Disclaimer: School of Rock and its characters do not belong to me.
Author's notes: Everytime I receive a review it makes my day better. Thank you. To answer S.S.I's question about why they are nearly 14, but only in seventh grade, the movie took place when the kids were in fifth grade, and even though they said they were ten, I'm pretending they were 11, nearly 12. That's when my prologue takes place. Yes, I also know, that that contradicts what most grade ages are. The rest of the story takes place the same time of year, just two years later. That would make them 13, nearly 14. The only reason this works is because the prep school system they're in started with a preschool that ran for three years, pushing all the ages forward a year. Its a kind of confusing explanation. If you have any questions I'll try to explain it better. I must warn you, that this chapter contains some religious discussion, of which I am sorry if it offends anyone. I tried my best to be tactful, but let the character's personality shine through. The next chapter will be a POV chapter, and will probably be the only one. It will contain thoughts for everyone.
Ch3
Dewey found himself slipping to the couch. "Those are some pretty heavy things to be saying Freddy."
"I know."
"Though I hate to say it, it makes sense." Lawrence admitted, finally speaking up. "Both of them match a lot of the signs the video mentioned. Summer acts more mature than her age, and Zack is rather withdrawn. And look at the way Summer reacted."
Tomeka pursed her lips. "I don't believe it. Summer and Zack are smart enough to leave someone that beats on them."
"But, remember the sleep over in fifth grade? All those bruises and scars?" Katie raised an eyebrow. "I think Freddy's right."
"Man, Summer and Zack must think I'm a total jackass." Freddy shook his head, putting it in his hands.
Marta rubbed his arm assuredly. "I'm sure they'll forgive you. You didn't know that it was happening."
"I should've known though."
"Guys, it's not your responsibility to have figured this out. If anyone should've known it's me." Dewey began pacing. "I'm the adult figure. It's my job to notice these things."
"Listen to yourselves!" Alicia exclaimed, nearly standing. "You're talking as though we know for sure. We don't know if this is true. They just might know someone who was abused."
"Alicia's right." Tomeka nodded. "We should talk to them before making any assumptions."
All the band paused. "So should we just call them back here?" Marta hesitated. "We did tell Summer to help Zack with French. And he does need the help."
"We have to. If we're right, it's not safe them to stay at their homes." Dewey said. "Who knows Summer's cell phone number?" Katie raised her hand. "OK, call her. Tell her to come back, we have an emergency discussion."
§ § §
Summer bit her lip as she and Zack exited the apartment building. She didn't want to tell Zack what she had to, knowing it would make him upset too. She also knew she had to, before he either found out for himself or had to find out in front of others. But she was nervous to tell him. "Do you want to go study at my house? My mom shouldn't be home for another two hours." Opening up the conversation. That was a good first step.
"Sure." Zack nodded. "I'm sorry Freddy's being such a jerk. I think we just have to remember that he doesn't know. But overall, I think the song went well. Even Freddy was clapping at the end."
"Yeah." Summer was absentminded, now thinking of what to say.
"Hey, are you worried about something?"
"Yeah. How to tell you something."
"What is it?"
"My mom's guy last night. I don't really want to drop this on you. But he's someone you know."
"What do you mean, someone I know?" Zack slowed his walk a bit.
"It was your dad. I know you hate him already, and I didn't want to tell you, but I could tell by the way my mom was acting that she actually liked him. I had to warn you."
"This is wrong on so many levels."
"At least things can't get worse." Summer remarked. "I mean, both our lives are already hell on Earth. There's nothing God can actually do to make them worse."
Zack nodded and they walked in silence for a moment. "Do you believe in God? We've never really talked about it, we just kinda mention his name every once and a while."
"I believe that there's something controlling everything, but I don't believe in putting a name to it, despite what my mother believes when she drags me to church every Sunday. God is just convenient because everybody recognizes it. What about you?"
"I'm on the fence. I mean, something has to make everything happen, but everyone's always saying that God is great and he will save everyone. If he's so great why does he let all the bad stuff happen?"
§ § §
Summer opened the door to her large house in the socialite neighborhood where both she and Zack lived. She let him in, but didn't remove anything upon hearing her mom talking in the kitchen. She looked at Zack carefully and spoke quietly. "Go upstairs as quiet as possible. My room is at the end of the left hallway, go in and wait. I'll be up in a few minutes." Zack didn't look at ease leaving her.
"Summer, is that you?"
Summer began pulling her coat off at her mother's shout. "Take this and go upstairs. I can take care of this. I'll be up in a minute. I promise."
Zack nodded unsure, but then began walking towards the stairs hearing a very angry shout. "Answer me when I talk to you brat!"
He desperately wanted to run back downstairs and help Summer, but something kept him walking upstairs, towards Summer's room. When he entered it, he couldn't hear the voices anymore, but he didn't know whether to be relieved or scared about that.
Summer's room was immaculate. Everything had its place, and everything was in its place. The walls were painted a pale pink, the border was teddy bears dancing ballet. A white dresser was pushed to one wall, a large mirror on the back. Her bed was pushed to the far left corner, it's brass polished to shine perfectly. One wall was decorated specifically with all of her certificates of achievement. That wall also held her shelf of trophies and medals. Aside from the frilly white curtain on the one window, those were the only objects in her room.
Zack felt awkward. He was in Summer's room, but Summer wasn't. He had never actually been in a girl's room before, let alone his girlfriend's. He also felt bad. The bare walls of the room almost accentuated the fake Summer. If he hadn't known her as well as he did he would have wondered why there was no book case packed to the brim, but he knew why.
When the plain ring of her cell-phone cut through the silence, Zack hurried for it, even though downstairs they wouldn't hear it, simply out of habit. "Hello?"
"Oh, I'm sorry I must have dialed a wrong number." The familiar female voice on the other and said.
"No, Katie, it's me. Zack."
"Zack, what are you doing with Summer's cell?"
"She's in the bathroom." Zack lied easily, "But we're at the library, I couldn't just let it ring."
"Oh. Well when she gets out, you guys have to get back to Dewey's."
"Why? I thought we were dismissed for the day."
"You were. He hasn't told me much. Something about an emergency band meeting. We're all here, we just need you two back."
"I'll tell her. She's not gonna be happy though. She is set on helping moi."
"Well, it seems that you've already improved a lot. See you in a few."
"Yup." Zack hung up and put the phone back in Summer's coat pocket. It was a few minutes later when Summer hurried in, her head down. "Katie just called , Dewey's calling an emergency band meeting now. We have to go back."
"I can't."
"Why not? What's wrong?" Summer put her head up and faced Zack revealing one side of her face red. Her left eye was squeezed tightly shut. "Why the hell did your mom do this just now?"
"She didn't. The guy she was with did. I fought back when he tried to feel me up. God, I could almost handle the abuse but she was going to let him." Summer wanted to cry, but didn't want to at the same time. She had already broken down once that day with him. She tried to make zero times the maximum.
"What?! I'll kill him!" Zack's shy persona was gone the second he heard that the other man had hit her. His anger only got worse when he heard that he tried to touch her.
"No don't!" Summer protested. "Just get to the band meeting. Tell the others I didn't feel well."
"I won't go down there and kick their asses, but I'm not about to leave you here with them." Zack seethed. "You're bathroom is the one next door right?" Summer nodded. "Stay here. I'm going to get something to help with that."
Again Summer nodded and Zack exited to the bathroom where he took a pale blue washcloth and wet it with cold water, before going back to her room. "Keep this on your cheek and eye. It's not ice but it'll have to help keep the swelling down for now." He handed it to her. "We can tell the band that you tripped over a chair that wasn't all the way pushed in and you hit your head on a bookshelf."
"No."
"What?"
"I'm not going to give them an excuse. I'm sick and tired feeding everybody lame ass excuses just because I'm scared of my stupid mother!" Summer got progressively angry as she spoke, throwing the washcloth on 'mother.' "I can't just be afraid anymore! I have to do something! They're are calling us back because they figured out the song Zack, I'm almost positive! We might as well just tell them outright before they can ask us questions! There's no use beating around the bush anymore!"
"Summer you, have to calm down. They're going to hear you."
"Who cares? I'm already dead. I fought back. And I'm going to tell. I'm so sick of being scared! I hate having to be perfect!" Summer pushed all of her trophies off the shelf, destroying some certificates along the way. "I hate my mother! I hate the way she makes me keep my hair, and wear make- up! I hate everything she makes me do! I hate her!" She threw her arm at the mirror and it shattered.
Summer continued destroying her room for a moment before Zack finally pulled her into a hug restraining her. "Mermer calm down. We're going to go tell right now. You won't have to come back. And you can change everything about yourself for all I care. It won't change the fact that I'll always be there for you."
She slowly calmed down and pulled back. "Oh my god, what have I done?" She looked around the room pale faced. "I'm dead."
"No you're not. Let's get out of here now and you'll be fine. Come on, before your mother gets up here." That seemed to be enough to convince Summer.
The two climbed out the window and down the tree. Once they were safe walking down the street, Zack looked more closely at Summer and stopped walking. "Your arm is bleeding."
She looked down to where a long jagged cut ran up her forearm. "I hadn't even noticed." As Zack began putting a scarf around the wound, she said something. "The man downstairs, you have to promise me you won't freak and run back and try to kill him."
"I won't."
"Remember how I said my mom, liked your dad? It was him."
"Damn it. Mermer I'm so sorry. This shouldn't have happened."
"Don't beat yourself up over this. I'm doing it enough for the both of us."
"You shouldn't be, you didn't do anything."
"Tell that to my mom and your dad."
"Let's just get to Dewey's. That will keep me from turning back and killing my dad."
§ § §
Summer and Zack walked into Dewey's open apartment door. Summer had her head down again. "What took so long guys? I thought you were at the library." Katie asked.
"We lied." Zack answered. "Actually I lied for the both of us. Summer wasn't on the phone. She also wasn't in the bathroom. We were at her house."
"Our parents, they abuse us." There. it was out in the open. Summer looked up, revealing her eye. The girls got tears in their eyes. The boys clenched the armrest of their seats. It took all Dewey had to take charge. "Summer, you sit down, and Katie, you can get an.. ice pack. Yeah, an ice pack."
"Dewey you got a first aid kit around here?" Zack asked. "She also has a cut on her arm."
"It's in the bathroom man. You got anything hurt?"
"Nah." Zack shook his head. "It's just her."
When Zack returned with the first aid kit, he sat next to Summer and Katie sat next to him, handing Summer the ice pack. Then they began telling everyone, everything, while Zack cleaned and bandaged her arm. By the time they were done, Tomeka, and Marta were crying freely. Freddy, Alicia and Katie looked ready to kill. Lawrence and Dewey were both silent, sympathy in their eyes.
That's all for now. Hope you like it. I know I didn't exactly do well having tell the band, but I couldn't think of a very good way for them to do it so that will have to do.
Random Quote of the Day: "If wishes were horses we'd all be knee deep in crap."—Dr. Romano, ER
A final thanks to the reviewers.
Swimmerkitti
supergirljen
pianoplayer502
Xo Miss Riley Xo
Veggie-Babu-Chan
S.S.I
Nanners-77
Author's notes: Everytime I receive a review it makes my day better. Thank you. To answer S.S.I's question about why they are nearly 14, but only in seventh grade, the movie took place when the kids were in fifth grade, and even though they said they were ten, I'm pretending they were 11, nearly 12. That's when my prologue takes place. Yes, I also know, that that contradicts what most grade ages are. The rest of the story takes place the same time of year, just two years later. That would make them 13, nearly 14. The only reason this works is because the prep school system they're in started with a preschool that ran for three years, pushing all the ages forward a year. Its a kind of confusing explanation. If you have any questions I'll try to explain it better. I must warn you, that this chapter contains some religious discussion, of which I am sorry if it offends anyone. I tried my best to be tactful, but let the character's personality shine through. The next chapter will be a POV chapter, and will probably be the only one. It will contain thoughts for everyone.
Ch3
Dewey found himself slipping to the couch. "Those are some pretty heavy things to be saying Freddy."
"I know."
"Though I hate to say it, it makes sense." Lawrence admitted, finally speaking up. "Both of them match a lot of the signs the video mentioned. Summer acts more mature than her age, and Zack is rather withdrawn. And look at the way Summer reacted."
Tomeka pursed her lips. "I don't believe it. Summer and Zack are smart enough to leave someone that beats on them."
"But, remember the sleep over in fifth grade? All those bruises and scars?" Katie raised an eyebrow. "I think Freddy's right."
"Man, Summer and Zack must think I'm a total jackass." Freddy shook his head, putting it in his hands.
Marta rubbed his arm assuredly. "I'm sure they'll forgive you. You didn't know that it was happening."
"I should've known though."
"Guys, it's not your responsibility to have figured this out. If anyone should've known it's me." Dewey began pacing. "I'm the adult figure. It's my job to notice these things."
"Listen to yourselves!" Alicia exclaimed, nearly standing. "You're talking as though we know for sure. We don't know if this is true. They just might know someone who was abused."
"Alicia's right." Tomeka nodded. "We should talk to them before making any assumptions."
All the band paused. "So should we just call them back here?" Marta hesitated. "We did tell Summer to help Zack with French. And he does need the help."
"We have to. If we're right, it's not safe them to stay at their homes." Dewey said. "Who knows Summer's cell phone number?" Katie raised her hand. "OK, call her. Tell her to come back, we have an emergency discussion."
§ § §
Summer bit her lip as she and Zack exited the apartment building. She didn't want to tell Zack what she had to, knowing it would make him upset too. She also knew she had to, before he either found out for himself or had to find out in front of others. But she was nervous to tell him. "Do you want to go study at my house? My mom shouldn't be home for another two hours." Opening up the conversation. That was a good first step.
"Sure." Zack nodded. "I'm sorry Freddy's being such a jerk. I think we just have to remember that he doesn't know. But overall, I think the song went well. Even Freddy was clapping at the end."
"Yeah." Summer was absentminded, now thinking of what to say.
"Hey, are you worried about something?"
"Yeah. How to tell you something."
"What is it?"
"My mom's guy last night. I don't really want to drop this on you. But he's someone you know."
"What do you mean, someone I know?" Zack slowed his walk a bit.
"It was your dad. I know you hate him already, and I didn't want to tell you, but I could tell by the way my mom was acting that she actually liked him. I had to warn you."
"This is wrong on so many levels."
"At least things can't get worse." Summer remarked. "I mean, both our lives are already hell on Earth. There's nothing God can actually do to make them worse."
Zack nodded and they walked in silence for a moment. "Do you believe in God? We've never really talked about it, we just kinda mention his name every once and a while."
"I believe that there's something controlling everything, but I don't believe in putting a name to it, despite what my mother believes when she drags me to church every Sunday. God is just convenient because everybody recognizes it. What about you?"
"I'm on the fence. I mean, something has to make everything happen, but everyone's always saying that God is great and he will save everyone. If he's so great why does he let all the bad stuff happen?"
§ § §
Summer opened the door to her large house in the socialite neighborhood where both she and Zack lived. She let him in, but didn't remove anything upon hearing her mom talking in the kitchen. She looked at Zack carefully and spoke quietly. "Go upstairs as quiet as possible. My room is at the end of the left hallway, go in and wait. I'll be up in a few minutes." Zack didn't look at ease leaving her.
"Summer, is that you?"
Summer began pulling her coat off at her mother's shout. "Take this and go upstairs. I can take care of this. I'll be up in a minute. I promise."
Zack nodded unsure, but then began walking towards the stairs hearing a very angry shout. "Answer me when I talk to you brat!"
He desperately wanted to run back downstairs and help Summer, but something kept him walking upstairs, towards Summer's room. When he entered it, he couldn't hear the voices anymore, but he didn't know whether to be relieved or scared about that.
Summer's room was immaculate. Everything had its place, and everything was in its place. The walls were painted a pale pink, the border was teddy bears dancing ballet. A white dresser was pushed to one wall, a large mirror on the back. Her bed was pushed to the far left corner, it's brass polished to shine perfectly. One wall was decorated specifically with all of her certificates of achievement. That wall also held her shelf of trophies and medals. Aside from the frilly white curtain on the one window, those were the only objects in her room.
Zack felt awkward. He was in Summer's room, but Summer wasn't. He had never actually been in a girl's room before, let alone his girlfriend's. He also felt bad. The bare walls of the room almost accentuated the fake Summer. If he hadn't known her as well as he did he would have wondered why there was no book case packed to the brim, but he knew why.
When the plain ring of her cell-phone cut through the silence, Zack hurried for it, even though downstairs they wouldn't hear it, simply out of habit. "Hello?"
"Oh, I'm sorry I must have dialed a wrong number." The familiar female voice on the other and said.
"No, Katie, it's me. Zack."
"Zack, what are you doing with Summer's cell?"
"She's in the bathroom." Zack lied easily, "But we're at the library, I couldn't just let it ring."
"Oh. Well when she gets out, you guys have to get back to Dewey's."
"Why? I thought we were dismissed for the day."
"You were. He hasn't told me much. Something about an emergency band meeting. We're all here, we just need you two back."
"I'll tell her. She's not gonna be happy though. She is set on helping moi."
"Well, it seems that you've already improved a lot. See you in a few."
"Yup." Zack hung up and put the phone back in Summer's coat pocket. It was a few minutes later when Summer hurried in, her head down. "Katie just called , Dewey's calling an emergency band meeting now. We have to go back."
"I can't."
"Why not? What's wrong?" Summer put her head up and faced Zack revealing one side of her face red. Her left eye was squeezed tightly shut. "Why the hell did your mom do this just now?"
"She didn't. The guy she was with did. I fought back when he tried to feel me up. God, I could almost handle the abuse but she was going to let him." Summer wanted to cry, but didn't want to at the same time. She had already broken down once that day with him. She tried to make zero times the maximum.
"What?! I'll kill him!" Zack's shy persona was gone the second he heard that the other man had hit her. His anger only got worse when he heard that he tried to touch her.
"No don't!" Summer protested. "Just get to the band meeting. Tell the others I didn't feel well."
"I won't go down there and kick their asses, but I'm not about to leave you here with them." Zack seethed. "You're bathroom is the one next door right?" Summer nodded. "Stay here. I'm going to get something to help with that."
Again Summer nodded and Zack exited to the bathroom where he took a pale blue washcloth and wet it with cold water, before going back to her room. "Keep this on your cheek and eye. It's not ice but it'll have to help keep the swelling down for now." He handed it to her. "We can tell the band that you tripped over a chair that wasn't all the way pushed in and you hit your head on a bookshelf."
"No."
"What?"
"I'm not going to give them an excuse. I'm sick and tired feeding everybody lame ass excuses just because I'm scared of my stupid mother!" Summer got progressively angry as she spoke, throwing the washcloth on 'mother.' "I can't just be afraid anymore! I have to do something! They're are calling us back because they figured out the song Zack, I'm almost positive! We might as well just tell them outright before they can ask us questions! There's no use beating around the bush anymore!"
"Summer you, have to calm down. They're going to hear you."
"Who cares? I'm already dead. I fought back. And I'm going to tell. I'm so sick of being scared! I hate having to be perfect!" Summer pushed all of her trophies off the shelf, destroying some certificates along the way. "I hate my mother! I hate the way she makes me keep my hair, and wear make- up! I hate everything she makes me do! I hate her!" She threw her arm at the mirror and it shattered.
Summer continued destroying her room for a moment before Zack finally pulled her into a hug restraining her. "Mermer calm down. We're going to go tell right now. You won't have to come back. And you can change everything about yourself for all I care. It won't change the fact that I'll always be there for you."
She slowly calmed down and pulled back. "Oh my god, what have I done?" She looked around the room pale faced. "I'm dead."
"No you're not. Let's get out of here now and you'll be fine. Come on, before your mother gets up here." That seemed to be enough to convince Summer.
The two climbed out the window and down the tree. Once they were safe walking down the street, Zack looked more closely at Summer and stopped walking. "Your arm is bleeding."
She looked down to where a long jagged cut ran up her forearm. "I hadn't even noticed." As Zack began putting a scarf around the wound, she said something. "The man downstairs, you have to promise me you won't freak and run back and try to kill him."
"I won't."
"Remember how I said my mom, liked your dad? It was him."
"Damn it. Mermer I'm so sorry. This shouldn't have happened."
"Don't beat yourself up over this. I'm doing it enough for the both of us."
"You shouldn't be, you didn't do anything."
"Tell that to my mom and your dad."
"Let's just get to Dewey's. That will keep me from turning back and killing my dad."
§ § §
Summer and Zack walked into Dewey's open apartment door. Summer had her head down again. "What took so long guys? I thought you were at the library." Katie asked.
"We lied." Zack answered. "Actually I lied for the both of us. Summer wasn't on the phone. She also wasn't in the bathroom. We were at her house."
"Our parents, they abuse us." There. it was out in the open. Summer looked up, revealing her eye. The girls got tears in their eyes. The boys clenched the armrest of their seats. It took all Dewey had to take charge. "Summer, you sit down, and Katie, you can get an.. ice pack. Yeah, an ice pack."
"Dewey you got a first aid kit around here?" Zack asked. "She also has a cut on her arm."
"It's in the bathroom man. You got anything hurt?"
"Nah." Zack shook his head. "It's just her."
When Zack returned with the first aid kit, he sat next to Summer and Katie sat next to him, handing Summer the ice pack. Then they began telling everyone, everything, while Zack cleaned and bandaged her arm. By the time they were done, Tomeka, and Marta were crying freely. Freddy, Alicia and Katie looked ready to kill. Lawrence and Dewey were both silent, sympathy in their eyes.
That's all for now. Hope you like it. I know I didn't exactly do well having tell the band, but I couldn't think of a very good way for them to do it so that will have to do.
Random Quote of the Day: "If wishes were horses we'd all be knee deep in crap."—Dr. Romano, ER
A final thanks to the reviewers.
Swimmerkitti
supergirljen
pianoplayer502
Xo Miss Riley Xo
Veggie-Babu-Chan
S.S.I
Nanners-77