4

And…Scene!

"She's got issues, dude." Bear said, pushing the weight above his head once more.

"Trust me," Dean said as he drove his fist into the punching bag. "I know. I didn't," Punch. "Even do anything," Punch. "To her."

"Maybe she doesn't need a reason." Jet, who was on the treadmill, suggested.

"Or maybe she's just-" Lipstick was interrupted by his own coughing fit. "A bitch."

"You know, if you'd quit smoking you wouldn't have this problem." Kirk said pointedly.

"Yeah? Well it wouldn't kill you to pick up one of these weights every now and then." He retorted, still wheezing. Kirk shook his head and dived back into his book.

"I don't know how I'm gonna deal with her for the next three months." Dean said after taking a long swig from his water bottle.

"Ignore her." Jet said.

"I can't, dude, I have scenes with her, which is the weirdest thing I've ever said.

"Then, maybe she'll get nicer," Kirk said. "She's really not that bad if you get to know her."

"You are just buddy-buddy with everyone, aren't you?" 'Stick said in a mock-sweet voice.

"Lay off 'im, man," Bear warned, glowering at him darkly. He turned his attention back to Kirk. "She can be nice?"

"Yeah. She just has to respect you. But she doesn't respect you. She thinks you're a jerk." Kirk said.

"I'm not a jerk all the time," Dean defended. Sam snickered without looking up from his math homework. "Shut up, Sammy."

"You are a jerk." He said. Dean glared at him.

"Bitch."

"All you have to do is show her that you're not a complete asshole," Kirk said. "In other words, don't act like you do around us.

"Right." Dean said. Jet shut off the treadmill and stepped down, breath slightly labored. He toweled the light sheen of sweat off of his face. Lipstick was beating the crap out of the punching bag. Bear had moved to squats. Dean was lifting dumbbells. Kirk finished another chapter.

"I signed up for crew." Sam said randomly.

"You did?" Dean asked. He nodded. "Why?"

"Well, if you're gonna be there all the time I might as well be. I get bored at that motel room by myself." Dean nodded. Secretly he was thankful Sam had made that decision. He absolutely hated the idea of Sam being by himself all the time. He would never voice this aloud, because Sam was fourteen years old now, he was old enough to stay at the motel alone. But he would always be Dean's little brother. He would always want to protect him, and in order to do that he felt he had to keep him close.

"You know you're aloud to have a life, right?" He said. Sam nodded.

"If I wanna go somewhere I'll tell you." He said.

"When's your next rehearsal?" Jet asked.

"Tomorrow night. Same time, same place. And we're singing all this week." He grumbled.

"Friday too?!" 'Stick exclaimed. Dean shook his head.

"Mercifully, no. We get to have lives on Fridays. In like a month we don't get Saturdays either."

"That's cruel and unusual punishment." Bear said, shaking his head.

"Yeah," Dean said. "Alright, I'm gonna hit the showers. Hell, maybe I'm wrong about this. Maybe it'll be fun." He didn't mean it, more sarcasm than anything, but at least it was some shred of optimism.


Dean walked through the halls of the school, bag slung over his shoulder, sauntering his way to Trig.

Joey Thompson was standing at what Dean assumed was his locker, talking to Calvin Harper. His face was spread in a dimpled grin as he fiddled with the necklace around his neck. Dean half smiled in disbelief and amusement. Joey was flirting. And, to his surprise, Calvin was too.

Joey waved at Dean when he saw him. Dean waved back.

Calvin's head spun around, his face going pale when he saw Dean. He walked away without another word to Joey, keeping his head down and mixing with the crowd. Dean walked over to Joey, who looked hurt and angry.

"Hey, dude." Dean said.

"I can't believe you're actually talking to me out of your own free will." Joey mumbled.

"As long as you don't comment on my ass outside the theatre I think you're okay." Dean joked. Joey was easy to get along with, easy to talk to, easy to be friends with. And that really surprised Dean that he was joking with him like this already.

Joey laughed, his dimples showing again.

"I can't help it…sorry." He said. Dean rolled his eyes.

"So what was that about?" He asked. Joey pursed his lips.

"Alright," He sighed. "I'm giving you this one chance and one chance only. You break my confidence on this and I will make sure your own mother won't trust you again."

"I'd change that. My mom's dead." Dean said simply.

"Oops," Joey said, smile fading. "My bad…Awkward."

"Forget it. Anyway, what was with Calvin?" Dean said. Joey pursed his lips again, brushing a piece of blonde hair out of his face.

"Cal's kind of…my boyfriend," Joey said quietly. He must have seen the shock on Dean's face. He chuckled. "Yeah, that's what I said when I found out he was…Anyway, he…he just isn't ready for everyone to know yet. He doesn't want the world to know. I just…I just wish he didn't act so ashamed of me, ya know?"

"Yeah," Dean said. "He sounds like kind of a dick, to be honest." Joey nodded.

"He just needs time." He said.

"I gotta head to class, but I'll see ya at rehearsal, okay?" Dean said, walking away.

Dean shoved his way past Tommy Hartman, the second string quarterback for three years now and a real asshole. Tommy scowled at him but kept walking.

"Faggot!" Tommy barked. Dean spun around. Joey glowered at Tommy's back and walked toward his own class.

Dean ended up being late to Trig.


Dean walked into the Forum, feeling slightly more at ease since he had talked to Joey earlier that day. Sam walked behind him, looking around with great interest.

Sam dropped his backpack in the seat next to Dean's.

"Oh, hey Tim." He said. Tim smiled and nodded his hello. Dean was still amazed that this kid never talked anywhere but on stage. Dean had never heard him speak a line that wasn't written for him. Sam plopped down in the seat by his friend and took out a book, copying Tim.

"Dean!" Joey called from his usual spot on the apron. "Stop being antisocial and come here!" Dean walked hesitantly toward the group of people.

"I'm Leslie," The small girl extended her hand. "Nice to formally meet you." Dean nodded.

"Likewise." He said.

"This is Krista, Ryan, be careful he's gross," The red headed boy scowled at her. "This is Isaac, he's gross too. This is Katie, she's a beast and our stage manager slash assistant director. And, oi vay, here's Lucy."

Lucy joined the circle, smiling nicely at everyone, Dean excluded.

"So, what's up?" She asked.

"Just introducing everyone to Dean." Leslie said.

"Don't noobs annoy the shit out of you?" Lucy said, smiling. Dean flexed his jaw.

"You and I need to talk," He growled. "Now." He hopped up onto the stage and stalked of right.

"What is it, Jockstrap?" She asked, folding her arms and sounding bored.

"I'm sick of your crap and your bitchy attitude. I haven't done a damn thing to you and I am not gonna take your crap anymore. You wanna keep treating me like crap, fine. Just make sure I'm not within punching distance of you. You may be a chick but I will not hesitate to smack the shit out of you." He took a deep breath, disbelieving that he had actually told her off.

Lucy stood there, her face blank. Dean waited for the atom bomb to go off. Instead, Queen Bitch broke into a huge grin.

"Well, Jockstrap, I'm impressed. This is a definite first for me. Now, there's no way I'm gonna stop bustin' your balls. But the extent of it will definitely be turned down a notch. You've officially earned some respect from me." And she walked away chuckling.

Dean walked back into the group. Lucy was bouncing away up the aisle toward Sam and Tim.

"Wow," Leslie said, staring at him in disbelief. "You survived."

"The last guy that talked to her like that ended up dead. Like seriously dead. We think he might be buried in the walls somewhere." Isaac said. Dean shrugged.

"Maybe it's my dashing good looks." Dean suggested.

"If that was the case she wouldn't have hit me in the nuts four years ago when I met her." Isaac said. Leslie and Krista snorted. Joey shook his head.

"Don't get me wrong, Isaac, you're a cutie, but Dean is down right sexy." Joey grinned. Leslie and Krista nodded in agreement.

Dean shook his head, mildly amused, mildly uncomfortable.

"Alright," Turk called, stepping out onto the stage. "Let's get some work done."

--More soon y'all! Feedback please!--