Chapter 147

" But Reign wouldn't lie about something like this, " I said more to myself. Wondering exactly what the truth was because I felt confused. I believed Austin, but I also knew that there's no way Reign would have made up something of that sort just to make Austin look like the bad guy. It was clear that he didn't like Austin but that was too low of a move for someone like him. He was surprisingly strict about integrity. Austin heard my remark and all it did was make him more upset. I suppose to him, it sounded like I was still accusing him of being responsible. He placed his hand on the key and then turned to me. 

" You coming or not? Maybe you want Reign to give you a ride, "

" Don't turn toxic on me, "

" Toxic?" 

He huffed out a breath, and I watched as he attempted to start the bike,so I held his arm and stepped closer. He had no clue how hard it was for me whenever I had to put my own ego aside and apologize. But it was only that way when he was concerned. 

" I'm sorry, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions without consulting you first. " 

He looked at me like he was trying to understand something. I watched as he processed my words, linking them to my reaction just a few seconds ago, and it clearly didn't add up to him.

" So now you believe me? So suddenly? Cause you definitely thought I was guilty when your friend was here. "

" What was I supposed to think? Do you not know yourself? "

" What does that even mean?"

" Let's be honest here, you are more than capable of having done that. "

" But I didn't!"

" And I believe you! ..." I took in a deep breath and then let it out. There was no reason for me to get worked up, it wouldn't help us. Austin was already pissed off and if I talked to him in a stressed out manner he was just going to dump all his anger on me and ride off. But I could be able to put myself in his shoes and understand where his anger was coming from. He already didn't like Reign, so the accusations must have upset him more than normal. And if he had been responsible for the texts then I bet I would have caught up on it. 

" I messed up, " 

He looked away from me and insisted on keeping it that way, even when I held his hand and tried to make him face me again. 

" Forgive me?"

I deserved forgiveness. For everything I had already endured in the little time we had been dating, the least he could do was overlook that unintentional flaw on my part. And I was not at all siding with Reign and his controlling theory about Austin and I, but the plain truth was that I was more scared of losing him than anything else. It was one of the reasons why I had been so reluctant to take him back when he had first moved. Because I knew how it felt like to constantly think about someone and want to be with them to the extent where everything else ultimately came second. 

" Don't be mad, " He still refused to look at me, so I just walked around his bike and over to the direction he was facing, and when he attempted to look away again I cradled his face in both my hands and made him stay still. Then I kissed his forehead and tried to analyse his expression, and I could see that despite him trying to keep a straight face, he was softening up. There was a middle aged guy walking not that far away from us, and he skeptically stared at us, to the point where he almost tripped and fell. It was clear he wasn't okay with whatever he was looking at, so I placed a soft kiss on Austin's lips and confirmed to make sure the man had seen. He had. He shook his head and immediately looked away, and I felt surprisingly satisfied.

" If you're really gonna make someone feel uncomfortable then you should do it right, " Austin finally said. Then he wrapped his arm around me and pulled me impossibly closer before locking my leg with his, ensuring that I wouldn't be able to step away if I wanted to unless he let go. 

" I swear I didn't send those texts. "

" Yeah I know, I can judge by your reaction. Sorry I attacked you like that. "

" But now you see what I was telling you right? He's interested in you and this proves it!"

I pursed my lips and looked away for a second, because although I believed Austin, I also trusted Reign. Which left the big question, who exactly had left those texts? My name had been mentioned a few times in them so it was clear I was the one being referenced to. Otherwise I would have considered that it was just some deranged fan trying to get Reign's attention. It just didn't make sense. And I was sure that if I told Austin that Reign was definitely not behind it, he wasn't going to take it very well. 

" Can we just forget about that?"

" You asked me to stay away from Chris and I'm doing just that, so wouldn't it be fair if I ask the same about Reign?"

" I don't think you have to worry about that, he's leaving, "

" Stop texting him then. You guys chat every damn day and it's annoying! I've tried to just keep my silence till now but after what he just pulled there's no way I'll be okay with that. "

I wasn't even gonna ask how he knew that. Maybe it was about time I changed my password... again! I couldn't leave my phone with him for five minutes without him being overcome by the need to go through it. 

" I won't text him, but if he texts first I'll have no choice but to reply. Texting rules, remember?" 

" I made that up, and just ignore him. Why would you wanna talk to him if his intentions are clearly not good?"

Reign was the bad guy in Austin's eyes and trying to convince him otherwise would be pointless, so I just shrugged and said okay. I'd just figure something out later on because what he was asking of me was impossible. If I felt like talking to Reign then I didn't see why I shouldn't text him. And even though he was famous, he had told me he didn't actually have anyone that he could open up to the way he did with me. Not even his band mates, I wasn't going to cut him off because Austin wanted me to. 

" Thanks for trusting me, " he said while smiling. It was a sincere and almost boyish smile. Innocent in its own way, a sign of how happy and relieved he actually was. 

" If I ever mess up then you can be sure I'll admit it to you. "

Instead of saying anything I just nodded and hugged him tight. I'd have loved to put it all behind us but it was still bothering me. None of it made sense, what reason would anyone have to send Reign those texts? Only Austin cared that much and since he was out of the equation then it had to be someone else... but no one even knew I was hanging out with Reign! We were always cautious, and he always showed up wearing some sort of disguise, not sure whether a hoody and sunglasses counted as a disguise but the bottom point was that no one knew it was him. Just thinking about it gave me a headache, but holding onto Austin helped me to calm down mentally.

" I really love you Stevens. Though I sometimes get out of control and do things that make you wanna give up on me, please don't. "

I looked up at the sky and gently buried my fingers in his hair. I hated that he thought I'd be capable of giving up on him. After everything we had already been through. But he was opening up, and for him to act vulnerable around me was a clear sign that he was positively affected. 

" I'm not being paranoid, he's trying to take you away from me. "

" I'm not going anywhere, don't stress over it. "

" It's been so long since I felt this angry, no offense but a part of me wishes he'd come back so I could beat him up. "

" And I love you, but get into one more fight and I'm going to really get mad. "

" As long as you don't walk away. "

I combed my fingers through his hair while rubbing my other hand up and down his back. That wasn't controlling at all! Although somehow Reign had managed to stick that word in my head. And because of him my brain now told me that there had to be a limit, that there had to be a point where he'd do something and I'd decide it was the last straw. 

But I was gonna keep him in line and make sure such a thing never happened, for both of our sakes.