Chapter 9: Bowling & Whimps
Austin's POV:
"Oh shoot!" Dez said "Oh shoot! Look who just got another strike!" He yelled walking down from the platform. Dez was always great at bowling, anytime it was his turn to choose the activity on a guy's night he would pick bowling.
Just so he could gloat in my face.
I rolled my eyes. "Hey, watch, I'm gonna get a strike on this one" I said getting into my stance eyeing the pins.
Right as I'm about to release the ball, "Focus!" Dez screams behind me making the ball roll straight to the gutter.
"Aww man! I say in disappointment. I look back and Dez is sitting down laughing his head off.
Dez stands up, grabs his ball and gets ready to take his turn. I sit down slouching in my seat and check my phone for new messages.
1- Ally
1- Mom
I opened the text from Ally first.
Ally- Hey Austin, we need to talk. Where r u?
What did she want to talk to me about, I thought.
Mom- Austin, you need to come home now.
I wonder why my mom wants me home so early?
Austin- Hey Ally, I'm at the bowling ally with Dez. I'm about to head home so we can talk then. #X.
Ally- No! Wait! Don't go home!
Austin- Why can't I go home! I texted panicking inside.
Austin- Did someone break into my house? Oh Gosh, is my mom ok.
Ally- Austin calm down, you're mom is fine.
Austin- Then what's wrong, why can't I go home?
Ally- My dad found out about us skipping school and he is calling your parents. :(
Oh shoot! I can't believe he found out. How did he find out.
Austin- Are you grounded?
Ally- Yeah, and so are you if you go home.
Austin- What should I do?
Ally- Wait for your mom to calm down, then come home. But don't let her know your stalling. Pretend there's really bad traffic or something.
"Whoo hoo!" I hear Dez shout. I guess he got another strike.
I shake my head and continue typing.
Austin- You know I don't like to lie.
Ally- But you like to skip school.
Austin- That's different. Of course I went along with it. I was with you.
Austin- can I just come over your house? :)
Ally- No! My dad thinks your grounded. plus your kind of banned from my house as a part of my punishment.
Austin- That stinks! Your dad's not letting you hang out with any of your friends?
Ally- Actually just you.
"Hey! Bro it's your turn" Dez yelled. "Just bowl for me" I yelled back.
Austin- What! why just me.
Ally- He said keeping us apart would be a better punishment for me and that your a bad influence.
I'm a bad influence? Really? It wasn't even my idea to go to sonic boom. It was all Ally. I have straight A's, almost never go anywhere, and haven't gotten grounded since I was seven.
Austin- It wasn't even my idea. He does realize we see each other at school right?
Ally- Yeah I don't really know how he's going to monitor who I talk to when he's not there. But whatever. I should go to sleep.
Austin- I'll just go home.
Ally- Alright, it's your funeral. I love you.
Austin- I love you too see you tomorrow.
Ally- If you live that long
Austin- LOL Stop.
I stuff my phone into my pocket and yelled "Hey! Dez I got to go. My mom wants me home now".
"Ok, see you tomorrow" He yelled back.
Here goes nothing.
As I unlocked the door to my house, I was shaking. What if Ally wasn't overreacting and I'm going to be grounded forever. What if she takes away my car. I love my pt cruiser. Oh, It doesn't matter. I did something wrong, and now I have to own up to it.
"Austin?" I hear my mom yell as I step in side as quiet as ever.
"Yes mom?" I reply hoping she would go easy on me.
"I need you to set up this fan we just bought" your dad is too tired.
She wanted me home so I could set up a fan?
I guess she didn't get the call yet.
"Ok mom" I smiled.
Ally's POV:
"Vote for Chelsea and David for homecoming king and queen!" some girl yelled in my ear.
I hate when homecoming committee promotes their nominees. They ride around campus throwing flyers in our faces and screaming in our ears. It is so obnoxious. I'm not even going to be able to go to homecoming. This really sucks. I never should have opened the store without my dad.
I see Austin walking up to me. I wonder how bad his mom punished him. It can't be worse than my punishment.
"Hey Ally" he greets me smiling. Is that really a smile on his face?
how could he be smiling after getting grounded.
"Hey Austin" I reply suspiciously. "How'd last night go".
"It went great! My mom didn't even mention the school thing." Austin cheered
"I guess my dad didn't call your parents yet" I said in a serious tone
"Do you know what that means?" I added slowly walking closer to him.
"That I'm free for the next few days!" he shouted
Ha! He wishes I thought.
"That means he is waiting until Friday night to call your parents. Just so they can deal with you over the weekend, so your weekend will be ruined". I finished out of breath
Austin's face looked horrified. "Why would he do that!"
"Because that's what parents do Austin, they're evil" I shook my head starting to walk.
"Oh gosh". Austin signed. Austin started walking with the same expression plastered on his face.
"You never told me how your dad found out?" Austin asked breaking out of his trance.
"Oh yeah, someone broke into the store." I explained.
"That's terrible! Does he know who it was?". Austing asked concerned.
"No, but I kind of want to check out the scene. Just to see how it looks." I replied
Austin stopped and turned to me.
"Ally, are you kidding me, you just got in trouble for going to sonic boom. Why on earth would you plan to go back." Austin laughed in disbelief and kept walking.
"You must like getting in trouble".
I wanted to go back to see if I could find out who was behind the break in. I think If I could see the crime scene I could find some clues or something.
"Only when it involves Adventure!" I teased.
He he smiled shaking his head.
Dez and Trish were approaching us.
"Hey guys!" Dez and Trish shouted.
"Hey guys" Austin and I replied in sync as always.
"So what are we doing after school?" Trish asked.
"Umm I don't know. What about hanging out at the library." Austin suggested
Dez nodded at the suggestion of course.
"Boring" Trish complained.
Austin folded his arms looking offended. "Well what do you suggest we do."
"We should go see the maze runner! It got great reviews on rotten tomatoes." Trish suggested.
"Oh yeah! That sounds great! I wanted to see that movie" I said with excitement.
Austin glared at me.
"Umm Ally, aren't you forgetting something. You're grounded".
I rolled my eyes. He is such a goody two shoes.
"What, Ally how did you get grounded? Dez asked.
I sighed.
"Ok, Austin and I unlocked Sonic Boom while my dad was out of town. We forgot to lock the store. Someone broke into the store and now I'm grounded." I finished out of breath."
"Which means she has to go straight home." Austin said grabbing my shoulders leading me to his car.
"Come on I'll drive you."
"I'll meet you guys at the theater!" He yelled to Dez and Trish.
Austin opened my door for me, then got in on the other side.
He put the key in the ignition and started the car.
"Alright little Ally let's get you home". He said in a baby voice
I smacked him in the shoulder and frowned.
"It's not funny!" I yelled.
"Alright, Alright" He laughed.
As we were driving down the road Austin saw a gas station and pulled into it.
"I'm running low on gas. I'll just be a minute okay?"
"Okay" I replied.
While he was paying for the gas I got into the driver's seat. I wanted to drive the rest of the way.
Austin pumped the gas then hopped in the passenger's seat.
"Hey, can I drive the rest of the way?" I asked Austin.
"Yeah, sure you're already in the driver's seat."
"Cool thanks" I replied.
As we drove I turned on the radio to distract Austin. We were not going to my house. Not yet.
I'm gonna marry her any way
No matter what you say
And we'll be a family
Why you got to be so
Rude.
Austin turned down the radio.
"We should totally cover this song. I love this song." he said.
"Uh huh" I said turning the radio back up.
Unfortunately Austin was more observant then I thought.
"Oh, Ally you missed the turn." Austin pointed.
"Nope, we're not going to my house" I admitted.
Austin sighed "No Ally you need to go home. You're dad's already probably mad at you."
"I don't care Austin. I want to figure out who broke into the store. After we stop by Sonic Boom, we will go to my house."
Austin slouched further in his seat and folded his arms. "Fine, but I better not miss the movie."
I pulled into the mall parking lot and got out of the car.
I looked back and Austin was still sitting in the car.
I walked back to the car and mouthed through the window to him.
"Are you coming or not?"
He rolled his eyes then got out.
When we entered into the store, It looked decent for the most part. However, you could see 4 guitars were missing and the big graffiti mark was hard to miss.
"I'm surprised they only did this" Austin said.
"Right. You would think they would vandalize more stuff in a break in".
"I wonder if the practice room is ok" Austin commented running upstairs.
I followed closely behind.
"Oh, Wow. It looks just like it always does" I guess they spared this room.
"Expect for that" Austin pointed to the huge writing on the wall.
"H.L.F" Austin read from the wall.
"I wonder what that means?" he commented sitting down at the piano.
H.L.F that sound way too familiar. I know that signing.
High
Livers
Forever
"Oh my Gosh" I gasped sitting with him.
"What?" Austin asked.
"H. L. F stands for High Livers Forever. That was Brandon and his friends' way of signing stuff they stole. That's their signature"
"They stole the guitars"
"Uhhh I hate that guy even more now" Austin said.
"We'll we gotta go tell your dad now! Come on!" He said grabbing my hand dragging me out of the practice room. Its amazing how I still get butterflies.
When Austin and I arrived at my house, My dad was waiting in the drive way.
Austin stopped the car half way into the drive way.
He squeezed the steering wheel and widened his eyes.
"Well… you should probably get out now. He looks mad." he said in a scared voice.
I got out of the car rolling my eyes. Whimp
"Good luck. Love you" he whispered before I shut the door.
He then drove off. Definitely pass the speed limit.
"Ally I said no hanging out with Austin. You need to remember you're grounded." he said in a stern voice.
"Dad he just drove me home from school" I lied.
"I'm pretty sure you have legs, you can walk home."
I sighed "Ok, but I have to tell you something"
"I'm all ears" he replied.
"I know who broke into the store, it was Brandon." I said quickly nodding my head.
My dad shook his head in disbelief. "That doesn't make sense why would such a sweet kid break into a music shop" My dad reasoned.
"I don't know why, I just know he did it" I replied.
"Well until you find proof, I'm going to have to give him the benefit of the doubt".
"If you are right, you won't be grounded anymore."
"Yay! I will prove it to you, I promise."
"Alright sweetie, go inside now and start your homework". I quickly rushed into the house up to my room.
Austin texted me.
Austin- Did you make it out alive? Does your dad hate me now?
Ally- Yes! Everything's fine. Except now I have to walk to school, but my dad is giving me the opportunity to prove Brandon and his friends were behind the break in.
Austin- Great!
Ally- No thanks to you Whimp
Austin- Hey, call me what you want. I don't like to be in trouble.
Austin- Do you know if your dad called my mom yet?
Ally- No
Austin- Uhhhh this anticipation is killing me. I almost want to tell her myself.
Ally- Do you know how stupid that would be?
Austin- I know, that's why I said almost.
Austin- I'ts late we should probably go to bead.
Ally- Yeah, Good night xoxo
Austin- Good night xxxx
