He opened his mouth and was about to say something when a nurse walked cheerfully into the room.
"Come along, Miss Wyverna," she said briskly, "visiting times are over. Master Frederick needs his rest." Wyverna nodded and left the room, pausing for one last longing look.
I'll tell you tomorrow, he mouthed impulsively, at school. Her face brightened and she nodded, then turned and left the room. He breathed a sigh of relief and lay back on his pillows. He now had time to get his head straightened out before school tomorrow. He was judged well enough to go back to school, and to tell the truth, well, he was glad. He just wanted everything to go back to normal.
Freddy walked up to school, not knowing whether he was excited or scared. He had barely made it to his locker before Zack, Summer and Lawrence came rushing up to him.
"Freddy, she's -"
"And you said so, dude -"
"This is not good, because -"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down," he interrupted, holding his hands up. They quietened down, and looked at him expectantly. "Ok, one at a time. Summer?"
"She quit the band."
"Zack?"
"She dumped me, man!"
"Lawrence?"
"She is slightly crazy, we rang the asylum." Freddy nodded, it was all as he had expected. Well, no, it wasn't, but no-one had to know that.
"It's all as I expected," he said experimentally, and Zack, Summer and Lawrence agreed loudly, eyes wide. Wow. It was like he was the Messiah, or something. He stifled a laugh at the thought (I come to bring Good News!) and started to walk. They followed him.
"Freddy, we have a problem," Summer said.
"Really? What?"
"It's Horace Green High's first annual Battle of the Bands."
"So?"
"It's today!" Oh, yeah. So it was.
"So what's the problem?" She blushed and looked down at her feet, not saying anything. Zack filled in for her.
"She has bad stage fright. There's no way she can play bass for all those people. She can't remember a single note!"
"Well, how about we drop -"
"We can't drop out!" shrieked Summer, now hysterical. "We're not allowed! What can we do, Freddy? What can we do?"
"Well, you can stop shaking me for a start," said Freddy, unconcernedly. Just then the principal's voice echoed throughout the halls.
"Will all students entering Horace Green High's First Annual Battle of the Bands please report to the auditorium right now? Thank you!"
"Ok," said Freddy. "Let's go."
Now even Freddy was worried. They were due on in two minutes, and the answer to their problems was nowhere in sight.
"And now please put your hands together for... SCHOOL OF ROCK!" blared the announcer through his loudhailer. Summer turned a faint shade of green, and staggered away. Zack was pushed on stage by Marta, who didn't know about their problems, and Tomika followed, then Lawrence and Alicia, until only Freddy was left.
"Come on, Freddy!" hissed Alicia, who was stood by the wings. Suddenly he felt someone push him on stage. He turned around and saw Wyverna pull the bass on over her head.
"You play bass?" he asked in astonishment, too surprised to whisper.
"Of course I do," she replied, smiling at the look on his face. "My middle name is Mary-Sue." He didn't have anymore time to think, however, because Zack played the opening chords and they swung into their signature song; "School of Rock."
Wyverna wasn't particularly awesome, but she did the job, and did it well. Their performance was over and, of course, the crowd loved it, though not enough to ask for an encore. Freddy glanced into the wings, and saw two men waiting, in white coats. His earlier conversation flashed into his mind.
"Lawrence?"
"She is crazy, we rang the asylum."
She took the bass off, and set it down carefully. She started to leave, but Freddy grabbed her wrist.
"What's up? Come on, Freddy, even I knew your answer wasn't really going to be yes." He started to deny it, then thought.
"I guess you're right..."
"So let me go, then."
"But... those men. They're waiting for you." She sighed.
"I know, Freddy. But I have to go. Don't you understand?" Suddenly, she leant forward and kissed him gently on the cheek. He slowly let go of her, and she walked off-stage. The two men bundled her into a straitjacket, and she hobbled off. He sharply looked away; it wasn't right to see her like that, and he remembered their best times:
The first time he ever met her, and she kicked his chair.
The time Zack had been so excited about seeing her.
The time she had repeatedly thrown water balloons onto his head.
The time she'd hid behind the bass to surprise him.
The time he'd kicked her, and she'd faked agony.
The time Zack had picked her up in his car, to take her to the cinema.
His thoughts were interrupted, as a whirlwind threw herself at him. He staggered backwards.
"Katie?" he asked, through a mouthful of hair. She let go of him and stepped back, blushing lightly.
"They let me out of hospital," she said, "and all my hair came back. I'm not too late, am I?" He smiled, and hugged her again.
"No, Katie," he said, "you're just in time."
Wow! It's finished at last! I now have THREE full stories finished! This one, Love of Pain and All The Best. This one's weird, it started out as really funny and light-hearted, and then a couple of the chapters went all deep, and dark. No matter. There will be NO sequel, as I think I have enough going on at the minute. A big thank you to Nadge for forcing me to update this. Much thanks :o) Sorry I paid no attention to the votes, but I got this idea and decided to use this. I hope that's ok with you all.
So, until next time.
Wyverna.