"Oh come on! Still nothing?" Summer groaned in frustration. It was the Friday before Kale's birthday. Only three days left and she hadn't heard back from the mayor.

"Hey, calm down Sums, there's still time." Leonard said, putting his arm around her.

"I know, it's just that, I can't deal with last minute news. If we have the gig, I'd like to know now." She told her boyfriend as they entered the classroom where the band was practicing.

Zack: "I don't need anyone else!"

Katie: "Yeah, yeah!"

Zack: "I live my life for myself!"

Katie: "Yeah, yeah!"

Zack: "I can't stand a thing that you say!"

Katie: "Yeah, yeah!"

Both: "I'm not listening anyway!"

Katie "YEEEEAAAAAHHHHHH!"

The rest of the band clapped after they finished up. "Well, what do you think?" Zack asked Chiaki.

"It's good, but it needs some work. Shelf it for now." He told him. Zack nodded and went over to Summer. "So?" He asker her.

"Still nothing," She said with a sigh.

"Ok, well there's still time." He said. "But, maybe we shouldn't hold our breaths too hard."

"I thought it was really good Babe." Freddy told his technical boyfriend.

"Thanks, now how did you really feel?" He asked.

"It could use a little more fine tuning." Freddy admitted. "I guess their date went well." He said gesturing towards Frankie and Katie.

"Yeah, Katie told me her took her to a water park."

"That's so cool."

"Yeah. Sorry I had to bail last time, but Lawrence had a karate thing and I didn't want to miss it now that we're friends again."

"Hey, it's fine. My mom needed help around the house anyways since her new boyfriend was coming over. Hey, why don't we go out tonight?" He asked him.

"Tonight?" Zack repeated, caught off guard.

"Yeah. Does tonight not work for you?"

"No, it's fine. It's just really short notice, that's all." Zack explained.

"Ok, so tonight then?" Freddy smile nervously.

"Yeah. Tonight." Zack said, taking Freddy's hands in his. Freddy leaned in and kissed Zack on the nose.

"Get a room!" Gordon said from across the room. Zack laughed a little and shook his head.

The rest of band practice went by normally until about four o'clock when all of them decided to go home. Zack climbed into his mom's car and waved at Freddy one last time before she drove off. "You've been spending a lot of time with that Jones boy. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you like him." Zack's mother told him.

"W-what? No, that's not it at all. I honestly didn't even notice." He said while starting to sweat.

"Zack, I'm just teasing. Don't take it so seriously." She reassured him.

"Oh right." He said, calming down.

Freddy hopped off his board as he arrived home. "Hey Mom, I'm home!" He called out. No answer, she must be at work. He thought as he walked upstairs to his room. "Hey Dad," he said to the picture of his father on his desk next to his bed. "I got a date tonight. It's...with a guy. You wouldn't mind though right? It's Zack from my class back in fifth grade, I really like him. I just hope it goes well. Wish me luck."

Freddy's father passed away shortly after Battle of the Bands. He usually talks to the picture of him when he's feeling down or anxious about something. It always manage to make him feel better. He got up and walked down the hall to take shower.

Ashton was in his room flipping through and old Playboy magazine when he felt his phone vibrate next to him. He looked and saw it was from Zack.

Z: Hey, can you come to my room?

Ashton sat up and walked to his brother's room next to his. "Alright squirt, what's up?" He asked, walking in. He saw Zack searching panically through his closet. Zack looked wet as if he was just in the shower and only had a towel on wrapped around his waist. "Um, Zack?"

"Oh good you're here. I need your help, you've been on a lot dates right?" He asked his older brother.

"You know the answer to that." Ashton said with a smirk.

"Me and Freddy are going on our first date tonight. What should I wear?"

"Are you guys going anywhere fancy?"

"No, we're going to a movie then to this place his dad use to take him for dinner." Zack told him.

"Ok, let's see then." Ashton held up two shirts in front of Zack and looked back and forth at each of them. One was a black shirt with a red, bleeding Superman logo on it, the other was a blue tank top with a wave on it. He threw that one back on the bed. "This one, definitely." Zack took it and slipped in on.

"Now, jeans or skinny jeans?" Zack asked him.

"When did you even get skinny jeans? And further more, why?" Ashton asked, taking ahold of them. They were black, unlike his pair of regular jeans, which we a faded blue.

"Well, remember when we went to the mall last year and I took off for awhile?"

"Oh. Just go with your normal jeans." He told him.

"Got it." The two brother's just stood there awkwardly. "Can you leave now? I'm still naked under this towel." Zack told him.

"Right, sorry. Good luck on your date." He said leaving Zack in his room.

Ten minutes later, Zack got a text from Freddy saying he was outside. His face lit up as he hopped of his bed and went downstairs. "Mom, I'm going out with some of my friends. I'll be back soon."

"Ok, don't stay out too late. And be safe!" She called back.

"Yes, Mom." He said walking out the door. Freddy was standing at the end of the driveway and smiled when he saw Zack. Freddy had his hair spiked up like he usually did and had a red tank top on which showed half a sun and black cargo shorts.

"Hey," Freddy said with a smile. "You look great Babe." He told him.

"Thanks. So do you." Zack replied, blushing.

"Ready to go?" Freddy asked.

"Yeah," The two held each other's hand and walked off. Unbenounced to them however, Zack's mother was watching from the kitchen window with a look of realization on her face.

Summer sat up upon hearing her phone go off. "Baby, come back to bed." Leonard groaned behind her, still lying in his bed. Ignoring her boyfriend's request, she walked over to he stuff and pulled her phone out of her purse. Her phone screen showed a text from Kale.

K: My dad was about to tell you, but I wanted to. You guys got the gig!

"Leo, we got it!" She shouted in glee, jumping up and down on his bed. "We're in! I gotta tell Michelle and Eleni."

Zack and Freddy walked out of the movie into the cool (almost) Fall air. The drummer shivered when the wind hit his body, he was regretting his choice in clothing now. "Here," Zack said holding out the black jacket he grabbed last minute.

"Oh, thanks." Freddy said putting the jacket on over his shoulders.

"No problem...Babe." Zack said with a smile. Freddy looked surprised at hearing Zack call him that for once and blushed. They continued down the block where they planned to eat, but wouldn't you know it?

"It's closed?" Freddy asked, annoyed. On the door, hanged a "Shut Down" sign. "Come on, this place was great, what'd they close it down for?"

"Hey, I'm sorry Freddy. Why don't we just get some food at your place? It's on the way to mine anyways." Zack suggested to his boyfriend.

"Wait, I know a place that'll still be open. Come on follow me." Freddy said, taking off in the opposite direction.

"Hang on!" Zack called out before running after Freddy. They ran down a couple city blocks and made it close to downtown when Freddy stopped in front of the museum.

"Ok, it's Friday, so if he's not near, he must be at the train station." Freddy said to himself before he started running again.

"Wait stop!" Zack called and Freddy turned around and ran back.

"What? Is something wrong?" He asked.

"That way's dangerous. We should take the other way."

"That'll take too long Zack." Zack knew he was right and thought hard for a minute. He knew they couldn't go Freddy's way. It'd take them through the most dangerous part of town. Even in the middle of the day, it isn't that safe.

"I got it, follow me." Zack said before taking off in the direction Freddy was going to head, only making a left in the opposite direction. Freddy was confused at the route Zack was taking him but ran along anyways. Zack did have a point about his way being too unsafe. Zack turned and headed down an ally. "Help me out hear," He said grabbing one side of a big dumpster. Freddy didn't hesitate and grabbed the other side. The two moved it to the other side of the ally underneath a fire escape on the side of a building. Zack climbed on top of the dumpster and grabbed ahold of the fire escape ladder and climbed up with Freddy following behind.

"How do you know about this way?" Freddy called ahead.

"My brother showed me all kinds of different ways around the city." Zack yelled back. The climbed the fire escape all the way to the roof. "Ok, don't lose any speed here." Zack told him.

"You're not really gonna-" Freddy started, but was cut off by Zack already running and jumped from the roof they were on to the next building. Freddy's jaw was hanging low before he swallowed hard and ran after him. They went the way for awhile from rooftop to rooftop until Freddy saw the train station. Zack came to a stop and ran down the fire escape on that building with Freddy still behind him. They ran a few blocks more before they finally made it to the train station.

"So, why did we run all the way here?" Zack asked Freddy. Freddy ran up next to hip and stopped to catch his breath.

"That's why." He pointed to a man standing outside with a hot dog stand.

"That's it?" Zack asked.

"You won't be complaining once you have one." Freddy told him. The pair walked up to the man.

"Freddy? Freddy Jones?" The man asked in a surprised voice. "Is that really you?"

"Hey Jack," He waved. Jack was a very tall, think man with a full beard.

"Come here and give me hug, little man." He walked over and hugged the teen hard. "You've gotten so big since the last time I saw you!"

"Yeah, it has been a pretty long time."

"I'll say. Who's your friend?" He asked, once he noticed Zack standing there quietly.

"This, is Zack. My boyfriend." He said putting his arm around the guitarist.

"Well, don't you two look cute together. So, what'll be Freddy, the usual?" The man asked.

"What can I say? I'm just that basic. I'll take two, one for me one for my *special guy.*" (I use * to signify whispering) Jack handed Freddy two hog dogs and Freddy gave one over to Zack.

"I usually get relish on it." Zack said.

"Trust me, just try it first." Freddy told him before taking a bite of his own. Zack shrugged and did as he was told.

"Oh my god, it's really amazing." He said quietly.

"See? I told you." Freddy said with a smile. Zack wolfed the rest of it down and asked for one more before the two began to make their way home. They took the long way of course to avoid the dangerous neighborhood but they did find their way to Freddy's house.

"I guess I'll talk to you tomorrow?" Zack said with a question.

"Actually, I'm walking you home." Freddy told him.

"Are you sure? I mean, your house is right here and you'll have to walk all the way back." Zack explained.

"I don't care. I just want to make sure you get home alright." Freddy said taking Zack's hands in his own. Zack smiled and they made the walk to Zack's house five blocks down.

"Well, here we are." Zack said once they were standing in the driveway.

"I had a really great time tonight." Freddy told him, staring deeply into his eyes.

"Yeah, me too." Zack said, beginning to blush. Freddy moved in close and draped his arms over Zack's shoulders. Zack wrapped his arms around Freddy's waist and pulled his body right up against his own. The two leaned in, but right before their lips touched, a bright light over the garage turned on blinding them both.

"Geez, think it's bright enough?" Freddy asked, shading his eyes.

"It's just Ashton messing with us. Now, where were we?" Zack asked with a smirk. Before they could continue, the front door swung open.

"Zachary Mooneyham!"

"Oh shit. That's my dad." Zack said with a worried expression.

"What's wrong?" Freddy asked.

"I- I haven't told him that I'm gay yet. Oh god, what's he gonna say? What's he gonna do?" Zack said, breathing fast and hard.

"Calm down, calm down. It's ok Babe, just face him. You can do it and oh god, he's walking over." Zack's father walked over to the two with a serious look on his face. Zack squeezed Freddy's hand hard.

"What do you think you're doing out here?" He asked.

"Look Dad, I'm sorry I didn't-"

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" His father interrupted. "It's tomorrow." He said after glancing at his watch.

"Huh?" Zack asked in surprised. Was his father really only angry about him being out late?

"Get inside young man and get ready for bed." His father told him.

"Um, yes sir." He said still confused.

"Here, have your jacket back." Freddy said taking Zack's jacket off.

"No, keep it. It looks good on you." He said with a small smile before walking inside.

"I'll be right inside Zack, just gonna give Freddy here the dad talk." His father continued. Zack nodded before waving to Freddy and going inside. "I want you to stay away." Zack's father said as soon as his son closed the door.

"What?" Freddy asked in surprised.

"You heard me. I don't want you dating my son anymore."

"Look, Mr, Mooneyham, with all due respect sir-"

"I don't want to hear it. I've heard about you Jones. You date someone for awhile before you get bored, then you cheat on the and break their hearts. Well, it's not going to happen to my son. So, no more dating him and no more walking him to school. You will not be spending time with him outside of your band practices. You want live like you're single but have someone to fall back on? Fine, but not with Zack. Do we understand each other?" He asked, finishing his statement.

"Yes," Freddy moaned.

"Yes what?"

"Yes sir." Freddy said.

"Enjoy my son's jacket. It's all you'll be getting out of him." Zack's father walked inside and turned the garage lights off. Freddy was fuming at this point. He turned around and walked back the way to his house with his head down. He tried to keep it together, but he caved and let out a cry of anger about halfway home.