Hello, shippers. Okay, so we all know that after Parents&Punishments, Mike, Mimi, and Lester don't get along all that well. Would you even agree with me, that Austin and Ally have a Romeo and Juliet relationship of sorts? Because that's what I think. So I wanted to combine that type of story with a love-hate story, with a slightly angsty - and I use the word angst loosely, because I am in no way an angst author - and well, this happened. I'm planning on a three-shot, something to keep you guys busy while I attempt to catch up on all my other fics. Yes, believe it or not, A Summer to Remember, and On Thin Ice will be complete... eventually. Until then, I present you with this.

"Oh, no," my father mumbled to himself, nervously pacing the store. "This is bad, so bad - really, really bad."

I glanced up at him worriedly. "What's really bad?" A list of possibilities rushed through my head. Did an instrument break? Did we get robbed? Has Dad finally been caught fishing out all of those coins from the mall fountain? Or - oh, no - is the library closing?

"Oh, don't worry, Ally-Gator," he smiled, making a strong attempt to stop pacing. Now, however, he was wringing his hands tightly, his knuckles going white.

"Seriously, Dad, what's the matter?" I ask again, trying to seem calm. "Maybe I can help."

"Come here," he relented, sighing. I joined him at the big glass doors of our shop, and glanced out at the mall. "Do you see it?" I shook my head, my eyes darting around nervously, before they finally landed on a newly painted shop.

"Isn't that the fancy, gourmet cheese shop?" I asked, straining to get a better look.

"Was," my father answered, shaking his head. "It was a cheese shop - until they decided that business would be better in Wisconsin. Seriously, doesn't that damned state have enough cheese already?"

"Dad, you're lactose intolerant," I reminded him gently, wondering why he was so worked up over this. He can't even eat cheese, so why is this such a big deal?

"It's not about the cheese shop leaving," he stressed, running his hand through what little hair he had left. "It's about what's replacing the cheese shop." I glanced at the building again, and noticed a sign.

COMING SOON - MOON'S MUSIC

"Another music shop?" I gasped, finally piecing together my father's anxiety. "But, we're the only instrument store in this mall. Business isn't bad, but it isn't well enough to be able to handle competitors."

"Exactly," my father sighed, letting his head drop into his hands. "We can't afford to lose business over this."

"Don't worry, Dad, I'm sure we'll be fine," I tried to reassure him. "We'll figure something out."

"Okay, so I dug up some information on these Moon people," my father said, frowning at the mention of our soon-to-be rivals. "They used to own Moon's Mountain Apparel."

I snorted. "In Miami?" I asked, chuckling to myself. "The closest thing we have to a mountain is the landfill." If these people were trying to sell mountain apparel in Florida, they mustn't be too bright. Perhaps, we won't have to horrible of competition after all.

"That's what I said," my father agreed. He glanced down at the memo pad in his hands. "Anyway, their names are Mike and Mimi, and they have a son a bit older than you, named Austin."

"How much information did you dig up, exactly?" I asked my father warily. The last thing I needed was him getting into trouble for stalking or something.

"I didn't get their social security numbers, if that's what you're implying," he replied nervously, shoving the notepad behind his back. "Anyway, I was thinking we could take the 'play nice' approach, You know, get to know them, learn their weaknesses, then manipulate them to ruin their business."

"Dad, you're scaring me," I chuckled at my normally easy-going father. "And how do you hope to accomplish that - hypnotism?"

"Pft, no," my father laughed, crossing something off his notepad. "That's ridiculous."

"Nothing illegal either, Dad," I said, folding my arms.

"Fine," he grumbled, crossing more notes off. After glancing at his remaining ideas, he smiled at me. "That leaves one thing. You go over, flirt with the boy, become friends, whatever. Make him like you. Then, invite the Moons over for dinner. We'll get to know them - perhaps, try to get them drunk, so that they'll spill some deep, dark secrets."

"You don't even know them," I reminded him. "They could be nice." My father rolled his eyes, as though the possibility of that were preposterous. "Okay, so basically, you want me to use and manipulate a boy, just so you can ruin his family's business."

"I knew I could count on you," my father smiled, obviously missing the sarcasm in my tone. "Get that boy in your pants if you have to, just-"

"Dad," I shouted, appalled at this side of my father, and that he would even suggest such a thing.

"Kidding," he laughed, throwing his hands up as a sign of surrender. Then, rethinking it to himself, he shrugged. "Mostly."

I shook my head and exited the store, heading towards our new competition. Inspecting myself in a display window, I ran my fingers through my curls, making them a bit messier. I tugged the neckline of my top down, showing off a little cleavage, and lowered the waistband of my bright, low-rise skinny jeans, exposing a bit of my hips and midriff.

My dad said to make that Austin boy like me, and although I hate manipulating people, it's for the good of the Sonic Boom. In order to do this, I had to make myself as appealing as possible.

Finally satisfied with my reflection, I sauntered off to the new music shop, making sure to swing my hips as much as possible. The door was unlocked, even though the shop wasn't scheduled to open for another week.

"Hello?" a voice called out, from a storage room deeper in the shop. A blonde boy walked out, looking down at a clipboard. "Sorry, we aren't open yet - hi."

When he glanced up, his eyes widened. I smiled to myself, knowing those two minutes fixing myself up had helped. I had to admit, he wasn't too bad himself. Tall, with messy, blonde hair, hazel eyes, and an adorably goofy smile, I'd call him a solid nine.

Remembering why I was here, I shook my head, smiling as I stepped closer to the boy. "Hey," I winked. "I'm Ally."

"Austin," he smiled, setting his clipboard down. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Not really, no," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "Actually, I wanted to see if I could help you. I work at the music shop over there - the Sonic Boom, and my dad wanted me to welcome you guys to the mall."

"Oh," he said, his eyes hardening ever so slightly at the mention of the Sonic Boom. "That's really nice of you, but I think we're okay."

I sensed an air of dismissal in his voice, so I once again stepped closer, laying a hand on his arm. "Yeah, I kind of figured you wouldn't need help," I giggled, giving his arm a quick squeeze. "I mean, you look so strong. I bet there isn't much a girl like me could do to help out, huh?"

Glancing up at him through my eyelashes, I could see that his face had once again softened, and he was smiling lightly at me. "Well," he said, catching my wrist as I turned to leave. "You could stick around, if you want. I don't really need the help, but I could use the company."

And that's how I found myself perched on the Moon's Music counter for the next two hours, conversing with Austin as he unpacked things. I kept up the flirting - laughing at all his jokes, complementing him, even playing with his hair each time he passed by.

I even found myself enjoying talking to him - he was really cool. Austin is seventeen, only a year older than me. He has a love for music, is pretty laid-back, and is really funny and goofy. I could actually see the two of us being good friends, if it weren't for the stupid, sure-to-happen feud between our shops.

"There," Austin sighed, breaking down another empty box. "That's the last one to unpack today." He smiled at me, and I realized I still haven't invited him over for dinner.

"Come here," I said, motioning to the space in front of me. He strolled over, and I turned him around so that his back was to me. He leaned against the counter between my legs, and I gently moved my hands over his back and to his shoulders. "You seem tense," I whispered into his ear, letting my lips linger a bit longer than necessary.

He shivered. "A little," he admitted as I massaged his shoulders, his muscles tight beneath his shirt. "Just a bit stressed over this store opening, I guess."

"Don't be," I mumbled against his neck, lifting the bottom of his shirt up to run my cool hands over the warm skin of his back. I felt him relax at my touch. "You're so strong."

He moaned a little, and I bit my lip. Trying to make this boy fall for me, without falling for him in the process, is proving to be quite a task. In my defense, my father didn't mention how attractive he is while he was setting up this little plan - or that he pretty much possessed my dream personality.

"Austin, we're back," a lady announced as she entered the store, arm in arm with a man. I assumed them to be Austin's parents. Both were dressed nicely, as though they were entering a country club, rather than a music shop.

"Good, you've unpacked everything," his father said, nodding approvingly. Then, he noticed me. "And who's this?"

I hopped off the counter and walked towards the couple, smiling and extending my hand. "I'm Ally Dawson," I greeted. "Austin and I are..."

"Friends," Austin supplied helpfully, winking at me. Pink flooded my cheeks, as out actions from moments earlier were on the verge of being way more than friendly.

"Right," I agreed, as he came to stand next to me, his arm brushing mine gently. "Anyway, my father owns the music shop across the mall, and he wanted me to welcome you guys."

"Oh, isn't that sweet," Mrs. Moon exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "Isn't that sweet, Mike?" Mr. Moon nodded, sending his son a not-so-subtle wink, causing me to blush once again. "We'd love to get to know you guys. Would you join us for dinner tonight?"

I thought about it. Technically, my dad said to invite them over for dinner. But, I wouldn't want to get on their bad side by declining the invitation. "That sounds great," I agreed.

"Austin, honey, give Ally our address," Mimi said, gesturing towards her son. "And, we need to head home to prepare for dinner, so be a gentleman and walk her back to her shop."

I waved goodbye, thanking them again for the invitation, before following Austin back out into the mall. "Sorry about that," he chuckled.

"About what?"

"About my parents," he sighed. "They can be a bit... over the top, I guess."

"Not at all," I reassured him, smiling. "I was actually going to invite you all over for dinner, anyway, so it worked out."

"Good," he laughed, smiling shyly. "Because I didn't want them to scare you off. I actually like hanging out with you."

"I like hanging out with you too," I smiled, ducking my head in embarrassment.

He handed me a slip of paper with his address on it. "Wear something fancy," he said. "My parents manage to turn even a casual dinner into a black tie event."

"Will do," I promised as we arrived at my shop. I glanced over at him and swiftly kissed his cheek, smiling as he blushed. "I'll see you tonight." He waved, grinning before darting back to his shop.

I walked into the Sonic Boom, and my father immediately raced over, a toothy smile lighting up his face. "I saw that," he exclaimed, hugging me tightly. "You've got that boy wrapped around your finger already. How soon do you think we'll be able to invite them over for dinner? When are you going to meet his parents?"

"Already met them," I sighed, ignoring the guilty feeling in my stomach. I handed him the paper with the Moon's address. "They're actually really nice. They invited us over for dinner tonight. And about Austin, I-"

"Ooh, good plan, Ally," my father cut me off. "Going to their house - we can see how they live, and maybe we can figure out some things about them. Of course they'll be more willing to give up secrets in the comfort of their own home. Now, let's go home and get ready."

"That's not what-" I tried to call after him, but gave up once he was already locking up the store. How would he react, if he knew I might actually have some feelings for the son of his already sworn enemies?

"You look nice, sweetheart," my father said as we walked up to the Moon's front door. Turns out, I had the whole country club vibe pegged - this house was huge. I glanced down at my dress - a tight, strapless, black dress, which ended mid-thigh and had a long zipper in the back, hem to hem. It was made by a brand called E-Z Access - a fitting name, for, one tug on that zipper, and this dress would be falling to the floor.

"Thanks, Dad," I bit out, shaking my head. "You requested that I wear something raunchy, remember? In case 'that Austin boy wants to take it a step further'." Yes, that's an actual quote from my dad. I relented, and had dressed in the sexiest thing I could find in my closet that wasn't lingerie, paired it with a pair of black heels, and straightened my hair.

"Honey, you know that's not what I meant," my father rushed, finally understanding that he may be taking this a bit too far. He tried to explain further, but the door swung open, revealing Mr. Moon in a crisp suit.

"Ally, Lester, welcome," his big voice boomed, as he stepped aside for us to enter. The house was just as impressive inside as it was out, and I looked around at everything, taking it in. Mr. Moon led us to a dining table, which was covered in fine china, silverware, decorations, and steaming food. "Mimi is almost finished."

As if on cue, the blonde woman walked in carrying the last dish. After setting it on the table, she whipped off her apron to reveal a long blue gown. "It's nice to see you again, Ally," she said, patting me on the shoulder as she walked by. "And it's nice to meet you, Lester. Please, have a seat." She pressed a button on what looked like an intercom, and spoke into it. "Austin, our guests are here, and dinner is ready."

"Be right down," his voice crackled back a few moments later, and I smiled, taking my seat. I watched as my father presented Mike with a large bottle of very strong wine, trying not to roll my eyes at his plan to get the Moons drunk and discover some dark secret.

As promised, Austin came dashing down the steps, fixing his blazer as he went. He was wearing dress pants, a red shirt with a black tie also, and his hair was a little neater than earlier today. "Hey," he whispered, smiling as he sat down next to me. "You look very pretty."

"You clean up pretty well, yourself," I laughed. Everyone else took their seats, and we were soon feasting on Mimi's delicious cooking, while trying to keep up small talk. It wasn't horrendously awkward, but it was evident that our parents weren't immediate best friends. Nor would they ever be, considering what my father was planning.

"That was delicious, Mrs. Moon," I exclaimed as we all finished up, grinning at her. "Would you like any help?"

"Absolutely not," she laughed, shaking her head. "You're the guest - we can just save it for the maid to do tomorrow. Austin, how about you show Ally around the house, while us adults break out the alcohol and get to know each other?"

"Sure," Austin said, standing up and pulling out my chair for me. He took my hand and led me out of the dining hall. "Do you really want me to show you around the house?"

"I think I'm okay," I laughed. "I got a pretty good view of everything when I walked in."

"I kind of figured," he laughed, leading me up the stairs. He opened a door and pulled me inside what I figured was his bedroom. Shutting the door behind him, he turned to me. "So, what do you want to do? We could watch a movie."

"Sounds good," I nodded. He gestured towards his bed, which I perched myself on the edge of, watching as he removed his blazer and slid off his tie. He popped a disk into the DVD player and sat down on the other side of his bed, leaning against the pillows and smiling at me.

"You know you can make yourself comfortable, right?" he chuckled. I nodded and blushed, taking my shoes off and making myself more comfortable on the bed. I leaned my head on his shoulder and curled up against his side. "Better."

This made me laugh, and he started the movie. Not even five minutes in, I found myself distracted, watching him as he watched the screen. I noticed that his jaw was strong and hard, and that his hazel eyes actually had little flecks of gold. The bridge of his nose was covered in small, almost unnoticeable freckles, and he had a small scar on his chin, probably from a fall as a child, or something. He must have felt me watching him, because he smiled. "You're not watching the movie," he laughed, before finally turning to look at me.

"Sorry, sorry," I blushed, turning away and looking at the screen, still not focusing on the film. I felt him watching me and looked back to see that he was leaning closer, a hopeful look in his eyes. I leaned forward and closed the gap between us, kissing him gently.

Immediately, sparks and warmth flooded my body as we kissed, and I knew that this was way more than part of my father's plan. Austin pulled back and smiled at me. "Wow," he whispered, and I nodded, not knowing what else to say.

The movie long forgotten, he gently flipped over so that he was on top of me, kissing me once again. This time, it was much hotter, filled with more passion and need than the last. It was still perfect, just more intense. I gasped as he nibbled on my bottom lip, and the kiss soon turned into a full-blown make out session. "Ally," Austin panted, looking me in the eye. "Do you think we're moving too fast? I mean we really only just met this morning."

"Life's too short," I responded, knowing that this very well may be the last time we see each other on good terms, depending on what my father does. He nodded and kissed me again, hard. He trailed kisses from my temple down to my collarbone, nibbling lightly on the skin against my neck.

At one point, I reached for the buttons on his shirt, not breaking the kiss as I fumbled with them. He helped me, unfastening the last one and tossing the shirt in the corner, revealing that he did indeed, have very large muscles. I ran my hands over them as he stroked the skin on my thighs, gently reaching higher and higher, under the hem of my dress.

Pulling away, he cupped my chin gently. "You're beautiful," he whispered, and I could tell that he really thought so. Reaching for the zipper of my dress, he sent me a questioning glance, silently asking if this was okay. I nodded, and he pulled the zipper down about halfway, exposing much of my back. He lightly traced circles against my skin, making me shiver.

"This is perfect," I whisper, relaxing under his touch. "You're perfect." We laid there together a bit longer, kissing and relishing in each other's company, before his bedroom door swung open, a very angry, very sober Mimi standing there.

"Austin," she said tightly, not at all fazed by the fact that her son and I were in various forms of undress, making out in his bed. "Your father and I need to speak with you. Ally, your father is waiting for you in your car." I nodded and scrambled to grab my shoes, motioning for Austin to re-zip my dress.

He did, and I waved goodbye. "Thanks again for dinner, Mrs. Moon, it was lovely," I said nervously, rushing down the steps and towards the front door.

"Ally, wait," Austin called out, running after me. "I'm not sure what's going on, but I want to see you tomorrow, okay? I'll come find you." I nodded and he kissed me once more before I dashed out the door, towards my father's car.

After I got in, he hastily backed out of the driveway, headed for our house. A few beats of silence passed, before I looked at him. "Dad, what happened?"

"I knew this was what they would be like," he muttered to himself. "They're stuck up, rich snobs, and they're going to find a way to ruin our business. I just know they are."

"Dad, what happened?" I repeated.

"We all had a couple glasses of wine, but not nearly enough to make them drunk," he spat out, shaking his head. "I thought they were, and started asking questions. Then, that damned Mike accused me of snooping-"

"-Which you are," I interjected, shaking my head.

He ignored me and continued. "And things got a little heated. We were all arguing, and soon enough, they asked me to leave." Finally he glanced over at me and took in my rumpled appearance. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing," I blushed, averting my eyes from his. Despite the fact that he said to get Austin in my pants if I had to, I doubt he would be happy with what was going on, especially now.

He stared at me a bit longer, before shaking his head. "It doesn't matter, I guess," he sighed, pulling into our driveway. "But, I can tell you one thing - those Moons and I are never going to get along. If it's a battle they want, I'll give them a war." I sighed, hoping to myself that this would be over soon enough. "Oh, and I definitely don't want you seeing that Austin boy."

So, the Moons and Mr. D obviously don't like each other very much... and despite the fact that it started as an act, Ally and Austin really do like each other... so obviously problems are going to arise. Expect love-hate, love-love, and a few more heated scenes in the other two parts. And if you enjoyed and want more, the little review button is just a click away. :)