A/N: Ack! I've been working on this, I swear. With the outline for this story, I only worked on it up to December so the last chapter was the end of what I had planned out. This week and last, I continued the outline so I know which direction this story is going and to make sure all the chapters have a purpose (at least, I think they do?) and the plot is going somewhere. I now have the chapters planned out until the end of March so I will be set for a while. Also, so sorry this one is short. I kind of need this to be just a set up for later. Hopefully, you like where it's heading now. :) Thanks for waiting.

I snap awake in a panic. What the hell just happened? Glancing around, I realize I'm in my room. Where...what just happened? That...was a dream. I was dreaming. My heart is still fluttering in my chest and I'm slightly out of breath. What was I dreaming? And if I can't remember, why am I so alarmed about it. What happened? I don't remember yet I'm slightly conflicted. Frantically getting out of bed, I grab my phone to check the time. It's 6:20. Usually, I'm awake before now but I still have plenty of time to get ready. Gerard texted me a bunch since we usually hang out in the morning. Gerard. He texted me. Dear god.

I shut my phone off and throw it on my bed, then heading to the bathroom. I was dreaming, it was just a dream. What was it? Gerard, he was there, was he? Yes, Gerard was most definitely there. I remember I was looking at him, his eyes were green and I remember fixating on the color. But he wasn't just there. He was doing something, something happened and it wasn't casual him being there. If it was, I wouldn't be freaking out. I've had dreams about him before where we were hanging out or doing something weird that didn't make sense or we were at school. I've had dreams we were playing video games and eating at his house or we were in history together and someone threw a lamp and nobody questioned it. There was also one dream I had where I was with Patrick and Gerard and we were driving in Africa and then I got out of the jeep and we were in the Empire State building. Dreams are always weird and insignificant to me. But this time was different. Washing my face, I try remembering. He was talking to me, making a comment about me liking him. I remember I was frozen and I couldn't say anything, I was just nodding along and looking him in the eyes, fixated on the green color. He was saying how he knew I liked him and that I shouldn't have waited. Then...he did something. He was standing by me when he put one hand on my shoulder then his other one-oh, shit... I dry my face off, shaking my head frantically as if that will get it out of my head. Dear, god. What is wrong with me? I bury my face in the towel groaning out. Why is this in my subconscious? I know I have a not-so-slight crush on him but this is the first time I think I was actually dreaming about him this way. This means nothing. That's a lie...because I remember I was enjoying what he was doing to me. But he doesn't need to know about this, just stop thinking about this. It'll be fine, it's fine. Everything is fine.

After I get dressed, I head downstairs to grab something to eat. My parents are bickering about some interview that neither of them wants to go to. At least they're not fighting with each other. They have a common enemy. As I'm heading out the door, my phone starts ringing, Gerard calling me. "Uh, hey," I say answering it. "Sorry, I slept in a bit."

"Ah, it's all good," he says. "I had a hard time waking up too. Break wasn't long enough."

"Yeah, I'm with you. I'm heading over now though."

When I get to Gerard's, he's waiting on his driveway for me. He glances up as I approach him. "Hey," he says, spinning his key ring around his finger. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," I say, adjusting my backpack.

Gerard steps toward the car and glances at me. "You good, Frankie?" he asks.

"Uh, yeah, why?"

He gives a small shift in his stance. "I don't know, you look...you're smiling oddly."

Good job keeping him from noticing. "Am I not allowed to smile?" I ask.

"No, you are. I like it." We get in the car and I thump my head back on the headrest as he drives to Cody's house. Just don't even think about it.

Walking toward my study hall, I see Brendon talking to Audrey up ahead. She's crying and he's looking at her rather apathetically. I look at the ground as I walk closer toward the room.

"Look, it hasn't been working out anymore for us, this is for the best," he says.

"We can make it work though, we got to try," she whispers. "I want to make this work."

"Well, I don't," Brendon replies flatly. "And I don't need your permission." I walk into the classroom and sign out to art. Audrey is still upset in the hall but Brendon isn't giving in this time, nor is he apologizing. Honestly, good for him.

In art class, they're starting a new project. They are doing a color pencil project and they went to the lab to go find reference photos.

"What do we have to look up?" Cody asks.

"I don't know, something about water," Lynn says. "Like, we have to draw a picture with water."

"Why are we having water as the subject matter for a dry medium?" Gerard asks while scrolling through Google Images. "Like, shouldn't we be using, oh, I don't know, like watercolor?"

"You would think," Jenna says. "I kind of want to do something about rain."

"I was thinking water lily," Lynn says. "But I don't know. I kind of want to go to bed."

"Same," I say, rolling behind them in the wheely chair. I stop behind Cody, looking over his shoulder. "What're you thinking of doing?"

His eyes widen as he freezes up. "I have no idea," he mutters. "See, we have to take these pictures ourselves for this project. We are in here for inspiration. I don't know what I can do with water."

"I mean, I can go to the pond in my backyard and snap a few pics," Lynn says. She glances at Gerard with a soft smile. "How about you?"

He leans back in his chair, his eyes intrigued with an idea. "I want to try doing this back to back portrait, I don't know."

"Portrait of what?" Cody asks.

He shrugs. "Okay, don't think I'm being edgy or emo or whatever-"

Jenna puts a hand on his shoulder. "Oh, please, you are always emo regardless," she teases.

Gerard brushes her away while snickering. "But what I was thinking having two people crying and the water being the tears and one is crying from sadness and the other is crying from laughing. Kind of juxtaposing the two emotions but the same emotional response. I don't know, just an idea."

Lynn smiles at him. "Well, no more ideas for you, Gerard, because that was is genius."

Gerard glances at her and then at me. "I was thinking of you two being the subject matter," he says, pointing to me and Lynn.

"Really?" I ask a little surprised. Gerard gives a small grin and nods.

"Oh, that's exciting," she says.

"I can't really cry on command though," I say.

Gerard tilts his head to the side. "You don't need to. I was going to make you wet," he says. I stare at him frozen. The memory of my dream from this morning creeps back up in my head and I wince. Stop it, Frank, stop thinking like that.

"Dude," Lynn says, whacking his arm as soon as he says that.

"AH! No, that's not like that!" he says, realizing what he said. "I was going to make your face wet and-"

"Jesus Christ," Cody says, staring at him in horror. "You're making it worse." Gerard throws himself back in his chair laughing in embarrassment while covering his face.

Lynn stares at him laughing herself. "Thanks, but I'll pass on that opportunity and just stick to art and girls," she says. Gerard waves her off. Lynn looks at me. "Frank looks petrified," she notes.

I look at her. "I mean, you heard him too," I say neutrally. Why is this happening? This is not what I need right now. At least I'm not the only one who went there.

"You never let me live these mistakes down," he mutters. "Anyways, I was going to use a bottle of water and pour it over your face to resemble tears."

"That's a good idea," I say. "So when you want to do that?"

Gerard ponders for a moment, Lynn glancing at him. "We'll have the practices and sketches first so it wouldn't be right away," she points out.

He nods along. "Yeah, you're right. Maybe sometime next week before we leave."

"Leave?" I ask.

Gerard glances at me in the corner of his eyes. "The ski trip?"

I feel the light bulb click. "Oh my god, that's next week. I completely blanked."

"Oh, right," Cody says, also just now remembering. "I didn't realize how soon that was."

"I'm so excited," Jenna says, printing a couple pictures. She scoots back in the chair and rolls over to the printer. Rolling back toward us, Lynn scoots in her way and they bump into each other. "Ahh!" The girls spin around after ricocheting off each other. Lynn giggles to herself mischievously. Gerard laughs lightly, rolling his eyes at them.

As tired as I am, the day goes by relatively quick. Leaving gym on the way to lunch, Cody and Jenna tell me about the new project they have in their vocals class. They have until the end of the week to record a cover of any song they want. "Speaking of the end of the weak," Jenna says casually, staring up at Cody.

Cody sighs. "No, none of that."

"Isn't it your birthday?" I ask, starting to smile.

Before Cody can answer me, Jenna interjects. "Yes, it is!"

"Joining the 17's Club," I say.

"I don't want to make it a big deal," Cody says.

"Oh, phh, you guys made it one for me. Same goes for you," I tell him. We make it to the end of the lunch tables, Gerard and Amelia already there. "Hey."

The two of them glance up. "Hey, guys," Amelia says. "So Gerard and I were talking about the 80's. Which band is more iconic, Queen or Journey?"

"Queen!" Cody immediately says.

"Journey!" Jenna says.

Amelia and Gerard look at each other, still at a stalemate. "Well, damn," Gerard says. He turns to me. "Frank, be the tiebreaker. Which one?"

The three of us sit down and drop our bags to the floor. "Dude, Journey is where it's at," Amelia says.

Gerard puts his hand in front of her face. "Literally, Queen is literally a legend." He looks back at me smiling. "Frank, which one?"

I shrink down. "I don't know, I like them both."

"No, you have to pick," Jenna says. "And you have to pick Journey."

Cody glances at her. "Queen is so iconic. Like, not bashing Steve Perry or anything but Freddie Mercury, come on?"

"Okay, well, I think Journey has better songs-" Gerard drops his mouth while Jenna and Amelia high five, "BUT! Queen is more iconic, typically comes first to mind. However, either band, you put on any of their music and everyone stops and sings and loves them. Don't Stop Believin' and Bohemian Rhapsody."

"Fair point," Cody says.

"Oh," Gerard says abruptly, "sorry, this is random but Brendon broke up with Audrey today. Like. For good."

"Wait, really?" Jenna asks.

"Yeah, I saw them this morning," I say. "So is he done with her or...?"

Gerard nods his head slowly. "Yeah, he doesn't want to talk to her anymore and she was arguing with him, saying they shouldn't break up but he was just done."

"You think he's going to start dating Sarah?" Jenna asks. "They have a little spark going between them."

"Yeah. I don't know if they're doing anything but eventually, something's going to happen," Gerard says. "I mean, at that rate, you just know it will soon."

"Yeah, you right," Cody says, handing Gerard a sandwich from his lunchbox after realizing Gerard has nothing. Gerard's eyes flicker in Cody's direction but Cody doesn't acknowledge his reaction.

"You think Brendon will do something about it for Valentine's Day?" Amelia asks.

Jenna shakes her head while chewing her Chex mix. When she finishes, she replies. "Nah, I don't think he'll wait that long. I'm thinking within the month something's going to happen."

"You think so soon?" I ask.

Gerard glances at me. "Yeah. I mean, all it'll take is one hang out with Brendon being single and Sarah knowing. After that, the rest is history."

"You seem like an expert on this matter," I comment.

"Well, think about it," he says. "A crush will remain a crush if you keep it to yourself. The reason it's a crush and not a relationship is because there is self-doubt. Once you start talking about it to others and talk about you do something about the things between you, then it instantly escalates."

"You called everyone one of my relationships before," Cody says. "You're not wrong about this." Gerard finger snaps in his direction and starts eating his lunch.