"So things have been good with you?" Andre asked as I leaned back in my chair.

"Yeah, been back in town for a few weeks, back at actual work and things are good. What have you been up to?"

We're chilling at Karaoke Dokie. My text to Beck about getting him his charger back somehow got Andre involved and morphed into us all meeting here today.

I haven't been here in forever, but I'm glad to be back. Lots of good memories, and the food isn't bad either. Best wings in town.

"Oh, nothing much. Just work work work. Doing what I do. You feel me?"

"I gotcha man. But you just released an album I thought?" I ask.

"Yeah, but the hip hop game moves so fast that I really can't stop working. Gotta keep on my grind."

"Wow. Cutthroat."

"Yeah. Beck!" He said, popping up.

I turn to see Beck Oliver walking this way, clean shaven and not looking any different than any other time. Maybe a bit older but that's normal.

"Hey guys. Good to see ya!" He smiled, slapping my hand.

"Nice to have ya man." Andre smiled as Beck went behind me and sat down.

"So what's up? I'm not intruding on anything am I?" He asked.

"Oh no." I say.

"What would there be to interrupt?" Andre asked.

"I dunno. Something you wouldn't want me to know?" He jokingly asked.

"Can I get you something to drink?" The waitress jumped in before Andre or I could reply.

"Um, lemonade would be fine please." He smiled at her.

"Be right out with it." She smiled back flirtatiously.

"You aren't interrupting." I said.

"Good. You still working on a new project?" Beck asked Andre.

"Yeah, is that weird or something?" He replied.

"No, it just seems like you just finished working on one." Beck answered.

"See?" I add on, getting a odd look from Beck.

"Eh. I'm just doing my job. If that's weird, not my problem." Andre said with a smile.

"Not criticizing man. We're with you all the way." Beck smiled.

"Yep. Thanks again for hooking us up last month. It's Megan's work out music." I add on.

"Work out music or…work out music?" Beck teased me.

"Gym work out." I reply quickly.

"It can be used both ways." Andre smiled.

"Oh stop it you guys." I say, effectively ending the conversation by taking a drink.

The waitress stopped by quickly to give Beck his lemonade and I took the moment to glance around.

Nobody's performing right now, but that could change at any moment.

"Hey look, our picture is still up there." Andre said, looking behind him.

I glance up. It still is.

"Oh yeah. I forgot about that." Beck said fondly.

I bite back my retort.

I can't.

"We crushed that song. It was perfect too." I say.

It was. It was the week of talent show for school senior year. I was going to do a duet with Cat. She was reluctant to sing with me, something about drowning me out. Beck and Andre were also singing duets with the girls.

It was our last one. We wanted to do it well. It was huge. It was glory's last shot.

Until Beck inadvertently introduced his friend, the star quarterback at Ridgeway to us.

We all got shunted to the side. The girls skipped rehearsal every day for a week. They even forgot to come on show day. Sikowitz flunked them. They didn't seem to care, since Austin was coming to lunch later.

So the three of us came up with a new plan.

Revenge.

Beck was livid at Jade. Andre, who by now had admitted to us that he liked Tori wasn't happy and you can imagine me and Cat.

So we "overheard" that they were going to Karaoke Dokie, and concocted a plan.

(Flashback)

I calmly sneak back to the back and make sure my guitar is ready. Everything else is a go. Girls are drooling over Jordan. Beck bought their table some wings, and they think it's 'Compliments of the chef'.

More like a slap to their face.

"We good?" Beck asked, popping up from nowhere.

"Yeah." I sighed. "They're eating the wings and drooling."

He frowned, but seemed to take the information in stride.

"Sorry about Jade." I say nervously.

"It's ok." He said dismissively.

"It's not and you know it dude." I reply hotly.

"Yeah, but we're about to make our feelings clear. I could say the same about you and Cat or Andre and Tori." Was his reply.

"Not really. This just gets me one step closer to me letting her go at graduation. Just another step. She has shown she doesn't like me the same way."

"She does dude. I've told you this many times."

"Are you sure? This is Cat we're talking about." I ask.

Suddenly his phone alarm goes off.

"Showtime. I better get in place. Andre's ready by the way." He said, dashing off.

I signal to the drummer and he gives me a thumbs up.

"And now, a three man act with a newly released song. Give it up everybody!" A unfamiliar voice said, then the curtain started to raise.

I began strumming my guitar, heart pounding.

Now or nothing.

"Four letter word. But I don't have the guts to say it." I sang.

Then Beck stepped out of his corner. I barely saw it out of the corner of my eye.

"Smile til it hurts. Let's not make it complicated." He sang, then Andre jumped in too.

"We got a story, But I'm about to change the ending. You're perfect for me, and more than just a friend so we can just stop pretending now, I gotta let you know somehow…"

"I'll be your shelter, I'll be your storm.
I'll make you shiver, I'll keep you warm.

Whatever weather, Baby I'm yours.
Be your forever, Be your fling.
Baby, I will be your everything." We all sang.
[ Lyric from: lyrics/b/boys_like_girls/be_your_ ]
"We used to say, that we would always stick together. But, who's to say, that we could never last forever?" Andre began next to Tori suddenly.

Then Beck hopped in, sidling up to Jade.

"Girl, got a question. Could you see yourself with somebody else? Cause I'm on a mission, and I don't wanna share, I want you all to myself right now. I just wanna scream it out."

I glance up to see Jade looking downright frightened, but not in a scary way.

"I'll be your shelter, I'll be your storm.
I'll make you shiver, I'll keep you warm.

Whatever weather, Baby I'm yours.
Be your forever, Be your fling
Baby, I will be your everything." We all sang. Beck and Andre started moving around the room.

Then came my solo.

"No matter what you do, I'll be there for you…
And every time you close your eyes, I will be by your side
'Cause every time you make me sing. Baby, I will be your everything."

Another glance up, and the girls are turned towards me. I barely register the guys' fist bumps to my shoulders that mean we're doing good.

Now they're making their moves on the girls Andre picked out according to our plan: Find the hottest in the room, outside of Tori, Jade and Cat.

Then came Andre's brief solo.

"I'll be your shelter, I'll be your storm.
I'll make you shiver, I'll keep you warm…"

Then all three of us jumped in.

"Whatever weather, Baby I'm yours! Be your forever, Be your fling. Baby, I will be your everything."

"Baby, I will be your everything." Sang Andre

Then Beck alternated. "Baby, I will be your everything."

"Baby, I will be your everything." Andre countered.

"Oh baby I, baby I will." I piped in.

"Baby, I will be your everything." Andre sang.

"I will! I tell ya I will!" I chime one last time.

Then Beck put the bow on it.

"Baby, I will be your everything."

The room burst into thunderous applause and I look up from my guitar playing to see Beck and Andre hugging two absolute 10's.

Good job Andre.

Then they turned to me and waved me over. I grabbed my guitar, stood, acknowledged the crowd and walked over.

"Hi, I'm Robbie." I said to a blonde girl, handing Beck my guitar and sitting in front of her.

"Megan. That was quite the song." She smiled, seemingly sincerely.

"Give it up for Andre Harris, Beck Oliver and Robbie Shapiro!" The guy said, sending the room into more cheers and applause. We turned and smiled.

The girls look stunned. Austin looks amazed, like he didn't know we had it in us.

"Thank you." I smile at her, taking the drink that the waitress was offering me.

I overhear one of the other girls ask Beck "Why'd you come over here?"

"Oh, no reason. Just ended up over here, next to you three beautiful girls." He smiled his charming smile.

Weird thing was, Andre's girl turned back to him and Megan looked back to me.

"Did you like it?' I asked her.

"Loved it." She smiled back, sunglasses above her forehead.

"Uhm, guys?" A familiar voice asked.

Beck, Andre and I turn to see Tori, Jade and Cat standing right in front of me.

"I got this. Follow me." I stand, basically ordering them to follow me.

I walk all the way outside, with the promise that we could come back in from the hostess.

Once the door is closed, Jade's nice girl act fell.

"What the hell was that?"

"A song." I reply coolly.

"No it wasn't, that was a statement!" Tori borderline yelled.

I keep my cool. "Whatever. Believe what you want. Not my problem."

"What about those girls?" Jade asked.

"What about them?" I ask naively, acting at the same time.

"You can't just sit with them!" Jade retorted.

"Yeah we can. We left you with Austin, you should leave us with them."

"No!" Yelled Jade.

"Why not? It's the same thing." I bit at her.

"No it's not!" Jumped in Tori.

"Yeah it is. We don't like them. We just want a good time." I reply icily.

"I don't think—" Cat began, but my temper snapped at the sound of her voice.

"Be quiet. Just shut up. You and Jade have boyfriends! I would have expected more of you too Tori! And then you go off chasing Austin. That's a slap in the face. An insult! To both of your boyfriends! Why don't you three and Austin leave and go have "fun" like you have the last week during rehearsal and talent show? And let us have some fun. For once in our lives."

All three of them look shell shocked. Tori looks scared and all three have backed away.

I march back inside, stopping their server on the way to their table.

"Can we box them up and get my friend his check?" I asked, gesturing to Beck.

"Yes sir, be right back." He said, then dashing off.

I sit back at the table.

"I'm back. Sorry about them. They won't be bugging us anymore." I smile at Megan, who lit up.

I glance in their direction and see they ignored my advice.

"Who are they?" She asked, also looking over.

"Friends from our school. Don't worry about them." I say as Cat glanced at us.

Their waiter was boxing them up, with Austin looking bewildered. Then he came over for Beck to sign their check.

"Please sign sir…"He asked, extending the bill.

The girls' jaws dropped.

I think they know what just happened.

"They don't look happy." Megan said as Beck signed and handed their bill back.

"Who cares? So have you ordered or do you wanna do that now?" I ask, turning my back on Tori, Jade and Cat.

The girls quietly grabbed their food and their Austin and left.

Thankfully.

(End flashback)

"That was a good song." Beck smiled at the memory.

"Yeah, haven't heard it in forever." Andre added.

Then our 3 orders of wings came in. Over the next 35 or so minutes we caught up.

Beck can't really talk about his new role, just that he is not a serial killer, but the main good guy. From what little he could say it sounded awesome, and he'd let us know when it was coming on TV.

Both of them seemed very interested in my recent tour. Lots of questions, especially about my stop in Houston, Texas, where neither of them believed my claim that the girls there are just as good as they are here.

Hard to believe but it's true.

Other than that it was just good natured ribbing from the others. I took some crap about Megan, Beck about Jade, and Andre about his many fleeting flings.

The time passed too fast, and before we knew it Beck had to get to set for rehearsal.

"See you around man." He hugged Andre in the parking lot.

"Yeah, we gotta do this more often." I said before we hugged.

Then we all went our separate ways. I'm headed to work.

Buzz Buzz.

I ignore it until the next stoplight.

"Robbie! I need to talk to you! When can you come over?" –Cat

CAT?

You talk about random.

I don't totally believe it until I pull into the mall parking lot and double check that it is indeed Cat.

I can't believe it.

Unbelievable.

I'm busy until 10 tonight, and then I'm catching Megan in the library with a late dinner over probably a Chem II book.

I reply "Tomorrow sometime. I'm busy the rest of today. Sorry."

Then I put my phone in my pocket, walk into work and forget she even texted me.