The City of Angels.

Austin and I ate dinner in the most uncomfortable atmosphere that evening after his phone call with a mysterious lady named Kara. We barely spoke and he was constantly checking his phone. After we finished eating I cleaned up and told him I was going to go home. It was the first time he didn't ask me to sleep over.

As I drove home I had the worst feeling in the pit of my stomach. I knew deep down that whatever it was that I had with Austin was over. He had become so standoffish and disconnected in, what seemed like, the blink of an eye. I recounted every conversation we had before this unlikely turn to try and figure out if I had done or said something differently to cause the void that seemed to be growing and growing, but I was stumped.

As soon as I got back to my apartment I called Kim and Niamh and they both came over to my house and we cracked a bottle (or 3) of wine. I told them what had happened and together we tried to draw a conclusion but were lost. I figured Austin was maybe growing tired of me as he seemed to be excited about meeting this new girl that night.

My heart sank as I thought of him with her. Holding her the way he held me. Playing with her hair the way he would always play with mine. I tried desperately to take my mind off of them but it was useless.

I had persuaded my friends I would be fine staying alone that night and told them they could go home. Deep down I knew I wouldn't be fine, but after an unfavourable amount of wine, I would be sound asleep. I made sure to drink enough in order to keep Austin and his new girl out of my dreams.

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"You're up!" My tattoo artist, Joe said to me the following day as he placed some plastic wrap over Niamh's tattoo.
"Great!" I said, although not feeling great.

The wine had hit me hard with a hang over the next day. Joe placed the stencil on me, got his needle ready and told me to relax. I heard the buzzing of the gun and instantly felt myself calming. As Joe began etching the words into my back I felt more at ease than I had in the last 24 hours.

After about 10 minutes, Joe announced he was done, cleaned the tattoo and told me I could check it out in the mirror.

"I love it Joe, thanks so much!" I said, elated with the outcome.
"Awesome, glad to hear it! So you can take the plastic off after about two hours, give it a clean with some warm soapy water and then clean it with this cream twice to three times a day until it's healed!" He finished as he handed me a long tube of cream.
"We did it, girl!" Niamh said as she high-5ed me.
"Nine years in the making, pal!" I relplied as I slapped my hand against hers.

Niamh and I happily payed for our new additions and then left the tattoo studio to get some lunch.

"Have you heard from Austin today?" Niamh asked me as we sat outside a cafe downtown.
"Nope." I replied simply.
"Awh Fi, I'm sorry!" She said sympathetically.
"Ah look, we never made things official, I can't be mad at him for seeing somebody!" I said back.
"I know but that doesn't stop it from hurting!" Niamh said.
"You're right there!" I said with a small laugh as I moved some salad around my plate with my fork.
"It's so strange seeing you this way! I've never known you to love somebody. Do you think you fell for him?" She questioned me cautiously.
"That's because I've never been in love! I didn't even love Niall! I'm not sure if I was in love with Austin, but I was definitely staring to fall for him." I replied sadly, as it was beginning to hit me how strongly I felt about him.
"Are you going to fight for him?" Niamh then asked.
"Is there any point? You didn't hear how excited he was when he spoke to this girl and then how disappointed he was when he saw me in his kitchen! I don't ever want to feel that way again, Niamh!" I said as tears began to pool in my eyes.
"I understand! Let's talk about something else. Have you gotten something to wear for your birthday party yet?" She asked, trying to distract me.
"I haven't even looked. Maybe we could do that today if you're not busy?" I asked my friend.
"Not busy at all! I don't start training until tomorrow so I'm all yours!" Niamh said with excitement.

I couldn't help dreading my birthday party. For one, I didn't know what was happening as Kim was organising the night with Austin and now I was fearing the idea of whether Austin even wanted to come or not!

Niamh and I hit the shops for that entire afternoon. I had tried on dress after dress but nothing felt right. My heart just wasn't it in. Truth be told, I would have much preferred just letting my birthday go rather than facing disappointment for yet another year in a row.

As we were walking around a small boutique, I heard my phone ding in my pocket. I pulled it out, assuming Rosie had sent me my newest piece to write. As I glanced at the screen I felt my heart take a running jump into my arse.

"What's up?" Niamh asked as she felt me going rigid beside her.
"Austin. He just text me!" I said with confusion.
"And?" Niamh asked with extreme caution.
"He just sent me address followed by ASAP!" I replied, even more confused.
"Is it nearby?" She asked.
"Not too far by the looks of it. Should I go?" I questioned my best friend.
"Do you want to?" Niamh asked, an eyebrow raised.

I mulled it over for a few minutes until deciding to go. After all, I had nothing to lose. I was deeply confused which spurred me on even more to find out what was going on.

I left Niamh to continue her own shopping and headed for my car. As I drove to Austin's mystery address I felt the nerves bubbling in the pit of my stomach. Could he be ready to tell me he had moved on? Is this going to be my closure? A horrible goodbye at an unknown location.

I drove for about 15 minutes, although it felt like hours, until I came to a small retail park. I turned in when I saw Austin's large car parked beside a small convertible BMW. I parked beside his empty car and text him to tell him I was here. He replied telling me to get outside of my car. I did as I was told and then walked around to the back of my car. I leaned against the boot of the car for a second and then heard a voice shouting my name. I looked around to locate the voice and saw Austin and a girl stood outside a small warehouse.

Baffled as to what was going on, I walked towards Austin and the girl stood beside him. I saw the amusement on Austin's face as I arrived in front of him. I was sure he could see the confusion written all over mine.

"Welcome to Unit 4B." Austin said with his arms stretched out wide, signalling to the warehouse standing behind him. "Or, as it is now known, the home of Irish Threads! Congratulations baby!" Austin said as he handed me a set of keys, a huge grin on his face.
"What?" I asked him, entirely exasperated.
"Every good company needs it's own space. Kara here just sold me the unit. Well once you sign this contract as a witness, that is. An early birthday gift from me to you!" Austin stated, visibly proud of himself.
"What?" I asked again, rooted to the spot, shock flodding every part of my body.
"I'll let you two have a minute!" Kara said with amusement as she walked inside the unit, leaving us alone.
"Austin I... I don't... I don't know what to say!" I managed to spit out. I still hadn't moved an inch.
"Say you'll sign this contract!" Austin said with a nervous laugh.
"Kara. That's Kara?" I asked him suddenly, things starting to make a lot more sense by now.
"Yep. That's the girl you heard me on the phone with yesterday. I was setting up a viewing with her so I could check this place out. The only viewing I could get was late last night, hence why I didn't force you to sleep over!" Austin said, helping me to understand his distance yesterday.
"So you're not dating her?" I asked him.
"What?" Austin asked with a huge laugh.
"I thought... I thought you might be seeing someone!" I stammered, sounding childlike as Austin continued to look both confused and amused.
"You're my only girl, Fi!" He said as he pulled me against his long frame.
"I am?" I asked, breathing in his sent.
"Always!" He answered me and I heard him breathe in the smell of my hair. "Now can we sign this contract so this unit is officially yours?" He said with excitement.
"YES PLEASE!" Came my reply.

Austin, Kara and I all read over and signed the contract, legally stating the unit was in Austin's name and to be used under my supervision for producing Irish Threads merchandise and Irish Threads merchandise only.

"Congratulations you guys! I hope everything goes well for you!" Kara said as he shook both our hands. "I'll leave you to it!" She finished as she left Austin and I alone in the warehouse.

"Would you like the grand tour?" Austin asked, putting his hand out for me to take.
"I'd be honoured!" I replied as I laced our fingers together.

Austin took me around the warehouse and we both brainstormed where would be good to set up different machines and where to place stock and set photo shoots. We soon arrived outside a room with the words "Miss Fi" written on a page in Austin's hand writing taped to the door.

"Open it!" Austin said, giddy like a kid on Christmas.
"If you say so!" I replied, as I tentatively wrapped my hand around the door knob and pushed the door open.

I was greeted with an almost empty room. There was a large desk in the middle of the room with a chair behind it. The room was dimly lit with fairy lights draped over the desk. On the floor in front of the desk there were 2 dinner plates and take out dinner bags in the middle of them. To the side of the place settings was a bottle of champagne on ice with 2 champagne flutes beside it.

"Oh Austin!" I said as I drew in a breath.
"Well you need your own office don't you!" He said with a smile as he walked over and grabbed the bottle of champagne from the ice bucket. "Today deserves celebrating!" He said as he popped the bottle and began filling the two glasses.
"Austin this is all so unbelievable!" I managed to croke out as I took in the office again. "I can't thank you enough for this!" I finished as he handed me a glass.
"There is one thing you could do..." Austin said as he looked down at me.
"What's that then?" I asked, willing to go to the moon and back for such a kind gesture.
"You could be my girlfriend!" He said with a huge grin.
"I'd love nothing more!" I said with pure excitement.
"You and me against the world?" Austin asked as he wrapped his arms around me and stooped down to come closer to my face.
"Always!" Came my reply as I closed the gap between our lips.

Notes

What do you guys think?
xxx