Chapter Thirty-Four

We continue to cloud spot for a little while longer, this was something I didn't expect that Austin would be enjoying. At first, I know he didn't really think much of it, but now he was eagerly pointing at the different clouds. His guesses are much weirder than mine, apparently, he kept seeing a troll for some unknown reason. 'I knew once you started getting into it, you'd start enjoying yourself" I say looking over at Austin who was still laying beside me, he nods his head laughing turning to look at me too. 'I didn't think this would be something I would be enjoying either, but lately it's become clear that any activity involving you, I always enjoy myself" he says looking at my face where I just smile, but the conversation we had last night popped back into my mind. 'What did you want me to do with the information you told me last night, I'm so happy with Roman and can't picture myself with anyone that isn't him" I say just being open with him, I didn't want to lead him on in any way shape or form. 'The thing is, I can't picture myself without anyone else who isn't you" he tells me with a serious face, this does cause me to sigh where I sit up shaking my head. 'Austin, I can't keep playing this game you want me to play" I sigh wiping away all the bits of grass that were on my bare legs, I'm glad Austin let me lay on his jacket, so I didn't get grass stains on my white dress. 'I'm not trying to play any games, this is how I truly feel and have felt since I first laid eyes on you that day you walked beside me in school" he says also sitting up beside me, there he goes again telling me he's felt like that since school yet, I didn't have a clue until now! 'If what you're saying is true and you've always had feelings for me since then, why didn't you tell me?" I ask crossing my arms over my chest, of course I would know if someone I'm around all the time had a crush on me, I'm not that oblivious! 'Like I told you yesterday, I wanted to more than anything but Roman knew the way I felt but once he saw you, he got into my face and told me you were his and I had to back off" he tells me which was a complete and utter surprise to me, I had no idea that Roman knew about the feelings Austin had towards me or, that he told Austin he needed to back off. 'When you two started dating, Roman asked me if I still had feelings for you. I didn't want to make things awkward or fall out with Roman, so I told him no and how I had my sights set on some other girl, which was a lie" he goes onto explain while I just stare off into the sky, these last few months have been a lot to process on its own with Markus, but now to hear that Austin has always had those feelings and Roman knew about it! 'If you did find out I had feelings for you, who would you have chosen?" he asks taking a hold of my hand again, his question taking me off guard. Before any of this happened, I would have been able to answer his question in a second without having to think about it for a single second. But after everything that has happened with Markus and how close Austin and I have got, I don't know what feelings I'm starting to feel. Yes, I love Roman to death and wouldn't trade what we have for a single second, but Austin constantly going on about the way he feels is making my own mind go a hundred miles an hour. What if I did know they both liked me, would I have chosen Roman after all? We always say that we were meant to find each other and get together, but how do I know if I was meant to find Austin for that very reason? I shake that feeling off and realise I know what I want and that is to be with Roman, Austin and I are strictly friends, nothing more nothing less. 'I can't answer that question now Austin, I don't know how I would have felt back then but I know how I feel now" I tell him with a sigh, I can't help but feel bad for him whilst worrying over the doubtful thoughts I was having myself. 'You just need to get yourself out there, you don't know who you'll find!" I exclaim looking over at him with a smile, but he just replies shaking his head. 'I've tried, but no one is like you Payton, you don't understand I want you and only you" he tells me coming up close to my face as he went, our faces were so close that I felt his breath fanning my face. 'The only person I want is you, I'll only ever want you" he whispers while my eyes don't leave his, I was so lost in the moment that I didn't understand what was happening. Before anything bad could happen, my phone begins to ring in my purse beside me, this successfully snapping me out of the trance I was in. I clear my throat and move away to grab my phone, as I pull it out, I discover Jacob's name lighting up the screen. This makes a little feeling of panic take over my senses, what does he want to talk about?! I can't talk about anything like that right next to Austin! But I knew if I hesitate to answer it, Austin will question me, and I can't have him question me. I send a smile over to Austin before holding he phone to my ear, hoping Jacob wouldn't ask me something I couldn't answer. 'Hello, before we start is Austin anywhere close to you?" Jacobs asks to my delight I wouldn't have had a clue how to have a conversation with him whilst not giving anything away to Austin. 'Yeah" I say looking over at Austin with a smile, he sends me a big one back before laying down flat to look at the sky whilst I talk on the phone. 'It's okay, I just need to talk to you about something but just try and keep the conversation sounding like you're talking to a friend. But let's be honest, after our mission impossible stunts us two are the best of friends" Jacob jokes which does make me laugh, the advantage to this it would make Austin believe I was talking to a friend. 'When was the last time you saw your friend Broke, the one you work at the restaurant with?" he asks which did confuse me for a second, what would Brooke have to do with anything that is going on right now? 'It would have been the last time we had a shift together, which would have been Thursday" I reply thinking back but then it hits me, the last time I saw Brooke was the day Markus came to the restaurant and Brooke openly told me how she doesn't like the look of him, which I know he heard! 'Your boss rang the police yesterday worried as Brooke never turned up to work three days running, he said if anyone would know where she is, it would be Payton" Jacob tells me which just makes the worry creep in, since Brooke has been working at the restaurant, she has never missed a day of work let alone, not tell anyone that she wouldn't be in. 'As you're apart of our little team, it was my job to ask" he explains while I just sigh not enjoying the uneasy feeling that was running through my body. 'I haven't seen or heard anything from Brooke since Thursday and now that I'm thinking about it, that's strange" I say which does get Austin's attention, he sits up sending me a confused look as he went. 'Do you want me to go around her house to check if she's okay?" I ask fully prepared to tell Austin we need to leave to check with Brooke. 'No, you better not, as you are working with us to get Markus, we don't want people to get suspicious. I wouldn't worry too much Payton, Brooke will be fine, and I'll be sure to keep you posted on what happens" Jacob says trying to make me feel better, I sigh once again thanking him before hanging up the phone, where Austin was still sending me a worried look. 'What was that about?" He asks as I place my phone back in my purse, since working with Jacob, I've learnt to keep my phone out of view from people. 'It was a friend from work, he rang to ask if I'd seen Brooke as the police asked him and he hadn't, so he told them he'd ask me, but I haven't" I say which wasn't a total lie, I was asked if I had seen Brooke and it was a police officer who asked me. 'Your friend Brooke will be fine, she's probably out on some kind of bender and will show her face in a few days" he smiles trying to make me feel better, this does make a laugh escape my lips at the thought of Brooke doing something like that, she is not the type of person to do anything like that. I slowly start to feel a little rain drop fall on me, which tells me it's probably time we head home. Austin smiles holding his hands down for me to take, I smile allowing him to pull me up and lead me in the direction of the car. Where we were about to receive a huge surprise!