"C'mon Katie that's crap", Freddy said in the nicest way possible, smiling
a little.
"Then why is it that we're all so nice to each other now?", Katie asked sounding upset. "If you showed up at Zack's doorstep 4 weeks ago, he'd be terrified, wondering why Freddy Jones was looking for him. And I don't mean that as a compliment either"
"We're all nice to each other because we share stuff in common," he explained. "We share the band, we share likings of the same music, we share talent, skill, and even the security and the roadies share respect. Remember the pledge? We pledge allegiance TO THE BAND, Katie; not what Dewey tells us to do. It's something we enjoy doing together. If we didn't enjoy each other's company, we would have been out a long time ago. Dewey didn't MAKE us do anything. We're all committed to the band voluntarily. And even if you don't like someone in the band, you have MAJOR respect for them because day after day they bust their ass to make it to practices on time. I was late almost everyday for school before Dewey came along and taught me to drum; I was lazy and no one cared if I came or not. Why do you think I was put in the back, Katie?" Freddy finished, sincerely staring at Katie. He thought about how pretty she was and how scared she looked of him at that moment.
"I—", Katie began.
"I'm sorry", Freddy interrupted. "That was a little much... but I don't want anyone having doubts about us being in this together. This is your new family Katie. We're not the family that leaves you home alone at least a few days a week so we can give someone a root canal. We're the family that's gonna have your ass until the day you die. We're the ones that love you more than anyone, a hundred hours from now and a hundred years from now".
"You're right..." She began. Freddy nearly cringed at the thought of someone thinking he was right. Katie continued, "I guess I just didn't think about it deep enough. It's just all happening so fast you don't know what to think about any of it".
"Don't think. Just Rock", Freddy responded, almost shocked at how good that came out. "Remember what Dewey said when he first taught you how to play? He said 'let your fingers do the rocking'. That's what you gotta do Katie. Any anger you got, any problems or happiness even, it goes to the bass. Let your fingers do the rocking, not your brain".
There was an exchange of smiles, when Zack entered.
"Let's rock and roll", Zack said going for his guitar case on the floor.
Freddy laughed, "You were in their long enough. I always knew you had a feminine side to you".
Zack shook his head and smiled. "I had to get some money from my dad before he left, just in case".
Zack swung his guitar case over his shoulder and they headed towards the front door, to be stopped by Zack's mom.
"Where are you going?"
"Freddy's, and then Dewey's at 5:30", Zack said casually reaching for the doorknob.
"Did your father say you could go?", she asked with bitterness. She put her drink down on the arm of the couch in their second floor apartment.
"When I asked him for a few bucks I told him it was for Freddy's and Practice, and he handed it to me, so I assume it's okay", Zack said with a shrug and turning the doorknob.
"You assumed."
"Well, he didn't say I couldn't. And he said 'have fun' ".
"Be back by six", she said bitterly.
Zack was about to walk out, when he realized what she said. "Practice doesn't start until 5:30 though mom..."
"Did I ask what time practice was?" she asked rhetorically.
"No, but we'll just finish setting up at that point", Zack lied. He knew they wouldn't finish setting up until 6:30—at least.
"Then looks like you won't be going to practice today".
"Stick it to the man", Freddy whispered so silently that Zack could barely hear it.
"The band cares more about me and my future than you do. I can't believe this", Zack said removing his hand from the knob.
"See you at six", she said with a bitchiness to her tone.
"Yeah, if you're looking at my picture", and Zack walked out with his friends closely behind.
Freddy laughed. "Nice", he said with a nod.
"Yeah, I almost forgot about sticking it to the man, thanks", Zack said opening the last door.
"To Katie's we go", Freddy said gripping his bag.
Katie closed the gate and they headed towards yonder.
"I didn't realize it was going to be this warm out, I wouldn't have worn pants", Zack said tiredly. Once he realized how it came out, Freddy and Katie were already laughing hysterically.
"You knew what I meant", Zack said laughing a little himself.
"Hey, me and Katie were talking, what do you think about calling up the band to chill with us at mi casa?" Freddy asked valuing what Zack thought about it.
"Sounds cool", Zack said with a shrug.
"Cool.", Freddy said with a nod. "Katie we're calling from your house".
"Thanks for the fill-in" she said rolling her eyes.
"Anytime babe", Freddy replied pretending to be serious.
"Don't call me that Freddy", she said with a 'you're so stupid' look.
Freddy gave an evil laugh, making Zack laugh too.
When they arrived at Katie's, Zack got the gate and the trio entered the front porch of her gigantic house on a side street. It took up half of an entire side of the street.
Katie opened the door, again feeling the cool air-conditioning. Zack and Freddy dropped their stuff by the couches and headed for the Kitchen in the back.
When the three got to the stairs, Katie got up the first step and stopped them. "I'll go get my bass, everyone's number is in a purple folder under the cordless phone charger. You'll know where to look".
Freddy gave a nod and Zack gave an "okay" and a smile. They proceeded to the Kitchen. When they got to the cordless phone, they took out the purple folder. They had three different headings; "Katie's numbers", "Victoria's Numbers", and "Michael's numbers". They took out Katie's and read the heading, "School of Rock" at the top of a group of numbers. Freddy's number was first. He gave a little grin and took the cordless phone and paper into the dining room, and Zack followed. Freddy stopped in front of a touchtone phone.
"You start from the bottom, I'll start at the top. Tell them to be at my house at 4:30. It's 4:10 now", Freddy said looking at the clock. "Remind them to bring their instruments and stuff, for practice".
"Aye, Aye Captain", Zack said with a sigh, picking up the phone.
5 minutes later, Katie came down stairs lugging her bass in a black case. "Katie!", Zack called. She dropped her bass at the foot of the stairs and walked into the dining room. "What's up?"
"I called three; Summer, Frankie and Marco", Zack said looking back and forth between Katie and Freddy. "How many did you get?", Zack added, looking at Freddy.
"Five, I was quick about it", Freddy said scratching behind his ear. "I got Leonard, Michelle, Lawrence, Gordon and Eleni".
"That's still 4 people...", Katie said looking a little worried. "Freddy, you call Tomika and Billy, I'll call Marta. Zack, call Alicia". Katie pulled a cell phone from her back pocket and called Marta.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Marta?", Katie asked with a smile.
"Hey Katie; what's up?", Marta greeted back happily
Katie watched Freddy end his first call. "Be at Freddy's at 4:30, we're going to practice from there"
"Okie dokie! See you there!"
"Okay, see ya Marta"
"Bye Katie!"
Katie couldn't help but smile at Marta's cheerful voice.
"Done", Zack declared.
"Ditto", Freddy said pressing the "End" button on the phone
"Double that 'ditto'", Katie said closing the clamp phone.
"Did everyone say okay?", Freddy asked looking back and forth between Katie and Zack.
"Yep", Zack said looking at Katie
"Ditto", Katie said looking at Freddy.
"...Then all systems are go-go-go, let's rock", Freddy said, picking up the paper and phone, and nodding towards the kitchen. While Freddy went to put everything back, Katie motioned her head towards the door, and Zack followed her towards the stairs to get the bass.
Freddy followed through from the kitchen, and just as Katie was going to throw her bass over her back, Freddy stopped her.
"Save your energy, I'll take it for you" Freddy said grabbing the bass.
Katie shrugged. "Thanks Fred".
"Sure thing", he said with a little smile.
"It's almost 4:20, we should get going", Zack said motion towards the door.
"Snaps", Katie said looking at the clock. "Let's Go".
JewelKitten – Thanks, I'm so glad ! I've been trying to base the characters on how they would REALLY act , like in the movie. I appreciate it , keep me posted on what you think.
Katryn-ciardi – Thanks a lot , I'm going to try to do a chapter every day or every other day. I appreciate your input , keep me posted.
Nanners-77 – hey thanks soo much , I appreciate your help VERY much , you're a great writer , keep going with ur School of Rock fic. Thankx for ur help !
BTW – I apologized for a reader for all my spelling mistakes , when I realized I didn't have any. Soo .. maybe it was confusion , I don no. Whatever. Peace.
"Then why is it that we're all so nice to each other now?", Katie asked sounding upset. "If you showed up at Zack's doorstep 4 weeks ago, he'd be terrified, wondering why Freddy Jones was looking for him. And I don't mean that as a compliment either"
"We're all nice to each other because we share stuff in common," he explained. "We share the band, we share likings of the same music, we share talent, skill, and even the security and the roadies share respect. Remember the pledge? We pledge allegiance TO THE BAND, Katie; not what Dewey tells us to do. It's something we enjoy doing together. If we didn't enjoy each other's company, we would have been out a long time ago. Dewey didn't MAKE us do anything. We're all committed to the band voluntarily. And even if you don't like someone in the band, you have MAJOR respect for them because day after day they bust their ass to make it to practices on time. I was late almost everyday for school before Dewey came along and taught me to drum; I was lazy and no one cared if I came or not. Why do you think I was put in the back, Katie?" Freddy finished, sincerely staring at Katie. He thought about how pretty she was and how scared she looked of him at that moment.
"I—", Katie began.
"I'm sorry", Freddy interrupted. "That was a little much... but I don't want anyone having doubts about us being in this together. This is your new family Katie. We're not the family that leaves you home alone at least a few days a week so we can give someone a root canal. We're the family that's gonna have your ass until the day you die. We're the ones that love you more than anyone, a hundred hours from now and a hundred years from now".
"You're right..." She began. Freddy nearly cringed at the thought of someone thinking he was right. Katie continued, "I guess I just didn't think about it deep enough. It's just all happening so fast you don't know what to think about any of it".
"Don't think. Just Rock", Freddy responded, almost shocked at how good that came out. "Remember what Dewey said when he first taught you how to play? He said 'let your fingers do the rocking'. That's what you gotta do Katie. Any anger you got, any problems or happiness even, it goes to the bass. Let your fingers do the rocking, not your brain".
There was an exchange of smiles, when Zack entered.
"Let's rock and roll", Zack said going for his guitar case on the floor.
Freddy laughed, "You were in their long enough. I always knew you had a feminine side to you".
Zack shook his head and smiled. "I had to get some money from my dad before he left, just in case".
Zack swung his guitar case over his shoulder and they headed towards the front door, to be stopped by Zack's mom.
"Where are you going?"
"Freddy's, and then Dewey's at 5:30", Zack said casually reaching for the doorknob.
"Did your father say you could go?", she asked with bitterness. She put her drink down on the arm of the couch in their second floor apartment.
"When I asked him for a few bucks I told him it was for Freddy's and Practice, and he handed it to me, so I assume it's okay", Zack said with a shrug and turning the doorknob.
"You assumed."
"Well, he didn't say I couldn't. And he said 'have fun' ".
"Be back by six", she said bitterly.
Zack was about to walk out, when he realized what she said. "Practice doesn't start until 5:30 though mom..."
"Did I ask what time practice was?" she asked rhetorically.
"No, but we'll just finish setting up at that point", Zack lied. He knew they wouldn't finish setting up until 6:30—at least.
"Then looks like you won't be going to practice today".
"Stick it to the man", Freddy whispered so silently that Zack could barely hear it.
"The band cares more about me and my future than you do. I can't believe this", Zack said removing his hand from the knob.
"See you at six", she said with a bitchiness to her tone.
"Yeah, if you're looking at my picture", and Zack walked out with his friends closely behind.
Freddy laughed. "Nice", he said with a nod.
"Yeah, I almost forgot about sticking it to the man, thanks", Zack said opening the last door.
"To Katie's we go", Freddy said gripping his bag.
Katie closed the gate and they headed towards yonder.
"I didn't realize it was going to be this warm out, I wouldn't have worn pants", Zack said tiredly. Once he realized how it came out, Freddy and Katie were already laughing hysterically.
"You knew what I meant", Zack said laughing a little himself.
"Hey, me and Katie were talking, what do you think about calling up the band to chill with us at mi casa?" Freddy asked valuing what Zack thought about it.
"Sounds cool", Zack said with a shrug.
"Cool.", Freddy said with a nod. "Katie we're calling from your house".
"Thanks for the fill-in" she said rolling her eyes.
"Anytime babe", Freddy replied pretending to be serious.
"Don't call me that Freddy", she said with a 'you're so stupid' look.
Freddy gave an evil laugh, making Zack laugh too.
When they arrived at Katie's, Zack got the gate and the trio entered the front porch of her gigantic house on a side street. It took up half of an entire side of the street.
Katie opened the door, again feeling the cool air-conditioning. Zack and Freddy dropped their stuff by the couches and headed for the Kitchen in the back.
When the three got to the stairs, Katie got up the first step and stopped them. "I'll go get my bass, everyone's number is in a purple folder under the cordless phone charger. You'll know where to look".
Freddy gave a nod and Zack gave an "okay" and a smile. They proceeded to the Kitchen. When they got to the cordless phone, they took out the purple folder. They had three different headings; "Katie's numbers", "Victoria's Numbers", and "Michael's numbers". They took out Katie's and read the heading, "School of Rock" at the top of a group of numbers. Freddy's number was first. He gave a little grin and took the cordless phone and paper into the dining room, and Zack followed. Freddy stopped in front of a touchtone phone.
"You start from the bottom, I'll start at the top. Tell them to be at my house at 4:30. It's 4:10 now", Freddy said looking at the clock. "Remind them to bring their instruments and stuff, for practice".
"Aye, Aye Captain", Zack said with a sigh, picking up the phone.
5 minutes later, Katie came down stairs lugging her bass in a black case. "Katie!", Zack called. She dropped her bass at the foot of the stairs and walked into the dining room. "What's up?"
"I called three; Summer, Frankie and Marco", Zack said looking back and forth between Katie and Freddy. "How many did you get?", Zack added, looking at Freddy.
"Five, I was quick about it", Freddy said scratching behind his ear. "I got Leonard, Michelle, Lawrence, Gordon and Eleni".
"That's still 4 people...", Katie said looking a little worried. "Freddy, you call Tomika and Billy, I'll call Marta. Zack, call Alicia". Katie pulled a cell phone from her back pocket and called Marta.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Marta?", Katie asked with a smile.
"Hey Katie; what's up?", Marta greeted back happily
Katie watched Freddy end his first call. "Be at Freddy's at 4:30, we're going to practice from there"
"Okie dokie! See you there!"
"Okay, see ya Marta"
"Bye Katie!"
Katie couldn't help but smile at Marta's cheerful voice.
"Done", Zack declared.
"Ditto", Freddy said pressing the "End" button on the phone
"Double that 'ditto'", Katie said closing the clamp phone.
"Did everyone say okay?", Freddy asked looking back and forth between Katie and Zack.
"Yep", Zack said looking at Katie
"Ditto", Katie said looking at Freddy.
"...Then all systems are go-go-go, let's rock", Freddy said, picking up the paper and phone, and nodding towards the kitchen. While Freddy went to put everything back, Katie motioned her head towards the door, and Zack followed her towards the stairs to get the bass.
Freddy followed through from the kitchen, and just as Katie was going to throw her bass over her back, Freddy stopped her.
"Save your energy, I'll take it for you" Freddy said grabbing the bass.
Katie shrugged. "Thanks Fred".
"Sure thing", he said with a little smile.
"It's almost 4:20, we should get going", Zack said motion towards the door.
"Snaps", Katie said looking at the clock. "Let's Go".
JewelKitten – Thanks, I'm so glad ! I've been trying to base the characters on how they would REALLY act , like in the movie. I appreciate it , keep me posted on what you think.
Katryn-ciardi – Thanks a lot , I'm going to try to do a chapter every day or every other day. I appreciate your input , keep me posted.
Nanners-77 – hey thanks soo much , I appreciate your help VERY much , you're a great writer , keep going with ur School of Rock fic. Thankx for ur help !
BTW – I apologized for a reader for all my spelling mistakes , when I realized I didn't have any. Soo .. maybe it was confusion , I don no. Whatever. Peace.