AUTHOR'S NOTE — I know I'm already writing a summer-themed Auslly, but that one is more summer-lovin' type, this is more of the pride and prejudice typed (or jily, if you've read HP). This is also only in Ally's POV. And, you know, SN is half over and Love Songs only has one more part ... ;)

DISCLAIMER — Austin & Ally belong to Disney; The title of the story is from the song Defying Gravity in WICKED and the quote is not mine. :)

Defying Gravity
one.

"You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching, / Love like you'll never be hurt, / Sing like there's nobody listening, / And live like it's heaven on earth."

— william w. purkley

"Welcome to Camp Powerchord, where you will enhance your vocal and musical prowess and make friends that you will keep for, hopefully, a long time!" Norman Moon, the camp's director, smiled at the audience, a sea of faces — boys and girls, men and women, children and parents. They all stared back at him with rapt attention, soaking in every word. I, on the other hand, had tuned out his spiel — and although this was my first summer as a counsellor, it was my fifth year overall and I knew that he made the same speech every year.

Instead, my eyes were roving the campgrounds — over the lush green trees and foliage, past the mess hall and canteen, and towards the cabins in the square. This was the first time that I would be sleeping in one of the cabins marked with 'counsellor', and, to be honest, I was pretty excited. After all, it wasn't every day that you got to boss kids around when it came to music. I was trying to soak in as much of the place I spent my summers at as possible.

Most teenagers would hate being stuck at a camp miles away from internet and good cell phone reception and Top 40 Radio stations, being forced to teach bratty kids about music notes and performing — but I had never fit into the description of a normal teenager. Besides, I was much too old to be a camper, and it was time that I taught my skill to the next generation. And, I would admit, I was looking forward to see my old friends again. I mean, I had emailed and Skype'd them a few times, and I even met Trish for coffee and shopping once when she was in the city, but the truth of the matter was — I lived in Miami; Dez and Trish lived in Pinewood, and I'd missed the easy batter of our last summer.

This year, though, I would be paid to hang out with my friends and play music all summer — it was like some kind of paradise. I had snagged the coveted role of being a junior counsellor (whatever that was) and part-time lifeguard, yes — I was on my way to total domination. I like teaching the kids; most of the time, at least. " — and our skilled counsellors will lead you to your cabin; there are four boys' cabins, four girls' cabins; and zero co-ed cabins." He directed the last part at a gaggle of teenagers who were laughing and talking and didn't seem to be paying attention to a word he was saying.

Beside me, I could almost feel Austin Moon smirking. Ah yes, the worst part of coming back to camp — the owner's son, Austin Moon. I'd say that he had a big head, but that would be offensive to bigheaded people everywhere. That boy was the epitome of insufferable — every time I saw him, he had a smug smirk on his face like he knew something that you didn't . . . just because his father was the owner and director of the camp. I grated my teeth together — hopefully I wouldn't have to spend more time than the necessary with him.

Mr. Moon finally dismissed us and I headed to the cabin in which I and three other female counsellors were supposed to stay. I could already hear the loud music blaring from inside the cabin despite the no loud music rule and smiled to myself, "Trish."

"You do know that talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity, don't you?" an annoyingly familiar voice said from behind me. I scowled.

"Who asked you, Moon?" I snapped. He looked slightly shocked for a second but then the ever-present smirk came back. "I don't care what you have to say — " I began.

The boys' cabin door opened and a boy about our age with brown hair and eyes and a cute smile popped his head out, "Austin, do you want the top bunk?" And then he looked up and just seemed to notice me. "Oh — hey."

"Hi," I said; my voice sounded a bit breathless so I cleared my throat — and my thoughts. "I'm Ally."

"I'm Dallas," he replied, giving me an easygoing grin. I smiled back at him — at least there'd be one sane boy. There was a crash from inside the cabin. Dallas quickly turned back to the cabin and groaned before facing us once more. "And unfortunately, I have to go. Coming, Austin? I think Dez is eating the toothpaste again . . . "

"I'm coming," Austin called out after him. "See you later, Dawson." He turned around and gave me his trademark smirk and I had to fight the urge to glare at him. That boy was so strange — one second he'd be almost normal, like a regular boy . . . and the next, he'd be back to his usual arrogant self.

Boys.

Once both of them were back in the cabin, I opened the door and was assailed by Adele's Rumour Has It on full blast and attacked by a mass of curly brown hair. "Ally!" Trish screamed like it had been eons since we'd seen each other. "It's been way too long. Sit down, sit down, and let me introduce you to our fellow counsellors." Trish hadn't changed a bit.

"Hey," said a girl with long red hair and a big smile, "I'm Kate."

"And I'm Emma," added in another girl with bangs, blonde hair, and braces. "Call me Em. It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Ally," I said, giving them each grins. "And it's nice to meet you too." Thank goodness my roommates looked that they had at least some semblance of sanity — well, besides Trish — and I decided that I might as well start unpacking now. I started arranging my clothes in my usual, almost methodical order. It was almost as if nothing changed, but I could feel it in the air — it was going to be a great summer. I just knew it.

I let the other girls' chatter wash over me as I listened to classical music on my iPod — I know, I know, what kind of teenager listens to classical music — but I find it relaxing and calming. Making sure that none of the girls were watching, I took my secret songbook and stashed it under my pillow, praying to God that none of the other girls were snoopy. I don't know how much time passed as I unpacked my things into what would be home for the next two months.

"I'm starving," Emma declared suddenly, bringing me back to earth. "Can we go eat?" The question was mostly directed at me, since I was the only one who had not completed my packing; oh well, I suppose it could wait until we got back and I nodded.

"Sure. Let's go."

.

The Mess Hall — emphasis on the word mess — was a squat, ugly, brown brick building that stood right in the middle of what we called the square (which was actually the semicircle of cabins and a small field surrounding it). Despite its rather ugly frame, the Mess Hall had been a source of many fun times. In fact, it was how Trish and I had met many years ago, but that is another story.

This time, however, instead of sitting on the scratchy and splintery wooden picnic tables, we got the good chairs. Trish and I exchanged smirks — no more checking for wood shavings whenever I stood up.

The bad news about our own dignified seating sections was the fact that all the counsellors had just one long table and I think we may have overstaffed this year. "C'mon," Kate said, her eyes as wide as saucers as they took in the whole room. Trish and I, who had been to this camp way too much, merely looked for the food line, and upon spotting it, we headed in that direction.

"I should have become a counsellor years ago," Trish said thoughtfully. "I mean — their food, our food, is so much better." I had to agree with her on this one. There was a variety of choices, including (but not limited to): pasta, rice, fries, hamburgers, hotdogs, ice-cream, and the like.

After we had filled our trays, we fought through the long line of campers and counsellors towards the long staff table at the end of the room. "Whoever thought of this arrangement needs a few tips in interior decorating," Emma groaned as a hyper boy with a chocolate-stained face ran into her, almost making her drop her tray onto the ground. "It doesn't make any practical sense!" I shrugged at her.

"You should take that up with Mr. Moon, then."

"Or his really hot son," Kate suggested with a waggle of her eyebrow. Emma blushed at that.

"Are you joking? He's, like, totally intimidating!"

"And he and Ally have history. Lots of history," Trish said, interrupting them with an evil smirk. I shot her my best glare, something that hopefully conveyed you'd better sleep with one eye open but judging from the sarcastic grin she gave in reply, it hadn't exactly worked as I'd hoped. Kate and Emma, on the other hand, were staring at me with gobsmacked and slightly jealous faces.

"Why didn't you tell us, Ally?" Kate said, almost drowning out all the other noise in the room. I clapped my hand over her mouth to keep her from yelling anymore.

Emma took this as an opportunity to pounce. "So tell us everything!"

I shot Trish another glare and face-palmed. "It was nothing. We just, you know, didn't really get along when we were at camp." They both stared at me, evidently wanting more, but I raised an eyebrow at them and they looked away, defeated.

No one spoke for the rest of the walk to the table and by the time we got there, the majority of the seats were taken. Trish had somehow managed to get a spot next to Dez, one of my friends I met at camp and her boyfriend (don't even ask me how that one happened) and Emma and Kate snagged a pair of seats next to each other, leaving me on my own.

"Hey, Dawson," a voice hissed from beside me. "There's room over here." Yeah, right. There was no way that I'd ever, ever, even if the universe depended on it, sit beside Austin Moon willingly.

"In your dreams, Austin," I hissed, unaware that I had used his first name.

"More like my nightmares," he shot back at me, "just sit, Dawson. That doesn't make us friends or anything, and I don't have cooties, don't worry."

And that is how I spent my first dinner as a counsellor at Camp Powerchord — elbow to elbow with Austin Moon. I could practically feel Trish's smug look from across the table.

It was going to be an interesting summer, to say the least.

AUTHOR'S NOTE II — I hope that wasn't too horrible. Please DO NOT favourite or alert without leaving a review!

- Madeline (overstreets)