Chapter Three: Kangaroos and Chaos (Part 1)

We spent the rest of the week hanging out with Ally and the others at the shop, while our Mom and Lester were out doing whoever knows what. And it was Friday when they made the announcement about leaving us alone for the entire weekend.

"You're going where?" I exclaimed, following my Mom into Sonic Boom, lugging my duffle-bags and backpack behind me. I had been up since 6 AM. I hadn't had coffee, or breakfast, so I was a little on edge... And the news I just got, wasn't helping.

"We're going to Jacksonville for an Accordion convention, you two and Ally will be here to look out for the store." She replied, as if it were nothing at all. Ryan and I exchanged looks, sharing the same thoughts

"You've lost it woman!" I told her. She just smiled and walked off to Lester's office. Ally walked over .

"I take it you found out?" She asked. I looked at her and nodded.

"Yeah, when did you?" I asked.

"Last night." She replied, I sighed and walked up to the practice room with my bags. We put our stuff in the closet and walked back downstairs. Dez and Austin came walking in,

"Hey guys!" Austin greeted.

"Sup?" Ryan replied,

"Hi!" Ally smiled,

"Hey." I said.

"What are you guys doing?" Dez asked,

"I'm going to get coffee, want anything?" I replied,

"Oh, my regular sis, thanks." Ryan said. I nodded and got the orders from the others and walked out. After 10 minutes in line, I got to order, then waited another 10 minutes and finally got to go back to Sonic Boom.

"ORDER UP!" I shouted, handing Ryan his drink. He thanked me, and I handed Austin his, then Dez. After a few minutes, Ally got busy with a customer, the rest of us began talking video ideas and somehow got into a Banjo-Badminton Tournament. Dez and Ryan against Austin and I.

"You're going down!" I sang happily, setting my coffee on the counter,

"Bring it baby sister!" Ryan laughed.

"You're only older by 15 minutes," I snapped.

"15 minutes before you!" He said.

"Guys! Our game!" Dez groaned. I laughed and picked up my banjo. We started our game. 25 minutes later, we were tied.

"It's a tie, you're serving!" Austin told me, we found ourselves huddled together by the drum set.

"Why me?" I exclaimed.

"Because I have faith in you that you can lead us to victory!" Austin smiled, I smiled back, feeling my cheeks flush.

"Well, if you say so." I muttered. He nodded and we spun around, Dez and Ryan were waiting expectantly.

"Finally!" Dez groaned. I rolled my eyes served the makeshift ball. The back and forth began again.

"As you can see-" Ally paused mid-sentence, seeing the ball fly over her head towards Ryan and Dez. She shook her head and turned back to her customer.

"This violin is made from the finest maple woo-" She stopped again as it flew over towards Austin and I, I made to serve it back and it smacked her right in the face. My hand flew to my mouth as I held in a laugh, she glared at me for a brief second.

"One sec." She told the customer. The girl nodded and Ally walked over to us.

"Do you guys have to do that here?" She asked, clearly annoyed.

"Hey! We're not complaining that you're working right in the middle of our banjo badminton court!" Austin protested as we all went to the counter, I picked up my drink and took a sip.

"Yeah! We'd rather be making a video but somebody hasn't finished the song yet!" Dez agreed.

"I've been busy working!" Ally defended herself

"Then we're busy badminton-ing!" Dez defended.

"GAME POINT!" He yelled, he backed away and I threw the ball back into the air, as he went to hit it, the banjo smacked into the counter, successfully breaking in two pieces, held together by the strings. I held in a laugh as he dropped it to the floor.

"Would you like to pay for that with cash or want me to add it to your tab?" Ally asked him

"Oh, just put it on my tab." Dez shrugged it off.

"Oh, okay!" Ally laughed sarcastically unrolling a rather large list that she had grabbed from under the counter. I laughed at Dez's stupidity.

"Well, we're off to the Accordion convention!" Mom declared, causing all of us to look in the direction. She and Lester walked out, holding accordions. I shook my head.

"And accordion to my watch, we should have left an hour ago!" Lester joked. I chuckled slightly. Dez laughed too, causing both adults to look at him strangely, and him to bolt away.

"Okay, you three are in charge." Lester said, pointing to us. We all nodded.

"The store looks kind of busy… Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Mom asked.

"Well actually-" I started to tell them that they had completely lost their marbles when Lester cut me off.

"GREAT! See you guys Sunday night!" He exclaimed. The two walked out without a glance back. I shook my head and Ally went to finish up the last of the people that had begun to crowd around us.

"This isn't the eye doctor!" I told one of the people, he smiled and nodded and walked out, only to hit the wall, and knock over the symbols. But he continued on anyway. Then Trish walked in, sporting yet another new uniform.

"Guess who got a job at the Yo-Yo Cart!" She exclaimed. We all looked at her.

"Watch this!" She exclaimed, she went to do a trick, causing all of us to duck for cover. Then we heard her struggling and we all inched back up. I was slightly relieved to see that she was all tangled up. I laughed.

"It's my first day…" She said, untangling herself a but.

"Probably my last." She added as she finally untangled herself all the way and walked over to us.

"So, Ally, have you finished writing Riley and Austin's song?" She asked.

"I'm working on it. I've just been so busy with work, book club, spending time with Ryan and Riley… And I have to read this by tomorrow." She leaned down and picked up the large book she had been attempting to read all week.

"Tomorrow of what year?" Austin asked, opening it.

"Well you need to finish the song, I can't make a video without a song." Dez said.

"Hey! It's not like I spend all my free time training to eat a 20 pound hamburger!" Ally countered. I have to admit, that was rather impressive. Utterly repulsive. But impressive.

"You're just jealous." Dez scoffed, leaning down and picking up the trophy. He held up with pride. I chuckled.

"Ally, if we don't get a new video up on the site quick, people are going to forget who Austin is, and Riot will never get more fans." Trish said.

"HEY!" Austin, Ryan, and I exclaimed. That's a bit harsh. We can get more fans somehow…..

"She's right. It's been a whole month since the last one!" Dez agreed.

"Plus, we can gain more fans… Somehow…" Ryan spoke up.

"Guys chill, a month isn't that long… Plus it's pretty hard to forget Austin Moon!" Austin said, I went to add something, but I was cut off by a sudden squeal of excitement.

"OH MY GOSH! IT'S RALPHIE HAYES THE DOG FOOD GUY!" Two things were certain: 1) It was female. And 2) THEY WERE FREAKING LOUD! We spun to see two girls, looking like they were going pee themselves from excitement….

"Dog food commercial?" Austin asked, he spun back to Ally.

"Ally, you have to finish that song. Now!" He exclaimed.

"Fine! HERE!" Ally exclaimed, she opened her songbook, scribbled something down, tore out the page, crumpled it up, and threw it at Austin.

"Gee, thanks! That wasn't so hard!" Austin laughed, straightening out the paper, I walked over and looked it over. It was chicken scratch pretty much,

"I can't even read thi-" I began, but got cut off.

"Oh my Gosh! It's the guy who won the 20 pound hamburger contest!" The chicks exclaimed again. They rushed over to Dez as we all stared in shock and confusion.

"Can we have your autograph?" One exclaimed.

"Sure." Dez smiled. She turned around and he whipped out a bottle of ketchup, which I have no idea where it came from. He signed his name on the girls back and we all cringed.

"Okay, gross." I groaned. I grabbed the remote and flipped on the TV. Ryan pulled up the video. On the screen was an Austin clone, with an afro. It was funny.

"Ralphie Hayes here for Yummy Time dog food! So good, a human can eat it!" The kid exclaimed, and then proceeded to eat a huge spoon full of it… Ew….

"Are you kidding! That kid doesn't look like me at all!" Austin exclaimed, shutting off the TV.

"I thought the resemblance was uncanny!" I said. He glared at me, I shrugged and continued down the stairs. I sat next to Dez on the counter and Austin leaned on my knees.

"Ew! This dog food is horrible!" Dez exclaimed. Where did he even get that? And why the hell is he eating more?

"We have to get a video up soon! I don't wanna be known as the guy who looks like the guy, that sells horrible tasting dog food!" Austin exclaimed. Dez offered him a bite of the food, but Austin's glare made him shrink back.

"Guess who just got a job at the dry cleaners!" Trish exclaimed, I turned to see her walking in holding a jacket of some sort. Austin straightened up and leaned around to look at her.

"What happened to the Yo-Yo Cart?" Ryan asked.

"It's a long and complicated story." Trish replied, nodding solemnly.

"You got fired." I stated the obvious.

"Huh… I guess it's not that long or complicated." Trish shook her head. I chuckled slightly and hopped off the counter.

"Check out what I borrowed from work for Austin and Riley's video." She continued and held up the item in her hand.

"Isn't that someone's property?" I asked.

"Yeah, some big, burly, ultimate fighter guy named Face Puncher." Trish replied off handedly, tearing the plastic off the jacket.

"Face Puncher? You took a jacket from a guy named Face Puncher? You know what he's going to do to you?" Ally exclaimed. Austin, Dez, and Ryan all looked at each other.

"FACE PUNCH!" They yelled in unison. Austin pretended to punch Dez, who in turn pretended to punch Ryan, and Ryan acted like the victim. I laughed at their ridiculousness.

"Ally calm down, he'll never even know I borrowed it. He's not going to come get it until 8." Trish said, laying the jacket onto the piano.

"What does a leather jacket, no matter how cool it is, have to do with the song?" Ally asked.

"It's a line in the song… 'My jacket's in the lost and found'" Trish pointed to the line.

"Jacket? No… It's says I like it. The line is 'I like it when you hang around'" Ally said. I groaned inwardly. It was going to be a long weekend!

Tell me what you think! The next part will be up soon! I promise!

Much Love. (:

Rhey