Chapter 1: My Dad's New Girlfriend

Ally's P.O.V

My dad has been acting strange lately, he's home late, he laughs, he sings and is a completely different world. I just don't get it! Mom died under a year ago and he can just move on? Just like that? How? Because I can't! I miss my mom and he just finds a girlfriend to replace her? Like it was no big deal? No one can replace my mother! He haven't even said it officially, but I just know in the way he's been acting lately.

Summer break just started yesterday, so I'll be attending Junior year in two months and if my dad keeps acting like that I just know it'll be a long summer. I have nothing at all to hide behind, to hide my sorrows, when I still had school I could hide behind homework it was a good way to forget all the pain for a while, but it all just returns now.

I guess my dad will make me meet his new girlfriend soon enough, I just hope that she doesn't have kids because then I'll have stepsiblings too and I really don't need that. I guess I could escape by spending time with my best friend Trish or my boyfriend Dallas, at least I have a good girlfriend who helps me and a boyfriend there loves me and I love him.

I hear the front door open downstairs and I can hear it's my dad because of the singing, seriously what is happening? Suddenly I hear him coming upstairs and all I can think is 'oh this can't be good at all', then I hear the knock on my door.

"Come in." I say really wishing he'll just keep out and keep that happiness to himself at the moment until I'm ready to feel it. Even though I know it selfish, I still doesn't want him to date yet, it's just too soon.

He comes in with a big smile on his face. "Hi Ally, there is something I want to tell you." He says excitedly and I think 'oh boy here it comes'. "I got a girlfriend, her name is Mimi and she comes over here for dinner tonight with her son Austin, he's 16 like you." He says excitedly like it's good news, it was as bad as I feared not only do I have to get along with a stepmother, but I also have to get along with a stepbrother too.

"Great dad." I say sarcastically, but he doesn't even notice or he just ignores it.

"I was thinking that you and Austin could hang out, you could show him around in the house?" He asks happily.

God! This is just like hell. "Do I have to?" I ask wishing that he would say no.

"Yes, take a shower and wear something nice. I want to make a good impression tonight." He says happily.

I already know that I might as well give in and get used to this. "Fine, what time do you want me down?" I ask annoyed.

"Come down at 5:30pm and help me with the dinner, they'll be here around 7pm." He says happily walking out.

I look at my watch it's 3pm already, so I'll better get ready for hell to begin. I walk to my bathroom to take a shower, I dry my hair after the shower and put a light makeup on before I walk back to my room to pick out some clothes. I decide on a blue summer dress with a flower pattern and v-neck, I put the dress on and walk downstairs to help my dad making dinner.

My dad never knew how to cook, it was always my mom who did it and I helped her so as you can guess I'm the one to make dinner now. I tried to teach my dad, but he just burns the food so it's easier if I just do it alone. I had to grow up the day my mom died because she was the one talking care of me, my dad was there yes, but he don't know me the same way, I was always closest to my mom.

I've always been a straight A student, I never break the rules, I'm always home on time and I never yell or show if I'm sad, but my mom used to see when I was sad, it's been so lonely since I lost her, I need her and I know I'll never see her again.

I stand in the kitchen in my own thoughts just cooking the dinner for the four of us and my dad made sure that the table was set before turning to the TV. The food is finally done and I put it on the table making it look presentable, then someone rings the doorbell and I know that my first day in hell starts now.

My dad and I walk to the door and he opens it, in the doorway, I see a tall blonde woman with brown eyes and I must give her that she's beautiful and by her side stands a tall blonde boy with brown eyes, he looks breathtakingly hot for a stepbrother. He's wearing a blue shirt where he didn't button the last few buttons and dark blue jeans.

"Hi Mimi." My dad says giving her a quick kiss on her cheek and she smiles. "Hi Austin, I'm so happy that you're joining us today." He says shaking hands with the blonde boy, and then he turns his attention to me. "This is my daughter, Allison." He introduces me.

"Hi, I'm Ally." I say to the blonde woman and she gives me a hug.

"I'm so happy to finally meet you, Ally." She says happily and I nod turning my attention to Austin.

"Hi, I'm Ally." I repeat to him with a smile and we get eye contact instantly it's like our eyes are locked to each other.

"I'm Austin." He says shaking my hand and I can't deny that I felt something at the touch, but it's just me, right? Our eye contact break when my dad steps aside to let them it.

"Ally, could you show Austin around?" My dad asks nicely and I nod.

"Okay, so this is our living room." I say nicely before showing him the kitchen and the downstairs bathroom. We walk upstairs silently and I show him my room, my dad's room with his private bathroom, my bathroom and the guestroom before we walk back downstairs.

We all sits down around the table, the dinner is in complete silence and no one says a word. I get up after dinner cleaning up like I usually do, I stand in the kitchen doing the dishes when Austin appears. "Can I help?" He asks politely and I nod.

"My dad put you up to this, right?" I ask casually.

"No actually, my mom did, but I don't mind. It gets a little boring in there with them alone." He confesses and I giggle.

"Yeah, I know. There wasn't much talking in there doing dinner, it was kinda awkward." I say trying to make conversation.

"Definitely awkward." He agrees with a smile and we get eyes contact for another moment before we break it to continue.

We do the rest of the dishes together before we walk back in and I must admit that Austin seems nice, but it doesn't change the fact that I really don't want a stepmother and a stepbrother at the moment. We both take a seat on the couch when we get back into the living room and suddenly my dad and Austin's mom stand up, this really can't be good.

"Hey, so Mimi and I have something we want to tell you and it might be a shock for both of you, but I asked Mimi to move in, she said yes and that means that Austin moves in as well." My dad announces and I feel like I can't breathe. "Austin, you'll get the guestroom, you and Ally will be sharing bathroom." He says happily. "Mimi and Austin are moving in tomorrow evening, I know it's sudden for both of you." He says still happy and I thought it couldn't possible get any worse, god I was wrong.

Austin and I sitting in complete silence not even moving, we almost doesn't breathe. It seems to me like he agrees with me on my thoughts of a stepfamily; he doesn't want this either so I guess we have something in common.

The rest of the evening is tense, no one says a word and the time is going by way to slow, I just want this evening to be over so I can enjoy the last night of freedom. Before this house turns to hell, but at least I can stay in my room when they move in so there is a plus.

The evening is finally over, Mimi and Austin leaves and I can finally go to my room. I throw myself onto my bed starring at the ceiling wondering why my life had to be so complicated all the time, I don't like what's happening right now, but I also have no way of stopping it.

The Next Day

I wake up after minimal sleeping, I thought yesterday was the first day of hell, but no! Hell is starting today when my dad's girlfriend and her son moves in, this will never end well, but I guess I'll have to live with it and try to get the best out of it.

I decide to stay in my room to just relax and play piano, I always had a passion for music and songwriting not that anyone knows about it though, I always kept it a secret because my dream is to be a performer, but no one I know would approve anyway there is zero support here.

The day goes by way faster then I want it too and before I know it, I hear my dad, Mimi and Austin downstairs, they're carrying things upstairs for around 15 minutes. After a while someone knocks on my door, I get up to open it and I see my dad standing there.

"Hi Ally, I just wanted to tell you that we're all going camping this weekend, we leave at 9am tomorrow and I need you to be ready by then, okay?" He says, oh no this just can't be happening.

"Do I have to? I'm sure I could stay at Trish's?" I ask hopefully.

"No, you're coming with Ally; this trip is to get us all closer as a real family." He says firmly.

"We're not a family dad." I roll my eyes.

"We will be just wait and see." He smiles.

"How could you just replace mom like this?" I whisper with tears in my eyes.

"Ally! I'm not replacing you mom, I'm moving on." He says and I shake my head.

"It's too soon." I whisper.

"Life is too short to wait around Ally, that's what I realized." He says softly. "You're going." He repeats and I know there's no point in fighting him on it.

"Fine, I'll be ready." I say in defeat.

"Good, we're sleeping in a tent, Mimi & me in one and you & Austin in one." He says and my jaw drop.

"You want me to sleep in a tent with someone I barely know?" I ask completely confused.

"Yes, Mimi & I want you two to get along and that's what this trip is mostly about." He says before he walks out and I lie down. Things just get worse every day, how am I supposed to survive this? Three full days where I can't get a break from any of them at all? After a few hours of thinking, I finally fell asleep.

It's weekend, my dad is on a convention and I have the pleasure of spending alone time with my mom, she's always there for me and she always asks what I want. My mom is the one person I love most, I love my dad a lot just not in the same way.

"What do you want to do today?" My mom smiles at me.

"Can we play piano together?" I smile, we have played since she taught me when I was 2.

"Sure."

We play the piano for about an hour, we have been able to play like this in years, she often look over at me and I can see how proud she is of me. We decide to take a break to eat lunch and as usual we make it together, we made grilled cheese sandwiches our favorite food. We get back to the living room to eat, my mom asks me about my school and Dallas, she always wants to make sure I'm happy, as we get up my mom gasps.

"What's wrong?" I panic.

"I-I don't know." She gasps falling to the floor and I grab my phone calling 911, I explain that something is wrong and they promise that they're on their way.

"Mom." I cry sinking into the floor with her, she gasping for air holding a hand on her heart.

"It's gonna be okay sweetie, you did the right thing." She smiles weakly.

"What's happening?" I cry.

"I don't know sweetie, but I love you." She says between gasps.

"I love you too, mom." I cry taking her hand and a second later she stops breathing, I'm scared and I don't know what to do, I sit there feeling helpless until the paramedics arrive.

The Next Morning

I wake up by my dad knocking on Austin door, he's room is right next to mine. "Austin, get up breakfast in 10." He almost yells walking to my door. "Ally, get up breakfast in 10." He repeats, before walking downstairs, after relieving the worst day of my life I feel miserable, but I get up knowing that he really takes this seriously. I get dressed in a hurry, shaking my nightmare off me before I walk out and into the bathroom to brush my teeth before I hurry downstairs. After waiting 10 minutes Austin finally appears and our parents doesn't seem happy about it.

We eat in silence again and right after breakfast, we got ordered to get our stuff so we can leave in 15 minutes. I get to my room getting the bag I packed last night and got downstairs quickly just getting in the car and waiting. 5 minutes later Austin appears with a guitar and a bag that he puts in the car before sliding in next to me on the backseat, the silence it awkward and we avoid eye contact.

Our parents comes out just 5 minutes after Austin got out, they pack the car with the rest before they got in and we start driving. It's about an hour drive and I fell asleep almost instantly.

I wake up suddenly when the car stops and I open my eyes only to realize that my head is resting on Austin's shoulder and his head is resting on top of my head.

Austin wake up and slowly realizing what I just realized and our eyes meet for a second before we both pull apart awkwardly. What the hell was that? It felt nice though, but our parents seems to be enjoying this a little too much because they want us to be close like brother and sister.

We get out of the car and start to put up the tents unpacking our stuff in our tents and getting it all ready for our weekend of 'family bonding'. It's a little awkward with the space the tent isn't that big so Austin and I are going to be real tight. 'Oh yeay' notice the sarcasm. Our parents want to start out by hiking and that is one of the things I hate the most, this is gonna be a long weekend.

*Disclaimer I don't own Austin & Ally. I only own this story.