Authoress's Note: Wow, the third Les Miserables title! Maybe it's because there's a bajillion and one songs in Les Miserables? xD I think I can actually do this, for this story anyway. I mean, we're over halfway there. So, onto the MORNING AFTER oooEEEoo...

Disclaimer: I do not own a marching band. But I do own a marching band unifom!

"Noah, what the hell?" Lily screamed when the drum major drove up to his house. He had ended up falling asleep at Leah's house, but not before asking Leah's mom and getting acquainted with the guest room.

"What, you're talking to me now?" Noah blustered.

"I mean, where the hell were you! I came over at midnight, and your mom said you weren't here."

"I was doing like you suggested. I proved that I do love Leah. Spent the whole damned night at her house and didn't even dream of getting in her pants!"

"Not like you did it out of respect. You've drilled that oil well before." Lily spat. "So in reality, that just proves you don't love her!"

Hm… Lily does have a point…

"Screw you, Lily!" Noah screamed.

"No thanks, that's what Jason's for!" Lily yelled back. If he's going to lie, I'm going to lie too, and I'm going to make it hurt.

"You two aren't really dating." Noah gasped.

"How would you know? You blocked my number!"

"Because I didn't want you bothering me and making me angry when I was spending time with MY GIRLFRIEND!"

"YOU MEAN YOUR SLUT!" Lily screamed. "I don't care what you do anymore! Get damned chlamydia or AIDS, I don't give a shit!"

"I never asked you to!" Noah screamed back. "And for your information, I am the only guy Leah has even seen naked, unlike you, you little slut! I guess what they say about guard girls is true, you're all whores!"

"You take that back! You can make fun of me, but don't you dare talk about my guard like that!" Lily screeched. "You damned asshole!"

"Oh, so in less than 48 hours I go from your best friend, to a potential fuck-buddy, to an asshole?"

"You're just a damned chameleon, aren't you!" Lily yelled, storming off to her house. "See you at practice, asshole!" And to think, I was going to apologize! What the hell was I thinking?

- - - -

Calanthe sat in the band room, cleaning her trumpet when she saw Noah storm in.

"Um… what's up?" she asked he grumbling drum major. There weren't a whole lot of people there yet. Even Mr. Jonathan hadn't arrived.

"Nothing, just… I hate drama and I hate Lily and…" Noah started, his sentence degenerating into an angry scream.

"Want to sit and tell me about it? I'm a good listener." Calanthe smiled.

"Promise not to tell Little Miss Gossipmonger?"

"I promise. I won't even tell Alanis." Calanthe assured Noah.

"Good… Lily swears up and down I don't love Leah, and of course I love her, I mean I've been dating her since we were sophomores, of course I love her!" Noah started ranting.

"Of course…" Calanthe murmured. No hope for me, then…

"But Lily still doesn't believe me, so she wanted me to prove it by kissing her… If I didn't like it, then I do love Leah." Noah said, shyly. "It was late, and I was angry and desperate to prove myself, I don't know why I wanted to prove myself to that slut, especially considering she's dating Jason out of the blue… But I did. It literally lasted as long as it would take for the Flash to run around the world, but apparently it lasted long enough for her to leave this hickey."

"Lily did that?" Calanthe asked, amazed.

"Yeah… Don't tell anyone!" Noah intoned firmly. "Neither of us knew that I had a hickey until yesterday morning. And the fact that I lied to Leah and told her I had hit my neck set Lily off. And I've known Lily since I was about yay high." Noah explained, holding his hand about a foot off the ground.

"Oh man, I bet this is going to make that whole Fiyero thing fun." Calanthe said, rolling her eyes.

"Damn! I hadn't even thought about that… " Noah groaned. "I spent the night at Leah's, but we didn't do anything I swear. Lily accused me of lying, saying that I had drilled that oil well before. And that's a direct quote. It's true, but I didn't last night…"

"Oh…" Wow… An experienced man? Hadn't expected that.

"So we got into another screaming match this morning, and I did the unmentionable…"

"You mean you kissed her again?" Calanthe asked.

"No. I called her a slut, and said that the stereotype of guard girls being loose was true. I mean, you can make fun of somebody, but you don't ever bring their section into it." Noah explained. "So she replied in kind about Leah. I mean, just because she's a cheerleader and blonde…"

"Ah… So am I up to date?" Calanthe asked.

"Yeah, that's just about it." Noah nodded. Well, ignoring the crush on my best male friend, the lust for my best female friend, and a lack of both for my girlfriend.

"Well, it seems to me that all of your drama could be resolved. Are you a hundred percent sure you love Leah?"

"I should be, shouldn't I? But I'm not so sure…" Noah admitted.

"Well, if you're not, then you should take a break." Calanthe advised.

"That's not possible." Noah said. "Saturday is our anniversary."

"If Leah really loves you, she'll be fine with it. Just try. And then when you've done that, talk things out with Lily. Tell her that you are sorry about what happened Monday, that you're sorry for fighting with her yesterday, and that you're sorry for insulting her and her guard this morning. If you are really that old of friends, she'll want to listen. Trust me, she's a girl. It's what we do. She probably already spent a few hours crying to Jason about it."

"Calanthe, you're amazing." Noah smiled.

"I try." Yay, I'm amazing! Calanthe swooned.

"You should be a guidance counselor. The common sense counselor, I can see the business cards already!" Noah laughed, enveloping Calanthe in a bear hug.

Damn he smells almost as amazing as he looks! Calanthe thought.

"Okay, okay. Go take care of your drama!" Calanthe giggled.

- - - -

"Hun, what's wrong?" Leah asked, seeing Noah coming towards her. "I woke up this morning and you were already gone."

"Babe… We gotta talk." Noah gulped.

"What is it?"

"I… I love you, don't get me wrong. And I know you love me more than life itself. But… I'm kind of worried you feel way too strongly about me…"

"And?"

"And I think we should take a break. Not break up, just… A break. A short one."

"Wh… Why?" Leah sniffled.

"I just… I think we should. I still love you, no matter what. Promise." Noah nodded, near tears himself.

"You're lucky you're so cute, or else I'd say no." Leah sniffled. "I guess this is goodbye for now?"

"Yeah." Noah choked back a sob. "Yeah, it is. See you on the field."

That went well. Noah thought.

What slut told him to do that? I bet it was Courtney. Or Carly. Or whatever the hell Freshman's name is! Leah thought, walking off to her car to get her horn.

- - - -

"I'm sure he was just upset. I mean, you did just appear on his lawn and start screaming at him." Jason shrugged.

"I guess… It's just… We were, well you know, Monday night, and then he goes and has some 'private time' with her last night? Kind of man-whore-ish, if you ask me." Lily whispers, scrunching her face up in thought.

"I know, but 'baby', you have to work on your temper." Jason advised, putting his arm around Lily in a mini-hug.

"I know…" Lily admitted, eyes cast to the ground.

"Well speak of the devil…" Lily heard a low whisper right next to her ear. "Hey, um… Lily, can we talk? Calmly?" a different male voice asked from in front of her. Looking up, she realized it was Noah.

"Why, are you going to insult my girls again?" Lily growled.

"Calmly, Lily. I promise." Noah said, trying to assure her.

"Fine." Lily hopped off the bench she was sitting on. "Let's talk."

"Um… In private?" Noah asked. Dear God, I don't want to air my dirty laundry out in front of Jason… Even if he does likely know already.

"If that's what you want." Lily sighed, walking over to the side of the band room. "Now, what do you need to say so bad?"

"Calmly, Lily." Noah said through gritted teeth.

"That's it?" Lily scoffed.

"No… Lily, I'm sorry for what happened on Monday night…" Noah started, running mentally through what Calanthe had said.

"Sorry for kissing me? I'm a regret now?" Lily growled.

"No, I mean… yes. You're my best friend, you should know… We shouldn't have done it… But you're not a regret. I could never regret you." Noah smiled. "Now, if it had been Nina…"

"So I make you feel less guilty? Thanks." Lily rolled her eyes.

"You know what I mean."

"No, I don't." Lily snarled, walking away.

"Well that worked splendidly…" Noah sighed.

I do not approve of Lily and Noah's language at the beginning of this chapter. But it was toned down a lot. Before, I think there were about 6 F-bombs, and they got into a fistfight. Much tamer now, but still rather... angry.