"Okay how about this?"
Ally tried another few chords on the piano. Her delicate fingers moving over the keyboard, pressing them down gently into a smooth love ballad. She and Austin had been in here since lunchtime, trying to create another hit, but no luck so far. She finished the piece with a proud flourish, her eyes eagerly searching Austin's for a sign of approval.
"It's perfect? Right? I mean it starts off as this soft tinkling of notes and then builds into a beautiful melody that soars above the heart." Her enthusiasm was etched into her face, her hands were clasped underneath her chin, her eyes staring off into a distance.
The blonde haired internet sensation next to her waved a hand in front of her, checking to see if she was still with him and not in her own private musical world. "Hello? Earth to Ally?" she turned to him, smiling expectantly.
Austin's shoulders hunching slightly into a sheepish shrug. "Uh.. " he sucked in his breath "Thing is ally… it's not really my style."
Ally's face crumpled and before Austin could stop her she had begun knocking her head on the piano repeatedly, chiding herself and letting out groans of frustration that sounded distinctly like a strangled cat.
"It's a great song" Austin started, he wanted to soften the blow "but I'm sort of rock god aren't I? You know? Pull out the guitar and play an awesome riff" he started drumming dramatically on his air guitar, complete with matching noises.
Ally lifted her head determined not to give up, her medium length brown hair, falling back into place. She consulted her songbook once again flipping through the pages trying to scour something. She began playing an upbeat jazz song, the tune not quite reflecting her weary face. Austin was too starting to get frustrated. The time they had spent pent up in a small room was starting to really get to him. Without thinking through his actions, he seized the songbook from the piano, hoping to find something that suited him in there. As soon as he laid eyes on the open pages, a hand came up snatching the book from his grasp while another hand came out of nowhere slapping him on the arm.
"Ow" he exclaimed. It didn't actually hurt but he was feeling petulant.
"Don't touch my book!" Ally warned. In spite of the long afternoon they had, her eyes were as fiery as ever, daring him to cross her again."
"Okay I'm sorry. I'm just tired. None of the songs that we've gone through sound even remotely like me, like the artist I would be, like the music I would make."
"No...I'm sorry. I know." Ally put her head in her hands.
"Okay we'll try this" he put his hands on her shoulders and turned her so she faced him. "Who is my favourite artist?"
"Um" she thought to herself. She frowned slightly, realising that despite their supposed proximity as musicians, she honestly did not know who Austin's favourite singer was. "I don't know… Bruno Mars?"
"Mcfly. Are you serious?"
"Serious about what?" Dez asks as he walks through the door, with Trish following closely behind him. He is holding a video camera taping everything. The redhead circles the couple seated at the piano, experimenting with various shots of them, including one that is right up against Austin's eye.
"Dude! Ever heard of personal space?" Austin exclaims.
"Looks like someone's touchy today? Hmm? Tsk tsk. So tell me, what were you so serious about before I rudely barged in." Dez motioned for the pair to continue their conversation, whispering silently. "This is like backstage footage. An exclusive look at the magical connection between an internet superstar and his songwriter. They know each other's deepest darkest secrets." he smiled widely as he finished in an overly dramatic tone, giving them the thumbs up.
"Well I was just saying that Ally doesn't even know who my favourite artist is."
Dez drew a sharp loud breath, shutting his camera with a snap." I am ashamed" he muttered before retreating comically from the room.
"Not knowing what your partner likes in music is a little hard if you are trying to write a song for them." Ally admitted with a hint of sarcasm. "How do you propose we fix this?"
"Easy. A date." He loved Ally's reaction as she looked at him with big eyes, completely taken aback.
"A Date?"
" Yeah. Those things you go when you want to get to know somebody. D-a-t-e." he spelled out the word teasingly, intentionally using a baby voice.
"Fine. It's a date. When and where?"
"Well, I just started a job at the local seafood restaurant? You guys wanna come over tonight in an hour's time, say around...seven?" Trish piped up.
"Tonight? So soon?" Ally asked.
"Yeah. No time like the present. Besides I have an employee discount, so you guys don't really have to pay for anything. Besides it won't be long until the head chef realises that I've been sneaking some of the customers meals for then I'll be outta there."
The blonde and the brunette both stared at the short curly haired girl standing behind them.
"What? The lobster was practically screaming 'Eat ME!'. Who am I to go against fate when it's calling?"
"Okay then, deals done. Just the two of us. Tonight. See you there. Gotta get myself ready." Austin winked cheekily at Ally and walked out the door.
Ally was scrutinising herself in the mirror. She felt impatient and nervous as she checked her outfit and hair again and again. She was wearing a green and blue patterned dress with an open back that cut off just above her knee, complete with a pair of low heel ankle boots. It'sjustAustinshe repeated to herself. This calmed her down slightly. If it had been say, the cute guy Dallas from the phone accessories cart, she would have probably thrown up by now. Not that there would have been anything to throw up. She hadn't eaten lunch properly and had barely had another bite to eat since then. Her stomach growled in explanation. Youcandothis.
Austin was waiting outside Sonic Boom. He was clicking his shoes impatiently and his palms were sweating a bit. To burn off any excess energy, he started pacing. It was a beautiful night not too cold and not too hot but perfect, the night air was clean and crisp. Distracted by the night, he didn't realise someone had crept up to him until they had tapped him gently on the shoulder. Austin turned to face Ally and he sucked in a breath. She was stunning. She looked different from all the other times he had seen her. The other times she didn't make him feel like jelly. Austin couldn't help himself, but his mouth fell slightly agape. Ally stared at him after a few moments ,starting to get worried.
"Austin, are you alright? Have I got something in my teeth? Is there something wrong with my dress? Austin?" she questioned anxiously, fussing with her hair.
"No, Ally. You just look…" he paused trying to find the right word to describe her eyes, her smile, her scent, everything. He finally settled with a word that by no means did her justice, "...pretty." he smiled at her making her blush. This was the first time that Austin had seen her turn red because of him. Looks like it's going to the night of firsts.
"Shall we?"
"We shall." and with that Ally took Austin's awaiting hand and the pair walked towards the restaurant.
"And that's why I love music." Austin sat back in his chair as he watched Ally roar with laughter. There were tears of joy running down her face and she clenched her stomach as she doubled up again, laughing silently.
"So I guess you have Henry the gerbil to thank for your internet stardom?" Ally teased after finally controlling herself.
"I guess you could say that." Ally chuckled to herself again. Austin realised how easy it was talking to her.
"So tonight we are just going to hang out, like two friends?"
"Yeah. Totally platonic. If we're going to be working together, we need to know what are each other's likes and dislikes. That's all." Ally replied as they sat down at the table. She flashed him one of her wide smiles and looked happily at him. Her hazel eyes a wonderful maze that Austin could feel himself getting lost in.
"Yeah. I knew that." As he tore his eyes away, trying to hide the fact that he had been staring intently at her for an embarrassingly long period of time. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and it took all of Austin's control to not reach across the table and do it for her. As a result of this, his hands were clenched tightly in his lap. There was a nice, comfortable silence between them but Austin was too busy examining her facial features to notice anything else. He was taking in how her big almond shaped eyes turned upwards when she smiled. She did it so often as they talked that Austin couldn't help but feel that she smiled because of him. This caused a new unidentified definitely-non-platonic-emotion to sweep though him, making him nervous. He was never nervous.
"Your seafood platter."
"Aaahhhh!" Shrieked the blond haired boy, jumping up from his seat and in doing so, punching the waiter in the face while his chair dropped on the server's foot. He hadn't realised the waiter walking up behind him, Austin was too busy checking out a certain girl's smile.
"Obama!"
"What?" Austin turned to face Ally. He couldn't help it but the edges of his mouth pulled upwards. He would have teased her if not for the suffering server on the floor.
"I say that instead of Oh My God. But that's not important? Look at the waiter! His nose is bleeding!" She gestured frantically to the waiter, who was indeed clutching a very bloody nose and with the other hand nursing his injured foot. They both kneeled down in front of him, Ally handing him the tissue. Their hands brushed for a second and Austin felt electric sparks flying up his arm. Being this close to Ally was beginning to make him feel really dizzy.
"Austin, could you please go tell the manager?" Ally said. Her arms full with nursing the waiter. Austin nodded and left the room.Thiscan'tbehappening.He thought to himself. YoulikeAlly,butyoudon'tlikelikeher.Doyou?