(A/N - okay, so I totally promised myself that I wasn't going to start a second story until I am completely done with "Miami Arts". However, an idea popped into my head today. Originally, I meant to just write it down, but ideas started flowing, and soon enough the first chapter was done. So, I'm back to two stories, unless you guys don't like this one!)

"Dad, why are you doing this to me?" I asked my father, slumping further into the passenger seat of his SUV. We were currently enduring a thirteen hour car ride from our home in Miami, Florida to Raleigh, North Carolina.

"Because, Ally," my father said excitedly, obviously not sensing that I wasn't enjoying this. "I need to visit my best friend. Mike was my best-man in my wedding, for crying out loud. We've been together through it all, and I haven't seen him in nearly a year."

"Well, why am I coming then?" I snapped, looking out the window. Despite the animosity that I am feeling about this trip, the scenery on the way up is beautiful. "I know you want to see Mike, but why am I here?"

"Because you haven't seen them in six years, Ally," my dad said, looking over at me. "Mike and Mimi are great, and they would love to see you again. Plus, they have kids, remember?" I rolled my eyes, knowing that there was no way out of this now. My father and I were going to be spending two months, almost my entire summer, at his friend's house.

"I'm not a kid, though," I grumbled, crossing my arms in a very child-like manner. "I'm sixteen years old."

"Then please act like it," my dad said, running his hand over where his hair used to be. "And you know I didn't mean kids. Molly is eighteen, and Austin is sixteen, just like you. The only child they actually have is Gracie, who you haven't even met before. She's eight, and couldn't come with them when they last visited us in Florida. She stayed with a nanny."

I briefly remember that, although I was only ten years old the last time that I saw any member of the Moon family. After my mother died, I tried to release any reminders I had of her, including the Moons, since they were so close to my mom. That's why I am being so bratty about this whole trip - I am embarrassed that I have been pushing them away. I actually remember loving the Moons - Mike and Mimi were so nice. Molly was like an older sister to me, since I never had any siblings of my own. And Austin and I were practically inseperable as children, always getting into mischief.

"Don't you remember how close you were to Austin?" my father asked, just as I was thinking about it. "You two were stuck like glue, always getting yourselves in trouble. Your mother and Mimi swore that you two would get married one day."

I blushed and nodded my head, remembering Austin very well. "Yeah, I remember," I said quietly, which made a broad grin cross my father's face. I recall Austin and I always hanging out, sitting together at every dinner our families shared, and making up games to play.

In the Raleigh winter, we would use sleds to go through the hilly land that the Moons owned. We built snowmen and even tried packing my suitcase full of snow once, to take back to Miami - let's just say that I needed new clothes and a new suitcase after that stunt. When the Moons visited us in Miami summers, Austin and I would sit on the boardwalk at the beach, sipping Slurpees and pointing out eccentric people that pass us.

Austin was always the same height as me, if not shorter. I'm sure he is a bit taller than me now, however, because I am only 5'2". He had really dirty blonde hair, and was a bit chubby. "I remember," I said again, smiling to myself. "I guess I am pretty excited to see everyone again, even if it is my whole summer. Maybe this could be fun."

"I'm glad to hear it," my dad said, reaching over and giving me a high-five. "Not like you had the oppurtunity to back out at this point, anyway. We're already halfway there." I grinned and rolled my eyes, before retrieving my leather songbook from my bag.

I write, sing, and play music, and not to toot my own horn, but, I am pretty good. I have terrible stage fright, however, because I am afraid of failing. As a perfectionist, being told that I am not good enough is not on my list of things I would like to achieve in life. If I don't perform, I can't fail.

I tapped my pen against my chin in thought, wishing that I was seated at a piano right now. Finally, an idea popped into my head, and I began writing of my crush back home, Robby. I guess you could say that we are friends, but we aren't super close - which is good, because I get nervous and stutter random things when I am around him. I don't have incredibly strong feelings for the guy, he is just a crush. But due to my lack of lovelife, I write about him very often in this book of mine. About an hour and a half later, I had a new song written.

I used to think maybe you loved me
Now baby I'm sure
And I just can't wait 'till the day
When you knock on the door
Now every time I go for the mailbox
Gotta hold myself down
'Cause I just can't wait 'till you write me your comin' around

I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh
I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh
I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh
And don't it feel good?
Hey, all right now
And don't it feel good?
Hey, yeah

I used to think maybe you loved me
Now I know that it's true
And I don't wanna spend my whole life
Just a waitin' for you
And I don't want you back for the weekend
Not back for a day I said baby
I just want you back
And I want you to stay, oh yeah

I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh
I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh
I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh
And don't it feel good?
Hey, all right now
And don't it feel good?
Hey, yeah

Walkin' on sunshine
Walkin' on sunshine

I feel alive I feel the love I feel the love
That's really real
I feel alive I feel the love I feel the love
That's really real

I'm on sunshine baby oh, oh yeah
I'm on sunshine baby oh

I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh
I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh
I'm walkin' on sunshine, woh-oh
And don't it feel good?
Hey, all right now
And don't it feel good?
Hey, yeah (1)

I hummed the song quietly, nodding my head to the music. I don't tend to write upbeat songs, but this one was catchy. "That's a nice song," my father said, smiling over at me. "It's got a summer feeling. I know that the Moons have a lot of instruments, so you can ask to borrow them while you're there."

"Really?" I asked, surprised. I have always had a bit of an interest in music, as my dad owns a music store. I wrote my first song in Kindergarten, and knew from the on, that I wanted to be a songwriter. I don't remember any of the Moons being musical, though. "Which one of them plays?"

"Austin," my father said after a moment of thought. "I heard him singing and playing the guitar last time I visited. He's pretty good, too." I smiled, knowing that Austin and I have at least something in common. I really hope that befriending him again won't be that hard, if he even wants to be my friend.

We still had about four hours left in the drive, so I put my headphones into my ears and set my iPod on shuffle. I looked out at the scenery surrounding us, and let myself drift to sleep.

"Ally, wake up," my dad said excitedly, shaking my shoulder gently. "We're here." I forced my eyelids open, blinking and taking in the area around me. We were, in fact, at the Moon's house, and it was just as I remembered it. The many acres of land, covered in grass, and spotted with large trees. The large, two-story house, which was now painted tan, rather than white. The large front porch, with the swinging seat. It was all still there.

And behind the house, I know, is a pool, and playset - if the Moons kept that. They may not have, but they probably did, since Gracie was born. "It's just like I remember," I say, smiling slightly. It was nice seeing something so familiar, even if I haven't been here in many years.

"Come on, let's go inside," my father said. "We can come get the bags later." I nodded my head and followed him through the grass and up the steps to the porch. He tested the door handle - which was unlocked - since we were being expected, and because my father is practically family here.

"Lester," a voice shouted, with loud steps running towards the front door, where we just entered. "Come here, buddy." Standing in front of us was Mike Moon, a tall man, and my father's best friend. They exchanged a long hug, talking excitedly, before Mike turned to me. "And Ally! Les told me you were coming, but I didn't believe him."

I broke into a broad grin, already feeling comofortable around him again. That was something about Mike - he was like a people magnet. You are just drawn to like him. "Hi, Mike," I said, stepping forward to give him a hug. "Of course I came."

Mike ruffled my hair a bit, something he did when I was younger. "And you are so pretty now," he said, examining me. "The pictures that Lester sends don't nearly do you justice. You look a lot like your mom, you know."

I felt my smile drop for a second, but the corners of my mouth quickly turned upward again. It has been six years since my mother died, and although I never will get over it completely, I have learned to deal with it the best I can. "Thanks," I said, grinning up at him.

"Hey, guys," a perky voice said. I turned to see Mrs. Moon pulling an apron off over her head, grinning widely at us. She pulled my father into a quick hug, and turned to me. "Oh, Ally," she said, hugging me tightly. "We have missed you so much. When Lester said you were coming, I was so excited that I spent the whole day baking."

"It's true, she did," another female voice quipped up. I broke away from my hug with Mimi to see Molly standing a few feet away. "Hey, Ally," she said, waving me over into a hug. Molly has light brown hair, and is average height. She is really pretty, but she always has been. "You haven't met her yet, but this is Gracie."

I looked down to see a short, blonde girl smiling up at me. "Hi," she said shyly, giggling a bit. I remember my dad saying that she was eight now. I can't believe that I have been avoiding the Moons so long, I completely missed out on a member of their family.

"Hi, Gracie," I said, leaning down and giving her a hug. I straightened back up, and Mike and Mimi began asking my father about our drive up here. "Where's Austin?" I asked at a quiet moment, glancing around for my old friend.

"Over here," a voice said. I turned my head towards the stair case, expecting to see a short, chubby boy standing there. Instead, I saw a very attractive guy walking towards me. He is almost a whole foot taller than me, with a lean, but muscular build. His slightly floppy hair was extremely blonde, and his brown eyes were deep and innocent.

"Austin?" I asked, still not believing it. I really hope that my mouth isn't hanging open right now.

"Hey, Ally-Gator," he said, using my childhood nickname. He sent me a dazzling smile, and I had no choice but to smile back. "Long time, no see."

"Well, you have two months to catch up," Mrs. Moon said, clapping her hands together. "Molly, could you come help me with dinner? Austin, go help Ally with their bags." Austin nodded and ushered me out the door. We walked towards my father's car in an awkward silence.

"Back seat," I said, more so to break the quiet than anything else. He nodded and opened the car door, carefully pulling out the four large bags that my father and I packed, two for each of us.

He set them on the ground next to the car, shutting the door, and turning towards me. "Glad to see that you're still simple Ally, not over packing," he said, pointing at my bags. "Most girls would pack at least five bags for a two-month stay."

"I'm not most girls," I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"I know, I remember," he said, chuckling. He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around me in a hug. I visibly stiffened, and he pulled away awkwardly. "Sorry."

"Don't be," I said, sighing and reaching for a bag. I slung it over my shoulder, and reached for a second, but Austin stopped me, taking three bags and leaving me with just the one. "It's just been a while."

"Yeah, you never really come around, anymore, do you?" Austin asked, glancing over at me as we began walking back towards his house. His voice sounded a bit sad.

"Hey, I come around enough," I said in self-defense.

Austin shot me a look with his eyebrows raised. "Ally, it's been six years," he said flatly. Then he shot me a smile, and I know he was thinking about a memory we shared sometime in our childhood. "We all missed you, you know. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," I said, smiling shyly. "We were stuck like glue when we were younger."

"We were inseperable," Austin agreed, opening the front door as we once again reached his house. I followed him up the stairs, and he stopped at a guest room. "This is your dad's room," he said, setting my father's bags on the floor. He closed the door and walked down the hallway a bit more. "And this is your room."

Behind the door was a large room, the walls painted bright yellow and red. The comforter was black with red polka dots, and there was a large, black dresser against one wall. The room also contained a closet, and a very large window overlooking some of their property. "It's so cool," I exclaimed, dropping my bag and rushing over to the window.

Austin set my other bag down and laughed. "I'm glad you like it," he said. I noticed an electric keyboard near the corner of the room. "Dad told me that you were into music, so I was going to lend you one of my keyboards while you're here. If you want to use any other instruments, just let me know."

"I heard you were into music too," I said, glancing up at him quizzically. "When did that happen?"

Austin shrugged his shoulders. "I got really into the guitar when I was eleven," he said, his eyes lighting up with excitement. I could tell that he truly loved music. "And eventually, it developed from a hobby into a passion."

"Well, I hope to hear you play something soon," I said, smiling over at him.

"Absolutely," he said, grinning. "On one condition. I have to hear you play something, too." Not wanting to get into a discussion about my stage fright right now, I merely nodded my head. "Cool. Dinner is probably ready, so let's go." He grabbed my hand gently and pulled me downstairs to the kitchen.

I sighed, already knowing that I was going to enjoy this summer much more than originally planned. Although we have all changed a bit, I'm picking up with everyone, right where I left off.

(A/N - well, that's the first chapter! Let me know what you guys think in a review, otherwise I might not continue it! Thanks for reading!)
1) I don't own Walking on Sunshine - I'm not sure who originally wrote the song, but the only version I know is the cover by Aly and AJ.