User blog:Ellejane/Arrangement: Chapter 4 (Finale)

A/N: '''OH MY GOSH I cannot thank you guys enough!!!! I honestly, honestly thought that round 3 would be my last. So thank you, thank you, thank you. You guys make me cry. So, without further ado, here's the final chapter of Arrangement! ^-^'''

+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

Arrangement

+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

Previously:

She wasn't, however, wondering how his lips would feel on hers, on whether they would still feel and taste the same. Nor was she thinking that some part of her, a tiny, tiny little part of her, wanted this engagement to happen, right now, even if they were too young. Nope, not thinking about that at all.

"Excuse us," Austin said.

And with that, they rushed out the restaurant, Austin still holding Ally's hand.

+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

Chapter 4: Finale

They stopped walking when they reached what seemed to be a very large garden at the back of the restaurant, complete with lights, arches, and benches. There were also a few people here and there, mostly couples, that were lazing about or strolling the grounds.

The place where they stopped was a place where most people wouldn't notice them unless they looked hard enough. It was at the very side of the building, a bit dark, but there was enough light for them not to trip and to be able to look at the other's face. They were silent for a few minutes, not really knowing what to say. Austin was still holding Ally's hand.

"So..." Ally trailed off.

"So...what?" Austin asked.

And Ally burst.

"What are we going to do now? I mean, what the heck is even up with this whole 'arranged marriage' thing? This isn't like my dad at all! Nor like your mom and dad! Is it? I mean, what were they thinking?" Ally babbled. She let go of Austin's hand (not that she didn't like her hand in his, mind you) and started chewing on her hair again.

"Yeah! I mean, just a few hours ago, I was asking for your help to court Kirra, and now we're supposedly 'engaged'!" Austin said, taking Ally's hair out of her mouth and holding her hand again so that she would stop chewing on her hair.

They were in silence again for a few minutes until Ally broke it.

"So...what do we do now?" She asked Austin, her brown eyes locking into his, and for a second Austin thought he couldn't breathe.

"I-I don't know. And why are you asking me? You're the smart one!" Austin said, shrugging after regaining his breath.

Ally looked away and instead stared into the sky. What should they do?

"Maybe..." Ally looked at Austin when he spoke. He looked a bit hesitant and unsure. He exhaled loudly. "Maybe we should try it," Austin finished.

Ally couldn't believe her ears for a moment. Did she just hear him say...?

"It...?" She asked, looking for a confirmation.

"The engagement," Austin confirmed, looking directly into her eyes, his own not showing a single doubt. And she couldn't believe her ears.

"Y-y-you...you want to go through with this-this...arrangement?" Ally asked, shocked. He was agreeing to this whole thing? Austin Moon, famous pop star, was agreeing to get engaged--and even married--at seventeen?! He may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but even he wouldn't make a life-altering decision this rash, right?

And while there may be a small percentage of Ally's brain that agreed with him, most of her brain was still shocked and overwhelmed with everything that has happened.

"Well, what else do you plan to do?" Austin asked her.

"But we're just seventeen!" Ally exclaimed, trying to be the voice of reason.

"Well, we can tell our parents that we can't get married right away, but we can be engaged," Austin shrugged. "It'll be sort of like a trial period. And when we do think we're old enough, we can get married for real."

Ally just had a look of disbelief on her face at how nonchalant Austin was acting towards a decision that could change both of their lives! And so Ally pulled out a trump card.

"But Austin, I thought you were going after Kirra?" Ally asked. That had been one of the biggest questions inside her head. After all, a few hours ago, Austin just asked Ally's help in courting her! And now, here he was, seemingly set on being engaged to her. And while that thought made her smile, it also confused her greatly.

It kind of hurt a bit, too, if she thought about it as him agreeing to be her fiancee just because their parents kind of forced them to; while he was going to court Kirra because he wanted to and no one told him to do so. But, of course, she tried to not think about that right now.

Austin simply sighed, tilting his head up to look at the sky. He seemed to be thinking of something. They were silent for a while, Ally still looking at Austin, waiting for his answer to her question. After what seemed like an eternity, but only really a few minutes, Austin squeezed Ally's hand and turned to face her. He opened up his mouth, ready to say something, but he was stopped when they heard loud voices--very familiar loud voices--and sounds of running coming from their right side.

"Hurry up! We're going to be late!" yelled a voice that sounded like a man's.

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Geez!" replied a female voice. "I don't want to miss the start of the movie!"

"Then why the heck did we eat at a restaurant that's far from the theater?! And what are we going to watch, anyway?!" the female sounded irritated.

"We're going to be watching She's Dating the Gangster, a movie about a couple who started out as fake lovers because they wanted to make the guy's ex-girlfriend jealous, but then they start falling for each other instead! Now, their love is tested by time and other obstacles, including a deadly illness. I heard it's a story that will make you laugh, cry, and move your heart!" the man said, a tinge of excitement in his voice.

There was silence afterward, and the couple stopped running, too.

"I-I mean..." he sounded sheepish.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, let's go."

"Wait, I think I forgot my tissues!"

"I got them, let's go. Why did I agree to this, anyway?" the woman exclaimed, exasperated.

And then they ran again. Austin and Ally merely gaped in shock, having watched the scene from the corner where they were hidden from the other couple's sight. They couldn't believe their eyes and ears. Never, in their wildest dreams, would they have imagined those two people together, alone, in what sounds like a date.

"No way..." Austin said, not believing what he just saw and heard.

"Was that...?" Ally couldn't even finish her sentence.

"TRISH AND DEZ?!" They both exclaimed at the same time, looking at each other for confirmation. "Nah...can't be..." they both said again at the same time. There was a beat, and then they both laughed.

Ally couldn't help but look at Austin's smiling face. He looked so handsome, especially with the moon shining above him, illuminating his features. She thought back to what seemed like a long time ago, but actually only a few hours ago, to before their parents dropped the whole 'arranged marriage' bombshell on them. She remembered how much she regretted letting him go. She regretted not trying to make them work. It hurts her that they are now just best friends, when they were once--and could be again--so much more than that. She likes--no, she loves him, and she wants to be with him, by his side, as more than just friends. Here was the perfect opportunity, slapping her in the face, and yet she's refusing. She came to a realization then.

She was afraid. That's why she wouldn't agree to this engagement, even though she loves Austin and would do anything to be with him again. She was afraid that even if she agrees to be his fiancee, Austin might still find someone else to love, that he might leave her afterward. She was afraid that if she agreed to this, she would fall too hard, and if he left her, she would be left with nothing. If he left her when they are already engaged, she might not have the strength to get back up again. If this goes wrong, they might not even be best friends again. Or worse, if this goes wrong, and he finds someone else, she might be forced to watch them and be happy for them even though it hurts so much inside.

She was just too enveloped in her own fears, she didn't even realize it. She was still having her doubts about the whole 'arranged marriage' thing, but here was the man she loves, ready to take that step. They are too young for marriage, but they can still get engaged, right? They could probably bargain with their parents on that. And maybe, just maybe, she could even get him to fall in love with her, or at least like her again, during the time that they're together. It's time to shed all fear, and finally take a risk, a risk that would make her happy. So, she made her decision.

Once they were done laughing, they were once again silent. It was then that Ally breathed in deeply, about to say her decision, when Austin beat her to it.

"I-I lied," Austin said, squeezing her hand (which she forgot was still entwined with his).

"Lied...? About what?" Ally asked, confused.

Austin met her eyes for a moment, then looked away. He let go of her hand and ran it through his hair nervously. He tilted his head up to look at the sky again. He breathed in deeply and let it out slowly, as if trying to calm himself. After a while, he spoke again.

"I lied...when I said I like Kirra again," he said, still not looking at her. Ally's hope swelled, and her eyes widened.

"W-what?" Ally asked, feeling breathless.

"I don't like Kirra. How can I?" Austin said.

It was then that Austin turned and looked at her. His intense eyes bore into hers. She felt butterflies in her stomach. Her breath hitched in excitement.

"How can I like her again, when...I'm in love with you?" Austin said in a low voice.

It was almost a whisper, but she heard it loud and clear. He loves her? Ally's eyes widened into saucers. Her heart hammered in her chest. It sounded so loud to her, she was sure he could hear it.

"That was what I was supposed to say to you earlier, when we were walking home after the movie. That I still love you, and that I was wondering if we could give us," he pointed to her and to himself, "another shot. But, I was nervous and afraid, so I wound up saying the wrong thing. I mean, what if you say no? I-I don't want to ruin our friendship, but I just couldn't take it anymore. Every time you're near, my heart feels like it's going to burst. Every time I see you, I want to hug you. Every time you laugh, I feel like hiding you from the world because I want your laugh all to myself. And when I see you smile, I just want to pull you close and kiss you senseless. I don't know how long I've felt like this. I just know that I...I love you, Ally," he said.

Austin's eyes were locked on hers. He started leaning in to her. His eyes went down to her lips for a moment before returning to stare at her eyes. His gaze was so intense, she felt like she was burning. And then, his lips were on hers. His lips were soft and his kiss was addicting. She found herself kissing him back. When Austin felt Ally's lips moving against his, he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, as if he couldn't get enough of her. Ally put her hands around Austin's neck, trying to be as close to him as possible.

After they don't know how long, they finally pulled away, both out of breath. They didn't relinquish their hold on each other, though. Ally's eyes began to water, and it wasn't because they were still staring at each other. She was happy.

Austin then looked confused, wondering why she was crying. They held a bit of fear, too, afraid that he might have caused it or that she might reject him now. But, she kissed back, right? He opened his mouth to say something, anything, before he got into a panic, but Ally spoke first.

"I love you, too, Austin. So, so much," Ally said, trying to hold back tears. "And I'm crying because I'm so, so happy. I love you," Ally said. She couldn't hold back the tears anymore and they flowed freely, but she was smiling. Austin smiled, too. A smile so bright, he could have lit up the entire city.

As they leaned in for another kiss, Austin whispered to her, "Will you be my fiancee?"

"Yes!" she replied, whispering, too.

And immediately after, they kissed for the second time that night, under the beautiful, starry night sky, the moon glowing above them. It was the perfect way to end the night. Despite a lot of confusion, they were happy and with the person they love; each other.

+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

Unbeknownst to the happy couple, a little ways beside them, to their left, was a door. They didn't see it, though, because it was dark on that side and the color of said door blended in with that of the wall. It led directly inside the restaurant. The door was slightly parted, and behind it were three adults, two male and one female, eavesdropping on their little conversation. And yes, they heard every bit of it.

Once they saw the couple kissing for the second time that night, however, they closed it gently and backed away carefully and quietly, trying to make as little noise as possible so as to not alert the couple outside of their presence. When they were at a safe distance far away from the door, they all looked at each other, and let out shouts of joy and success.

"Yes!" yelled one man with blond hair.

"It worked!" yelled the other man short, gray hair.

The female with blonde hair could only squeal.

"It's a good thing we came up with this 'arranged marriage' idea," said the blond man.

"Yup. Or else, those two might not get anywhere," agreed the other man.

The female was still squealing. She was even jumping up and down, even though she was wearing heels and was a bit too old to be doing something like that.

"Mimi, honey, calm down," said the blond man.

"But Mike, I'm just so happy for them!" said Mimi, smiling wide, a smile that was visible on all three faces.

"So, Lester, should we tell them that they're not really engaged?" Mike asked Lester.

"We should...." Lester said.

"But..." Mimi trailed.

"Later," all three of them said at once, laughing.

It was definitely a good night.

+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

Ally sighed as she leaned her head against Austin's shoulder. It was a few minutes before their concert. They were both all dressed and ready, and they were relaxing before they had to go on stage.

"Can you believe it's already been seven years since that whole 'arranged marriage' fiasco?" Ally asked Austin, whose arm was around her shoulders.

"Can you believe it's been seven years since our parents fooled us and almost gave us heart attacks?" Austin asked back, amused. Ally laughed.

"Well, it wasn't the best plan, but it was successful," Ally said, getting up to sit properly and to look at Austin's eyes.

"Mmmhm," was all he said, before leaning in for a kiss.

"Hey, hey! None of that before the concert! You might ruin your make up!" yelled Trish, their manager, from a few ways away to their right. She was next to Dez, her--who would've guessed?--boyfriend.

"And can you believe they've been going out for the same amount of time?" Austin asked, pointing to the couple.

"And they haven't killed each other yet!" Ally exclaimed, feigning shock.

"Hey!" yelled both Dez and Trish at the same time.

"I'll have you know that she came quite close a few times but--" Dez started, only to be cut off by Trish putting her hand over his mouth and giving him a hard glare.

Austin and Ally only laughed.

"Alright, love birds, showtime!" Trish yelled to them.

Austin stood up and offered his right hand to Ally. "Let's go?"

Ally simply nodded and stood up, putting her left hand in his, a platinum gold ring with a medium-sized princess cut diamond on the center surrounded by sapphires on her finger.

"I love you," Austin said to her, staring right into her eyes.

"I love you, too," Ally replied, staring right back.

And that was how they looked when the curtains were raised; hand in hand, love in their eyes, and most importantly, together. For eternity.

END.

+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

'''A/N: And that's the end to Arrangement. I hope you guys liked it. And I think it's safe to say that this has been the longest chapter I have written in my life. I would have submitted this earlier, but my laptop restarted when I was half-way done so it was erased. Thank goodness, though, that I managed to save half of that half (fourth?). Anyway, thanks again to everyone who voted for me and I hope you guys will continue to support me. ^_________^'''

'''PS. I do not own She's Dating the Gangster. It's a real book/movie (a movie which was based on a book) that I really REALLY love. ^-^'''

'''PSS. I'm thinking of writing a special chapter in Austin's point of view. What do you guys think? And remember, comments make me happy! :D'''