Singing in Seattle

by Tracey West

  AJ looked thoughtful. “Did you believe that’s why she was here? I think she might be trying to cause trouble.”

  “She definitely seems to have it in for this competition—and you and me!” Aly said.

  Just then, a loud cry filled the air.

  “What was that?” Aly asked. They pushed open the door and walked backstage.

  Claire was standing over her open guitar case. In her hand was a purple notebook!

  “My notebook!” she said. “Someone put it back in my guitar case!”

  Aly and AJ hurried over.

  “Are you sure it’s yours?” AJ asked.

  Claire opened the book and flipped through the pages. She looked up and smiled at the sisters.

  “It is!” she said. “All the pages are here, too.”

  Austin patted Claire on the back. “I’m glad it turned up,” he said.

  Everyone began to talk as Amber and Josh came over to see what was going on.

  “Maybe you just misplaced it,” Josh suggested. “Like, it was stuck in the lining of your guitar case or something.”

  Claire shook her head no. “There are no holes in the lining and no room for something to get lost. Whatever the reason, I’m just glad it’s back!”

  “I’m so happy for you, Claire,” Aly said.

  “Even though I was able to remember my songs, I’m glad to have it back,” Claire said. She smiled at Aly and AJ. “Thanks for all your help. Maybe whoever stole it got nervous when they heard you guys were helping me look for it, so they returned it.”

  “I really think it just must have been stuck in your guitar case,” Josh insisted. “I don’t think any of us would have taken your notebook.”

  “We’re just glad it’s back,” AJ said. “We’ve got to get going. We’ll see you guys at the studio tonight, right?”

  The finalists had been invited to watch the girls rehearse for their concert and share their songs with Aly and AJ’s band.

  “I’ll be there,” Austin said with a big smile. “I wouldn’t miss it for anything in the world.”

  After saying their good-byes, Aly and AJ walked out of the theater and caught a cab.

  “That’s a relief,” Aly said as she sank back into the seat.

  “Even if Austin did take it, the notebook was returned, so there is really no crime, is there?” AJ asked hopefully.

  “Or maybe that’s what Heather was doing there sneaking around,” Aly said. “Returning the notebook.”

  “Either way, the problem is solved,” AJ said. “And we can concentrate on the contest—and our concert!”

  After they relaxed for a little bit at the hotel, Jim dropped Aly and AJ off at a rehearsal studio for practice.

  “Hey, guys!” Aly greeted the band as she walked into the room. “Did you miss us?”

  “The bus was empty without you,” the bassist, Malcolm, said. “But luckily we had Hello Kitty to keep us company.”

  Aly and AJ laughed. Their tour bus looked like a Hello Kitty factory had exploded inside. The cute cartoon kitten was on everything—pillows, blankets, dishes, even the shower curtain!

  Jeffrey, who played keyboards and also served as the musical director for the tour, was tuning up along with Matt, the lead guitarist. Tommy, the drummer, sat at his drum kit, lightly tapping with his sticks.

  Claire, Austin, and Josh walked into the room.

  “I hope we’re not late,” Austin called. He gave that cute grin of his. “I wouldn’t want to miss a second of this.”

  “It’s like having a private Aly and AJ concert,” Claire said. “I’m so excited.”

  Josh looked nervous. “I really want to hear some feedback about my songs.”

  “We’ll get to that,” AJ said. “But first, meet our band.” She introduced the contestants to the band members.

  Jeffrey stepped out from behind the keyboard. “First, we’re going to run through our set for the concert,” he explained to Austin, Josh, and Claire. “So why don’t you guys take a seat and get comfy. Afterward, we’d love to play some of your songs.”

  Jeffrey held up a large piece of poster board. It had song titles written on it in magic marker.

  “I’m thinking the concerts in Miami and New York sounded great,” he said. “Are there any changes you want to make to the set list?”

  Aly and AJ looked at each other.

  “I’m happy with it,” AJ said.

  “It works for me,” Aly replied. “We’ll just have to figure out when we should sing the winner’s song.”

  They discussed it for a bit and then the girls strapped on their acoustic guitars and stepped in front of the microphones. Together with the band, they performed a quick sound check. Then they launched into the song they had been opening the tour with, “Potential Breakup Song.”

  “It took too long, it took too long, it took too long,

  For you to call back,

  And normally I would just forget that,

  Except for the fact it was my birthday,

  My stupid birthday.”

  After the stress of judging the contest and fingerprinting guitar cases, it felt relaxing to play and sing, backed by their band. They finished the song and went through the set list from beginning to end.

  After the last song was played, Austin got to his feet and cheered and clapped. Josh clapped, too. Claire stood up, smiling from ear to ear.

  “That was amazing!” she gushed.

  “Wow! Thanks, guys,” Aly said.

  AJ smiled as she took off her guitar. “Thanks. But we’re not done yet. Let’s hear what you guys have got.”

  The band played a couple of songs from each contestant. Aly and AJ also had a chance to sing the songs, so they could get a feel for which one fit them the best. The guys from the band were really helpful, giving Josh, Claire, and Austin tips and advice.

  “Thanks a lot,” Austin said. He smiled at AJ. “It was really great to see you perform tonight. One day maybe you’ll give me a private concert.”

  AJ giggled. “Maybe one day I will,” she smiled.

  Aly looked at her sister and raised an eyebrow. AJ blushed.

  The contestants left, giving Aly and AJ a chance to talk about their songs with the band.

  “I really like Claire’s work,” Tommy said. “Her lyrics were really insightful, plus she knows how to write great music, too.”

  “She is good,” Jeffrey agreed. “But Austin’s music has a certain something, like a catchy hook you just can’t get out of your head.”

  “Yeah, I think Austin is my favorite,” Malcolm said. “But Claire is talented, too.”

  Matt put his guitar on its stand. “I really dug Claire’s work. She’s a talented songwriter. Whether she wins this contest or not, she’ll make a name for herself in the music industry.”

  AJ was scribbling in her notebook, trying to record the band’s impressions of each contestant. She looked up.

  “What about Josh?” she asked.

  Jeffrey shrugged. “He’s not bad, and he definitely has a flair for writing music. Except for that love letter song of his, his lyrics need work.”

  Matt nodded. “Josh isn’t as well-rounded as the other two.”

  “So two votes for Claire, two for Austin, and none for Josh,” Aly summed it up as AJ continued to write.

  “Think of it this way,” Malcolm said. “You can’t go wrong with either Austin or Claire. Now you just have to pick one.”

  AJ looked up from her notebook. She looked at Aly.

  “I don’t think that’s going to be easy!” she said.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN:

  BREAKING NEWS

  “Ahhhhh,” Aly said as she flopped on the couch in the hotel room. She had changed into her pajamas, an orange thermal top with a pair of pink pants that were dotted with images of cute bows and skulls. “I feel so comfy right now.”

  She had landed practically in her mother’s lap. Carrie laughed and stroked her daughter’s hair.

  “You’ve had a lo
ng day,” she said. “Just relax. Room service should be here soon.”

  Just then, there was a knock on the door.

  “Perfect timing,” Carrie said as she stood and walked to the door. A waiter in a fancy white and red uniform wheeled a cart into the room. Carrie directed him to the table in front of the couch and he began to place silver covered trays there. Carrie and Aly thanked him and he left.

  AJ came out of the bedroom. Her hair was wet from the shower and she had on her pajamas, too, a black tee with a crazy squirrel face on it and a pair of orange pants dotted with peanuts.

  “Mmmmm,” she said as she inhaled. “Smells delicious. I’m starving!”

  Carrie uncovered the trays for them. “Grilled chicken panini sandwiches,” she said.

  Aly and AJ pounced on the food. They sat back on the couch as they took big bites of their sandwiches.

  “Hey,” Aly said between bites of her food. “Let’s turn on the news. The songwriting contest should be on. There were some reporters and a television crew there today.”

  Carrie grabbed the remote off the table and turned the TV on. After flipping through the channels, she found a local news station.

  After talking about a robbery, a car accident, and the weather, the newscaster, a women with short brown hair, introduced the next segment.

  “They were singing in Seattle today, as wannabe songwriters performed their songs for music sensations Aly and AJ. This sister act is judging the Seattle Young Songwriters Competition. The winner will have their song performed by Aly and AJ at KeyArena on Saturday night.”

  The camera had panned to images of Amber and Bree onstage performing, and to Aly and AJ sitting in the audience, watching. Then it cut away to a reporter standing backstage. She was interviewing the contestants before the competition had begun.

  “Do you think you have a chance at winning?” she asked as she stuck the microphone in Claire’s face.

  “I feel like I already won,” Claire said. She looked straight at the camera and spoke without blushing or stammering. “I was so shy when I began this process, but I’m a lot more confident now. It’s all thanks to Aly and AJ. They’ve been just great to us!”

  Carrie was beaming. “Girls, I’m so proud of you.”

  “Oh, Mom.” Aly rolled her eyes.

  The reporter interviewed Bree and Henry together. When Austin’s face flashed on the scene, Aly shot a knowing smirk to her sister.

  “Stop it!” AJ complained. But her cheeks got a little red.

  Amber was interviewed, and finally, Josh. He was saying how he thought he had a chance at winning. AJ put down her sandwich and leaned closer to the television. She pointed at the screen.

  “Look at Josh’s pocket. What is that sticking out of it?”

  Aly looked closely. Something was poking out of the inside pocket of Josh’s leather jacket. And it was purple!

  “It looks like the corner of a notebook—a purple notebook!” Aly said excitedly.

  The scene changed. Now Aly and AJ were announcing the winners.

  “The reporter interviewed Josh before the competition—before someone returned Claire’s notebook,” AJ said. “I’m starting to think that maybe that someone was Josh!”

  “Why didn’t we think of this before?” Aly asked. “I guess it makes sense. He had the same motive and opportunity as anybody else.”

  “Josh knows his lyrics need work. That’s the feedback he keeps getting. He might have taken Claire’s notebook to get some ideas, or even just to get rid of one of the strongest competitors,” AJ suggested.

  Aly nodded. “Claire was so shy in the beginning. Anybody might have thought that stealing her notebook would destroy her confidence and keep her from doing her best.”

  “If Josh knew his lyrics weren’t good enough, sabotaging the competition might have seemed like a good idea,” AJ said thoughtfully.

  Aly looked right at AJ. “If Josh did it, then Austin was telling the truth.”

  “I’d feel a lot better about naming Austin the winner if he didn’t steal Claire’s notebook,” AJ said, avoiding Aly’s eyes. “We should try to find out if Josh really is responsible.”

  “If we get a chance, we should try and question him,” Aly said. “If Austin is in the clear, not only can we name him the winner, but you can date him!”

  “Aly!” AJ cried. She grabbed a pillow off the couch and threw it at her sister.

  “Girls!” Carried interrupted. “You should get to bed. You’ve got another busy day tomorrow—starting with a photo shoot in the morning. Besides, I don’t want you two to trash the hotel room!”

  “Okay, Mom,” Aly said. She put the pillow down. “AJ needs to get to sleep now—so she can dream about Austin.” She turned and ran into the bedroom with AJ chasing after her, laughing.

  Carrie chuckled and grabbed a pillow. “If I can’t beat you, I may as well join you!”

  CHAPTER TWELVE:

  SOMETHING’S FISHY

  “This place is huge!” Aly exclaimed. She looked around at the maze of buildings, streets, walkways, and alleyways that made up the Pike Place Market. It was early in the morning but the place was bustling with activity. Merchants were already open and selling fruits, vegetables, bread, flowers, and more to eager customers.

  “Let’s get our picture taken under the sign,” AJ said as they stopped in front of the entrance to the farmers’ market. The old-fashioned-looking sign next to the entrance had a big, round clock on it, and the words PUBLIC MARKET CENTER in big red letters.

  Carrie laughed and pulled out her digital camera. “You’re going to have your picture taken soon—at the photo shoot at Pike Place Fish Market.”

  “But that’s for Seattle Scene magazine,” Aly said. “This one is for our scrapbook.”

  The girls posed under the sign while Carrie snapped away.

  “We need one of all three of us,” AJ said.

  A woman walked by carrying a bouquet of flowers.

  “Excuse me, would you please take our picture?” AJ asked.

  She smiled. “Sure,” she said. “But you’re going to have to show me how to work the camera. I can never figure them out.”

  “It’s easy,” AJ said as she showed her how to work it.

  The woman stopped and gave a shriek. “Wait! You’re Aly and AJ, aren’t you? I can’t believe it! I should have recognized you right away. My daughters have your pictures all over their room.”

  “That’s us! And your name is?” Aly asked.

  “Donna,” she said. “Cassie and Leah are going to freak when I tell them about this. They both play guitar and want to perform together, just like you two.”

  Carrie asked, “Are they coming to the concert on Saturday?”

  Donna shook her head. “It was sold out. We couldn’t get tickets.”

  Aly and AJ smiled. They loved being able to surprise fans with tickets.

  “We have some extra tickets, and we’d love for them to come,” Aly said.

  Carrie reached into her bag. “And I’ve got some right here with me,” she said as she handed the tickets to Donna.

  “Oh my gosh!” Donna exclaimed. “You all are so wonderful. Cassie and Leah are going to be so excited. Thank you so much! Now let me see if I can take your picture. I’m shaking so much it will probably come out all blurry!”

  Donna snapped the photo and gave them all a big hug before leaving.

  Carrie glanced at her watch. “We’d better hurry,” she said.

  They made their way through the market toward the main arcade, where Pike Place Fish Market was located. Aly and AJ had dressed to impress for the photo shoot, but were warned that there could be a “costume change” by the magazine’s art director. AJ wore a fitted, white, off-the-shoulder top with a black vest over it, along with her favorite pair of jeans. Aly had chosen a baby doll tank that had a playful pattern in pink and black, with large straps and oversized, colorful buttons. Underneath it she wore a black three-quarter-length tee, paired with her f
avorite jeans.

  They made their way through the market and stopped in front of Pike Place Fish Market. Huge whole fish were displayed on beds of ice. A glass counter held a colorful array of lobster tails, crab claws, scallops, fish fillets, shrimp, and more. A group of people from the magazine were waiting for them.

  Carrie introduced Aly and AJ to Sasho, the art director; Monica, the photographer; and a young man named Tony who was there to do their hair and makeup.

  A couple of chairs had been set up and Tony began to get them ready.

  “You girls look fabulous!” Sasho said as Tony worked. The art director was stylishly dressed in black jeans and a vintage T-shirt. “I hope we’ll be able to use your outfits for the shoot.”

  Aly and AJ exchanged glances. What exactly did Sasho mean by that?

  The busy fish market was already starting to get crowded with customers and workers. The workers wore large, orange, rubber overalls over their clothes and boots. Two of the guys began tossing a huge whole salmon back and forth, cracking jokes and putting on a show for the shoppers.

  Sasho smiled at the girls. “I hope you guys like fish,” he said. “Because I’d like to get a few shots of you doing the same thing.”

  “I like sushi,” Aly replied. “But I’m not sure about that!”

  “With our bare hands?” AJ asked apprehensively.

  “Oh, you’ll be suited up properly,” Sasho said. “It’s your choice.”

  Aly looked at AJ. “Why not?” she said. “It’ll be fun!”

  Tony put the finishing touches on their hair and makeup and the girls stood up. Sasho handed them each a pair of rubber overalls and a pair of big rubber gloves.

  Aly giggled. “I guess we’ll fit right in.”

  One of the workers approached them, smiling. He wore jeans and a flannel shirt under his overalls. A backward baseball cap topped his black hair, and his eyes were a clear shade of green.

  “This is Shane,” Sasho said. “He’s going to show you how to throw fish.”

  “Follow me,” Shane told Aly and AJ.

  They walked to the front of the store. Shane grabbed one of the huge fish from the ice.

  “It’s not too hard,” he said. “Why don’t you try throwing it to me?” He handed the fish to Aly.