The Crumbling Pyramid

"Hey Mikey, do you have a pen I can borrow?"

Mikey looked up sharply from his textbook and saw Anette looking at him expectantly. They were supposed to be sitting and taking notes about post-Cold War America. Ray and Gerard were both working silently, their notebooks filled with scribbles.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Mikey replied, and he bent over in his seat to dig through his bag. Anette smiled softly, and Mikey sort of smiled back awkwardly before the memory of the weekend past flashed through his mind. Her slightly sticky but soft lips kissing him gently, as if she was afraid of him, though he didn’t know why she would be. He couldn't believe his luck - that she had played the game with them, that she had landed on him for the make out round, that she hadn't chickened out. God, that night had been fantastic. Even if he had screwed it up at the end there.

And now he was back there, in the spare room. He could hear the noises of the next game going on in the living room next door, and he could hear Anette's soft breathing and her calling his name in a questioning tone. And then he was walking over to her, saying something about how he was sorry that he gave her a shitty kiss at the beginning of the game and he was bending down to look in her eyes, those deep blue eyes that were filled with confusion every time she looked at him, like he was the most challenging riddle she had ever come across. Then she closed her eyes and he felt her shudder slightly as his palm rested against her cheek.

But then memory drifted into fantasy and Mikey kissed her fiercely and they fell back onto the bed, Anette's legs instinctively wrapping around his waist as they kissed more and more. Whatever was left of her lipstick that was on her lips was now getting all over Mikey's face as he proclaimed his love for her over and over, glad that he finally had built up the courage to do this. And fuck she was a good kisser. He traveled down to her neck and she moaned as he kissed her neck, and his breathing got even faster as her hands brushed the crotch of his jeans. He felt her smirk under his lips as she fumbled with the button and zip on his jeans—

"Mikey? A pen?"

He looked back up, a bit disappointed, to see he was in History class and not at Ray's house about to do unmentionable things with the girl who was looking at him right now.

"Right, sorry," Mikey said, grabbing a pen and handing it to her.

"Thanks," she replied, smiling bit looking a bit confused at the same time. Mikey nodded and went back to work copying notes, wishing he could slip back into his daydream.

Moments later, a slip of paper slid onto his desk with a single line of Gerard's sharp handwriting on it. What the hell was that about? read.

Just sorta had a daydream. Mikey scribbled, and checked to make sure that Zeiner wasn't looking at them before slipping Gerard his reply.

About what?

Um, last weekend.

Nice. How far did you get?

Mikey turned a bit pink as his brother winked at him. Um... she was taking off my pants.

Hot. Too bad it didn't happen.

Yeah.

The bell rang and everyone packed up. Anette cast Mikey one last confused look before she left with Gerard to go to Acting. Ray and Mikey walked side by side down the hallway. They were both headed in the same general direction - Ray, to Music Theory II and Mikey to Jazz Band.

"M'kay, so what just happened?" Ray asked.

"What?"

"In class. Your eyes sort of like... glazed over 'nd shit. What was that all about?"

"Oh, um..." Mikey blushed again. "Nothing."

"Don't just nothing me. What was it?"

"I was just thinking about this weekend," Mikey said cautiously.

"Oooooh," Ray said, revelation spreading across his face. "You had some kind of wet fantasy, didn't you?"

"No!" Ray gave him a look. "Yes," Mikey muttered.

"Hey, it's cool. Happens to me all the time."

"Really?"

"Yeah, there was this one where Gerard burst into my room naked and—"

"I don't want to hear it, Ray."

"Kidding."

They parted at Ray's classroom. "See you after school maybe."

"Yeah, we gonna go questing tonight?"

"Fuck yeah."

-

"Hey, Ray."

"Why hello Anette."

Ray smiled up at her, twisting one of his curls with his finger as she sat down next to him and let out a sigh. "God, Gerard and I just got paired up for this crazy scene. I don't know how we're gonna do it."

"You'll be fine, you're both good actors."

"Thanks. I hope so."

Ray quit playing with his hair and pulled out the My Chem notebook, suddenly struck with inspiration. Anette was quiet for him while he scribbled down note progressions as fast as he could, writing Gerard's latest lyrics underneath them so he could show him later. Maybe he'd get him coffee, too – Gerard would like that.

When he finally shut the notebook, Anette asked, "Sudden inspiration?"

"Yeup," he replied, placing the notebook carefully back in his bag. He pulled out his wallet and checked his cash - just enough to get a coffee.

"Cool. I look forward to hearing it."

There was a pause. "So, how was this weekend for you?" Ray asked, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Oh, it was... alright."

"Just alright? I thought you'd be thrilled to kiss Mikey."

"I um... well, it was weird." She shifted around uncomfortably. "Like... yeah, I loved kissing him, but it was so awkward, especially in front of you guys when we're not even like... dating or anything, and..."

"Yeah, I get it. It's still kinda weird kissing Gerard, even though you know he doesn't care about PDA and shit like that."

"Mmhmm." Anette frowned at the floor. "He kinda... well, I guess talked to me later. After the game."

"Oh? What did he say?"

"He was like... apologizing for giving me a bad kiss at the beginning of the game, I guess, and then just kissed me and was like, 'Hope that was satisfactory,' or something, and then just left."

"Well, he did give you a shitty kiss."

"Yeah, but who does that, anyways?"

Ray had to exercise a large amount of self control not to say, "Someone who has the hugest fucking crush on you in the world." Instead, he chose, "Weird people like Mikey. I dunno, he and Gee have some sort of... chivalry complex sometimes."

"Oh."

Ray checked his watch. He had just enough time to go get a coffee and meet Gee outside his art class to give it to him and talk to him about the riff he had written. "Anette, I gotta go, I have an errand to run before school gets out, and—"

"No, that's cool. I'll just start learning this part," she said, pulling out a script from her bag.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Tomorrow," she promised with a smile.

"Great, bye!"

"Bye!"

Ray took off down the hall, taking the fastest route out to the parking lot and his car. He was thankful that he had chosen to drive today instead of walking, and he drove down town to the Steaming Bean, which served easily the best coffee in town. There wasn't much of a line, but it still seemed to take ages before he got to the counter and could order Gerard's usual (Tall espresso, black). The drink was so hot it was threatening to burn him through the cup, so he put on one of those paper holder-protector-things (coffee condoms, as Frank called them) and left. He still had five minutes to get back to school.

The bell had just rung when he pulled up outside the school, taking a visitor slot before hurrying inside. Gerard was still in the art room thankfully, and Ray burst through the door, half-panting.

"Hey, Gerard," Ray said, holding up the coffee. "Got you some fuel."

Gerard's eyes lit up as he set his pencil down and accepted the coffee. "Dude, thanks!"

"I, um, also wrote some new stuff," he said a bit nervously, fishing the notebook out of his bag and handing it over. "For your new lyrics."

"Ray, you're amazing. You know that, right?"

Ray blushed and smiled sheepishly. "Thanks, Gee."

"Seriously though. Thanks. I'll have to talk to you later, I'm about to finish this damn thing," he said.

"'Course. See you."

"Yeah."

Just as Ray was about to leave the building, his phone buzzed. Confused, he pulled it out and saw that Anette had texted him.

Ray I'm by the theatre come NOW

So frowning, Ray hurried to the theatre doors. Hailey, Bob and Anette were standing together, and Ray announced himself with an unceremoniously loud, "What's wrong?"

Anette's expression was one of shock. Hailey had to speak for her.

"So, you know how they announced the Prom King and Queen nominees at the end of the day?" Hailey asked.

"Um, sure."

"Well, they did."

Ray felt his knees shake a bit. "Don't tell me," he said in an almost distraught voice.

"You and Anette came in last. Like, you're in the top ten, but number ten."

"Fuck."

"That's what I almost said," Anette whispered.

"Like, what the fuck?"

"I know!" Hailey said, excited. "This is so awesome though!"

"I don't want a fucking tiara."

"You don't get one, idiot, you'll get a crown," Bob said.

"Nononono, not that. Do you get what this means?"

Anette and Ray both gave Hailey looks of confusion.

"It means that everything's changing! You guys are changing everything! Since when have two supposedly 'unpopular' people ever been nominated?"

"Um, never?" Ray offered.

"Exactly! Think about what this could mean if you win."

"And how do we win?"

"That," said a voice, "you will find out at the Court Meeting tomorrow during lunch." Dawn had approached them, and she was smiling. "Congrats, you two."

"Thanks," Ray said weakly.

"I think it's brilliant you two got in the top ten. I hope you beat Andrew and Rachel, they're like three or two or something."

And then she simply walked away. Anette and Ray just looked at each other and groaned.

"Anette, you want a ride home?"

"I guess."

"Okay."

So they walked back out to Ray's car. They were silent the whole way home save for when Ray first unlocked his car, to which he promptly said, "Seriously though. What. The. Fuck."

-

"Thanks for coming everyone."

Mr. Gail, the teacher who sponsored Student Council, was standing at the front of his room. All twenty of the nominees were sitting in various places around the room, most of them sitting in pairs. Anette and Ray had seated themselves as far away from anyone else as possible, but the only people they seemed to have to worry about were Rachel and Andrew. Everyone else seemed unbothered by their presence, which Ray was going to count as a blessing.

"So, if you don't know, our top ten couples for Prom King and Queen undergo a sort of... test, if you will, and that test is a the Court Talent Show." Mr. Gail beamed, but when no one said anything, he went on. "Each couple will have to perform some sort of act of talent as a team, which will be performed to all the upperclassmen, who will then vote on their favorites. Whoever wins that will be crowned King and Queen at Prom. As always, acts need to be school appropriate. There will be another meeting next week, the day before the show and after school so that we can time the performances and figure out how much time this will take. Try and keep your performances under five minutes. Mia and Jenna are going to be the MC's."

"So wait," Tyler said from his seat next to Dawn. "We have, like, a week to throw something together?"

"Prom is next weekend."

Tyler let out a sigh and slumped back in his chair, which seemed to be a good sum up of what everyone was feeling. "Okay, I'll let you go back to lunch. See you next week, and congratulations on your nominations!" Mr. Gail said, and everyone collected their things and left. Ray and Anette were the first ones out the door.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuuuuck," Ray cursed, pulling at his hair. "What the hell are we going to do?"

"I don't know," Anette replied, frustrated. "That is so unfair, just springing it on us like that."

"I suppose that's the point, isn't it?"

"Hey, fuckers.”

They turned around to see Andrew standing there, his arms crossed. Rachel hovered behind him, looking unsure.

"You'd better not screw this up," he said. "I don't know how the hell you got into the court, but you sure as hell aren't winning."

"It's just a stupid crown, Andrew," Anette said, rolling her eyes.

"It's more than that," he said in a deadly whisper. "It's power."

"Oh yeah, I forgot," Anette replied sarcastically. "This is actually medieval Europe, and this is, like, choosing the next royal family!"

"Shut the fuck up, slut, you know what I mean."

"Andrew, maybe we should—"

"And you!" he yelled, rounding on Rachel. "God, can't women just keep their mouths shut?"

"You know what, Andrew?" Ray said, suddenly feeling very brave. "You're going to lose. We're going to win, and you're going to have to kiss my motherfucking ass when I'm wearing the crown."

Andrew looked surprised for a moment, but before he could say or do anything, Anette grabbed Ray's arm and they half walked, half ran down the hallway.

"Ray! What the hell was that?" Anette hissed when they were a considerable distance away.

"I'm tired of his shit," Ray growled. "He beat the shit out of me and Mikey at the theater. He threw food at Frank. He made Chase break up with you. And then he ordered people to paint your locker and jump Gee. Fuck this, Anette, we're winning this god dammed Prom shit."

He thought she was going to protest, but she just sighed. "We're going to need a damn good act if we want to win."

Ray grinned. "That's the spirit."

They made it down to the hallway where everyone else was pretty much finished eating and were laughing at something. "How'd it go?" Hailey asked as Ray and Anette sat down and started on their own lunches.

"Weird," Anette said. "They're doing this like, talent show thing for the upperclassman who're then supposed to vote... just a huge popularity contest, anyways."

"But Andrew tried to pull some shit, threaten us or whatever," Ray added. "Afterwards. So now, Anette and I are gonna win this fucking thing, just so he can kiss my ass."

"Gross dude, you'd probably get like, AIDS from that," Frank said, making a face. Gerard laughed at that.

"What are you gonna do then?" Bob asked.

"I—we don't know," Anette admitted. "It's going to have to be really, really good though."

"Well, it shouldn't be much of a problem," Gerard said. "I'm sitting here, looking at the best singer and guitarist in the whole fucking school, and I’m thinking they should put those skills to use."

They both blushed and said something to the effect of, "Gerard, I'm not that good."

"No, Gee's right," Mikey said, pushing his glasses up. "You guys should do a song. It'd be great. Better than whatever shit Andrew'll throw together, anyways. I think he only has a talent for throwing footballs."

"And punching people in the face," Ray added.

"Yeah, but I don't think they'll let him beat someone up for his bit."

"I dunno, with the shit Morrison puts up with..."

Everyone laughed.

"Okay, so Ray, you should find out if you can come over after school then. I have a ton of music books, I'm sure we can find something," Anette said, pulling out her phone. "I'll call my mom right now."

"'Kay," he replied, pulling out his own phone to text his mom.

-

Everything ended up being okay with both their moms, and so they spent all of their free hour comparing lists of songs they had brainstormed throughout the afternoon.

"No, I don't know that one either," Anette said, and Ray crossed off yet another song on his list.

"What? You don't know Hell Bent For Leather? Judas Priest?"

"I told you, I don't listen to metal."

"And I don't listen to pop. What was that one song? Poker Face?"

"Lady Gaga's stuff. I thought it would have been funny," she said, crossing off the other Gaga songs she had written down.

"Okay, but what about... you've seen Rocky Horror Picture Show, right?"

"Oh God, we are not doing the Time Warp," Anette laughed.

"We totally could."

"Yeah, 'cuz you can totally dance and play the guitar at the same time."

"I have many talents," Ray said, smirking playfully.

"Ooh, like what?"

"Well, I can do this thing with my tongue—"

"Okay, okay, I get it." Anette was giggling. "We really need a song that's like... impactful, you know?"

"So I'm guessing Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch Me won't do either?"

"Not unless you want them to think I'm more of a whore than they already do."

"'Kay, that's out."

They were silent for a moment, consulting their lists. Almost every song on both of them was crossed off.

"We should do something from a musical though. It'd be easier."

"I guess. I don't know many musicals though."

"Hmmm..." Anette looked down her list again. "Ohmygod, we could do something from Footloose!" she exclaimed excitedly. Ray gave her a blank look. "You know, Footloose? With Kevin Bacon? He like, moves to this town where there's no dancing allowed, and there's that song in there—" She started singing, "I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero to the end of the night!"

"Okay, I think I know that song."

"You should, everyone does. It was in one of the Shrek movies, I think."

"Alright."

"But not Holding Out For A Hero..." Anette's voice trailed off as she started looking through her iPod and the Footloose soundtrack. "Here. This one," she said, holding the iPod up to Ray.

"Let's Hear It For The Boy?" he asked.

"Yeah. It... I dunno, it feels right. Here, listen," she said, and she handed him her headphones.

He listened, and when it was over, he pulled them out and said, "Okay, but Anette... it's like, mostly piano and sax."

"Could you... transpose it?"

"I..." He tugged at his hair. "I could try."

"You should at least look at it. I'm certain I have the songbook at home."

Right then, the bell rang, and they gathered up their stuff and started for Anette's house, walking as fast as they could. Anette had to jog to keep up with Ray.

Terrence must have still been at daycare when they got there, because the house was silent. They charged up the stairs and dumped their bags on the floor in the art room, and Anette began digging through the basket of music books while Ray examined the room in slight awe.

"Damn this room is cool," he said, running his fingers along the polished black wood of the grand piano.

"Thanks. Here it is!" she said excitedly, pulling out the green Footloose book and flipping through it, looking for the song she wanted. She opened it up to Let's Hear It For The Boy and handed the book to Ray. He sat down on the piano bench and examined it.

After almost a minute, he said, "I think. Maybe."

"Okay. Look, you take that and see if you can tonight. I know the song by heart, I'll just need to work on getting it to a performance level of... well, you know."

"Yeah." He stood and set the book open on the music stand-ish part of the piano. "I'll run home and get my guitar then."

"And I'll start working on this thing," Anette said, pulling herself up onto the bench.

"We're going to have to like, live this song."

"Yeup."

"We can do this."

"Yes. 'Cuz we can't let Andrew win. Not this time."