Disclaimer: I don't own SOR. I don't own the piece of cake I'm eating right
now (haha). And now, I don't even own the plot! *Sobs* "One girl
revolution" belongs to Superchic[k], "yeah" belongs to Ursher (sorry, I
love saying thatü) and one of the greatest songs of all time, "Hanging by a
Moment" belongs to Lifehouse. More Evanescence songs in the next
one...teehee.ü
Author's Notes: These are my best friend's ideas! *crowd cheers* I'm just writing them down for her.ü Kristiene is patterned after my best friend, and for the record, so is Nicole. Patterned after someone that is.ü The idea for the t-shirt belongs to someone else, and I'm so sorry if you think I ripped you off. I'll try to find your pen name and post it, OK? Sorry! I just thought it was really cool! Forgive me! *wails*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nicole bounded down the staircase from the 5th floor music room, oblivious to the stares people were giving her. She was plugged into her tiny purple MP3 player and was nodding slightly in time to the music, making her pigtails thrash wildly behind her. She was wearing a black spag strapped top under her school blouse, which was completely open, exposing the sapphire blue jewel on her navel piercing.
Today she had put blue and pink streaks in her already highlighted blonde hair, making her look like a lost pixie. Her black painted fingernails tapped the beat of "One Girl Revolution" on the banisters and her Mary Janes clunked loudly, her denim messenger bag with a hazard symbol slamming into her butt every time she took a step down.
"...I'm a one girl revoluuuution.... Some people see the revolution but most only see the girl. I can lose my heart and freedom if my fear defines my world...."
She flew down the staircases and ran straight into Freddy, who was still Indian-seated at the windowsill. "Whoa," Then she giggled. "Hey Freddy," She pulled her earplugs off and stuffed them into her pocket.
"Hey, Nix," he greeted, grinning. He was acting like he hadn't just seen her 20 minutes ago.
She stared up at his face. "You need to change those bandages," she stated, biting her lower lip.
"Right," he swung around to face her. "But I don't have-"
"I have some in my bag, hold on." She slipped the strap off her lithe body and slammed the bag onto the windowsill. She fished around in the mess for a while then finally pulled out a small black box with Emily the Strange stickers all over it. She pulled out a the little strips of bandages for Freddy's cuts as well as some cotton and a small blue vial.
Freddy watched her curiously. "I never got to ask you what's in that stuff," he said, pointing at the vial.
"Then ask now," Nicole said. Both of them laughed.
"Fine, what's in the mysterious blue liquid?" he asked exaggeratedly.
Nicole went closer to him and motioned with her hand for him to lean towards her so she could take off the old wrappings. She peeled one off, making Freddy wince. "Oops, sorry," she apologized. "Well," She continued peeling off the ones on his other cuts. "If you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly the religious type. I'm not an atheist or whatever, even if my last school totally labeled me as one,"
She sighed, and Freddy let out a soft "Ow" as she pulled one off too fast. "Oh shit! Sorry! Anyway, I'm a Wiccan, so I tried a few spells on the liquid. It's worked pretty well for Zack so far. I mean, his bruises have faded a lot in the past week haven't they?" she smiled.
Freddy wrinkled his nose as she poured some of the liquid on a piece of cotton. "You mean I've been putting frog guts and lizard intestines or something on my face all this time!?" he cried exasperatedly. He jumped up as she attempted to put some on his face and almost sent a junior's science project flying.
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, stop being such a baby, Freddy,"
"Why? It's fun!" he grinned as he sidestepped around her.
Nicole grabbed the end of his shirt and pulled him back before he ran down the staircase. "Fred-dy!" she whined. "Come back here!"
Freddy spun around and caught her elbows, grinning in that annoyingly smug way only he could pull off. "Why do you care so much about me anyway?" he queried, raising his eyebrow expectantly.
Nicole scowled and pushed him away. "Fine then, I won't care!" She stuffed the box back into her bag and swung it around her shoulders. "Ciao," she hissed, taking brisk steps past him.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Come on, Nix, I was just kidding around. I'm touched, OK?" He leveled her with his gaze, smiling warmly. "Don't go off all pissed. You know I was just messin' with you,"
She was still frowning but starting slapping (literally SLAPPING) back the little strip bandages on his forehead. "I know, I know. Classic Freddy attitude," She glared up at the taller boy, trying to set him on fire with her mind.
"Classic Freddy attitude?" he repeated, grabbing her wrist before she poked out his eye or something.
She rolled her eyes. "I've been sitting next to you for a week now, and I'm proud to say I'm a good judge of character," She grinned smugly and sat down on the sill.
Freddy sat down beside her. He couldn't help but smile. "So what do you think of m-... the class and this school so far? I'm sure it must have been so much cooler in MSAT,"
She gave a small nod and shrugged. "MSAT was off the hook, I swear. I learned everything I know from that school. I loved theatre, singing, band, sports, everything. But I'm not saying Martin High isn't cool coz it is. I just never really thought about Maths and French class much,"
"I'd give anything not to think about Maths for even one day," Freddy groaned. "And now I have to pass Bio or else I get kicked off the soccer team,"
"Bio?"
"Biology. Don't tell me you didn't have science in MSAT?" he asked incredulously.
"We did! It's just...we weren't really graded," She propped her elbows up behind her, watching people pass. "By the way, what's with Summer? Does she have an agenda against all of the new students or should I feel special?" she asked with false zeal.
Freddy shrugged. "I've been wondering about that too. Maybe it's because you spend a lot of time with Zack," he suggested, watching her out of the corner of his eye. Could she tell that he liked her? But for the first time ever, he didn't have the confidence to ask her out. Ever since he was a kid, girls just lined up for him. Before the band started, it was because he looked like that Draco Malfoy dude in some book, then after it was because of the bad boy persona and attitude. Well, it wasn't his fault he was born handsome, he told himself, grinning inwardly.
"Zack's great," she said after a while. "He's such a great guitarist,"
He gulped, wanting to ask the question that had been floating in his mind all week but afraid to hear the answer in case it was the one he didn't want to hear. "Do you... do you..."
"Do I what?" Nicole raised her eyebrows at him, smiling amusedly.
"DoyoulikeZack?" he finally sputtered.
Her baby blue eyes went wide in surprise. "Zack? Hell no! I mean, he's a great guy and at MSAT he'd be so drooled over, but he's not my type. Normally I dig the whole depressed poet thing, but I'm sick of it. Zack's a great friend but he's more of a big brother friend. Am I making sense?" She looked up at him helplessly.
"Yeah, kind of. You like Zack but you don't like like him," Freddy clarified.
"If you want to put it in grade school lingo, yeah," she laughed.
"So do you like anyone in school?" He asked, hoping he looked indifferent about the issue.
She shook her head, smiling slightly. "I haven't really thought about it. Before I left New York I broke up with my boyfriend there, and I'm just enjoying not having anyone to look out for but myself. I heard he hooked up with my best friend, and I couldn't be happier for them." She looked up at his face, lit by the setting October sun. "How about you, anyone you like in school?"
"Yeah, but I don't think she even knows I exist,"
"Oh, stop being dramatic," She grinned. "Wait!" Then she gave a false gasp. "Freddy Jones is being dissed by a chick?! The earth is going to break open and swallow us all alive!" she cried in a falsely panicky voice.
Freddy tried to glare at her but he was laughing at how stupid she looked, stopping passers-by and telling them that the world was about to end because "Freddy Jones has lost his mojo, baby!" in an Austin Powers voice. "Oh, shut up and sit back down, Nix. You're scaring people," he called, grabbing the back of her school blouse and trying to pull her back towards the windowsill.
Instead, she slid off the blouse so she was now standing in the middle of a busy stairwell in nothing but a tank top and Martin High's black and red pleated skirt, screaming something about Armageddon because he had 'angered the Gods and they are punishing him in the most ego-diminishing way possible'.
He jumped up and wrapped his arms around her and put a hand over her mouth, trying to pull her away. "She's mental, honestly!" he told a senior in a solemn tone, trying to keep a wriggling Nicole in check. Once everyone left he let go of her. "God, you're insane, you know that!?"
She took a bow and grinned at him. "Thank you, thank you!"
"Come on, Nix. That wasn't funny! Now the whole school will think I'm..." He shuddered. "incompetent or something,"
"Aw, come on, Freddy!" She swung an arm around his neck. "No one will think that because it's a well known fact you're one of the hottest guys in the school, OK?"
He could hear his heart beating in his throat. It suddenly didn't matter about his reputation as long as she liked him. Did she like him? Her last statement sounded like she did. But he didn't want to hope. Freddy had never been rejected yet, and he wasn't sure he wanted to find out. But the thing was, why did he even like her? She looked just like a majority of the girl's at school, minus the highlights and the piercings. Did he really like her that much?
"So are you gonna walk me home or what?" Nicole's voice pierced through his thoughts and when he finally came back to reality he found her holding his bag out to him, eyebrow raised and blue eyes piercing. In that moment he knew the answer.
"Yeah, sure. I'll walk you."
~*~
Katie stared at herself in the full-body mirror in her sister's room, eyes focused on finding something wrong with her outfit. She was wearing a long black skirt with a gothic silver design around the hem and a gorgeous silver top she'd loaned from her sister. It was fitted around her chest but silver gauze fell freely around her stomach and on her arms, where it had been too loose so she tied it to her elbows with black ribbon. She leaned closer and wiped away a little smudge of mascara under her eyes.
"You look fine, Kitty," Kristiene, her older sister by two years, said from her four-poster bed. "Stop being so obsessive compulsive," she muttered as she resumed flipping through her guitar-tab book.
Katie smiled at the nickname but tried to look pissed. "I'm going out with Freddy tonight, all right? Sorry if I'm being such a spaz about it all," she apologized, voicing out what she had been feeling all day.
Kristiene gave a loud gasp and leaned up on her elbows to look at her younger sister. "Shut up!" she cried, purple lips breaking into a wide grin. "Oh my gosh, I so told you this day would come for you, Kitty!"
Katie let out a sigh and sat down on her sister's bed. "Yeah...now that it's finally happened it's so hard to accept. Am I talking insane now?" she gave out a dry laugh that didn't last very long. As expected, Kristiene sat up properly and massaged her younger sister's back.
"No, sis. It's perfectly normal. You haven't gone on a date since that scumbag Joseph back in 8th grade, so it's normal that's you'd have the jitters," Once Katie had muttered an agreement, Kristiene couldn't help but get all the details out of her younger sister. Truth be told, she always thought Freddy was hot, even if he was 2 years younger. "So where are you guys going off to tonight?"
"Steps," Katie replied with a grin as Kristiene rearranged the jewels in her hair.
"Ooh, Saturday night fever, huh?" she smirked. Katie pinched her thigh. "OOW! Fine!"
The doorbell rang. Katie jumped up and started panicking.
"Oh my gosh, he's here! Where's my bag!?"
"Here,"
"Where're my shoes?"
"You're wearing them,"
"Do I look OK?"
"You look beautiful, Kitty. Now go! Don't keep your one true love waiting!" Kristiene scolded.
Katie kissed her on the cheek and grinned. "I'll fill you in when I get home! Bye sis!" and she ran downstairs; ready to go on her first date with Freddy Jones.
~*~
"Wow," Freddy greeted as Katie opened the door. She looked...stunning. There was no other word for it. In more than a decade he had never seen her in any skirt other than the school one, and he was glad to see her like this now. "Lookin' good, Posh Spice,"
Katie grinned, almost beside herself with joy. "Not too shabby yourself, Spazzy McGeek," she managed to say, and it was true, even if it was an understatement. He had on a black t-shirt that read 'ROCKSTAR LOOKING FOR GROUPIES' and a regular pair of jeans; not too loose, not too tight, and a beaten pair of Nike shocks. "Where's the batmobile?" she asked, referring to his '81 black Oldsmobile.
Freddy offered his arm, wearing an appraising smirk. Katie took it, muttering a sarcastic 'thank you'. "It's parked on the curb," He gave her the once-over again. "Why are you all dressed up? Not that I'm complaining, I'm grateful for the eye candy,"
Katie elbowed him and pouted. "So it's wrong to get dressed up now?" she demanded.
His blue eyes went wide. "You were planning on going naked? My, Posh, I would have preferred that!"
She rolled her eyes. "Don't you ever think of anything else aside from sex, Freddy Jones?"
"No, not really," he said, and then laughed. "Hurry up, Posh Spice!" He pulled her faster down the sidewalk
"Why?" Katie asked, striving to keep up with him in her 2-inch high strappy black heels.
"Coz the other's are waiting," Freddy answered.
Katie's eyes went wide. "The others!?" she repeated in barely a whisper as the front of his car came into view.
The hood was pulled back and Zack shot up from his seat in the back. "Posh Spice! You're looking hot!" he catcalled, dark eyes shining. He was wearing a worn black t-shirt with Metallica on it and such loose jeans that they looked like they would fall off if he stood up.
Katie almost sighed in relief. So 'the others' was just Zack. It wouldn't be so bad. She was hoping to spend the whole night dancing with Freddy but with Zack Attack around, it would be just like old times.
"Posh Spice huh?" Another voice called. A second later Nicole's blonde head popped up beside Zack's. "Wow! Katie, your outfit rocks!" she added, seeing Katie.
"Thanks," Katie muttered, trying to keep the scorn out of her voice.
However great she had thought she looked, it was nothing compared to Nicole, who was wearing an old vintage lace dress and a black corset with silver clasps. Her pink highlights had vanished and now the ends of her stylishly messy blond hair were dyed blue to match her eyes. Her feet were propped up on the shoulders of the passenger's seat and she noticed the messages written in whiteout on her combat boots.
Freddy opened the door for her and she stepped in, shooting him a glare. He didn't notice.
"Off to the club and a night full of fun and se-"
"DON'T YOU DARE FINISH THAT SENTENCE, FREDDY JONES!"
Laughing, Nicole leaned forward. "Katie, I love your skirt! Where'd you get it?"
Shocked that the ever-stylish Nicole would like something she had, Katie replied in what she hoped was a friendly tone. "I got it from this cute little place down by the Riverview Mall. I love your dress!"
"Thanks! I made it myself," the shorter girl showed Katie her bandaged fingers. "After I finally understood how the sewing machine worked, that is," she added, sticking her tongue out.
"Nix, sit down!" Freddy called, focused on the road. "Properly, I mean. Watch the leather,"
Zack looked up from strumming on his acoustic guitar. "You call this leather? When you bought it you told me it was cow-ski-"
"SHH!" Freddy snapped.
The rest of them laughed. Silence fell after a while as they drove. Zack and Nicole were sharing her MP3 player, and Zack was playing the chords on his guitar. Katie wished they weren't there so she and Freddy could talk freely. The truth was, she missed him. Ever since their sophomore year started, everyone had been so distant. Freshman year, they had stuck together, but now everyone had friends outside the band while she didn't. She was starting to feel lonely and nostalgic.
"Can I borrow that?" Soon the opening chords for "Hanging by a Moment" echoed through the car.
"Desperate for changing," Zack started singing. He had gotten a lot better vocally over the past years. Katie twisted around in her seat to watch him. "Starving for truth, I'm closer to where I started; I'm chasing after you, I'm falling even more in love with you, letting of all I've held on to. I'm standing here until you make me move, I'm hanging by a moment here with you,"
Freddy started tapping his hands on the steering wheel.
"Forgetting all I'm lacking, completely incomplete. I'll take your invitation; you take all of me...."
"I'm falling even more in love with you, letting of all I've held on to. I'm standing here until you make me move, I'm hanging by a moment here with you," Nicole joined in. "I'm living for the only thing I know, I'm running and not quite sure where to go, and I don't know what I'm diving into, just hanging by a moment here with you,"
Zack again. "There's nothing else to lose, losing else to find.... There's nothing in the world that can change my mind. There is nothing else, there is nothing else, there is nothing else...."
Nicole started plucking. "Desperate for changing, starving for truth, closer to where I started, chasing after you...."
By now all four of them were singing. "I'm falling even more in love with you, letting of all I've held on to. I'm standing here until you make me move, I'm hanging by a moment here with you I'm living for the only thing I know, I'm running and not quite sure where to go, and I don't know what I'm diving into, just hanging by a moment here with you..."
~*~
"Ow," Katie winced as someone stepped on her toes. Freddy looked back at her, worried.
"What happened?" he asked over the din of the crowd.
She was surprised he heard her. "Nothing, just someone stepped on my toes-"
"Who?" Freddy demanded, eyes narrowed as he looked around.
Laughter bubbling in her throat, Katie put a comforting hand on his shoulder, surprising herself. She felt a slight tingle in the pit of her stomach, noting how hard his muscles seemed then instantly felt ashamed. "Let it slide, Freddy,"
Both of them turned back to watching Nicole talk to the bouncer.
"Miss, I'm sorry but you're not on the guest list," he kept saying.
Nicole looked so angry that her normally pale face was flushed. "LOOK!" she screamed, pissed. "I'm on the bloody guest list!! Do you see the name 'Nix' there!? I THOUGHT SO!"
"Is there a problem here?" A man around his mid-30s approached them, looking like he totally didn't belong in a gray Armani suit. He caught sight of Nicole and grinned. "Miss Nicole! What a surprise to see you here,"
"You may like them, but I don't like surprises, Rickfort. I told Uncle Tom I was coming today, now would you please get this oaf out of the way so me and my friends can enjoy ourselves?" Nicole snapped imperiously.
The man named Rickfort nodded slightly. "Yes, of course," he said with a smile that seemed forced. You could tell he wanted to kill her right then and there. "Follow me, I'll free up the VIP lounge for you,"
"Yes!" Freddy whispered, pumping his fist.
Zack and Katie laughed as he almost smashed a guys 'privates' in doing so.
Zack sat down on a plush black leather couch and bounced on it. "Wicked, Nix. I've never been to this part of Steps before,"
Katie sat down as well and, causing her sudden blush, Freddy sat down beside her. "That's all well and good for you, but I've never even been here!" she said.
Nicole turned back to the group from ordering them drinks. "Anyone have any specific requests? Beer? Long island iced tea? Anything alcoholic?"
Freddy slung is arm over the side of the couch and turned his head up towards her. "Anything with alcohol in it is fine,"
Katie frowned, lips pursed. It was one habit she'd gotten from Dewey that she'd never been able to get rid of. "Aren't you going to drive?" she asked him, looking worried.
He slung an arm across her shoulders and grinned that infectious grin of his. "Don't worry, Zack's supposed to drive us back. But if he's too wasted by the end of tonight, Nix's driver can give us a ride. IN A LIMO!!"
Katie had never ridden in a limo before, just the back of Dewey's old space wagon, so she was looking forward to this, hoping that none of them would really be wasted. Trying not to smile, she finally said, "If you say so,"
"That's my Posh Spice!" Zack beamed from the other couch as Nicole passed him a tall light blue drink that was slightly smoking.
Nicole finally sat down and passed around drinks to all of them. "I think you'll love this, Katie. It was something the bartender made up called a Pink Poodle. I know the name's so corny and shit, but it really blows your mind...." She passed Katie a smaller tumbler that was different shades of pink. "And it's good for you too!" she added with a grin.
Zack downed half his glace in one gulp, but Freddy looked like he was fighting an internal battle with his. He was just glaring at his tumbler as if he wanted the contents to vanish by itself.
"What's wrong?" Katie asked after taking a sip of hers. Nicole was right, it was really good. It didn't taste like alcohol at all; just like melted cotton candy that was slightly less sweet.
Freddy turned his gaze towards her, eyes still intense from his mental struggle with the bar drink. "I've had...very bad experiences with alcohol." he stated.
This made her laugh for some reason. "Like what?" she asked over the fresh wave of dance music as the DJ resumed his position behind the turntables.
"Ooh, I love this song! Anyone wanna dance with me?" Nicole squealed, jumping up and looking over at the two boys.
Freddy finally took a sip of his drink and was about to offer when she turned to Zack.
"How about you, Mister 5 Star stoner?" she asked with a playful grin.
Zack looked up from staring moodily at his drink. "I don't dance well," he told her, but this just made Nicole grab his arm and try to drag him down to the dance floor.
"Well, that wont do now will it?" She grinned at him. Zack relented and let her drag him off to do God knows what. After all, what kind of guy would pass up a dance with a girl that looked like a supermodel? Even if he didn't know how to dance...at all.
Now alone, Katie didn't know whether she wanted to kiss Nicole or slap her along side the head for vanishing. She turned back to look at Freddy, who was steadily devouring his drink. She wondered if he was going to ask her to dance. After all, that was why they were here, right? To be together?
Her stomach felt queasy at the thought. Or maybe it was just the drink.
Freddy finally opened his mouth as a remix of Usher's "Yeah" blasted through the speakers. "I know you aren't really dressed to dance or anything-" Ouch, Katie thought, glancing at her heels. "but do you wanna dance with me?"
"Sure," she agreed with a shy smile.
~*~
A/N: I have to end it here for now. *wails* But tell me what you think by clicking that little button down there.ü Pretty please with sugar on top? YAY! Thank you sooo much!
I still don't know what pairings I should do...o_0; should I ask 'The Man'? Hahaha.ü
Rocker_gurl- aww, thanks, but I have kind of different plans. *wink* I shant say more! Nyahahah!
Operate- personally, I'm a Zack/Katie shipper, but I'm still a bit confused. Heehee.ü
Joanne- thanks for the advice and don't worry, no mistakes.ü
Wyverna- OC means original character.ü I was thinking maybe I should make Katie a perfect character for her.... What do you think?
Chocl8chps- yes, Evanescence rocks! I love them sooo much! Sorry if my other reviewers are getting annoyed at me any my little obsession...heehee.ü
LCJ- maybe, maybe not...come back and review me again to find out! *hugs*
Jessica- you're the only one on my side!! *wails* hehe, but thanks!ü
Blondie0276- don't worry, more of Summer in the next one. *hugs*
Wiseoldman- are you really a wise old man? *wonders* heehee, thanks!ü
Author's Notes: These are my best friend's ideas! *crowd cheers* I'm just writing them down for her.ü Kristiene is patterned after my best friend, and for the record, so is Nicole. Patterned after someone that is.ü The idea for the t-shirt belongs to someone else, and I'm so sorry if you think I ripped you off. I'll try to find your pen name and post it, OK? Sorry! I just thought it was really cool! Forgive me! *wails*
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Nicole bounded down the staircase from the 5th floor music room, oblivious to the stares people were giving her. She was plugged into her tiny purple MP3 player and was nodding slightly in time to the music, making her pigtails thrash wildly behind her. She was wearing a black spag strapped top under her school blouse, which was completely open, exposing the sapphire blue jewel on her navel piercing.
Today she had put blue and pink streaks in her already highlighted blonde hair, making her look like a lost pixie. Her black painted fingernails tapped the beat of "One Girl Revolution" on the banisters and her Mary Janes clunked loudly, her denim messenger bag with a hazard symbol slamming into her butt every time she took a step down.
"...I'm a one girl revoluuuution.... Some people see the revolution but most only see the girl. I can lose my heart and freedom if my fear defines my world...."
She flew down the staircases and ran straight into Freddy, who was still Indian-seated at the windowsill. "Whoa," Then she giggled. "Hey Freddy," She pulled her earplugs off and stuffed them into her pocket.
"Hey, Nix," he greeted, grinning. He was acting like he hadn't just seen her 20 minutes ago.
She stared up at his face. "You need to change those bandages," she stated, biting her lower lip.
"Right," he swung around to face her. "But I don't have-"
"I have some in my bag, hold on." She slipped the strap off her lithe body and slammed the bag onto the windowsill. She fished around in the mess for a while then finally pulled out a small black box with Emily the Strange stickers all over it. She pulled out a the little strips of bandages for Freddy's cuts as well as some cotton and a small blue vial.
Freddy watched her curiously. "I never got to ask you what's in that stuff," he said, pointing at the vial.
"Then ask now," Nicole said. Both of them laughed.
"Fine, what's in the mysterious blue liquid?" he asked exaggeratedly.
Nicole went closer to him and motioned with her hand for him to lean towards her so she could take off the old wrappings. She peeled one off, making Freddy wince. "Oops, sorry," she apologized. "Well," She continued peeling off the ones on his other cuts. "If you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly the religious type. I'm not an atheist or whatever, even if my last school totally labeled me as one,"
She sighed, and Freddy let out a soft "Ow" as she pulled one off too fast. "Oh shit! Sorry! Anyway, I'm a Wiccan, so I tried a few spells on the liquid. It's worked pretty well for Zack so far. I mean, his bruises have faded a lot in the past week haven't they?" she smiled.
Freddy wrinkled his nose as she poured some of the liquid on a piece of cotton. "You mean I've been putting frog guts and lizard intestines or something on my face all this time!?" he cried exasperatedly. He jumped up as she attempted to put some on his face and almost sent a junior's science project flying.
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, stop being such a baby, Freddy,"
"Why? It's fun!" he grinned as he sidestepped around her.
Nicole grabbed the end of his shirt and pulled him back before he ran down the staircase. "Fred-dy!" she whined. "Come back here!"
Freddy spun around and caught her elbows, grinning in that annoyingly smug way only he could pull off. "Why do you care so much about me anyway?" he queried, raising his eyebrow expectantly.
Nicole scowled and pushed him away. "Fine then, I won't care!" She stuffed the box back into her bag and swung it around her shoulders. "Ciao," she hissed, taking brisk steps past him.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Come on, Nix, I was just kidding around. I'm touched, OK?" He leveled her with his gaze, smiling warmly. "Don't go off all pissed. You know I was just messin' with you,"
She was still frowning but starting slapping (literally SLAPPING) back the little strip bandages on his forehead. "I know, I know. Classic Freddy attitude," She glared up at the taller boy, trying to set him on fire with her mind.
"Classic Freddy attitude?" he repeated, grabbing her wrist before she poked out his eye or something.
She rolled her eyes. "I've been sitting next to you for a week now, and I'm proud to say I'm a good judge of character," She grinned smugly and sat down on the sill.
Freddy sat down beside her. He couldn't help but smile. "So what do you think of m-... the class and this school so far? I'm sure it must have been so much cooler in MSAT,"
She gave a small nod and shrugged. "MSAT was off the hook, I swear. I learned everything I know from that school. I loved theatre, singing, band, sports, everything. But I'm not saying Martin High isn't cool coz it is. I just never really thought about Maths and French class much,"
"I'd give anything not to think about Maths for even one day," Freddy groaned. "And now I have to pass Bio or else I get kicked off the soccer team,"
"Bio?"
"Biology. Don't tell me you didn't have science in MSAT?" he asked incredulously.
"We did! It's just...we weren't really graded," She propped her elbows up behind her, watching people pass. "By the way, what's with Summer? Does she have an agenda against all of the new students or should I feel special?" she asked with false zeal.
Freddy shrugged. "I've been wondering about that too. Maybe it's because you spend a lot of time with Zack," he suggested, watching her out of the corner of his eye. Could she tell that he liked her? But for the first time ever, he didn't have the confidence to ask her out. Ever since he was a kid, girls just lined up for him. Before the band started, it was because he looked like that Draco Malfoy dude in some book, then after it was because of the bad boy persona and attitude. Well, it wasn't his fault he was born handsome, he told himself, grinning inwardly.
"Zack's great," she said after a while. "He's such a great guitarist,"
He gulped, wanting to ask the question that had been floating in his mind all week but afraid to hear the answer in case it was the one he didn't want to hear. "Do you... do you..."
"Do I what?" Nicole raised her eyebrows at him, smiling amusedly.
"DoyoulikeZack?" he finally sputtered.
Her baby blue eyes went wide in surprise. "Zack? Hell no! I mean, he's a great guy and at MSAT he'd be so drooled over, but he's not my type. Normally I dig the whole depressed poet thing, but I'm sick of it. Zack's a great friend but he's more of a big brother friend. Am I making sense?" She looked up at him helplessly.
"Yeah, kind of. You like Zack but you don't like like him," Freddy clarified.
"If you want to put it in grade school lingo, yeah," she laughed.
"So do you like anyone in school?" He asked, hoping he looked indifferent about the issue.
She shook her head, smiling slightly. "I haven't really thought about it. Before I left New York I broke up with my boyfriend there, and I'm just enjoying not having anyone to look out for but myself. I heard he hooked up with my best friend, and I couldn't be happier for them." She looked up at his face, lit by the setting October sun. "How about you, anyone you like in school?"
"Yeah, but I don't think she even knows I exist,"
"Oh, stop being dramatic," She grinned. "Wait!" Then she gave a false gasp. "Freddy Jones is being dissed by a chick?! The earth is going to break open and swallow us all alive!" she cried in a falsely panicky voice.
Freddy tried to glare at her but he was laughing at how stupid she looked, stopping passers-by and telling them that the world was about to end because "Freddy Jones has lost his mojo, baby!" in an Austin Powers voice. "Oh, shut up and sit back down, Nix. You're scaring people," he called, grabbing the back of her school blouse and trying to pull her back towards the windowsill.
Instead, she slid off the blouse so she was now standing in the middle of a busy stairwell in nothing but a tank top and Martin High's black and red pleated skirt, screaming something about Armageddon because he had 'angered the Gods and they are punishing him in the most ego-diminishing way possible'.
He jumped up and wrapped his arms around her and put a hand over her mouth, trying to pull her away. "She's mental, honestly!" he told a senior in a solemn tone, trying to keep a wriggling Nicole in check. Once everyone left he let go of her. "God, you're insane, you know that!?"
She took a bow and grinned at him. "Thank you, thank you!"
"Come on, Nix. That wasn't funny! Now the whole school will think I'm..." He shuddered. "incompetent or something,"
"Aw, come on, Freddy!" She swung an arm around his neck. "No one will think that because it's a well known fact you're one of the hottest guys in the school, OK?"
He could hear his heart beating in his throat. It suddenly didn't matter about his reputation as long as she liked him. Did she like him? Her last statement sounded like she did. But he didn't want to hope. Freddy had never been rejected yet, and he wasn't sure he wanted to find out. But the thing was, why did he even like her? She looked just like a majority of the girl's at school, minus the highlights and the piercings. Did he really like her that much?
"So are you gonna walk me home or what?" Nicole's voice pierced through his thoughts and when he finally came back to reality he found her holding his bag out to him, eyebrow raised and blue eyes piercing. In that moment he knew the answer.
"Yeah, sure. I'll walk you."
~*~
Katie stared at herself in the full-body mirror in her sister's room, eyes focused on finding something wrong with her outfit. She was wearing a long black skirt with a gothic silver design around the hem and a gorgeous silver top she'd loaned from her sister. It was fitted around her chest but silver gauze fell freely around her stomach and on her arms, where it had been too loose so she tied it to her elbows with black ribbon. She leaned closer and wiped away a little smudge of mascara under her eyes.
"You look fine, Kitty," Kristiene, her older sister by two years, said from her four-poster bed. "Stop being so obsessive compulsive," she muttered as she resumed flipping through her guitar-tab book.
Katie smiled at the nickname but tried to look pissed. "I'm going out with Freddy tonight, all right? Sorry if I'm being such a spaz about it all," she apologized, voicing out what she had been feeling all day.
Kristiene gave a loud gasp and leaned up on her elbows to look at her younger sister. "Shut up!" she cried, purple lips breaking into a wide grin. "Oh my gosh, I so told you this day would come for you, Kitty!"
Katie let out a sigh and sat down on her sister's bed. "Yeah...now that it's finally happened it's so hard to accept. Am I talking insane now?" she gave out a dry laugh that didn't last very long. As expected, Kristiene sat up properly and massaged her younger sister's back.
"No, sis. It's perfectly normal. You haven't gone on a date since that scumbag Joseph back in 8th grade, so it's normal that's you'd have the jitters," Once Katie had muttered an agreement, Kristiene couldn't help but get all the details out of her younger sister. Truth be told, she always thought Freddy was hot, even if he was 2 years younger. "So where are you guys going off to tonight?"
"Steps," Katie replied with a grin as Kristiene rearranged the jewels in her hair.
"Ooh, Saturday night fever, huh?" she smirked. Katie pinched her thigh. "OOW! Fine!"
The doorbell rang. Katie jumped up and started panicking.
"Oh my gosh, he's here! Where's my bag!?"
"Here,"
"Where're my shoes?"
"You're wearing them,"
"Do I look OK?"
"You look beautiful, Kitty. Now go! Don't keep your one true love waiting!" Kristiene scolded.
Katie kissed her on the cheek and grinned. "I'll fill you in when I get home! Bye sis!" and she ran downstairs; ready to go on her first date with Freddy Jones.
~*~
"Wow," Freddy greeted as Katie opened the door. She looked...stunning. There was no other word for it. In more than a decade he had never seen her in any skirt other than the school one, and he was glad to see her like this now. "Lookin' good, Posh Spice,"
Katie grinned, almost beside herself with joy. "Not too shabby yourself, Spazzy McGeek," she managed to say, and it was true, even if it was an understatement. He had on a black t-shirt that read 'ROCKSTAR LOOKING FOR GROUPIES' and a regular pair of jeans; not too loose, not too tight, and a beaten pair of Nike shocks. "Where's the batmobile?" she asked, referring to his '81 black Oldsmobile.
Freddy offered his arm, wearing an appraising smirk. Katie took it, muttering a sarcastic 'thank you'. "It's parked on the curb," He gave her the once-over again. "Why are you all dressed up? Not that I'm complaining, I'm grateful for the eye candy,"
Katie elbowed him and pouted. "So it's wrong to get dressed up now?" she demanded.
His blue eyes went wide. "You were planning on going naked? My, Posh, I would have preferred that!"
She rolled her eyes. "Don't you ever think of anything else aside from sex, Freddy Jones?"
"No, not really," he said, and then laughed. "Hurry up, Posh Spice!" He pulled her faster down the sidewalk
"Why?" Katie asked, striving to keep up with him in her 2-inch high strappy black heels.
"Coz the other's are waiting," Freddy answered.
Katie's eyes went wide. "The others!?" she repeated in barely a whisper as the front of his car came into view.
The hood was pulled back and Zack shot up from his seat in the back. "Posh Spice! You're looking hot!" he catcalled, dark eyes shining. He was wearing a worn black t-shirt with Metallica on it and such loose jeans that they looked like they would fall off if he stood up.
Katie almost sighed in relief. So 'the others' was just Zack. It wouldn't be so bad. She was hoping to spend the whole night dancing with Freddy but with Zack Attack around, it would be just like old times.
"Posh Spice huh?" Another voice called. A second later Nicole's blonde head popped up beside Zack's. "Wow! Katie, your outfit rocks!" she added, seeing Katie.
"Thanks," Katie muttered, trying to keep the scorn out of her voice.
However great she had thought she looked, it was nothing compared to Nicole, who was wearing an old vintage lace dress and a black corset with silver clasps. Her pink highlights had vanished and now the ends of her stylishly messy blond hair were dyed blue to match her eyes. Her feet were propped up on the shoulders of the passenger's seat and she noticed the messages written in whiteout on her combat boots.
Freddy opened the door for her and she stepped in, shooting him a glare. He didn't notice.
"Off to the club and a night full of fun and se-"
"DON'T YOU DARE FINISH THAT SENTENCE, FREDDY JONES!"
Laughing, Nicole leaned forward. "Katie, I love your skirt! Where'd you get it?"
Shocked that the ever-stylish Nicole would like something she had, Katie replied in what she hoped was a friendly tone. "I got it from this cute little place down by the Riverview Mall. I love your dress!"
"Thanks! I made it myself," the shorter girl showed Katie her bandaged fingers. "After I finally understood how the sewing machine worked, that is," she added, sticking her tongue out.
"Nix, sit down!" Freddy called, focused on the road. "Properly, I mean. Watch the leather,"
Zack looked up from strumming on his acoustic guitar. "You call this leather? When you bought it you told me it was cow-ski-"
"SHH!" Freddy snapped.
The rest of them laughed. Silence fell after a while as they drove. Zack and Nicole were sharing her MP3 player, and Zack was playing the chords on his guitar. Katie wished they weren't there so she and Freddy could talk freely. The truth was, she missed him. Ever since their sophomore year started, everyone had been so distant. Freshman year, they had stuck together, but now everyone had friends outside the band while she didn't. She was starting to feel lonely and nostalgic.
"Can I borrow that?" Soon the opening chords for "Hanging by a Moment" echoed through the car.
"Desperate for changing," Zack started singing. He had gotten a lot better vocally over the past years. Katie twisted around in her seat to watch him. "Starving for truth, I'm closer to where I started; I'm chasing after you, I'm falling even more in love with you, letting of all I've held on to. I'm standing here until you make me move, I'm hanging by a moment here with you,"
Freddy started tapping his hands on the steering wheel.
"Forgetting all I'm lacking, completely incomplete. I'll take your invitation; you take all of me...."
"I'm falling even more in love with you, letting of all I've held on to. I'm standing here until you make me move, I'm hanging by a moment here with you," Nicole joined in. "I'm living for the only thing I know, I'm running and not quite sure where to go, and I don't know what I'm diving into, just hanging by a moment here with you,"
Zack again. "There's nothing else to lose, losing else to find.... There's nothing in the world that can change my mind. There is nothing else, there is nothing else, there is nothing else...."
Nicole started plucking. "Desperate for changing, starving for truth, closer to where I started, chasing after you...."
By now all four of them were singing. "I'm falling even more in love with you, letting of all I've held on to. I'm standing here until you make me move, I'm hanging by a moment here with you I'm living for the only thing I know, I'm running and not quite sure where to go, and I don't know what I'm diving into, just hanging by a moment here with you..."
~*~
"Ow," Katie winced as someone stepped on her toes. Freddy looked back at her, worried.
"What happened?" he asked over the din of the crowd.
She was surprised he heard her. "Nothing, just someone stepped on my toes-"
"Who?" Freddy demanded, eyes narrowed as he looked around.
Laughter bubbling in her throat, Katie put a comforting hand on his shoulder, surprising herself. She felt a slight tingle in the pit of her stomach, noting how hard his muscles seemed then instantly felt ashamed. "Let it slide, Freddy,"
Both of them turned back to watching Nicole talk to the bouncer.
"Miss, I'm sorry but you're not on the guest list," he kept saying.
Nicole looked so angry that her normally pale face was flushed. "LOOK!" she screamed, pissed. "I'm on the bloody guest list!! Do you see the name 'Nix' there!? I THOUGHT SO!"
"Is there a problem here?" A man around his mid-30s approached them, looking like he totally didn't belong in a gray Armani suit. He caught sight of Nicole and grinned. "Miss Nicole! What a surprise to see you here,"
"You may like them, but I don't like surprises, Rickfort. I told Uncle Tom I was coming today, now would you please get this oaf out of the way so me and my friends can enjoy ourselves?" Nicole snapped imperiously.
The man named Rickfort nodded slightly. "Yes, of course," he said with a smile that seemed forced. You could tell he wanted to kill her right then and there. "Follow me, I'll free up the VIP lounge for you,"
"Yes!" Freddy whispered, pumping his fist.
Zack and Katie laughed as he almost smashed a guys 'privates' in doing so.
Zack sat down on a plush black leather couch and bounced on it. "Wicked, Nix. I've never been to this part of Steps before,"
Katie sat down as well and, causing her sudden blush, Freddy sat down beside her. "That's all well and good for you, but I've never even been here!" she said.
Nicole turned back to the group from ordering them drinks. "Anyone have any specific requests? Beer? Long island iced tea? Anything alcoholic?"
Freddy slung is arm over the side of the couch and turned his head up towards her. "Anything with alcohol in it is fine,"
Katie frowned, lips pursed. It was one habit she'd gotten from Dewey that she'd never been able to get rid of. "Aren't you going to drive?" she asked him, looking worried.
He slung an arm across her shoulders and grinned that infectious grin of his. "Don't worry, Zack's supposed to drive us back. But if he's too wasted by the end of tonight, Nix's driver can give us a ride. IN A LIMO!!"
Katie had never ridden in a limo before, just the back of Dewey's old space wagon, so she was looking forward to this, hoping that none of them would really be wasted. Trying not to smile, she finally said, "If you say so,"
"That's my Posh Spice!" Zack beamed from the other couch as Nicole passed him a tall light blue drink that was slightly smoking.
Nicole finally sat down and passed around drinks to all of them. "I think you'll love this, Katie. It was something the bartender made up called a Pink Poodle. I know the name's so corny and shit, but it really blows your mind...." She passed Katie a smaller tumbler that was different shades of pink. "And it's good for you too!" she added with a grin.
Zack downed half his glace in one gulp, but Freddy looked like he was fighting an internal battle with his. He was just glaring at his tumbler as if he wanted the contents to vanish by itself.
"What's wrong?" Katie asked after taking a sip of hers. Nicole was right, it was really good. It didn't taste like alcohol at all; just like melted cotton candy that was slightly less sweet.
Freddy turned his gaze towards her, eyes still intense from his mental struggle with the bar drink. "I've had...very bad experiences with alcohol." he stated.
This made her laugh for some reason. "Like what?" she asked over the fresh wave of dance music as the DJ resumed his position behind the turntables.
"Ooh, I love this song! Anyone wanna dance with me?" Nicole squealed, jumping up and looking over at the two boys.
Freddy finally took a sip of his drink and was about to offer when she turned to Zack.
"How about you, Mister 5 Star stoner?" she asked with a playful grin.
Zack looked up from staring moodily at his drink. "I don't dance well," he told her, but this just made Nicole grab his arm and try to drag him down to the dance floor.
"Well, that wont do now will it?" She grinned at him. Zack relented and let her drag him off to do God knows what. After all, what kind of guy would pass up a dance with a girl that looked like a supermodel? Even if he didn't know how to dance...at all.
Now alone, Katie didn't know whether she wanted to kiss Nicole or slap her along side the head for vanishing. She turned back to look at Freddy, who was steadily devouring his drink. She wondered if he was going to ask her to dance. After all, that was why they were here, right? To be together?
Her stomach felt queasy at the thought. Or maybe it was just the drink.
Freddy finally opened his mouth as a remix of Usher's "Yeah" blasted through the speakers. "I know you aren't really dressed to dance or anything-" Ouch, Katie thought, glancing at her heels. "but do you wanna dance with me?"
"Sure," she agreed with a shy smile.
~*~
A/N: I have to end it here for now. *wails* But tell me what you think by clicking that little button down there.ü Pretty please with sugar on top? YAY! Thank you sooo much!
I still don't know what pairings I should do...o_0; should I ask 'The Man'? Hahaha.ü
Rocker_gurl- aww, thanks, but I have kind of different plans. *wink* I shant say more! Nyahahah!
Operate- personally, I'm a Zack/Katie shipper, but I'm still a bit confused. Heehee.ü
Joanne- thanks for the advice and don't worry, no mistakes.ü
Wyverna- OC means original character.ü I was thinking maybe I should make Katie a perfect character for her.... What do you think?
Chocl8chps- yes, Evanescence rocks! I love them sooo much! Sorry if my other reviewers are getting annoyed at me any my little obsession...heehee.ü
LCJ- maybe, maybe not...come back and review me again to find out! *hugs*
Jessica- you're the only one on my side!! *wails* hehe, but thanks!ü
Blondie0276- don't worry, more of Summer in the next one. *hugs*
Wiseoldman- are you really a wise old man? *wonders* heehee, thanks!ü