Note: I just want to thank everyone for replying, it means a ton to me. I spread my love to everyone who ever left a post for me. You all make me feel like a better writer! Alright, past my gushing and onto the story.

Another Note: Sadly, the interactions between Anali and her brother, Sam, are pretty much exactly the same as ones between me and my brother. Actually, most of the cursing and stuff between them is quoted from things we say to each other on a regular basis. Aren't we sweet?

Chapter Three: Anali A.K.A. The Spaziest of the Spazs

There are times when logic should be all too important. When you need to think things through, go over your options, think about what can be done to prevent a bad situation.

I actually had one of these moments, and it almost saved this whole problem.

It was about four days after the accident, about two after I found out Anali lived across the street and found out that people are probably laughing at me around the world-really wouldn't surprise me at this point. So, I was sitting in my room, beating at my drum pretty harshly, pushing out every routine I had every learned back at my old school, in my life, when it occured to me that I had been a freaking moron up till now, not considering what I should have done. Seriously, this was the dumbest notion that had ever escaped my mind.

So, to put the notion into motion, I jumped up, grabbing my car keys and dashing down the stairs, not even considering that maybe no one was at the school at the moment. I was just about halfway to the car, when I heard it; Loud music coming from behind the house across the street, Anali's house. I was about to ignore it, when I heard a yell and a loud curse, and before I knew it, I was running across the street, across her front yard to her backyard, where I saw a pretty funny site:

"Nikki, you stupid little beast, just be quiet! God, Sam, why did you let them out while I'm trying not to kill myself!" Anali was yelling, a flag laying crumpled on the ground next to her, a tiny little dog yipping around her heels as another dog sat quietly in the shade of the house, watching the scene in front of it, while a boy made faces at Anali from the window. "Hey, come out here and say that to my face, brat!" Anali yelled at the boy, flipping him off as he opened the window.

"Bitch!" He yelled out, surprising me at how she just smirked as he flipped her off back.

"Whore!" She yelled back.

"Bitch whore!"

"Brat!"

"Bitch brat!"

"Come up with something unique, why don't you!"

"Why don't you, you bitch!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Anali said, waving him off as he closed the window, turning around. Only, apparently she hadn't noticed me, because when she saw me, she shrieked, jumping back, freaking out the tiny dog yipping at her heels, who yelped in surprise, then also noticed me, along with the other dog, who both came running at me, sniffing and jumping.

"Whoa!" I said, stepping back as the dogs bombarded me, licking at me wherever they could, barking and yipping and making a big fuss. It was actually kind of fun. My parents wouldn't even think of getting a dog, thinking two sons was enough to take care of, I guess. I did like dogs though, they were just like little siblings only with more fur and don't talk as much.

"Daphne! Nikki! Get down! I'm sorry, new people make them excited..." Anali said, pushing the dogs off.

"Hey, don't worry, it's cool..." I said, crouching down to rub the bigger one-Daphne-on the head, as the other one-Nikki-jumped against my arm in an almost jealous way. "This one's kind of an attention hog, isn't she?" I noted, patting Nikki on the head as well.

"Yeah, she's a little monster, isn't she?" Anali said, making me chuckle, while she gathered the little one in her arms, standing up, giving me a look. "Did you need something?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry. I heard you yell, I thought something bad might have happened..." I said, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that..." She said as she walked over to the boombox on the steps leading to a back door, turning it off. "I was practicing and Nikki kept scrabbling over, and I tried to throw a double and the flag decided that my head appeared to be a good landing spot."

"Ouch. You ok?"

"Yup; It'll take more than a concussion to put me out of comission," She said, half smiling.

'"I...uh...see..." I said, probably rubbing my neck raw. "You seem pretty tough."

"Yet I cry often," She said, but in a way that seemed both joking and truthful. I actually found out that it was quite truthful much later, mostly because she would cry often, and pathetically, I was the cause.

"So, you're practicing the...uhm..." I stuttered, motioning to the flag which she picked up.

"Yup. Figured I should try to get a little practice in before the actual work starts. Surprised you didn't take one home." She paused, then, before I could say anything, she asked, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Uh, sure. Shoot."

"Are you gay?"

I could have fallen over from the shock and pain. "What!"

"Well, my coach told me that most guys she knew when she was in color guard were gay, so I just figured..."

Oh. God. Everyone thought I was gay now because of this. And I was planning on going to the school and confronting someone to try and clear my name and become a drumline member. I was probably being declared as a gay. Not good. "No! I'm not...not...I'm just..."

"Well, are you horny then or something?"

"What!" Wow, this chick was blunt. Seriously, just started stating the most obvious and almost painful things. "No, why!"

"Well, I'm just figuring, guy like you, either you joined to meet girls, or you're gay," She said, shrugging a little as she placed her flag against the house, rubbing Daphne on the head as the dog rubbed against her leg.

"Well, I'm not! I didn't even mean to-!" But I stopped myself when I realized I was about to blurt it out. She slowly turned to look at me, arching a brow a little.

"Didn't mean to...what?" She asked, almost cautiously.

I paused for a moment, then let out a minute, running a hand through my hair. "I...I didn't mean to sign up for color guard. I've never done it in my life."

"Then why did you do it? I can understand a girl trying it, but for a guy..."

"I was going to sign up for...something else..."

She paused for a moment, a strange look coming over her face, as a small grin seemed to be suppressing itself. "What did you come to sign up for, exactly?"

This was it. The moment of truth. "Well...drumline, actually. I play snare drum."

There was a moment of silence. She just stared at me, then...

"Pfft." A surpressed laugh had spurted out a little from her, as she covered her mouth, her face turning red. "Is...is that so?"

"Yeah, it is..." I sighed, then looked up at her. "Hey, you ok? Your face is red."

"Yeah, fine...pfft..." She kept her hand over her mouth, looking like she was going to explode or something. "So...you went to sign up for drumline...and signed up for color guard instead?"

"Well, yeah-" But I was cut off, because whatever was contained inside her, was now bursting out in gales of laughter. She was laughing so hard, she was actually bending over, laughter spilling out of her like water from a broken dam. God, I wanted the earth to open and swallow me there. "God, shut up..." I muttered, feeling myself turn red.

"Sorry, but..." She swallowed air, it seemed, painfully, trying to force her words out. "It's just so...so..."

"Yeah, I know, it's stupid..." I muttered, rolling my eyes as she tried to stop laughing. "Anyways, I'm gonna try and get in touch with the band director and fix this mess."

That seemed to shut her up. She stopped laughing and looked up at me incredulously. "Wait, what?" She straightened up, looking at him. "Seriously? Are you that stupid?"

"What? That'll fix this mess, won't it."

"It'll stop you from being in the guard, but it won't fix the mess. It'll make it worse. People will think you're mentally challenged or something. You won't get any respect from the other drummers because of this. They'll probably taunt you and call you gay or freak or something like that. You saw my reaction? I'm a girl. I'm a tame kitty compared to those cougars."

Damnit. I hated to admit it, but she had a point. I ran my hands through my hair, groaning. "Damnit, what am I going to do?" I muttered, ducking my head.

There was a brief silence, when Anali sighed, walking over. "Y'know, it's not the end of the world. Actually, it could be good for you. Your reputation and all. The guard isn't completely made up of geeks like me. There are some pretty cool girls there. You become friends with them, you're in with some of the higher circles of the school. You stick with it for a year, then next year, sign up for drums. I can probably bet you you'll get more respect that way."

I looked up at her as she gave me a comforting smile, her hands in her pockets, the sun glinting off of her dark hair. I think it was the first of many times I saw her in a light as something other than just a plain weirdo. It was odd, but comforting. I sighed, then looked back to her. "You sure?"

She half smiled, then nodded.

"Absatively posalutely."

Alright, that's chapter three! Hope you enjoyed, now, R&R! The almighty penguins command you! penguins start their commanding