- endymion -
Reviewer Shoutouts:
D.M. Ralte - Frummer...hahaha, nice one! I agree with you on that note. I find FS so much more interesting than FK, but that really depends on the writer. Some authors can make FK interesting as well. Thanks for reviewing!
A Bloody Vampire – finally got to update! So sorry if I made you wait too long! Enjoy!
Kissu-luv – Well…I do understand where the people are getting the FK vibe. I read somewhere that the movie people were really planning on making Freddy ask Katie out, but she'd dump him for Lawrence because he's so "cool". I just don't see the chemistry between their characters, is all. The FS chemistry…is just too darn explosive to ignore.
Kara – aww, still no kiss here yet, sorry! But we'll get there, I promise!
Nanners-77 – haha, you noticed it too, that I rushed that cleaning part. I think it's because I hate doing chores too. ;p thanks for reviewing as always, and please please please update something. I've also read The Way Memories Blaze, and I'm loving it. I swear, if you update I WILL review!
Me – so you've been bitten by the SoR bug too, eh? Welcome to the club, my friend!
Jojo – thank you, thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much!
Gothic Ghost – here's more FSness for you, enjoy!
Felons Dictation – glad you liked the ending. Update In Time soon, okay? I can't wait for the next chapter.;p
LedZepplin's#1fan – thanks so much, hope you like this chapter!
willy wonka obsession – yea, so far CMM is the best actor I could think of for older Freddy. My older Summer is Michelle Trachtenberg, older Zack is Rooney (that guy in the 1st Princess Diaries Movie) and older Katie is Alexi Biedel. But I haven't found an appropriate Billy yet, which is really sad. Oh well…Just sharing! ;p And oh, update Ladies and Gentleman, please!
And to all who reviewed Love Letter, thanks so much too! You guys rock my socks!
Disclaimer: School of Rock (and its characters) is, never was and never will be mine, although I very much want to own Freddy and/or Zack.
Note: Names in bold and italics mean a change in POV. Entries in Italics are flashbacks unless labeled otherwise.
On with the story!
Chapter 9: As They Should Be
Summer
Fifteen minutes to nine the following morning, I was already up and about, whizzing around the kitchen like a confused bumblebee. I was fresh out of a shower, and my hair still needed some serious blow-drying so I was doing my best to multitask (making breakfast, eating breakfast and cleaning up after myself) and finish getting ready to go out.
In stark contradiction to my frazzled state, Billy sat languorously in front of the TV, legs crossed, while he watched Project Runway, his favorite show as of the moment.
"Where are you going in such a hurry?" he asked, straightening up slightly and eyed me curiously. I turned to him abruptly, vaguely noticing how horribly his bright orange shirt clashed with the deep plum of the couch.
"I'm heading over to Freddy's," I replied.
Billy's eyebrow rose, giving me a look that said 'again?'
I rolled my eyes at him. "To see Zack," I clarified. "I did mention that he's coming today, didn't I?"
Billy laughed. "I know, I'm just messing with you," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "But wait, I thought he's picking you up later."
"Oh, he is. I just wanted to see he him before our date this afternoon, that's all," I shrugged, finishing up the last of my coffee and left the ceramic mug on the sink. "It's been so long, since I last saw him you know."
"I know, I know. Young love," he exaggerated a dreamy sigh. The ending credits of Project Runway rolled onscreen. Billy raised the remote control to switch the TV off before gracefully getting up off the couch. "Oh yeah, will you be using the car today?"
"Yeah. Zack doesn't have his car with him, so we need it to get around," I explained.
"Oh, okay. I might have to change a few things in my plans," Billy muttered, half to himself. "Oh well, no biggie. Don't forget your keys, OK? I'll probably out late tonight."
My lips curved upward into an inquisitive smile. "Hot date?" I asked, somewhat teasingly. His cheeks flushed pink.
"I suppose so," he said, giddily biting his lip. His eyes sparkled, even more so than the glittering rhinestones that spelled out 'Gay Is The New Black' across the chest of his shirt.
"Oh yeah? With who?"
His blush deepened, and his hand subconsciously toyed with his flared shirtsleeve. Wow. This must be one heck of a date, for him to blush like that. Billy had always been very confident, and I rarely see him act like this.
"No one you know," he said, a little too hastily. I pursed my lips, feeling unconvinced. What's with the secrecy? But it was already nine o' clock, so I decided to let the issue go. For now, anyway.
"All right, just tell me how it goes later, okay?" I said, and he nodded in agreement before I retreated back into my room.
I sat in front of my bureau, running a brush through my dark hair, working the knots and tangles out. My reflection stared back at me, looking thoughtful and just a bit fidgety. Looks like Billy wasn't the only one skirting around an issue.
For some reason, I wanted to see Zack as soon as I can. Maybe it was excitement. Maybe it was anxiety. Or maybe it was just plain hormones. I really couldn't tell.
Or maybe…I just wanted to assure myself of something.
I frowned, gripping the rubber handle of the brush harder.
"He's your boyfriend, and you haven't seen him in ages," I told myself sternly, briefly fixing my gaze on the gleaming rosewood table of my bureau before looking back up at the mirror. "Of course you're dying to see him. It has nothing to do with what happened last night."
…
Wait a minute. What was I talking about? Nothing happened. I'm just being silly. He didn't really plan on kissing me that time on the couch. He didn'treally look at me like I was the only girl on the planet.
I scoffed silently. Hah. Freddy Jones did not look at any female like she was the only girl on the planet, and that goes twice for me. He didn't operate like that. For him, women only served as his playthings, sources of amusement, and I am proud to say that will never be one of those women. I had a boyfriend who treated me with the respect I deserved. Last night was just…a clumsy moment, and a temporary lapse of judgment, right?
Right.
I released a sigh and got back up on my feet, replacing the brush back on the vanity. Pocketing my phone and my keys, I set out to see my boyfriend.
Freddy
An insistent pounding noise reverberated inside my apartment unit, annoying me to no end.
"Yeah, yeah I'm coming, keep your bloody shirt on!" I yelled, slamming the bathroom door behind me and made my way to the front of my apartment. I've just gotten up to take a shower when someone rang my doorbell. I had to throw my clothes back on so I wasn't able to open the door right away. That was when whoever rang the doorbell resorted to knocking.
"What the fuck do you want?" I growled as I dragged the front door open. It was nine AM on a Saturday, so yeah, I was a bit cranky. I was ready to tell the bastard to go to hell when I saw who it was.
"Good morning to you too, Jones," said a grinning Zack Mooneyham. I broke into a welcoming smile.
"Dude!" I exclaimed with a laugh, feeling partly sheepish, and partly excited to see my old comrade. Opening the door further, I stepped back to let him in.
"You were never really much of a morning person, were you?" he chuckled, shuffling past me, lugging his stuff with him.
"Sorry 'bout that, I totally forgot you were coming today," I said. I shut the door behind me and followed Zack to the living room. "How's the trip? Any trouble finding my place?"
"Nah. I got off at the train station and took a cab from there," he explained matter-of-factly. His duffel bag, amp and guitar case found a spot on the floor next to the couch. He then gave me an odd look, as though sizing me up. "Dude, you do know that your shirt's on backwards, right?"
"What? Oh," I looked down, and saw that my shirt is indeed backwards. I pulled it off and threw it over my shoulder, not really caring where it landed. "I was about to take a shower when you got here. Got dressed in a hurry to let you in."
Zack mouthed a silent "Oh" and looked around my apartment. "Nice place. I can't believe it's…" he paused briefly, as though searching for the right word. "…clean. Is it new?"
I chuckled. Zack wasn't new to my slob-like tendencies, since he was one of the frequent visitors of my room back in Manhattan. "Nah, just newly cleaned," I told him.
His eyebrows disappeared under his longish bangs. "What, you clean stuff now?" he smirked at me, and I flipped him off in response.
"You know, I usually don't, but somebody just decides that he wants to have a sleepover, so I had to ask his girlfriend to help me clean up the place." I glared pointedly at him to emphasize my point before I picked up one of his bags and motioned for him to follow me to my room.
"Oh, that explains it," he said, his expression clearing immediately. "Hey wait," he paused again suddenly and glanced questioningly at me. "Did you just say Summer helped you out with this?"
"Yep."
"As in Summer…my girlfriend Summer?"
'You don't have to rub it in,' a voice, resentful and biting, said in my mind. Whoa. Where did that come from? I didn't say that out loud, did I?
Well. Zack didn't seem to hear anything, since he continued to trudge along behind me. Whew.
"I thought you had to have good hearing to get to music school," I told him instead, throwing his bag on the bed parallel to my own. "Yeah, Mooneyham, Summer helped me out. You make it sound like it's the weirdest thing in the world."
"Dude, it kind of is," he said, unzipping his guitar case and pulling out the black and red Gibson. He located an outlet on the wall and plugged in his amp. Probably out of habit, he fell back on a bed and began to tune his guitar. "I thought you two hated each other. How'd you survive it?"
Shit, I forgot to ask Summer if she got around to telling Zack about our little deal. I picked up a pair of drumsticks from the barely used study desk and sat on the stool behind my drums, buying myself some time.
"I dunno. I guess we just…get along better now," I said, choosing my words very carefully.
"I'll say," he said simply. Bringing his guitar along with him, Zack jumped up off the bed, brightening up considerably. "Hey listen to this. I've been teaching Katie how to use this thing, and she came up with this by herself."
Not waiting for a response, he played a series of riffs on the Gibson, his fingers effortlessly dancing across the guitar's stem. Notes of the unknown melody filled my room, making me grin automatically. Music always had that effect on me. It's been a long time since I heard the dude play, and I have to admit, I've missed hearing it.
"Pretty cool huh?" Zack grinned upon finishing.
"Seriously? She came up with that?" I asked, twirling my drumstick carelessly. I was impressed. I'd known that Katie kicked ass on bass, but she never really tried her hand on lead or rhythm guitar. Coming up with a rocking guitar solo was quite a feat for her, I think. "Fast learner," I whistled.
"Yeah well, she isn't really all that hard to teach," Zack shrugged, settling back down on the bed and plucked out the intro to Highway to Hell. "She's got most of the basics down anyway."
Just then, the muffled sound of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Memory interrupted our conversation. Almost on reflex, I rolled my eyes and Zack grinned sheepishly before he pulled out his phone from his back pocket. If anybody's confused, Zack used Memory as his ringtone as a kind of sentimental joke about Summer.
I always thought that stunt was pretty stupid, but today, for some reason, I found myself holding back a smile.
"Huh, speak of the devil," Zack muttered under his breath and flipped the phone open, a hint of a smile on his lips. I wondered for a moment if he was talking about Summer. That is, until he spoke again. "Hey Kat. 'Sup? Yeah, just got here, like a few minutes ago."
Frowning, I tapped a tentative rhythm on the nearest snare as I tried to place the name. Then it came to me.
"Is that Katie?" I asked. Zack gave an impatient nod before he turned back around.
"--Nah, I'm still at Freddy's. I'm picking her up later,--" he was saying into the phone. "Yeah. Wanna talk to him? 'Ayt." Zack handed his phone over to me saying "Katie wants to talk to you."
I held the drumsticks in one hand so I could hold onto the phone with the other.
"Yo Posh, how's it going?" I said, and exchanged a bit of small talk with the bassist. Actually, Katherine Brown was one of the first few people I actually got along with. I used to call her 'She-Man', because she can be really boyish at times. Her four older brothers probably had something to do with that.
Usually spending more time with the boys rather than the girls in the band, Katie earned the reputation of being either a huge flirt or a lesbian. She squashed the flirt rumors by not dating anyone in the band. The lesbian rumors ended when several guys from our school started asking her out, and she started dating them.
I think she's cool, though. I like her. No, eww, not like that. That's like incest. She's a lot like a sister to me. A very sarcastic, and sometimes weird sister, that I've really missed talking to too.
I handed the phone back to Zack after a short while.
"Yeah, I'll call you later, ayt? Cool. Bye, Posh," Zack said, finally finishing up the conversation and hung up the phone.
"You're still hanging with her, huh?" I asked casually once he put the phone away.
"Yeah, hardly hang out with anyone else actually," he shrugged, shaking the hair out of his eyes. "People in Duvall are a lot like Lawrence. More into classical shit. Which is okay, really, but I think I get enough of that in class."
"Doesn't Summer have a problem with that?" I wondered out loud, the question occurring to me out of nowhere.
"What, with classicals?"
"No, doofus. With you and Posh hanging."
Zack snorted. "Why should she? It's not like there's anything new with that." Yeah well, that's true, at least. The two guitarists had been next-door neighbors their whole lives, and they grew tighter because of the band.
Then, with a smirk, I remembered something. "But didn't she use to have a whack crush on you?"
Zack froze mid-riff before he let out a groan. "We were twelve, Jones."
"Aha, so you still remember it too," I said, punctuating my statement with a series of drumbeats.
"It was just a rumor. When are you going to let that up?" he frowned at me. I executed one of my shortest drum solos, laughing heartily.
"Chill man, I just remembered it, that's all," I said in between sniggers.
Remember, what I said earlier about people giving Katie a hard time? Well, her being in Horace Green on scholarship didn't exactly help her on that situation. Even though she wanted so very much to tell those people to shove off, she couldn't. She was afraid that she might get into trouble and lose her scholarship in the process. Her family wasn't exactly rich.
Zack had been the first person to stand up for her then, Summer and me only coming in second and third.
Thirteen-year-old Zack stood by his locker, getting the books he would need for the day. Freddy leaned back on the locker next to the guitarist's, yawning heavily as he waited for the latter to finish. A few girls walked past them, greeting Freddy a good morning as they did so. The blond nodded back to all of them, sending them into annoying fits of giggles.
A few moments later, Summer approached them, tugging at her pleated skirt to straighten it out. Not that the skirt needed it, since it was ironed to perfection.
"Good morning Zack, Freddy," she greeted them both pleasantly, adjusting her mailbag on her shoulder. Freddy mumbled back a greeting. Zack, on the other hand, immediately shut his locker door closed to give Summer his utmost attention.
"Morning Summer," said Zack. "What's up?"
"I just wanted to inform you guys that practice today would start at six, instead of the usual five," she told them, her tone crisp and authoritative. It always bewildered, if not amazed, Freddy how a twelve-year-old managed to sound like that. The three of them went on to talk about practice schedules for the rest of the week, as well as their upcoming gigs. Freddy merely rolled his eyes when the manager made a pointed comment about tardiness and punctuality, not really in the mood for banter.
During the course of the conversation, Zack looked over Summer's shoulder, and quite suddenly, a scowl replaced his smitten smile. Summer, in turn, glanced behind her to see what upset him. Freddy did the same as well, straightening up from the locker.
What they saw was Katie, their tall, brown-haired bassist, walking slowly down the hallway, her eyes on the floor and her arms hugging her books to herself. But what made Zack frown like that were the three other girls who surrounded Katie as they walked along with her. To an outsider, this wasn't a cause for alarm. Only the observant ones would notice the malicious sneers on the faces of the three unnamed girls, the tightening of Katie's jaw and the slight quiver on her lower lip.
"Excuse me a sec," Zack muttered, pushing past Summer to make his way to the bassist. Freddy and Summer followed suit. The three of them had the same thought: Not again.
None of them knew where and when the taunting started, but Katie had been suffering it for quite some time now. It only got worse as each day passed.
"Katie!" called Zack, rushing to her aid. The brunette lifted her eyes of the floor. Upon seeing Zack, with Summer and Freddy at his heels, relief passed over her features. She was saved.
After that, a rumor somehow spread within the band about Katie having a thing for Zack. Frankie and I mocked him every chance we got, making cracks about him and Katie making beautiful guitar music together. (Okay, unoriginal, I know, but give me a break. We were twelve.) At least, until Katie put a stop to the issue when she started going out with whatshisname from the school's track team.
"Hey man, you dead or what?" Zack's voice sliced through the air, effectively bringing me out of the reverie. He was giving me an odd look again as he continued playing his guitar, as though worried for my sanity. I let my arms drop to my sides, and checked the wall clock.
"What time are you meeting Summer again?"
"'Round eleven. I figured we could grab lunch together," he said, momentarily stopping from playing. "Why d'you ask?"
I twirled my drumsticks again. "Wanna jam?"
Summer
I've already knocked several times on Freddy's door, but no one was answering. I was sure he was in there, with Zack because I can hear the two of them playing. I guess they couldn't hear me through the music.
Giving the doorknob an experimental twist, I found it unlocked. Trust Freddy to forget to lock up his own apartment. I pushed the door open and let myself in.
I was pretty relieved, and somewhat pleased to see that the apartment was as clean as I left it. No wait, it wasn't exactly as I left it. My eyebrow twitched a bit when I saw a used shirt draped haphazardly on the couch. Hadn't I taught him anything? How difficult was it to put the used clothes in the hamper? With a sigh of great distaste, I bent to pick the discarded shirt up.
Even as I held the piece of clothing at an arm's length, I smelled the familiar scent that was Freddy. And almost immediately, an image flashed into my mind. An image of him looking down at me with that enigmatic expression in his blue eyes.
Sucking in a shuddering breath, I threw the shirt back to where I found it with ridiculous force. Suddenly, I really didn't care about the stupid shirt. I turned my back on the couch and continued the trek towards the sound of playing instruments.
The music grew louder as I drew nearer to Freddy's room. I could faintly hear Zack's voice singing over the instruments, and I recognized the song at once. It was Good Charlotte's S.O.S.
Yeah, Good Charlotte isn't really the type that we School of Rock did covers of, but Zack said he really liked this song. I think they were already on the second verse of the song when I arrived.
I'm stuck in my own head and I'm oceans away
Would anybody notice if I chose to stay?
I'll send an S.O.S. tonight
And wonder if I will survive
How in the hell did I get so far away this time?
So now I'm sitting here
The time of my departure's near
I say a prayer please, someone save me
I stood in the doorway of Freddy's room, half hidden from view, as I watched the two of them do what they do best; play music. They probably didn't notice me standing there, because they were so absorbed in their playing. I couldn't help smiling when I saw them. It was like I never left Horace Green, that today was just another band practice and that these two best friends were jamming while waiting for the others to arrive.
Is anybody listening?
Can they hear me when I call?
I'm shooting signals in the air,
'Cause I need somebody's help
I can't make it on my own,
So I'm giving up myself
Is anybody listening, listening?
The song's a bit angsty, yes. Zack's had a lot of angst as a kid. He's an only child, and his mother died when he was still very young. His dad was kind of conservative and traditional, and rock music didn't sit with him very well. He didn't want Zack to be 'wasting his potential on dirty music', and kept telling him to stay away from the band.
Zack kept going to band practices and stuff, but because he never knew when his dad would make him quit the band, he had been a bit aloof with us at first, never getting too close to anyone. He was usually alone, and no one knew how he felt or what he was thinking. Sure he hung with us a lot, and ate lunch with us and all, but he never really talked to anybody. Even Freddy, who he had known since childhood, had to literally maul his way into Zack's head.
"What do you mean, you can't make it to the gig on Saturday?" fourteen-year-old Freddy demanded, getting up from behind his drums and walked dangerously towards Zack. Billy accidentally pricked his finger with a pushpin, Eleni and Michelle's giggling silenced and the three backup singers stopped rehearsing their dance moves abruptly. Everybody in Dewey's old apartment turned to look at their drummer, surprised by his sudden outburst. Zack told his bad news to Summer and Dewey first, before practice could begin and Freddy had overheard.
"I mean I can't make it to the gig on Saturday," Zack repeated, his expression remaining stoic even as Freddy advanced on him.
"We've all agreed on this last week, didn't we? Come on man, this could be our big break. Rolling Stone would be there!"
Summer bravely tried to intervene. "Freddy? Calm down."
"Stay out of this, Hathaway," Freddy barked, and for once, Summer obeyed him.
"Leave her alone, Jones, this isn't her fault," Zack said, his voice remaining even, but his eyes were telling a different story.
"Don't change the subject, Mooneyham. We've already missed out on the last two gigs because of you, give me one good reason why we're going to fuck this up too. Well? What!"
"My dad wouldn't let me, all right!"
"Dude! That's not even a reason!"
"I'm not even supposed to be here! I'm already pushing my luck by coming here when I'm not allowed!"
"And you're still taking his bullshit? God, Mooneyham, you've been taking his crap since we were kids, it's about time stuck it to him! Haven't you learned anything from Dewey!"
"Look, Jones, you have no idea what you're talking about, so shut the fuck up all right! Why the hell are you acting this way, huh? So what if we don't make it on Saturday? To hell with it, it's just a gig!"
Without warning, Freddy's fist came flying and connected with Zack's jaw. The guitarist staggered backwards into Dewey's unsuspecting arms. Frankie and Leonard instinctively went to restrain Freddy.
"Freddy, for the love of God, control yourself!" their middle-aged lead singer yelled, helping Zack get up on his feet. The dark-haired boy wiped away the thin trickle of crimson blood that now ran down his chin, glaring at Freddy but not making a move to fight back.
"This band is the best thing that's ever happened to all of us, even you!" Freddy bellowed, trying to free himself from Frankie's clutches. "And if you think none of us here care about what happens to the band, and what happens to you, then maybe you're more like you're fucking father than we give you credit for!" He turned his head suddenly to the side and glared at Frankie. "Let go, bastard."
"Only if you promise you won't hit him again, asswipe."
"Fuck you," Freddy snapped, but stopped struggling all the same. Frankie grinned and let go of Freddy's arm and motioned for Leonard to do the same. With that, Freddy walked out, slamming the door behind him and leaving a stunned silence in his wake.
When Freddy had gone, I tended to Zack, while Dewey went after Freddy to talk some sense into him. (Zack and I weren't a couple yet at the time. We haven't even started dating 'as friends only'.) The rest of the band began to talk in hushed voices. Apparently, none of us expected that from Freddy, however brash or crude he might be. None of us realized just how important the band was to him, and to ourselves. Dewey came back a few minutes later, with a surly looking Freddy in tow. He was still looking very grumpy, but his playing wasn't affected in the least. I didn't leave Dewey alone until he agreed to have a talk with Mr. Mooneyham later that week. Our efforts weren't in vain. Though he still very much disapproved of us, we didn't hear much from Mr. Mooneyham again.
We thought that that dispute between Freddy and Zack would cause some serious strain on the band, but it didn't. For some bizarre reason, they came out of it with their friendship better than ever. I think it's because Freddy made Zack understand that we all cared about him, and that we wanted him not only as a guitarist, but also as a friend.
When Zack and I did start dating, I asked him why he still liked S.O.S. so much.
"Because you guys answered that S.O.S., so it's not my story anymore," he had explained to me, referring to the band.
When I broke out of my reverie, Zack was already singing the song's bridge and had started on the guitar solo. He was standing near the center of the room, with his back to me, but I could still see his profile. No matter how many times I see and hear him play, I always end up feeling awestruck by his musical talent. Playing the guitar always looked so easy and so beautiful when he did it.
I had really meant to focus on him, but somehow my eyes strayed towards the movement behind him. Of course, there wasn't anyone else in the room besides Freddy, who was seated behind his drumkit, his brow furrowed and lips pressed thin in concentration as he kept the beat of the song. My eyes traveled downwards to his bare torso, which was covered with a thin sheen of sweat. Well…that explained the shirt on the couch, I guess.
Lifting my gaze, I found myself staring right into his eyes. I hadn't realized that he knew I was there. He was giving me the same look he had last night, I noted, blushing slightly. The same intense, probing stare that didn't look quite right on him. I forced myself to look away when the attention became too much for me to bear.
I suppressed a groan, wanting very much to bash my head into the wall until I cracked my skull open and bled to death. What the hell is with that…that look huh? No, wait. What the hell is up with me? There. Is. No. Look!
'This has got to stop! Your boyfriend is in there!' I scolded myself. Yeah well, I've got to stop talking to myself too, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. Oh this is not good. Not good at all.
When they finished the song, I steeled myself and put on a smile.
"You were right, your singing had improved," I said loudly and began to applaud. At the sound of my voice, Zack's head turned in my direction, his face breaking into a wide grin.
"Hey," he breathed, instantly putting down his guitar. Before I knew it, he already had me in an embrace. My arms found their way around his neck just before he circled my waist to lift me up slightly and spun me around. Muffled by his chest, laughter came unbidden from my throat, a wave of several emotions washing through me all at the same time. Was I relieved? Maybe. Giddy? I think so. Happy? definitely. Being in Zack's arms felt safe. Familiar.
He pulled back a little to look at me, but he didn't remove his arms from around me. "God I've missed you..." His gentle brown eyes seemed to drink in every detail of my face until I started to feel shy all of a sudden.
"I've missed you too, Zacky-boy," I smiled up at him, brushing back the long bangs away from his forehead like I used to do. I'd almost forgotten just how much he's grown. My forehead is just barely in level with his chin now. Sure, he still wasn't as tall as Freddy, but—
'Don't think of Freddy,' that inner voice commanded at once. I was only too glad to obey.
"You have no idea just how good it feels to see you again," Zack said in a very soft voice, and it was like I was falling in love with him all over again.
That thing that happened last night with Freddy didn't mean anything, because this is where I belonged. Here, with Zack. We have a good thing going here, and I'm not going to mess that up.
The inexplicable happiness I felt when our Zack's lips finally melded together with mine in that much-awaited kiss proves that.
Freddy
He only noticed her when she decided to speak up. I'd known she was there, watching us play with a dreamy, almost wistful smile on her face. I was looking at her the whole time, and was just a bit surprised when she finally looked away from Zack and met my gaze.
But she looked away from me too, answering a question I never even asked.
While the two of them shared an embrace, I turned away, gritting my teeth and breathing deeply. I busied myself with putting away my drumsticks. I told myself that I was only giving them privacy, that I didn't really want to witness their cheesy PDA when in truth, I was trying to ignore the funny feeling in my chest. With a pang of something that felt oddly like jealousy, I remembered how it felt to have Summer in my arms like that. You know, that time in Billy's room? Yeah…
Pfft.
This is really stupid. I really shouldn't even be thinking about this. I've said it many times before, but it doesn't seem to be penetrating my skull. The gel I'm using must be stronger than I thought.
Summer is Zack's girlfriend. Zack is my bestfriend. I hated Summer before, and I should still hate her now. Last night was just a freaky phenomenon; it meant nothing. I was just tired, and I was probably imagining things. Yeah, that's it. I'm just imagining that weird (yet somewhat good) feeling I had when I had Summer trapped beneath me. It's lust, nothing new to me. I probably just needed to get laid.
I've known Zack since we were little and we became friends because of something really weird but I wouldn't have it any other way. I wouldn't fuck up a friendship because of my freakin' overactive hormones. (Shit, I'm eighteen years old and I'm still hormonal. How lame is that?)
Not that I could say the same for the two of them. They just started to make out.
"Hey hey hey hey hey!" I said loudly, unable to stomach it anymore. "Might I point out that this is my room?"
They broke apart, laughing. Well, Zack was laughing. Summer, on the other hand, stiffened in his arms, and flushed red.
"What, you wanna join us now?" Zack joked.
'Oh, don't tempt me Mooneyham,' I flipped him off again, forcing on a sarcastic grin. I thought I saw Summer fidget, and this was probably pretty awkward for her. Well. That made two of us. "A threesome with a dude, and a tight-ass is really kind of gross, you know? I think I'll pass," I said, the patented Jones Smirk gracing my features once more.
Summer's mouth dropped open. "I am not a tight-ass, take that back, you retard!"
"Oh here we go again," Zack sighed and turned to me, looking helpless. "I thought you said you were getting along better now."
"Well, what do you know. I lied," I shrugged, grinning at the both of them. I grabbed some clothes and a towel from my closet. "I'm going to go take that shower, you two try not to fuck each other's brains out while I'm gone, 'ayt?"
I left the room laughing, tweaking Summer's ear as I passed her, earning me a hearty, well-deserved slap on the back from her. Obviously, she's going to have a harder time forgetting what happened last night. (And nothing has even happened yet!) Women are like that sometimes, thinking too much about things that really don't need to be thought of. So I'm going to have to be the one to do something.
And I've decided to act normal; the way things were before they started becoming confusing.
I guess that setup of ours was just getting to my head too much.
'What I need to do is find myself a hot bimbo in a club and get laid. Celibacy is just not working for me. Yeah, that's it,' I told myself as the cold water hit my body.
Now all I needed to do was convince myself to believe it.
Summer
"And this is my dorm room," Zack was saying as I scrolled down the Gallery of photos in his mobile phone. We were seated side by side in one of the tables at a funky Italian bistro in Park Square, the small commercial area near Culvert Academy, and we had just finished having lunch. He was showing me some of his pictures from Duvall while we waited for the bill. I was currently looking at a snapshot of a relatively small room, with a single bed, a few pieces of mismatched furniture and a makeshift kitchen. It wasn't anything special; it could've belonged to any college guy. Only the black and red Gibson in a corner and the Jimmy Hendrix posters on the walls told me that the room was indeed Zack's.
I laughed and leaned back against him. I was feeling so much better than I had since this morning. Earlier today, in Freddy's apartment, Freddy didn't seem to feel as…bothered as I was. He was acting like he always had: obnoxious and annoying. I decided then and there that I had only been imagining things, and that last night indeed was just a freak accident of some sort.
After Freddy came out of his shower, Zack accompanied me back to my apartment and waited for me to finish freshening up. He planned on spending the entire day with me, which made me really glad.
He had also asked Freddy if he wanted to join us for the day, but the latter boy declined, saying he had other plans. What were those other plans, I wonder? Freddy usually spent Saturdays with Billy and me, or with Frankie, Eleni and Michelle if they were in town. Oh well.
I brushed the thought away, and went back to scrolling through the photos. I stopped scrolling when I saw a photo of Zack with Katie, the two of them making wild faces at the camera, their hands held up in the famous Rock On horns. I grinned, feeling a sudden sense of nostalgia.
"How's Katie doing by the way? I haven't heard from her for a long time," I said, looking up at Zack.
"Same as always," Zack shrugged. "Oh yeah, she's going out with this dude from the choir. Or was that last week?" Zack frowned, wrinkling his nose. "Oh well. It's kind of hard to keep track. She's been dating so many different guys lately, it's unreal." He shook his head for emphasis.
"Really? That's weird," I said, taking the glass of iced tea in front of me and sipped in the last vestiges of the beverage. "I remember her telling me some time ago that she really wanted a steady relationship."
"She still does," said Zack, looking thoughtful. "But for some reason, she has a bit of bad luck with relationships. They never seem to work out for her."
"They don't? But why?" I asked, completely at a loss. I looked at the photo on the phone again, still having a hard time believing that someone like Katherine Brown can't hold on to a relationship. It wasn't because of lack of physical attraction, that's for sure. Katie was gorgeous, though not glamorously so like Michelle. She was just naturally pretty, with her shoulder length wavy hair and really light brown eyes. She was also very tall as well, almost as tall as both Michelle and Tomika.
I'm sure it wasn't because of lack of talent either, because if there were one word to describe her, it would be talented. Not only that, she was also smart, she got along great with the male population, and she's extremely friendly. In fact, she's one of my closest friends.
"No idea," Zack admitted. "I kinda feel sorry for Posh sometimes, though. She says that even though she's having fun with all those guys, none of them seemed right for her."
I smiled at Zack's noticeable concern for our ex-bassist. Second to Freddy, Zack was closest to Katie. They grew up together, and even though Zack never used to say much to anybody, I think Katie understood him almost as well as I did. When Zack and I started going out, I was afraid of what Katie would say. I mean, they were almost best friends and I was afraid that Katie would think that I would be coming between their friendship and all that. It turned out that I was worrying about nothing, really, because Katie was genuinely happy for Zack and I. She said that she had known about how Zack felt for me and she found it frustrating that Zack was taking so long in asking me out. From the stories Zack had told me, Katie had been a big help in telling him what he should do and say. In a way, she brought the two of us together.
People often asked whether I ever felt jealous of Katie, because of his apparent closeness with Zack. I always tell them the same thing: I was never jealous of Katie and I have no reason to be. She was Zack's friend, as well as mine.
"I hope she finds the right guy soon, though," I said, just as the waitress came back with the bill.
"Yeah well, I think she and Seth are really hitting it off. You know, that choir guy?" Zack explained quickly upon seeing my puzzled reaction. "She's with him right now, at the competition I was telling you about. I was actually planning on asking her to come down here with me so she could see you guys too, but Seth was part of the competition and she went with the choir to California for support or something."
Zack then pulled out his wallet and paid for lunch. I told him we should split the bill, but he insisted on paying for everything.
"So, what do you want to do now?" I asked Zack, as he held the bistro's door open for me so we could leave.
He took my hand as we stepped out into the street. "Well, what are my choices?"
"We could…" I pursed my lips, glancing around the Park Square, scouting for possible choices. I'd already toured him around town before lunch, showing him all the hotspots and whatnot. "We could catch a movie in the theater. Or we could go to a bar, and see if there's a gig. Usually there are some pretty good bands playing in the clubs on Saturdays. Or I could show you around my campus. You decide."
Zack was silent for a moment, considering my suggestions. "I think I'll go for that tour," he said finally.
"What? That's like the most boring choice there is! Are you sure?" I laughed.
"Yeah," Zack replied, looking down at me with a smile. "We won't be able to talk properly in a theater, and I'm sure we won't be able to hear each other in a bar, so yeah. The boring tour it is."
"That's all you want to do? Talk?" I said, but starting toward the Academy anyway.
"And probably make out a little later, but for now I just wanna talk to you," he said, half-kidding as we entered the gates. "We haven't done that in a long time y'know. I mean, sure, we talk on the phone a lot, but it's just--different when we're together I s'pose."
He tugged at my hand and suddenly pulled me into an embrace. I looked questioningly up at him; he rarely did anything as bold as this. He started to lean down, and I'd almost closed my eyes in anticipation for a kiss, when my brain caught up with me. With a jolt, I suddenly remembered that we were in campus, and the people here knew that Freddy was my boyfriend, not Zack. If anybody saw this, our cover would be blown.
'So? If the cover gets blown, then the deal's off. You won't have to deal with Freddy anymore' a voice said in my head. The thought made sense, really. Freddy would hate me, but so what? I never really cared about what Freddy felt, so why start now?
But no. That's not how I do things. I promised to help Freddy out, and I will not back down on my word.
I pushed Zack away gently. When I looked at him, his eyes reflected disappointment and confusion.
"Zack, not now. You know how I feel about PDA," I said, quickly thinking of an excuse. That was true, at least. I was never one for public displays of affection.
He sighed heavily. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry," he apologized, removing his arms from around me.
"We can do that later, when we go back to my apartment, all right?" I told him, raising an eyebrow at him suggestively. He laughed, his features relaxing. Laughing with him, I walked quickly ahead of him and paused in front of the first building in sight.
"This is the Madison Building. All the main offices of the Academy can be found here," I said when he caught up with me. "That fountain in front of it is called the Fountain of Wisdom, and that's where Billy and I usually meet up."
"Fountain of Wisdom eh, cool," Zack commented, looking from the red brick building to the stone muse in the center of the fountain. I steered him forward, and we began walking again.
I was a little ahead of him and I could feel his eyes on me. I turned around to find that he was indeed looking at me, a curious expression on his face.
"Zack? Why're you looking at me like that?"
"Something 'bout you has changed, but I can't put my finger on it," he said thoughtfully, and my heartbeat sped up a little. Was I acting too strangely? Too…guiltily? I opened my mouth to give an explanation when he spoke again. "Did you get a haircut?"
I released a breath that I didn't realize I was holding. "Oh. Yeah, " I replied. I did get a haircut several days ago. Billy noticed I was getting split ends already so I just had to have it cut. It's not a drastic change anyway. I just had them chop a few inches off. "How could you even tell? It hardly looks different!"
Zack shrugged. "Last time I saw you your hair was almost at the waist, and it's shorter now."
"I'm sorry Zack, I know you said you liked it long, but I didn't want split ends," I mock-pouted, and he laughed before grabbing hold of my hand again. I was laughing too, but inside I was stunned by his eye for detail. Most guys barely notice things like that.
I sure am lucky to have a boyfriend like him. Aren't I?
"I'm glad you and Spazz are finally starting to get along, by the way," he said. "On your first few weeks here, it sounded like you were ready to murder him."
I froze for a moment, before I began walking again. Sheesh. We really shouldn't talk about Freddy right now, otherwise I might spill the entire deal thing to Zack. Darned blond. He just had to make things difficult for me, even when he isn't here, didn't he?
"Oh. Believe me, sometimes that still seems like a good suggestion," I muttered in all honesty.
"How'd it happen, though?" he asked me, and I bit my lip. "You and him getting along, I mean."
"He…" I began, wracking my brain for facts and half-truths. But then, I decided I couldn't keep lying to Zack like this. I just…can't. Taking a deep breath, I stopped walking and turned to face him. "Okay, Zack, if I tell you something, do you promise not to get upset or anything?"
His eyebrows furrowed together. "You're not breaking up with me are you?" he asked quietly.
"No, of course not!" I rushed on, and I thought I saw him sigh with relief.
"Well then, what is it?"
"I think we'd better sit down, it's kind of a long story," I said, stalling for time. Zack humored me, and let me lead him to a stone bench across the Fine Arts building where we took our seats. After making sure that no one was listening to us, I told him about Olivia and my I-Paq, about Freddy helping me out with finding an apartment and the favor I owed him. I told him about Olivia stalking Freddy and lastly, I told him about the stupid solution Freddy came up with to get Olivia off his back, i.e., The Girlfriend Deal. His jaw clenched when I got to the part where Freddy asked me to pose as his girlfriend temporarily.
"But don't worry, though, because our deal does not include anything…physical, if you get my meaning," I added hastily. Zack's jaw relaxed somewhat, but he remained silent. I couldn't read his expression, which is a first for me. "Please say something."
He heaved a sigh. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"I really meant to tell you, but I was afraid you'd get all jealous and stuff," I confessed, and then looked up at him expectantly. "Are you mad at me?"
"No," he shook his head, smiling wanly. "I just wish you told me sooner. I understand, really."
"So you're not mad? Or jealous at all?" I asked meekly
"Okay, sure I got a bit jealous there, because let's face it: Spazz can be quite a charmer when he wants to be," he chuckled. I couldn't help agreeing with him silently though. "But I'd get over it. And now that I think about it, that so-called plan he came up with is so like him. A cross between stupidity and brilliance, with just a hint of insanity."
I began to smile, feeling very much relieved. "So, you're really okay with it?"
"As long as he keeps following that No Making Out rule, it's fine by me," Zack laughed, getting up on his feet and held out his hand to help me up too. "Actually. I'd probably ask Katie to pose as my girlfriend if someone like Olivia was stalking me too. The girl sounds like an absolute freak."
And then, as if on cue, Olivia Warren emerged from the building's front doors, together with two other girls who were dressed just like her.
"Oh geez, let's get out of here, quick!" I said as I ducked my head and tried to steer Zack away. I did not want a run-in with her right now.
"Hey, what's wrong? Why the hurry?" he asked, craning his neck to look behind us.
"Don't look over there!" I hissed, pulling Zack along. Only when we were a good distance away from the Fine Arts building did I dare look back. Olivia and her companions were already making their way out of the campus.
I sighed in relief.
"Mind telling me what that was about?"
"That, Zack my dearest, is Olivia Warren," I explained, our pace gradually slowing down.
"Oh shit," Zack groaned. "I didn't know, I'm sorry."
"That's okay, I don't think she got a good look at us anyway." I assured him, but I checked over my shoulder once more to be sure. "You know what, maybe we should just drop this whole tour thing and just hang out in my apartment."
Zack smirked. "Are you being suggestive, Miss Hathaway?" he teased, nudging me with his shoulder. I blushed, but played along anyway.
"Maybe," I put on my most innocent face.
Zack laughed and took my hand once more as we made our way back to my car. "You think your…ehrmm, boyfriend won't mind? What's his name again? Freddy?"
My heart skipped a beat at the mention of Freddy's name.
"Well he did say he had plans for today," I shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "Wherever he is, I'm sure he's having fun, in his own twisted way."
I glanced over my shoulder again, half-hoping to catch a glimpse of a messy blond head as I did.
Freddy
It's a fucking Saturday afternoon, and I'm in a billiard hall, playing with some dudes from my class.
Life sucks ass.
If you're thinking that I lied to Zack about having plans of my own, then, you're right. I didn't have anything planned for today. When I'd first heard that Zack was coming to town, I figured I could just tag along with him and Summer and hang out with them like old times. But after seeing them hug this morning, I realized that there was no way in hell I could stand being with the two of them when they were together. Which is really freaky, because I never really had a problem with that before. But I do now, so set out on my own even though I had no idea what I would do for the rest of the day.
First, I called Frankie, asking him if he wanted to meet up and get drunk or whatever. He said he can't because he was currently in a training session to join the SWAT team. I tried Eleni, but she said she worked the late shift at the bar last night and she was too tired to get out of bed. I called Michelle too, but all I got was the recorded message saying that she was currently busy and can't answer her calls at the moment. I even tried calling Billy, but the queer dude told me that he was on a date, and that I shouldn't call again. I tried asking him who he was out with just for the heck of it, but he hung up on me.
After that series of useless phone calls, I'd gone to Playmates, an inconspicuous adults only bar in the far side of town. Yeah, even at an early hour, it was already open. I planned on scoring several chicks. And I did, of course, how could I not? I am the master after all, and apparently I wasn't losing my touch. Several pieces of papers, each with a different phone number in different handwriting and some with a rather kinky request scrawled beneath the name, were now stuffed unceremoniously into my jeans' back pocket.
But it got old real fast.
Freddy sauntered into the club, it's familiar flashy lights and tacky music filling his senses. It's been quite some time since he was here last, but the place didn't look like it changed much.
He made his way toward the bar and slumped on one of the round stools in front of it. The female bartender immediately dropped the dishrag she was using to wipe the counter and rushed over to him when she recognized he was.
"Hello, Regina," he said, giving the dark-haired bartender a lopsided smile.
"Well, if it isn't one of my favorite customers," she purred, leaning forward on the counter, giving Freddy a good view of her ample bosom. "One of the usual, I presume?"
"Please."
"You got it," Regina gave a wink before she twirled around to fetch several liquor bottles from the cabinet behind her. "You know," she began while she poured the different alcoholic liquids in a glass to make Freddy's favorite cocktail. "I've been wondering where you've been. We missed you around here." She handed him his drink, her fingers brushing his hands ever so slightly.
He grinned at her, unfazed by her unwavering attention and provocative tone. "You say that to all your customers."
"Not really, just the cutest ones," Regina grinned back before straightening back up. "Well. I'd better get back to work. It was nice seeing you again, Freddy."
Freddy raised his glass to her in response before he set out to wander through the club. A number of girls came onto him, just like always. Several pieces of papers, each with a different phone number in different handwriting and some with a rather kinky request scrawled beneath the name, were now stuffed unceremoniously into his jeans' back pocket. But today, none of them really appealed to him. None of them had long raven hair, a full mouth and a bossy attitude. None of their names started with an S.
'Where the hell did that come from?' he thought irritably, frowning as he flopped down in one of the booths in the corner. He brushed the stupid thought away. And when a particularly attractive redhead with smoldering green eyes approached him, he gave into her charms and flirted shamelessly with her. A few minutes later, they were already making out in that dark booth, his hands running in some very inappropriate places.
But when the redhead slipped her hands under his shirt, her long nails scratching his abdomen, he drew back, not really knowing why. Somehow, this wasn't satisfying him anymore. It just didn't feel…right.
"What's wrong, baby?" the redhead whispered huskily into his ear. He didn't answer. Instead, he got onto his feet, muttering an excuse before he rushed out of the bar.
Eventually, I left the adults only bar, smelling of cigarette smoke, gaudy perfume, and alcohol, the collar of my shirt bearing evidence of my earlier…uhh…activities, and took a stroll down Park Avenue. That was where I saw some of my Culvert classmates, who extended the billiards invitation to me.
Upon passing by a music store, Freddy looked at his reflection. His hair and clothes were a mess, and he looked slightly disgruntled. He ran a hand through his hair in a feeble attempt to tame the messy blond locks.
"Hey Jones."
Looking up, Freddy found himself staring at a group of people. Four guys, to be exact. He searched his memory for their names and came up with Anthony, Jason, Carlos and Drew. The four guys were all from his block in Culvert Academy.
"Hey," he said, nodding in their general direction to acknowledge them. "What's up?"
"We're on our way to Magic Eight Ball," said Jason the one with a sandy blond crew cut. "You want to join us?"
Freddy's eyebrows rose up in surprise. He knew this guys, sure, and he spoke to them when necessary, but they were hardly friends. He didn't think he even knew what their last names were.
But really, what did it matter? He was bored, and he had nothing else to do.
"Yeah, sure, count me in," Freddy heard himself say.
And that's how I came to be in this billiard hall in Park Square. On any other Saturday I wouldn't even be here. I'd probably be meeting up with Frankie (he, Eleni and Michelle and sometimes with either Marco or Leonard made it a point to come in this side of town to visit us ever since that I've Never incident in Ipanema), bumming around my place and playing drums or just hanging out at Summer's until she kicks me out.
Huh. I wonder what she and Zack are doing now.
"Ahh, scratch!" Carlos, my Hispanic looking blockmate groaned and straightened up from the pool table. "Your turn, man."
I nodded and bent over the table, trying to find the correct angle to get the four-ball in the left pocket.
"Hello Freddy," said a familiar bland voice that made the hairs on my nape stand on end. Tightening my grip on my cuestick, I looked up to see who it was.
Olivia Warren stood a foot away from me, her camera hanging around her neck, and looking just as weird as ever. Probably, the only difference now is that she's got three piercings on her eyebrow, instead of one.
I knew it. Nobody could scare me as much as she does.
"Uhh…hey, Olivia," I stammered. My companions shared a look, biting their lips to keep themselves from snickering. Olivia's…err…obsession with me was not exactly a big secret. Before I arranged that deal with Summer, she was always waiting outside my classes, asking for me or asking my blockmates about me. "What're you doing here?"
"I work here, part time," she said hazily. Sometimes I could swear this chick's on crack. "We pay a high price for living in this world."
"Ain't it the truth," I said, backing away slowly. I made a mental note never to come here again. "Well, I guess I'll se you 'round." I turned my back on her, planning on going back to my billiard game.
"Wait, Freddy, I need to ask you something," she said, the energy in her voice increasing slightly.
"Olivia, if it's about that date thing, I already told you no," I said, exasperated. Can't the chick take a freakin' hint? "I have a girlfriend and I'm staying loyal to her, all right?"
"I know that," she said, her gray eyes flashing slightly. "But here's my question: are you sure your girlfriend's doing the same thing?"
Uh. Huh?
"What are you talking about?" I permitted her a confused frown.
"I'm just saying, keep a closer eye on her," she told me, acting all cryptic again. "Like I am on you."
I shook my head in disbelief when Olivia finally walked away, and disappeared in the billiard hall's back room. The girl was off her rocker, no doubt about it.
"I'm outta here, fellas," I grumbled, pulling out a couple of bills from my pocket to pay my share on the game. "See you guys in class."
The guys bid me goodbye right before I made my way toward the exit.
'No point in staying any longer, anyway. I'm heading home,' I thought as the swinging glass doors shut behind me, and the cold night air hitting my face.
I got back to my place at promptly seven in the evening. Usually I won't even be back here until eleven because that's the time when a highly irate Sum--.
Fuck it. Don't even go there Spazz.
And as I ate dinner (pizza and beer…joy) in my empty apartment, watching the sports channel on TV, once again I wasn't able to keep myself from wishing I'd spent the day with…Shit.
With someone else instead.
to be continued…
A/N: Is anybody still reading this thing? Haha. So very sorry that the update took so long. (Darned six-day school schedules. Who knew being an Operating Room nurse would be so freakin' tedious?) Oh well. This chapter had been written ages ago, but I'd only gotten around to editing it lately. Made a few changes in the events and added quite a few flashbacks, you see. Summer really wasn't supposed to tell Zack about that deal, but I thought it was about time she 'fessed up. I don't think someone like her could keep lying to him like that, no? Did anyone get confused with the feelings part? Well…that's kind of the point, I think. It's a very confusing stage for the lead characters.
I've got to tell you guys, I'm really having a hard time trying not to make Summer look like the bad guy here. She's not, really. She's just…as the song goes, torn between two lovers. (Ew. Cheesy.) And yeesh, that fight scene between Freddy and Zack...I worked hard not to make them look too gay. I've nothing against queers, but I'm not writing slash, now, am I? ;p
We got to see Zack…and a bit of Katie too, yay! This won't be the last that we'll see of them though, as well as the other SoR people.
Acknowledgments:
"Might I point out that this is my room?" – Draco Sinister, Cassandra Claire
S.O.S. – Good Charlotte
Project Runway - ETC
Hah, forgive this writer. I'm new at all this rock business. S.O.S. is the only song I liked from Good Charlotte and I thought Freddy and Zack could pull off playing it with only a guitar and drums.
Do not fret, beloved readers, for 'tis not the end of Summer and Freddy!
Up next: Chapter 10 Family Affairs
Freddy gets unexpected visitors.
Please, please, please review! The more reviews I get, the more inspired I become. Bwahahaha. Yes, people, I am coercing you to review me. Mucho thanks in advance!
