Branded
-endymion-
Standard disclaimers apply; School of Rock isn't mine. I've only a vast collection of costume jewelry and no money. Suing me just ain't worth it.
Summer Hathaway was in a very bad mood.
It showed on the rushed yet heavy stomping of her feet as she stormed up the weathered old stairs that led up to Dewey Finn's apartment. The creases on her forehead and the tight line her lips drew just made it all the more obvious.
Freddy Jones trailed several steps behind her, hands in his pockets, and walking in quick, languid strides. He looked unkempt, but then again, that was the usual state of his school uniform so it was no actual cause for alarm.
"Summer," he called lazily. As his legs were rather longer than Summer's, he walked in a much slower pace. "Wait up!"
"We're late," came her clipped response and she disappeared around a corner.
Late. They were late!Summer fumed at the thought, checking her watch for the millionth time before pulling her hair into a ponytail. She had always taken pride for having an impeccable attendance, be it school assemblies, or student council meetings, and even more so at band practices. And now she was late. Just what would everybody think?
Apparently, being Freddy Jones's girlfriend was bad influence on her, that's what.
She'd only been dating him for no more two weeks and four days, and already he had this effect on her. Of course, he had other effects on her too, like making her heady whenever he was anywhere near and making her bite her lip in giddiness when he so much as holds her hand, but sometimes paying attention to these effects had some consequences.
Like being tardy.
Freddy rolled his eyes at Summer's last comment but quickened his step nonetheless. Honestly, the girl worried too much about stupid things like attendance. He himself didn't see the point of getting to rehearsal on time. People always stood around jabbering away for a good thirty minutes anyway, so why not just get there when people are already annoyed and ready to get down to business?
They were only a few more doors away from Dewey's unit when he finally caught up with her.
"Relax, it's only been like five minutes," he said, even though he had no idea what time it was, (he didn't wear watches. Girlfriend or no, Summer kept track of the time for both of them for as long as he can remember) trying to placate her. Summer rewarded him with a nasty look
"It's been almost fifteen minutes," she snapped, holding up her wrist to show Freddy just how late they were. She made a mental note to get her ill-conducted boyfriend a watch for his next birthday. "You are to compete in the goddamned House of Blues in three days, we can't afford to waste any practice time!"
Freddy, meanwhile, ignored the watch and grabbed Summer's hand instead. She tried to snatch it back but he gripped it tight and pulled her closer to him.
"Like I said," he said, draping an arm around her shoulders. "Relax. We're going to rock that gig anyway."
His mouth twisted into a smirk when he felt Summer melt into him. Her arms were crossed on her chest and she was still frowning, but she made no further complaints when he curved his arm around her waist, his hand resting on her hip. Damn him. He wasn't playing fair.
"Besides," he added as they reached the Unit 307, whose door showcased a banner with the School of Rock crest on it."We weren't actually wasting time, were we?"
Freddy was still smirking, and Summer's cheeks were flaming when they finally made it inside the apartment, their hands interlinked. A quick head count told Summer that everyone who mattered were already present.
They crossed the room together, greeting people as they passed. However, Summer noted that something weird was going on with their band members. Zack had stared almost shamelessly, and when Summer asked why, the boy spluttered something incoherent and excused himself so rapidly that he almost tripped over Dewey's unsightly rug. Frankie took one look at Summer, guffawed then clapped Freddy on the shoulder. Everyone gave them – or maybe it was just her – strange looks. Eleni hadn't even been discreet enough to stifle her giggles. It was like they were seeing Summer for the first time all over again.
Summer was about to demand an answer out of Marco (the last one she caught) after he mumbled a noncommittal 'so that's why they're late' when Katie decided to enlighten her.
"Holy freakin' shit, Summer!" she all but broke through Summer's eardrums, almost dropping her bass. "That is the biggest hecklace I've ever seen!"
"What?"
Summer had no clue what she was talking about but then she cast a quizzical glance at Freddy. One look at the self-satisfied and somewhat proud grin on his face and instantly knew what people had been ogling at.
Freddy had never seen anyone flee to the bathroom so fast, not since Dewey and the unfortunate incident with the week-old spaghetti.
In the bathroom, meanwhile…
Summer stared at her reflection on the grimy mirror, horror-struck, as she studied the extent of the damage.
There it was, about a centimeter above her right collarbone and nearly an inch in diameter, the purplish red mark of her earlier activities with one Freddy Jones. No wonder people had been staring. A hickey on their golden girl, on the pristine, untouchable Summer Hathaway who swore once upon a time to remain single until she finishes college and deplored displays of affection so much that she banned it during band rehearsals. It was a milestone that would go down in School of Rock history.
She groaned in despair.
Oh no, it's not that she didn't like making out with Freddy. He was her first kiss and she was glad to discover that he was exceptionally skilled at it. Summer, ever the fast-learner, did not disappoint. Freddy appreciated this fact…just a little too much and got carried away.
Summer was too busy glaring at the offending bruise to notice Freddy, who suddenly appeared in the bathroom's doorway.
"Sum?"
"You!" she growled, her eyes slitted as she rounded on him. He backed away, hands held in front of him, wary of what she might do. An angry Summer was an unpredictable one.
"A hickey?" she seethed, advancing slowly toward him. "A hickey,Freddy?"
"Yeah, yeah, that's what you call those things. Good job," Freddy nodded appreciatively, raising two thumbs in the air.
"Freddy!"
"What, what's the big deal?"
"You expect me to go home to my parents with this?" Summer cannot believe how clueless Freddy was acting when he knew full well how protective the Hathaways were with their youngest girl.
"They're doctors, they're bound to know that babies and hickeys aren't from the same thing," Freddy rationalized. "If they were we'd have a basketball team of bossy blond kids by now."
Summer cried, frustrated. There was no reasoning with Freddy, none at all.
"Oh, for chrissakes, calm down," he rolled his eyes and tossed a black plastic tube at her. Summer caught it between her fingers and checked the label. Concealer. "Got it from Eleni. Apparently she's had a lot of experience with similar, ahh…situations."
Summer wasted no time in applying the product. She craned her neck to see the outcome of her work.
"It's not even the right color!" she whimpered. "My parents will know what this is and they'll ground me until I graduate! From college!"
"They know we're dating anyway, and they like me, so why should they mind?" Freddy pointed out, leaning against the doorframe as he watched Summer's struggle with the concealer. It was a losing battle. Tan and peach just didn't mesh well. "And frankly I'm insulted that you want that covered up. Don't you like being marked as my woman?"
Summer's reaction was quick and expected. She scowled and was obviously about to make a comment on chauvinism and sexism or some such when Freddy broke into chuckles, his eyes shining in mirth. He couldn't help it; even now that they were together, he just couldn't stop goading her. It's much too funny when she's annoyed.
She raised an eyebrow at the laughing drummer, the cogwheels in her brain whirring. So he thought this was funny huh? She knew just how to deal with this.
Summer slowly turned on her heel smiling, all traces of agitation gone. Freddy's laughter quieted down as she took a few steps closer to him, her arms circling his waist idly.
"I'm glad you find this amusing," she purred. Fingers curled on the front of his shirt, she stood on tiptoe to press her mouth on his throat. Freddy swallowed, his pulse jumping in response. Well this was an unexpected development. As much of a go-getter Summer is, she never before initiated the first move when it came to this. Not that Freddy was complaining.
"Glad to know you see the humor in the situation," he voiced, with some difficulty.
He felt her smile against his neck before she went up for another kiss, this time right on the corner of his mouth. Freddy suppressed a sigh. She was getting really good at this. He placed his hands on her hips in a more comfortable position. This could take some time, he thought gladly.
"But…my parents still won't be happy to see this…" she continued. Freddy, however, paid more attention to her closed mouth on his and her hands on his chest and abdomen than to what Summer was actually saying. He let out a soft 'hmm…', and Summer went on kissing her way up his jawline, a devilish twinkle in her eye.
"So until this hickey disappears…" her voice was a hoarse whisper, a blast of hot air in his ear. "There will be no making out."
Summer broke away abruptly and slipped out of the cramped bathroom with a rather Freddy-like smirk on her face, and Freddy was left with an expression of open-mouthed confusion.
Understanding came slowly to his hormone drowned brain, and he hit his head on the door jamb woefully.
Aww¸man.
Err...yeah. Just a bit of fluffy nonsense. I was just trying my hand at a bit of humor and practicing writing details and it spiraled out of control. I thought I'd post it anyway, add to the Frummer love. Unedited. Anyone care to beta this for me?
Review me? Pretty, pretty please?