Original Love

Episode Ten

Samantha had already seen her three days ago when Elle told her on the phone about her return to Prime East after three years of MIA. 

She was so very happy to see her best friend that day, spending the whole time catching up with the lost years they've missed each other. They'd chatted about so many other things, while discreetly avoiding the topics that could bring Austin up, of course. She was glad to find her in a good and confident condition, in contrast to what she had been worrying about after Elle left Prime East without notice. And most of all, she was even definitely surprised to notice the huge change in her outer appearance.

Elle had already abandoned the blue-rimmed glasses she used to wear before and had also grown her hair longer (since three years was obviously long enough). And now with the additional subtle make-up adjustments and a curvier figure, Emily Kingsley was really prepared to attract everyone in Prime East. She was all set to win the title as the new Queen Bee of Prime East High. 

Yet Samantha, not nearly concerned about the upcoming threat for the Q crown now that Elle is back with a sure vengeance (cause she was very sure she won't get to steal the crown), still gives her full support for her only bestie in the world.

"Stop gawking." Samantha playfully distracts Austin as she looks closer at his pale handsome face stricken with surprise at finally seeing the girl of his dreams after a very long time of missing her. 

He ignores Samantha's remark while subconsciously keeping himself from doing a stupid thing. He wanted to go to Elle, hug her, kiss her, talk to her, and pull her away from this place. He wanted to touch her again, so badly... But he can't do it right now, not in front of so many people staring at her. So he decided to stay there on his seat instead, while he helplessly watches her, from afar, sharing a steady handshake with one of the guests.

"At least, have some restraint. We're here for a plan, remember?" Samantha's voice interrupts him.

"We're here because you had insisted on this," He rolls his eyes at her and watches Elle disappears behind a swarm of guests who are slowly hovering around her and her parents to give them their welcome greetings.

"Oh, stop complaining, Summers. You're only here because you knew she'll be here."

Austin glances down at Samantha's charming blue eyes and pink glossy plump lips then guiltily wished that she was Elle instead. "If not because of your persistence to drag me here, and may I remind you as well, that you blackmailed me and even used my parents' power over me, I would have been at Cody's place enjoying a wild, noisy, crowded party... Unlike this."

"Well, I'm sorry for ruining your plans for the night, Mr. I-have-no-time-for-stupid-things," Samantha sneers, crossing her long slender arms in front of her chest, "At least show a little bit of your gratitude. I'm actually doing you a favor here."

"It's more like me doing you a favor here," Austin counters back while gazing across the hall for Elle. The last thing he really wanted to happen is to end up making a scene with this blonde heiress at a big event like this, where their bigshot parents and several important people are completely present.

"And you're the one who'd come up with this stupid scheme, not me." He adds in a soft but harsh tone.

"Haven't you realized that we're doing this all for your benefit?"

"Oh, right," Austin manages to pull off a bitter smile, "I actually forgot to express to you my overflowing gratitude for prying on my own personal issues that obviously don't need your help. In fact, you really don't have to do this in the first place. I'm actually fine by myself. I'm perfectly capable on my own, Sammie. I'm not a kid." He turns away from her, obviously on edge but trying not to explode, and he swiftly slugs down another shot of champagne just to calm his nerves.

He did not intend to say that out loud to her, not on purpose. But she had been so damn snoopy and irritating, making him lose his patience. She had even made him agree to go on with her sneaky little plan that she said would help him get Elle back, after mistakenly confessing his feelings to her two days ago, which he had ruefully mismanaged to stop when she had insisted to listen. As to why she was eager to help him, Austin does not really know the exact intention beneath, but he was already convinced that he's sick and done of playing stupid games. 

He'd gone tired of mixing his life with all the deceiving, selfish, and alcoholic habits his supposed-to-be friends had dragged him into, leading him to commit so many bad mistakes, and doing the greatest regret he had ever done in his life that had left him ruined and shattered.

What Austin just wanted to do in his life right then was to escape all of it... And to fix things with Elle along the way, by convincing her to give him one last chance. He had decided that it will be his top priority now and there's no certainly stopping him from doing so.

"Oh, shit." He hears Samantha whisper from her seat and was just about to come up with a nasty remark to that language when she suddenly pinches him hard on the shoulder for another yet unknown reason.

"Ouch!" He yelps in surprise, glaring back at her.

"What was that fo--" Samantha's hand instantly slaps his mouth shut before he even managed to end his sentence as she gives him a warning glare.

"Elle's coming here." She whispers cautiously at him and felt Austin freezes at the release of her words. He watches her blue eyes moved to focus on something behind him. Or rather, someone. And as if on cue, he felt the hairs on his nape prickling as he swiftly turns his head around to see Elle smiling at them as she confidently makes her way towards their direction. His first love.

"Elle," Austin says shyly while sounding quite out of breath when Elle finally reached their table. She was slightly distracted by Austin's warm smile that she pauses for a moment to study his face. His smile had been one of the things she loved about him. But now, setting that past aside, Elle simply chose to completely hate everything that reminds her of him.

"Aus," she greets him back, staring down at his deep chocolate brown eyes, looking at her with an impossible gleam of affection. Elle's heart almost softened at the sight but she quickly stopped herself before it even happens. She can't be softening right now. She had worked so hard to prepare for this meeting with him. And there is definitely no other reason for her to weaken any of her defenses against his deceitful charms so she tried to remain rather impassive, with her smile not reaching her green eyes.

Austin fidgets nervously in his seat. He heard the alarm bells ringing inside his head and thinks of the last time he had felt this same kind of awkwardness. It must have been a complete mistake because he suddenly finds himself reminiscing that sad, regretful memory of a rainy afternoon three years ago...

 When he had shouted angrily at Elle, telling her to just go away and leave him alone, which must have been a partial fault of the five long shots of whiskey he had gulped a moment before that and his own stupidity of trusting the lies people had made him into believing. 

Once again, Austin was haunted by her painful words before she left him that day. If that's what you want, Aus. Then, we're over.