Hey everyone, I'm new to this whole fanfiction scene, in fact, this is my first time on this site, so please don't kill me if I suck at this stuff alright? Please Review, it'd mean a lot to me.

Hustle and Bustle

Pascack Hills High School is the second best in New York. This is where everyone from Horace Green ended up going unless they decided to go to a private school. The band was still there at the age of seventeen, although Dewy wasn't their lead singer anymore. Tamika had taken on the role. Every day after school they went to practice with Dewy, but they still had yet to get a real gig. Summer did her best, but failed miserably. They had some new songs that Zack wrote, and also started playing songs by their favorite bands. At certain points, the band agreed that they needed a male singer, so Zack and Dewy would switch on and off. Freddy also had an alright singing voice but refused to sing in front of groups.

They had been playing in Dewy's apartment for practice, but it was obvious that they needed a new place. If they played too loud the land lord would get angry and threaten to kick them out. They also needed a bigger space, and more bedrooms in case they decided to pull an all nighter, which meant that Dewy would be living wherever they picked. He was tired of his small cramped apartment.

"Alright, so when are we getting our next damn gig?!" Freddy screamed on day at practice. It had been bugging him that they hadn't had a real gig, just some kid parties, Bat/Bar Mitzvahs, etc. Freddy had yet to get rid of his "bad boy" attitude and had often found himself at bars and clubs but eventually Zack set him straight. He no longer drank, and seemed to have more focus on the band.

"Freddy, relax. We're just hitting a slump man! Summer'll find us a gig soon." Zack told him reassuringly. They went over some new songs that each of them had written. Dewy would pop in and out with the lead vocals, but mostly left it to Tamika. Dewy ended practice and Freddy and Zack walked to Freddy's house because they'd forgotten, as usual, that they could drive.

"So Freddy man, what should we do tonight as it is Friday?"

"Beats me. Why don't we do something fun." Zack eyed him warily.

"If by fun you mean illegal, then no thank you." Freddy rolled his eyes.

"Then what do you want to do?" They passed by a telephone pole that had a flyer with tabs on it.

centerThink you're good at pool?
Why not try your hand at the pool tournament Friday September 16th
Where: Moonshine Pool Hall, 13 Foghorn Way.
Make sure your pockets are full./center

Zack stared at Freddy. Surely he wasn't thinking what he thought he was thinking. Yeah Freddy was an amazing pool player, but against pros and for money?! Freddy smiled and pulled off one of the tabs.

"Don't worry bud, we won't be bored any more." Freddy smiled and grabbed his car from the driveway before heading off towards the hall. They were greeted by dark, musty smells of smoke and alcohol. There was a group of boys by the pool table playing a game of eight-ball. Freddy went over to them.

"We're here for the tournament." He said. The guy looked him up and down skeptically, then burst out laughing.

"You, Mr. Prep, want to play against us?" He and his friends started laughing. Zack seemed to back down a bit, but Freddy took a step closer to the guy, unfazed by what was just said.

"I said, I'm here to play. When do I start?" He said sternly. He'd been used to being called a prep, but he was nothing of the sort. As said before, he's a bad boy, and that instinct had taken over. The other guys snorted and got into a huddle. They looked towards a small bar, motioned towards someone, and turned back to Freddy.

"Since you're new to this whole thing, we'll put you up against our worst player." He smirked. Freddy glared at him.

"Dude, I know how to play pool for gods sake. Put me up against your best." The guys laughed again and the crowd parted to reveal a girl in baggy, jeans and a baggy black T-shirt. Her face was covered by a black baseball cap. She seemed a bit short (as in came up to his chin) and chubby for Freddy's liking, but maybe it was just the clothes...naah.

"Shaw, meet Prep, Prep this is Shaw. She'll teach ya. Starting bet, twenty." So, the girl's name was Shaw, obviously her last name. She and Freddy handed the money over to the bookie. She racked, and tossed Freddy a cue.

"Ready Prep?" she dared turning her baseball cap backwards. Her eyes were mysteriously hazel, and her auburn hair twisted with the movement of the cap. She seemed to have a few healing bruises around her eyes. He wasn't intimidated. No one ever was that played her. That was the point. Everyone thinks that the little girl is going to suck at pool.

"The name's Freddy Jones, Shaw." He shot back while lining up his shot. His break didn't sink anything. Shaw took shot after shot, making almost every one in. Freddy and Zack watched her in awe. The other guys and bookie smiled contently. The game ended and the bookie handed Shaw the money.

"Care for a rematch Jones?" she asked. He nodded and put fifty dollars on the table. Remind you he's rich, just like all the other guys at their school. The game ended the exact same way.

"Well, it looks like I've won seventy dollars from you Jones, and I'm guessing the guys told you I'm their worst player?" Freddy and Zack nodded. She smiled, "There's a lie if I ever heard it. I can beat any of these guys in pool any day."

"One more game." Freddy said, again putting up fifty dollars. She shrugged and complied with another fifty. They were in the middle of another massacre when the hall doors opened and the police entered. The officer walked over to Shaw and put her hands behind her back. He cuffed her and emptied her pockets. She had over a thousand dollars there.

"Hustling again Shaw? How many times have I told you to stop doing this?" he said unhappily. She just rolled her eyes.

"Let's see Marks, there was last month, and the month before, and the month before that. You know I just miss your smiling face." She said sarcastically.

"You know I have to report this one this time." He told her. "You'll spend the night in the big house before we decide what to do with you."

"Not the place with the damn horses again." She groaned.

"Not this time Shaw. You've been at this for years. Now I'm going to un-cuff you. I want you to give these people back their money, and then you'll come with me. I'm pretty sure there's going to be a heavy community service charge against you, as you're still a minor." Shaw handed back all the money, but only Freddy caught that she kept one hundred dollars and handed it to the bookie for safe keeps.

"See ya Shaw!"

"We'll miss ya!"

"See ya when you get back!" The guys called as she was taken out to the police car. Freddy and Zack turned to the guys.

"I'm guessing this happens a lot?" Zack asked. The guys nodded.

"About every month. Usually Officer Marks lets her off easy, but it doesn't look like it this time."

"Why does he let her off?" The guys eyed them warily. "Come on, we won't tell a soul." The guys all walked away, not caring about what the two "preps" wanted. Zack and Freddy went to Freddy's house to talk about the night's events.

Shaw sat in a police car for over the tenth time in her life. The first was when...it hurt to even think about it. She kept hearing the screaming in her dreams.

"Shaw, come on, it's time to go in." Officer Marks told her, snapping her out of her daydream. She nodded and got out of the car. Marks watched her enter the jail. He had watched her grow up all these years, and yet had failed to help her. She was just another lost teen.

"Hey Marks, could we please not tell my dad, you know how he'll get...can't I just tell him that I've gotten another job and stayed at a friend's house?" The officer nodded in response. She hugged him. "Thanks man. I owe you big time."

He locked her in the jail cell and went to find a somewhat lenient punishment for her. He saw one of the other officers watching him, and smiled.

"You can't keep babying her George." The officer told him.

"Yeah, I know Brian, but she's been through a lot. You can't ask me to not be a little lenient." He replied. Everyone knew that he had a soft spot for Shaw. Brian handed him a folder.

"Says they're looking for some help during the day. Should be good enough to keep her out of trouble. Just make sure she's not at that pool hall anymore. Rumor has it you're being taken off that watch." George sighed and nodded looking at the service. It would hopefully knock some sense into her.

The next day Dewy called everyone over for band practice. Everyone came in little by little, Summer, of course was the first one there. She was yelling at yet another person who didn't want them to open for a certain band.

"Well you don't know what you're missing out on! School of Rock is an AMAZING band! You'd be stupid to not put us on the bill!" she screamed into the phone before hanging up. Dewy rolled his eyes and waved to everyone as they came in.

"If she keeps this up we'll never have a gig." He whispered to Katie, who tried to stifle a laugh. Freddy and Zack were talking about their night at the bar to Lawrence and Tamika.

"So she got taken by the police?" Lawrence asked. Freddy nodded.

"But she was an amazing pool player! You should have seen her backwards shot! It was twice as good as mine!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, she whooped Freddy twice, and was about to do it a third until the Fuzz came." Zack laughed. Freddy punched him in the arm.

"I was a little rusty, that's all." Michelle (one of the groupie/roadies) came over and sat next to Freddy.

"She sounds like trouble to me." Freddy and Zack laughed.

"She also looked the part! I mean the baggies! You'd think she was a he!" Freddy laughed. Dewy heard them and they told him the story.

"Hey, she's doing her thing man. Maybe she doesn't have the cash like you guys do. Or maybe it's her style...OR what sounds more believable, it helps her play the part of hustler." He told them reasonably. "Rock and Roll positions!"

"Ummm...Dewy? Can I talk to you for a sec?" Alicia said quietly and motioned for him in the other room. He nodded and followed. They were gone for a few minutes.

"What do you think is up?" Katie asked.

"Beats me, but the look on her face wasn't a good one." Zack noted.

"Hey, maybe she's going to give him a sassy little speech!" Freddy laughed. Marta walked over to the drum set and punched him in the arm. Dewy came back into the room with Alicia.

"Guys, it seems that Alicia is moving to California with her parents. She has to leave the band." Everyone gasped. Marta was crying on Tamika's shoulder.

"I'm sorry everyone, but I have no choice." She whispered before running out of the apartment.

"Okay....I guess we won't have any practice today...see you all Tuesday after school." Dewy said slowly.

Monday came and went, and Tuesday was looking like it was going to be the same. Freddy came to school on his motorcycle, a red and black street bike that was his pride and joy. First period Chemistry was a bore. Freddy sat next to Tamika in English class as they waited for their essays to be returned. Freddy had his fingers crossed. English wasn't his best subject, yeah he could speak the language fine, but when it came to putting his thoughts down on paper, well let's just say he wasn't that great. Okay, not great wasn't a good way to put it...he was failing miserably. Summer had been tutoring him, but it didn't seem to be working because all she'd do was stare at him during their sessions and not get anything done.

"Mr. Jones, maybe we should find you another tutor eh?" came the voice of his teacher, Mr. Bard. He was cool as far as teachers went, making fun of students and acting all crazy. The grade on his paper though, was not. D. His parents warned him that if his grades didn't improve they'd take him out of the band.

"Damnit! Why the fuck can't I get this shit!" he yelled. The whole class looked at him.

"Mr. Jones! Detention after school today! Here! We'll work on your essay! I've got a quick meeting so be waiting here at three thirty." Mr. Bard told him sternly. Cursing wasn't something he approved of. Freddy sighed and nodded his head. This was not a good day. He'd messed up his chemistry lab and now he failed his essay. What next? The bell rang and he went off to Spanish. Lunch came and freed him from his bad mood. After all, who didn't like lunch. Summer came over and sat next to him.

"Hey Freddy, how's it going?"

"Not so good, I've got to find a new tutor for English. Sorry Sum." He told her while taking a bite into his sandwich. She stared.

"What do you mean a new tutor? I'm your tutor!"

"Yeah well you're obviously not doing that great of a job I got a D on my last essay. Mr. Bard'll probably have me work with Lawrence or something. He's a good writer. Anyway, I've got detention after school, so can you tell Dewy that I'll be late?"

"But Freddy! You can't be late! What'll we do without you?" Summer whined.

"I think you'll live."

That's all for this chapter.....I hope u liked it. I'll try and update as much as I can...but its up to u whether or not i keep writing...

Shortstack :-D