Harder Than You Know (Austin Mahone and Alex Constancio)

Chapter Seventeen

Hey, guys, it's been a while, and I'm sorry. I've had a lot going on.  It went from me being perfectly healthy and fine to getting a concussion on the 23 of February. I couldn't even look at a computer for a week unless it was on dim, and even then for only a short period of time. Then my teacher lost an entire marking period of homework I had done and I had to make that all up, and my P.E. teacher was failing me cause I couldn't participate, and then my computer started glitching. And I am so, so, so sorry. But finally, I am back. Hopefully Ariel can take the next chapter like usual. :) Thanks so much for your patience. I really appreciate it. Xoxo

~Alycin P.O.V.~

Natalie just stormed out. She was yelling and slamming things. I hadn't said anything because it reminded me of what my mom used to do. Fortunately, I knew my twin well enough to know she was either going to Frankie's or Rob's. 

 I walked into Austin's room, having heard him walk in after Nats left. 

"What did you do?" I sounded like I was scolding a puppy. 

"That's just it. I have no idea." 

"What happened?" I sat next to him on his bed. Where was Alex? 

"She was asleep, and I left to go get us both sodas from the gas station. I cam walking back up and she spit at me, said she hated me and called me a.... A...."

"A what, Austin?" I asked patiently, seeing the tears forming in his eyes.

"A cheater, Allie. A cheater. Not just a cheater. A filthy cheater. I've never cheated! And she said I was doing it this whole time.... I don't know what she's talking about." 

"She's not smart enough to fool me. I know where she went. But, before storming in there like bats out of hell, we have to figure out what she found out." 

"I wish I had been here, Alycin. I really do. then she wouldn't be mad at me.... Wait,"

I had thought of it the moment he did. "Erin." I said before he could open his mouth. "Austin, who knew about the Erin thing?"

"I told my mom, I thought I could trust her...."

"Your mom wouldn't have told Natalie. Who would she have told that Natalie knows?" 

"Her mom."

I grabbed his phone from the bed side table and dialed Nats's mom's number.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hey, mom."

"Alycin?"

 "Yeah," I rubbed the back of my neck with my free hand. "Do me a favor?" 

"What?"

"Did Natalie call you?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Can you tell me what you told her?"

"We just talked. I talked to her about how Michelle is worried about her. Oh, I told her that she was taking the fact that Austin had kissed Erin really well."

"We never told her about that. That's why she was taking it so well." Seriously? Her own mom dropped the bomb on her like that? No wonder she was so mad. I sighed.

"Why didn't you tell her? Austin kissed another girl."

"She wasn't supposed to know. Mom, I was there. He only kissed Erin because she was threatening Natalie's life if he didn't, so he really had no choice. We decided not to tell her because she's either, A: freak out, or B: break up with him. And she pretty much did both within five minutes."