Hey, sorry I'm so late in updating this…this chapter had me kinda stuck, and I don't think it's especially good, but stuff had to happen before other stuff can happen. You know? Haha

Much thanks to Riley, wiseoldman, Strokes, HollyGaydos and rockin awesome x. Yay, people are starting to notice my Ramones references! There are more throughout the story…well, actually only one major one, other than Zack's CD…what can I say, I love them. I'm going to put more in here. :)

Hope you like! r & r!

-Sienna

Chapter Four

"So, Zachary," said Mr. Mooneyham on the way to Horace Green the next day. "What're your plans for today and tomorrow?"

Zack thought. It was Friday, he had band practice. Then he was thinking maybe he'd walk over to Freddy's and hang out there on Saturday. Maybe Katie could come. She would like that.

"I dunno," he said to his father, "practice tonight, of course. I might go over Freddy's house tomorrow or something."

Mr. Mooneyham nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. "Do you think you could sleep over Freddy's tonight? Would that work?"

"I'd have to ask him and his parents…why?"

"Your mother and I have some things to take care of," Mr. Mooneyham said. "She's got a doctor's appointment in Ringfield, and I need to take her."

"Doctor's appointment?" Zack repeated. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine, Zachary." Mr. Mooneyham seemed sincere but agitated at the same time. Anxious. "Anyway, it would be easier if we knew you were safe at a friend's house."

"Okay," said Zack. "I'll talk to Freddy today."

There was a pause. "Actually—check my cell phone, would you? Do I have the Jones's number in my phone book?"

They pulled into the school parking lot. Zack flipped open the little silver phone and clicked through numbers. "609-662-3483, that's them."

"Good, well, I'll just give Mr. Jones a call today, then."

Zack opened his door, gathering his messenger bag of books. "'Bye, Dad."

"Before you go, Zachary…the Bennison's…" he trailed off.

Zack stood besides the car and waited for him to finish, even though he knew what his father was thinking. He'd been waiting the entire car ride to see if Mr. Mooneyham would bring this up. Zack had noticed it too, on their way down Narrow Hill Court. A big red A within a circle spray-painted on the Bennison's garage and front doors.

Mr. Mooneyham swallowed and broke his son's gaze. "Er, have a good day at school, Zachary."

That day passed more slowly than seemed possible. The sky outside was an undecided gray, sometimes looking like rain and other times like sun. Freddy amused himself through the morning by writing "hello" on the back of Zack's neck, so lightly Zack couldn't feel it. He didn't even know it was there until lunch, when Katie said, "hi, Zack's neck." So Zack got to spend his lunch break in the bathroom, trying to scrub off the ink and getting his collar soaked in the process. He managed to get Freddy pretty wet too, so it wasn't wasted time.

For such a long day, it sure seemed like nothing happened. The afternoon dragged on and on, until Freddy dropped a note on Zack's shoulder.

Assuming he was meant to read it, Zack unfolded the piece of paper that said "Freddy" on the front.

Should I tell Summer and Dewey my idea tonight? Ask Zack what he thinks too. Katie.

Beneath that Freddy had scrawled,

Yeah, it's good. –Freddy

Go for it, Zack wrote, then refolded the note and put Katie's name on the front. He had just passed it back when Freddy tossed another piece of paper onto his desk.

This one was a lot messier, just a shred of paper wadded up into a ball. Zack tried not to make too much noise as he opened it.

Dude, Marta is staring at me. Make her stop.

Both the boys looked over. Marta was giving Freddy the eye, in fact, as much as little girls like her know how. After a moment a fit of giggles seized her, and she turned around. Zack shook his head at his best friend as if to say, "what can you do?"

Freddy's look of disgust was priceless.

Zack sat on the curb outside School of Rock's headquarters, waiting for Freddy's mom to come pick up him and Freddy. He strummed a few idle chords on his guitar. Mrs. Jones was always late.

"I think we should do something crazy tonight," said Freddy, throwing rocks into the street.

"Like what?"

Summer came out of the building, and gave them a little wave before her mother came around the corner.

"Is Katie still up there?" Freddy was distracted.

"I think so. Talking to Dewey."

"What're we going to do tonight that's crazy?" Zack asked, trying to subtly get his friend back on track.

"Huh? Oh, I don't know." Freddy threw another rock. "I'm just bored, is all."

The door behind them swung open again, this time ushering Katie and Dewey Finn, their band leader, out in the chilly evening.

"Zack Attack!" Dewey exclaimed upon seeing the boy. "Man, I've got the department on speed dial now. You were on fi-re tonight!"

Zack laughed. "Thanks, Dewey."

"I'll see you kids later—wait—you've all got like, parents coming and stuff, right?" He repeated the words to himself, making sure he'd said what he meant to say. It was funny to watch a man like Dewey try to be responsible. His brain just wasn't made for it.

"My mom'll be here any hour," said Freddy.

"I'm going home with him," said Zack, indicating to his backpack.

"Right, cool. Posh?"

Katie nodded.

"Okay, I'm going upstairs then—there's a Friends rerun I haven't seen on at eight. Keep thinkin', Katie!" With a last grin, he disappeared back inside the door.

Katie joined her friends on the curb. "So you're staying with Freddy tonight, Zack?"

"Yep," Zack said.

Freddy spoke quickly, almost cutting him off. "Why do you talk to us, Katie?"

"What? Why wouldn't I talk to you?"

He kept staring out at the darkening street, but there weren't any more rocks to throw. "You hardly talk to Dewey, or any of the other band people. Why do you talk to us?"

Zack stopped strumming. Is Freddy thinking about what he's saying? he wondered. He's not being very nice….

To Zack's mild surprise, Katie didn't seem bothered by Freddy's sharp manner. "I have stuff to say to you guys," she said with a shrug. "That's all."

"Okay." Freddy drummed his fingers on the concrete now, still watching the streetlights across the road. "Want to come over and play video games with me and Zack after dinner?"

"Sure, if I can. I might have to clean or something."

"Cleaning's for losers, Katie. Come hang out with us."

Katie didn't say anything, but she lifted her thumb and finger to her forehead in the shape of an 'L'. "If I wasn't a loser, I wouldn't hang out with you guys." Her mother's car pulled around, and she got in.

"Where is my freakin' mom," Freddy groaned.

"That her?" asked Zack.

"Oh. Yeah."

They piled into the car behind the blonde Mrs. Jones. (Unlike Freddy's hair, Mrs. Jones's wasn't entirely natural.) Once at Freddy's house, the boys grabbed chips and sodas and took to the basement.

"Want to play Foosball?" Zack asked.

Freddy sat down behind his drum set. "Maybe later."

"X-box?"

Zack's friend shook his head and began twirling his drumsticks, as was habit by then.

"Okay, give it up Jones," said Zack, sitting on the couch. "What's bothering you?"

"What? Nothing. I'm cool," Freddy assured him.

Zack snorted. "So cool you're a vegetable. You've been spacing for the last hour…what's up?"

"Nothing, man, really. My mind's just somewhere else."

"Like where?"

Freddy shrugged.

"Look, they had these walls soundproofed," he said, banging on them with his fist.

"Cool. Now stop changing the subject."

"Maybe I—"

"FRED!" Mrs. Jones screeched. Zack and Freddy winced.

"WHAT, MOM?"

"KATIE!"

"She's here," Freddy said, grinning. Zack decided he knew enough to let it go.

Katie appeared in the stairway, stomping in her too-big combat boots, toting her bass along. "Hey boys!" she said, smiling brightly.

"Katie!" they both called.

"What's up? Haven't talked to you in minutes!" She seemed more lively than Zack had ever seen her, even twenty minutes ago at band practice. There was a change in her face—like when someone who wears too much makeup cleans up, and they're brighter for it. Only Katie didn't wear makeup, so he wasn't exactly sure how that analogy worked.

"We just got home," said Freddy. "What do you wanna do?"

"I can only stay until nine-thirty," Katie said, sitting on the couch next to Zack and helping herself to a handful of chips.

"That sucks."

"You brought your bass, do you wanna play?" Zack asked.

"Eh…" Katie shook her head, then held out her left hand.

"What?"

"Look at my fingers," she instructed. "You can take the Band-Aids off."

Freddy watched as Zack took her hand in both of his. Carefully, he peeled the Hello Kitty Band-Aids off her four small fingers, to reveal gleaming deep red cuts across the tips. He sucked air in through his teeth. "Ouch."

She laughed, a little nervously. "Play till you bleed…."

"Jeez, Katie, why do you have to be so dedicated?" Freddy said. "You're going to make the rest of us look bad. Dewey's going to ask me why I don't have carpal tunnel syndrome or something." He went back to his drums and began tapping out a beat with new vigor.

"It's not like he noticed," Katie said softly.

Zack looked at her fingers again. The cuts were old, and obviously irritated, as she'd kept playing and ignoring them. He closed her hand gently.

"Maybe you should take a break."

"Steel bass strings are just so much sharper and stuff than cello strings," she said, pulling her hand away. "They'll heal. But, anyway, that's why I don't feel like playing right now."

"I don't blame you," Zack said.

"That's okay, me and Zack will serenade you," said Freddy, winking. "Come on Zack, stop slacking. Black Dog. Now."

"Alright! Hang on a sec." He dove over the couch, pulling out his guitar and plugging into his portable amp.

The boys started playing, and a smile grew on Katie's face. She looked so comfortable, sitting on the couch in Freddy's basement, tapping out the beat with her foot and mouthing the words. Zack was glad she'd come. He was glad he could play for her. I'm happy that she's happy…wait that sounds gay…oh, screw it.

In the pleasantness of the evening, Zack forgot to think about the fact that his mom was at the doctor's somewhere. He didn't think of it while he and Freddy jammed for Katie, or when they all three played video games, or even when Katie had to go home. He didn't think of it while he and Freddy watched Spinal Tap, or while they slept on the floor. It wasn't until the next day, as they poured bowls of cereal for their 11 AM breakfast, that it crossed Zack's mind and he mentioned it to his friend.

"What, has your mom been sick or something?"

He shook his head, his mouth full of Fruit Loops. "Nope."

Freddy appeared to be thinking, which disturbed Zack a little.

"Where did they say they were going?"

"Ringfield," Zack answered.

Freddy snapped his fingers. "Dude, that's where the hospital is."