Chapter II- The Field

A/N: Chapter II of the 2-chapter story "The Field". Cal finally reveals to Andre what his plan was for the night's outing. Slight alteration from the canon plot- Cal stops the camera after they leave the parking lot, leaving us with the abrupt ending of that entry in the movie. In "The Field", he starts it again, stopping the second September 28th recording shortly after the start of Chapter II. From there, it's just Andre and Cal on their own.

The Field, as it was so originally called, was a large, grassy field at the base of the rolling foothills that were the farm's namesake. Sometimes teenagers would go there to stargaze, to drink, or to do both. When Andre reached a turnoff onto the Field, he drove through the gate and parked the car behind a set of trees, just enough that, with the fencing still there, the car would be safely hidden from the road. Andre left the engine running and just looked at Cal as if to say "Well?"

"This is it; we're here." Cal said. "Turn off the car."

"All right." Andre did, and the low sound of the engine dwindled into silence.

The camera tilted down as Cal opened his door and got out; a quick scan of the field showed no one around at all. Cal nodded, as if somehow satisfied, and began walking out into the vast expanse of grass, once used as a grazing field for cows. A glance backward showed Andre getting out as well, looking curiously at Cal. "What are we out here for, man? What's this about?" Andre asked again, slightly wary. Cal just replied, "Come on. I wanna show you the best thing that's ever happened to me. Just come on- I'll show you."

"The best thing that's ever happened to you?" Andre repeated, slightly amused. "It's out here in an empty field?" Inwardly, Andre had no idea what this was about, and it could get tiresome when Cal would decide to get all cryptic like this. But Cal was also the best friend Andre had. With a soft sigh of resignation, Andre closed the driver's side door and walked around to where Cal was standing. He looked at Cal expectantly. Part of him was annoyed Cal was taking so long to tell him what the hell this was all about, but another part of Andre wanted to go along with it. This was… interesting.

Andre had always prided himself on being more perceptive than most; he was highly confident that he could always tell if someone was wasting his time. This didn't feel like that. And more importantly, Cal was one of the few people Andre had genuine respect- and yes, liking- for. In Cal's case- even if only once in a while- Andre Kriegman's time was his to waste. If that was what Cal really wanted.

But Cal gave no hint of what he had planned, not just yet. He abruptly turned off the camera, though, pocketing it. He'd started a new video shortly after they left the parking lot of the studio; Cal decided he would hide the video of this trip- it was nobody's damn business anyway, not even after he and Andre were long dead. Some things were better left said and done away from all the modern trappings of cell phones and cameras.

"Close your eyes." Cal said.

Andre looked at him, frustrated and amused at the same time. "Again? Really, dude?" he said.

Cal just replied with that calm, deliberate manner he'd always been known for. He always appeared so serene, in contrast to the animated, hot-tempered Andre. "Yeah. You're not driving, it's fine. Come on, just close your eyes."

Andre sighed but did so. "Fine. You wanna tell me what this is about?"

Even though he knew Andre couldn't see him, Cal smiled. "Not just yet. Soon, though."

Andre laughed. "Oh, good. That's nice."

Cal moved around behind Andre and set his hands on the dark-haired teen's shoulders. He could feel Andre's muscles- he was surprisingly fit for someone who had never, ever associated with a single jock at their school- tense for just a second, then relax. Cal smiled a little again. Here was a perfect example of the true depth of their friendship. Andre might protest a little, might argue- even get pissed off at times and yell like he was so famous for doing at school. He might do that sometimes. But always, always, he could calm down and at the end of every day, trusted Cal absolutely. Cal didn't even feel the need to check if Andre's eyes really were closed. He was sure.

"All right," Cal said, "Start walking forward. I'll tell you where to go." Andre laughed again, truly sounding- being- at ease in spite of everything.

He hated being led somewhere blind- figuratively or literally- by anyone. It was one of his deepest, longest-standing pet peeves. Andre didn't just need to be in control- he HAD to be in control. Yet, standing in this field on a mildly warm September night, all that just seemed to fade away. Andre found himself routinely altering some of his oldest, most long-standing rules, if only for Cal. Because Cal was just different that way. It was what he deserved.

Andre walked, having to remind himself now and then to neither allow his pace to become too fast or too slow. Occasionally Cal would steer him this way or that way, and Andre found he oddly liked Cal's hands on his shoulders, guiding him through the darkness. It was very… symbolic. No matter how dark it got, no matter how lost he otherwise felt in life, Andre always felt direction and purpose. Just as long as he had Cal.

Cal decided they'd gone far enough after about five minutes; the field went on forever, and they made remarkable progress just walking at a steady pace. Finally, Cal walked Andre up to the base of a hill overlooking the farm. Even at the base of the hill Andre didn't protest- he just headed right on up. Finally, once they were three-quarters of the way up the long, sloping hill, Cal brought himself up to a stop. Andre, held back by Cal's hands, wanted to keep going for a moment, but suddenly halted and looked turned his head. Cal had to suppress a grin when he saw Andre's face; the black-haired teen's eyes were indeed closed.

"What? Why are we stopping? Are we there now?" Andre asked.

Finally, Cal released his hands. "We're here. Open your eyes."

Andre opened his eyes, blinking a little and looking around. When he saw Cal, the blonde was stretched out on the grassy hill, hands folded behind his head, looking up at the stars.

Some of his wariness returning, Andre asked, "This is where you wanted to go? This fuckin' hill?"

Cal just stared up at the sky.

Andre glanced up; out here, far from the noise and light of the city and suburbs, the stars gleamed like millions of diamonds. It really was something to see.

Finally, the dark-haired teen decided his friend had a point- it was quite beautiful out here. Maybe, for all his cryptic nonsense tonight, Cal had simply wanted to come out here and relax. Andre lay down on the grass beside his friend, mimicking Cal's way of folding his hands behind his head. For a time, they both lay there, gazing up at the stars, neither of them speaking.

It was September 28th, 2000. May 1st was not even a year away, now. The thought of this fact brought a strange feeling to Andre; he'd never stopped to think that he was now, by his and Cal's planning and hard work, scheduled to die in less than a year. It was an exciting and yet oddly sobering fact. Few human beings ever planned their own deaths, and certainly not like this; that was for sure. It was just one more thing that bonded Andre and Cal even more powerfully; they were some of the most unique teenagers alive, anywhere. There was no one quite like them.

Cal shifted slightly, looking over at his best friend. Andre noticed, and for a moment the two simply locked eyes. It seemed- felt- as if they'd both just been thinking the same thing. Dead in less than a year… it really was weird to think about. And it was going to happen to both of them. They were going to go together. That last thought cheered Andre. Nothing was quite so comforting as knowing you'd die with your best friend beside you.

When the blonde spoke, it was so quietly only the near-total silence around them allowed Andre to hear.

"Andre."

"Yeah?"

"You know what the best thing that ever happened to me was?"

Andre had to clear his throat before speaking. He felt oddly moved; it was like he already knew what Cal was going to say. Perhaps it was a feeling, only- but Andre had always believed in trusting his instincts. He answered in a voice no more audible than Cal's, "What was it?"

"It was you."

The black-haired teen felt oddly startled; he hadn't quite expected that. He had to steady himself when he spoke. "Well, I mean- you mean Zero Day, right?" he asked.

But Cal just shook his head slightly. His blonde hair swayed a little as a breeze came up the hill. "No." he turned his gaze back to the stars, but continued speaking to Andre. "I mean… Zero Day's gonna be great…"

"The best day of our lives." Andre added, smiling at his own unshakeable confidence.

Cal nodded. "Yeah. But… I wouldn't have Zero Day if I hadn't met you, Andre. Zero Day can't be the best thing that ever happened to me… because you gave me Zero Day."

"We each gave the other… that chance. We gave each other Zero Day." Andre said.

Cal was looking back at Andre now. "So… you're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Andre. You're the best friend I've ever had."

Andre smiled a little. Cal's blue eyes had a strangely beautiful look in the dark.

"Even better than Rachel", Andre added, his smile turning into a bit of a smirk.

For a moment, though, behind the smile Andre wondered. Why did he mention Rachel at a moment like this? Why was one-upping her as Cal's friend so damn important to him? Why did he even care? Maybe it was because Andre secretly feared Rachel would somehow stop being 'just friends' with Cal, and one day time he spent with Andre would then be spent with her. And why would that matter, Andre wondered?

Was he perhaps…

Jealous?

Cal couldn't help but smile back. He shrugged slightly; it was true. Rachel was a good friend, but Andre was better. Cal said simply, "Yeah."

Andre felt like he had to say something. Gratitude at Cal's confirmation that he, Andre, was his best friend washed over him. Andre felt like he almost had to say something.

"Dude… I'm not very good at saying things like this. You're the one who's good with words and shit."

Cal just shrugged, smiling shyly. "It's fine."

Andre paused, then went on hesitantly, "Well, all that shit you said just now? I… I could say all that about you. I've never had a friend like you before."

Now Cal looked at Andre as if anxious for a response. "Really?" he smiled slightly.

"Yeah. It's all true, dude. I'd never lie to you."

Cal said quietly, "I'd never lie to you, either."

For a long time the two boys looked at each other. Then for a long, long time they looked at the stars.