Disclaimer: School of Rock isn't mine. I'm just taking the characters out to play.

ooOoo

Freddy Jones was late. Very late.

"Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit…"

He fumbled with the keys in the ignition, shut off the car, and locked the door. When he was halfway up the stairs to Dewey's apartment, he stopped and turned around, ran back to his car, and grabbed his drumsticks.

"Shit shit shit shit shit shit SHIT!"

He sprinted back up the stairs, threw open the door and quickly maneuvered his way around Lawrence, Katie, and Zach, to make it behind his drums, just in time to play the last fifteen seconds of the song.

Once the song ended, all the band members turned and glared at Freddy. He sheepishly grinned, but no one was appeased.

Surprisingly, it was Zach, not Summer, who spoke up. "This is the fifth time, dude. You're making us fall behind."

Freddy mentally grimaced. It was one thing to get reprimanded by the band manager, but it was another thing when it was the lead guitarist doing the reproaching."Sorry, everyone. It won't happen again. I swear."

Katie rolled her eyes. "You say that every time, Jones."

He leaned back on his chair and smirked. "Yet it works every time, doesn't it, Brown?"

She stuck her tongue out at him and turned back to the group, looking expectantly at Dewey to scold the young drummer. "Dude, you gotta stop being late. It's not cool. Let's try a little harder, all right?"

Freddy nodded, then pulled a face at Katie, who turned away with an irritated sigh.

Dewey grinned. "Let's rock!"

Freddy was the last to leave Dewey's apartment, as the energetic leader of School of Rock had lectured him again on the merits of being punctual. He grabbed his drumsticks and raced down the staircase, hoping to grab a quick bite to eat before he was expected home. His path was impeded, however, by a dark-haired bass-player who was sitting at the bottom of the stairs. He managed to stop before he collided with her, and instead decided to skip his meal and bother his band mate. He sat down next to her, their bodies now completely blocking the staircase. "Hey, Brown."

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Ugh. Jones, what do you want?"

"Nothing."

She snorted. "Please."

"How come you're sitting here? Where's your car?"

"In the shop. Something's wrong with the tire pressure."

He grinned. "Maybe that extra weight," he said as he poked her in the arm, "is making that poor car support more than it can handle."

Her jaw dropped. "I cannot believe you, Freddy Jones! You are the most infuriating boy I have ever met in my entire life!"

She angrily stood up and walked outside to the curb, cell phone in hand. Freddy followed.

"Damn it!"

"What's wrong, Posh?"

"My mom's not answering. No doubt she forgot that I don't have my car and that I needed to be picked up today. She's not going to be done with work for another three hours, either; a big merger or something is happening today."

Freddy had already grabbed her bass from where she had unceremoniously placed it on the ground and had begun walking towards his car. "Come on, Brown. I'll give you a lift home."

"Thanks, Freddy."

She got into the car as Freddy put her bass in the backseat and waited for him to start the car. He fiddled with the radio until he found something he liked.

Katie had to smile. Before putting on his seatbelt, or turning on the headlights, or putting the car in drive, Freddy was first and foremost concerned with what music would be playing in his car during the ten-minute drive to her house.

Freddy didn't need to ask where her house was; they had been classmates (and close friends) for years, after all. They came to a stoplight, and ever the drummer, Freddy began tapping his hands on the steering wheel to the blaring music. "Hey, Brown, did you get that last problem in chemistry?"

Startled, she jumped in her seat. "What? Oh, yeah, I got it. You didn't?"

"No. Do you have time to explain it? That test is in two days, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah. And sure, I have time. You can come up to my room when we get to my house and I'll try to help."

They came to a stop in front of a lavish town house; a house very similar to the one Freddy lived in himself.

Katie took a key out of her bass case and opened the front door, holding it open until Freddy walked in. She put it back in her bag, and then went up the stairs, knowing Freddy would follow. Once in her room, she set her bag down and sat down at her desk. Freddy had situated himself on her bed, and she opened her book bag and took out her chemistry assignment.

She handed the book to Freddy and he found the correct page.

"Here it is."

Katie's best subject was chemistry, so she easily explained the problem to the blond drummer, and watched as his eyes brightened with understanding. They were both seventeen now, and in their senior year of high school. Freddy had matured, to say the least. His hair was no longer spiky, instead, it nearly grazed his shoulders and fell forward on his forehead, and he was constantly pushing it out of his eyes. He had grown taller as well, the top of Katie's head only reaching his chin. He wasn't stupid, Katie mused, as Freddy wrote down his answer, just uninspired. He did fairly well in all his subjects; surprisingly, he excelled in English- his writing was exceptional.

They had been best friends since sixth grade, once the band really had kicked off. Freddy spent an inordinate amount of time staring at the bassist's backside while he drummed, and he had begun to tease her about it. They had eventually gotten past that stage in their relationship, after Katie had bestowed a well-deserved slap to his cheek. Her eyes had widened in shock after what she had done, and she had immediately begun apologizing. He had grinned, and they had been friends ever since. Now Freddy was Katie's closest friend, and she knew the feeling to be mutual.

"Brown." Upon not receiving a response, Freddy looked up from his assignment to see Katie staring at him, a small smile on her face.

"Brown?" No answer.

"Brown!" Still nothing.

"Katie!" That did the trick. It broke her out of her reverie, and she blushed darkly, as Freddy smirked. "I know I'm hot, Brown, but staring is rude."

She scowled. "Shut up."

He grinned, then looked at the clock on her dresser. "Time for me to leave."

"You can show yourself out, Freddy Jones!"

"Aww, no goodbye kiss?" Freddy ducked, laughing as she threw her pencil at him, before bounding down the stairs.

"Later, Brown!" He yelled this from the bottom of the stairs, and then ran out of the house to his car.

ooOoo

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