentionally heard Ally’s song and used it and he became an overnight Internet sensation. It’s not like she’s his girlfriend. Why was she acting like a jealous girlfriend anyway?

She felt tears pooling in her eyes already. Ally turned to her heels and brushed past Trish and Dez, who were still awestruck by the outcome of the two’s argument.

With a loud bang, caused by Ally shutting the door hard, did Austin realize what he did, what he said and his mistake. He broke Ally’s heart, days after Dallas did; and days after promising he wouldn’t.

~ ~ ~

After shutting the door harshly, she went to her piano and opened her songbook. But before that, she turned to her diary section first.

“Stupid Austin,” she said as she wrote down the exact same words on the paper. “You…you crazy, wonderful (but also sometimes weird – but still very lovely) person. I hate you; I hate you; I hate you! I hate you for drumming the drums with corn dogs. I hate you for stealing my song. I hate you for being the sweetest guy I’ve ever met and most of all, I hate you for making me fall in love with you without you even knowing it!”

She then turned back to her song section and started writing the lyrics that she currently have in mind.

~ ~ ~

“I messed up right?” Austin asked Trish and Dez worriedly.

“Big time.” Trish replied.

Austin slapped his forehead with the back of his hand and glanced up at the practice room’s door. He gave his two friends one last gaze and hurried up the stairs and through the door. He was about to knock when he heard mumbling and then suddenly, the sound of a piano playing. The melody was unfamiliar to Austin, thinking that Ally’s working on a new song.

Scrolling through my cellphone for the twentieth time today
Reading that text you sent me again
Though I memorized it anyway

It was an afternoon in December
When it reminded you of the day
When we bumped into each other
But you didn't say hi cause I looked away

Ally stopped playing and singing. Austin thought she haven’t written any chorus since she stopped singing but proved himself wrong when Ally stood up and spoke: “Is anybody out there?”

Austin quickly hid before Ally could spot him.

Ally poked her head out the door and shrugged when she saw no one. Austin sighed in relief and gazed down at his other friends who were anxiously waiting for him. He shrugged at them and walked down the steps. Trish and Dez met him at the foot of the stairs.

“I can’t do it…at least not today. She was so upset that she, surprisingly, wrote a heartbreak song.” Austin announced.

“Maybe all she needs for now is space.” Trish suggested.

Austin shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Let’s try again tomorrow. Come on, it’s already getting dark.” Dez said.

Austin sighed and glanced one more time upstairs before bidding farewell to Trish and followed Dez out the door.

~ ~ ~

That night, after hours of tossing and turning, sleep hasn’t come to visit Ally yet. She sat straight in her bed. She doesn’t know why she can’t seem to sleep. She was sure that once the clock ticked to ten, she’d be in bed unless she and Austin are having an overnight writing session. Maybe it was because she accidentally took a nap that afternoon or maybe it’s because she can’t seem to take Austin out of her mind and how much pain his words caused her.

She glanced at her clock, which was placed by her bedside table.

12:51 am.

Ally took out her songbook and turned to the page where she left her pencil in. she didn’t know why but lyrics suddenly came to her naturally like a story that you kept on writing and writing and just like that, you have created a plot.

An hour later, Ally finished the song. She’d never written any song in just one day all by herself. Sure, she’d already written a song in just 24 hours but it’s because she has help from Austin.

Austin.

Here we go again, Ally thought.

She placed her book under her pillow and forced herself to sleep, avoiding any incoming thoughts of Austin Moon.

~ ~ ~

The next morning, Ally was in the practice room putting melodies in her newly written 24-hour song. As soon as she finished with the last note, she smiled triumphantly to herself, though her smile slowly faded as soon as she remembered whom the song is written for. Her inspiration, her “goose”: Austin Moon.

He was the reason why her very first heartbreak song was successful.

“Can you do another run one more time?” a voice asked.

Ally quickly turned around and saw Trish standing by the doorframe. She nodded at her friend and started playing the piano.

~ ~ ~

As soon as Ally started pressing the keys, Trish gestured for Austin, who was patiently waiting, to come. Austin walked inside the room without Ally noticing. He quietly sat down on the beanbag and listened to Ally.

Scrolling through my cellphone for the twentieth time today

Reading that text you sent me again

Though I memorized it anyway

It was an afternoon in December

When it reminded you of the day

When we bumped into each other

But you didn't say hi cause I looked away

And maybe that was the biggest mistake of my life

And maybe I haven't moved on since that night

Cause it's twelve fifty-one

And I thought my feelings were gone

But I'm lying on my bed

Thinking of you again

And the moon shines so bright

But I gotta dry these tears tonight

Cause you're moving on and I'm not that strong to hold on

Any longer

Oh oh oh oh

Then the second verse seemed to hit Austin right on the face, but he shrugged it off thinking the song was aimed to Dallas.

Then I saw you with her
Didn't think you'd find another
And my world just seemed to crash
Shouldn't have thought that this would last

And maybe that was the biggest mistake of my life
And maybe I haven't moved on since that night

Cause it's twelve fifty-one
And I thought my feelings were gone
But I'm lying on my bed
Thinking of you again
And the moon shines so bright
But I gotta dry these tears tonight
Cause you're moving on and I'm not that strong to hold on
Any longer

As the sky outside gets brighter
And my eyes begin to tire
I'm slowly drowning in memories of him
And I know it shouldn't matter
As my heart begins to shatter
I'm left to wonder just how it should have been
Yeah

Twelve fifty-one
And I thought my feelings were gone
But I'm lying on my bed
I'm not thinking of you again
And the moon shines so bright
But I gotta dry these tears tonight
Cause you're moving on and I'm not that strong to hold on

Cause I'll prove you wrong that I can move on through this song
So much stronger

Oh oh oh oh

As Ally finished the song, she heard someone clapping. Thinking it was Trish, she smiled though when she turned around, she saw someone else…and Trish was nowhere to be found.

“Austin?” Ally called.

“That’s the most beautiful song I’ve ever heard.” Austin said. “In fact, it was more beautiful that my songs.”

“What are you doing here?” Ally asked.

Austin shrugged. “I’m listening to your new song – 12:51. Is that written for Dallas?”

Ally’s eyes went wide. She shook her head as she gathered her things. “No, it’s-it’s written for someone else.” She answered as she quickly retreated out of the room, leaving a puzzled Austin behind, wondering whom the song was aimed for.