Harder Than You Know (Austin Mahone and Alex Constancio)

Chapter Seven

Erin P.O.V.

La la la. 

It was really dark for what seemed like forever. Did I die? No, because the first thing I realized when I came to, was the pain. My nose throbbed, my head pounded. I touched my hand to my forehead, squeezing my eyes closed tightly, trying to will the pain away. 

"I wouldn't do that." Alycin's voice said. I snapped my eyes open. She was sitting in my chair across the room. She had a pocket knife and was busy chopping the hair off my old barbie dolls at uneven lengths. 

"What are you doing?" 

"Fixing them." 

"Stop! Those are collectibles!" 

"Collectible barbies? Please. Oops." She slit my barbie's throat, the plastic slicing easily under the shape blade. "Oh well." She tossed it on the floor and picked up another one, hacking it's hair off.

"You're a bitch." 

"Not as big as you." 

"Are you crazy?!?"

She looked thoughtful. "Maybe a little. I think that it might just be my personality, because I'm only like this when people I care about are being threatened." 

"I didn't threaten anyone." 

"Bullspit." 

"Ouch." my head was killing me. I touched my nose. 

"It's broken. I wouldn't do that."

"Broken? With one punch?"

She shrugged, slicing the barbie's throat and head. "You're more fragile than my old pet turtle." 

"What happened to that?"

"I threw it at a wall." 

"Why?" 

"My brother told me it would fly." Her smirk was gone, and I noticed that she at leats seemed a little upset. Then, that expression flashed away and a stone wall of nothing came across her face.

"Brother?"

"Ahh, never mind." She clicked the pocketknife closed and shoved it into her pocket, looking at my dolls scattered all over the floor. "Now, down to business."

"There is no business."

"I heard all about what you tried to make Austin do. You threatened him and Natalie, just so he would peck you on the lips. You need to learn where you belong in this world, and it's not anywhere near us. Especially when I'm around, you little wannabe.

"If I see you anywhere near Natalie, Austin, or Alex, or HEAR about you being with them, you'll look worse than this barbie doll. I promise," She tossed a mangled barbie onto my stomach, turning to walk out the door. She stopped at the threshold. "Oh, and I keep my promises." 

She left, leaving me in pain with my favorite doll, Molly, sitting on my stomach.

~Alycin P.O.V.~

Before you ask anything, I got the address from Austin the night that Erin came to kiss him. We had agreed not to tell anyone, keep it to ourselves until need be.

Now that that whole project was over, I walked back to Austin's house. Ariel and Austin were sleeping to an old episode of Grey's Anatomy. How sweet. I hated that show. I walked into my room and saw Alex sitting cross legged on my bed, shirtless, with a bowl of popcorn and a movie case next to him. He picked up the bowl and pushed the movie case off my bed. 

"How 'bout a date?" He asked, getting off the bed and giving me a hug. He was so warm. And cute- no, HOT. 

"I don't want to date you, Alex." I lied. "I'm not interested."

He huffed. "Alyce, please give me a chance." I involuntarily jumped when he called me Alyce. No one did anymore. My aunt did until she died, and Mom did until she and I started fighting. "Please, I really, really, care about you, and we're both single, and even with the long distance, this can work. I know it can. I just-"

I held up a finger and cut him off. "Alex," How could I say this without hurting his feelings and lying? "I can't." There, easy enough. Maybe he'd just-

"Please?" He begged. I finally gave in, saying that I'd watch one movie with him. 

About half way through a gushy romance movie, I threw a piece of popcorn at Alex. He threw one at me, then, next thing I knew, we were having a popcorn fight. 

"Alex!" I shrieked, giggling. 

"Alycin!" He yelled back, tackling me and landing half on top of me. He smiled at me. "You have popcorn in your hair." He pulled out three different pieces.

"Oh, jeez." I covered my face with my hands. 

"Don't cover your pretty face!" He said, tickling my stomach. I punched him. 

"Stop! I hate being tickled!" I shouted through giggles. Someone knocked on the door. "Ya?" I called, and Alex stopped tickling me. 

"Dude," Natalie slammed my door open. "Shut the fuck up." 

"Someone's grumpy." Alex said, getting off of me. 

"I can hear you screaming in my sleep." She shook her head. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you guys were doing stuff you shouldn't."

I stood up next to Alex, knowing that there was a lot of offense on my face. "Never." I said. 

"Just shut up, okay?" 

"Fine, Sarah. I'm sorry." I laughed at that. Natalie wasn't too fond of Sarah, her step mom. 

"Excuse me?" Natalie demanded. 

"Goodnight, Yogi bear." I replied in my baby-talk voice. She looked like she was about to hit me, but she slammed the door closed instead. 

"What crawled up her ass?" Alex asked, jumping back on my bed, pushing the popcorn off of it. 

"She likes her sleep." I answered, looking around the room. 

"We should clean up." Alex said. 

"Yeah, we should. But I don't want to." I sighed. 

He smirked. "Well, we could wait until tomorrow, if you're tired enough."

I shook my head and sighed, "Come on, let's clean up."

~Natalie P.O.V.~

Ugh, I hate morning breath. Almost more than hot dogs. I rolled over, right onto a finely toned stomach. Austin. How yummy was this? Every morning, I could wake up to his stomach, his smile, and I'd be the happiest person in the world.

"Good morning, baby." Austin whispered into my tangled, matted hair. 

"Morning, sweet heart." I smiled into his chest. "Ugh, I hate morning breath." 

"Don't worry, babe. Yours isn't that bad." I laughed and opened my eyes. He was so GORGEOUS! "Breakfast?" He asked. 

"Sounds amazing." 

"Let's go wake up Alex and Alycin." I laughed, remembering the conversation from last night. I had been a first-class bitch. "What's so funny?" He smiled. A million dollar smile that made me melt.

"Nothing. Nothing at all." I grinned and kissed his cheek. "Why don't you go wake them up and I'll brush my teeth and such?"

"Okay, then." He rolled out of bed and went to wake up our friends and I decided to get dressed.