Disclaimer: Mike White, is an unbelievably talented man that came up with amazing characters for an amazing movie. Chinsky, is a not as talented girl that came up with absolutely nothing but the plot. Mike White: winner. Chinsky: loser. Oh well.
Chapter 2
Friday
afternoon, the last bell of the day had run. Freddy was happy the day
was over...but sad that he had to wait another day to see Katie
again. Yet, feeling that way made him mad too. He went to his locker,
got his things and slammed the door angrily. I'm a mess, he
thought to himself. Why did he have to care so much about her? He
could have any girl in the goddamn school and he knew it. After
Battle of the Bands he got the reputation for being the hot punk bad
boy of Horace Green. Every girl wanted him, and every guy wanted to
be him. Why? He wasn't really sure. He sighed and leaned back against
the lockers.
What did he have that others didn't? Sure he was
in a kick-ass band. But so was Zack. So he was relatively good
looking. But so were plenty of other people in Horace Green. He
groaned, and slid down the lockers until he was sitting. Sometimes he
felt that his reputation kept him from Katie. I mean, sure, most
girls wanted him, but Katie wasn't most girls. He smiled. Katie was
something special. Even though she didn't get the attention she
deserved, you still noticed her. She stood out from the crowd without
even trying to. She wasn't annoying or mean or totally bitchy like
some girls in school. She was her own character. She was...always on
Freddy's mind.
He stood up, violently, wanting to hit
something. He faced the locker, and as his fist made contact, Zack
tapped him on the shoulder.
Zack had certainly matured since
Battle of the Bands. His hair had grown longer, he was taller, and he
had become Summer's boyfriend. Of course, Summer had changed too.
Zack wouldn't have paid a second glance to the old Summer. But the
new Summer was different. She had cut her hair really short. She had
gotten taller and grew into her body a bit more. Preppy turned punk.
That was Summer's story. Her parents had NOT been pleased with this
transformation, to say the least. But as long as she remained to keep
her grades up they were satisfied.
Freddy whirled around and
came face to face with his best friend.
"Oh. Hey."
Zack
was worried. "Hey man, you alright?"
Freddy sighed.
"Yeah man, I'm fine. It's just..."
He trailed off,
leaned his head against the locked and closed his eyes.
Zack
nodded knowingly. "Katie."
Freddy nodded, his eyes
remaining closed.
"Yeah, I saw you eyeing her during Math
last period."
Freddy groaned. "I sincerely hope it
wasn't that obvious."
Zack shook his head. "Nah, I
only noticed because I was looking at Summer on the other side of
you."
Freddy opened his eyes and grinned. "Guess
we're guilty of the same crime, eh Zack Attack?"
"You
got that right Spazzy."
Freddy grabbed his backpack and
they started the walk home from school. "So how ya been man?
How's Summer lately? Or, more specifically, you and Summer?" He
grinned.
Zack smiled at the thought of her. "She's
good...we're good...I'm just...kind of worried about her, you know?
With her parents always grade-grubbin' her all the time her minds
always somewhere else when she talks to me. I just want to be sure
she's alright..."
Freddy patted him on the back. "Dude,
you worry too much about everyone else, and not enough about
yourself. How are you?"
Zack was surprised to hear this
small piece of, what sounded like, wisdom, come from his best
friend's mouth. He shrugged off the accusation "Eh...no really
though, I'm alright. I've got Summer, I've got the band, I've got
friends...It's all good. What about you man?"
Freddy was
about to answer when once again; thoughts of Katie clouded his
mind.
He frowned. "Man, I've got it bad for Katie. I
don't know what to do."
Zack thought about Freddy's
predicament sometimes. Honestly, Freddy didn't help himself much.
After all these years, he had never done anything about it. Maybe
Katie felt the same way but Freddy would never know. He never asked
her out...he never told her his feelings...he never kissed her...
Zack
decided to approach this.
"Well man...have you ever
thought of..." he shrugged, "I don't know, telling her how
you feel?"
Freddy scratched the back of his head and let
out a breath. "Sure I've thought about it man..."
Zack
tried again. "Have you ever seriously considered it, is kind of
what I mean dude." Freddy looked at Zack, only to find he was
being serious.
He stumbled on his words. "You
mean...actually...spill my guts? Tell her...God man...tell her
everything?"
Zack nodded.
Freddy was agitated he
could even make such a suggestion. "Look man, just because
you've been happy with Summer for like, ever, doesn't mean the rest
of us can have it that easy." His tone came out harsher than he
intended.
He slowed down as Zack didn't say anything and just
looked at the ground. Freddy sighed, "Sorry Zack Attack, I
didn't mean it like that. I guess I'm just afraid of...rejection...or...or
something."
Zack lightly punched his friend on the arm.
"Aw man, the kick-ass drummer of an unbelievable rock band,
scared of rejection? Wait till this gets out." He
teased.
Freddy grinned. "Well when you put it that way,
I'm a pretty sorry case aren't I?" He sighed again. Then he
thought about it for a bit. "You know man, maybe you're
right."
Zack smiled and nodded. "Just trust me on
this."
Freddy nodded, but inside his thoughts were
spinning. What could he possibly say to Katie, and when?
Hmm.
Trust Zack on this.
Easier said than done.