When Allen reached the outside of his house his fingers quickly dialed R.J.'s cell phone. As the phone was ringing Allen started his climb back up to tree to his room. "Answer the phone R.J," grunted Allen.

Only when Allen reached the branch closest to his bedroom window did R.J. answer his phone, "Hello Allen?"

"Yeah it's me. I'm up by the window can you come over here and open it up for me?"

"Yeah sure no problemo. How did the lesson go?"

"Great! I'll tell you about it once I get in my room." Allen quickly closed his cell phone as he climbed into his room.

"How did mission 'do Rex's books' go?" Allen asked as he surveyed his room.

"No as bad as you would think."

"Good, I can't thank you enough man. I just had one of my best lessons in like months."

"Oh really, why is that? Did you show my dad that song you have been writing like I told you too?"

"Nooo. I played my solo almost perfectly and your dad informed me that he sent in an audition tape to the Young Adult Summer Music Program and they want me to perform a solo for them as the next step in the audition process."

"That's awesome. I'm so happy for you. What is the Young Adult Summer Music Program?"

"It's this month long program for aspiring musicians. We get private music lessons with some of great famous musicians, classes about our instruments, and we work together as a larger orchestra to prepare music for a concert at the end of the month. There is also a competition at the end of the month where the winner wins a full ride scholarship to any top music school. Oh and on top of that one of my favorite musicians, Orlando Patterson is going to direct the orchestra and being one of the teachers there!"

"So are you going to audition? What is Rex going to say?"

"Oh my gosh I completely forgot about Rex." Allen exclaimed. "There's no way he's going to allow me to audition; he barely lets me attend private lessons."

"Maybe if you talk to him when he's in a good mood you could convince him to let you try out?"

Allen sighed, "I doubt it. Rex is never in a good mood."

"I highly doubt that Rex is never in a good mood. Doesn't he have a favorite meal you could cook him or something like that?"

"Well he does enjoy eating steak and potatoes or ribs made with my mother's special barbeque sauce."

"Then tomorrow you make Rex some steak and potatoes for dinner and then once he's full and happy you ask him."

"That's seems like a good idea but I'm not sure it will work on Rex."

"Why not, it works on my parents?"

"Because Rex is not like your parents. Bo or Ace could probably do it, but no matter what I do Rex doesn't give me a break," Allen flopped down on his bed making all the papers flutter around and become a disorganized mess.

"Umm dude you just messed up most of the work I did while you were gone."

"Sorry man, I'm just feeling depressed. I thought maybe getting into this program could be my big break but now I doubt that I will even get to audition."

"Come on, you don't know that. Maybe Rex will have a slight change of heart and allow you audition."

"Yeah and maybe pigs will fly."

"Even if it's a long shot, I think you should still try it. I'll even come over and help you cook."

Allen sat up, "You cook? Since when?"

"Hey I've been known to make a mean salad in my day."

Allen laughed, "Okay fine we will try your idea. But I don't have much confidence that it'll work."

"Well I do. You just need to have faith in the power of a good home cooked meal."

"Whatever, I better get back to work. I can already tell I'm going to be up all night trying to finish this."

"Then I'll stay and help."

"I can't ask you to do that."

"You didn't ask, I offered. There's a difference."

"Fine, if you want to spend your night figuring this out instead of getting sleep I won't stop you."

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