Jimmy paced around in the living room, knocking on almost everything with his drumsticks while his sister, Katie was sound asleep on the couch. He can’t go a night without partying with his friends or even picking up chicks but tonight was an exception. Usually Ryder would co-operate and gladly babysit his sister; Jimmy wondered why today she acted a little grumpy.

He looked over his sound asleep sister and made way to Ryder’s house. Maybe a second time asking she would give in, who knows? But the moment Jimmy raised his knuckles to knock on the door, he overheard the conversation between Ryder and her mom.

---

“Mom, I made you some food. Come and eat.”

“Leave me alone.” Her mom scoffed, dropping her head on both of her palms.

“You have to eat and take your pills mom. It’s already 9.”

“What do you know, huh Ry? You don’t fucking know anything! You’re 19 and yet you don’t even have a man in your life! How can you possibly understand the pain I’m going through?”

Ryder stayed stiff on her feet, her eyes closed, bearing a flow of tears coming down her cheeks. It was true, everything her mom said was true. She never had a man’s company before and she hated to admit that she’s still a virgin. She had gone through her painful high school years being aware of that.

“At least I don’t give up, mom. Because I’m not a quitter like you!” she shouted and ran for the front door. As soon as she opened it, she halted at the sight of Jimmy – standing in shock and his eyes widened.

“What do you want, Jimmy?” she closed the door behind her and walked ahead a little bit, wiping off her tears.

“I-” Jimmy hesitated.

“You heard everything, didn’t you?”

Jimmy pursed his lips and didn’t answer. She took a whiff and turned around to face him.

“So, what are you doing here?”

“Um..I…”

“What Jimmy?”

Jimmy can’t help but felt pity for her. He knew how she was in her daily life. Hell, they met when he was 7, and Ryder was 10. She mostly saved him from getting bullied by the bigger kids in the neighborhood and ever since, they’ve become friends. No more than just distant friends nowadays that Jimmy had found his own social clicks while she was still a lone ranger.

But yeah, Jimmy never saw Ryder with a guy before. Not that she’s ugly or anything, in fact she’s a beautiful girl…behind those frizzy auburn hair, loose clothes and gamers’ attitude. Jimmy watched how she was being isolated from the girls in school, how his flings would talk bad about her – the senior that never made out of school, how they said that Ryder was a mere eyesore to them.

“Are you just gonna stand there and stare at me? I don’t need your pity, Jimmy!”

Jimmy snapped from his deep thoughts and suddenly an idea sparked inside his head.

“Ryder,” he said, clutching both of her shoulders tight.

“What?”

“I’m gonna help you out.”

“Help me out doing what?”

“I’m gonna get you a man and hook you up with him.”

Her eyes widened and her jaw agape, as she couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth.

“But you have to trust me, and co-operate with me.”

---

The band had just ended their last song of the night and received a handful of girls throwing themselves at the bandmembers. All of them, except the guitarist. No matter how cool he looked on stage, girls seemed to stay away from him.

But he didn’t care for all that. All he wanted was to play music. So he calmly plugged off his guitar from the amplifier, stowing his pedals and cables away in a guitar case. He was immersed in his task until he felt a couple of presence stood in front of him.

When he looked up, Matt and Brian smiled at him.

“What?” he snit, while his hands still packing his instruments away.

“Nice fucking riff, man.”

“Thanks.” He replied almost aloof until he finally stood up and jumped down from the stage, taking a last look at his bandmembers who were draped with girls.

“We’re friends with Jimmy.”

He shifted his gaze towards the two built men in front of him.

“Oh. Where is he?”

“Can’t come. Had to babysit his sister. But he asked us to come. I’m Matt and this is...Brian.”

He hesitantly took their large hands and shook them. “I’m Zacky.”

“I know. We’re in the same chemistry class.”

“Really? Didn’t notice.”

“Well, you’re too busy lowering your head down. What were you doing anyway?”

Zacky chuckled and can’t believe somebody really paid attention to what he did. “Drawing.”

“Cool. Might wanna show us your artwork some time?” Brian cheered in. Zacky stared at him long and felt like he had met him before.

“Nah. Never show’ em to anyone. I gotta go. Thanks for coming.”

Zacky fled from the crowded scene with his guitar case hoisted on his back, leaving Matt and Brian just watched him away.

“He’s pretty uptight, don’t you think?” Matt chuckled but when he hadn’t heard a reply from Brian for a few seconds, he turned around to look. Brian was staring to his left side, his lips curved up in a sly smile and Matt immediately spun to see what he was staring at.

It was that blonde girl, with bangs on her forehead, small eyes and full lips – provoking a seductive lip bite as she too, was staring at Brian.

Oh hell no.

---

Jimmy crumpled up a piece of paper and threw it on top of Zacky’s head. They were in chemistry lab now, while Mr Warner was babbling about atoms reaction in front. Zacky quirked around hastily and jeered at Jimmy while he just shrugged.

“Quit bugging him, Jimmy.” Matt huffed when he saw how irritated Zacky looked.

“I’m not bugging, I’m trying to talk to him.”

“About what?”

“Hey Matt. You wanna try something?”

Matt raised his brows and blinked, signaling that Jimmy should continue his hanging sentence.

“I wanna jam with them.”

“Them?”

“Yeah, it’s always me and you, and we kinda suck – I don’t mean your voice sucks. It’s just we need someone else to back us up.”

Mat chewed his lip and played with his piercing, thinking hard.

“You mean, you wanna start a band?”

Jimmy grinned widely and pushed his glasses up. “Yeah! Something like that!” his voice a little too loud. Making the whole class turned to look at them. Including Mr Warner.

“Sullivan, Sanders! How many times do I have to send you to detention?”

“Sorry, sorry.” Jimmy crouched his tall body and raised his palm in an apologetic manner. While Matt just grunted at the teacher.

“So, you’re in?” Jimmy whispered.

“Yeah, absolutely. Who else in your mind that you wanna recruit?”

Jimmy tilted his head up a little, gesturing Zacky who was still lowering his head down, drawing God knows what on his text book.

---

“One more time if I see you in front me in line again, I’ll cut your fucking dick, Baker!”

Zacky closed his eyes, trying not to breathe the stinky breath provided by Derek Randall, one of Emmet’s co-asshole jocks who apparently, can’t stand if he was behind someone when he gets in line at the cafeteria. And apparently Zacky was that unfortunate someone while Derek was trying to be a gentleman to his girl.

Derek pushed Zacky against the wall once again by the collar and let him go, laughing with his friends away. Zacky spat on the ground and glared ahead at them. He wanted to take revenge, he really did, but he was a nobody. The only time he felt happy is when he played his guitar and maybe a few people would appreciate it. People like Jimmy. Or Matt. Or –

“Fuck, are you okay??”

Zacky looked up to his left. A guy he met last night was there, brushing his shirt off and looking concerned.

“What the hell is wrong with him? Is this school always like this or what?”

Zacky blinked hard at him. “Are you…new?”

He smiled eventually. “Yup. Just got in today. I’m actually lost. I can’t find my fucking class.”
“Brian, right?”

“Yeah. How did you – oh! You’re that guitarist! How are you doing, man? Finally a familiar face!” Brian raised his fist and Zacky bumped it with his own.

“I’m okay. What class are you in?”

Brian looked at the note in his hand. “I’m in…um..you know what? Fuck this. You smoke?”
Zacky raised his eyebrows and nodded.

“Good, let’s find a spot where those assholes can’t find us.”

Notes

A/N: poor zacky got bullied..:( hahaha comments!! XD