Disclaimer: School of Rock and its characters do not belong to me.

Author's notes: This prologue takes place the day after the Battle of the Bands. The rest of the story will take place two years later and move forward from there. For the purpose of this story, the scenes in the end credits did not happen. Summer's mother was not appalled that her daughter had been taught by an impostor. Both Zack's father and Summer's mother were not impressed by the band and were very angry with their children. Lastly, this prologue is mostly foreshadowing for the real story.

Prologue

The day after Battle of the Bands, Summer walked into the classroom, a white cast on her right wrist. As usual, her uniform was immaculate and pressed neatly, and her shoulder length hair framed her face perfectly, without a stray hair in sight. Her brown eyes held their usual shine, and her books and pencil pouch were arranged in order of size and held in her left arm. It appeared to be a normal day for Summer Hathaway. Unless you noticed the silver charm bracelet she always wore was missing.

Quickly, she sat down in her seat, and opened her book, The Catcher in the Rye. She was reading intently as she did every morning when Katie walked over. "Hey Summer."

Summer looked up from her book. "Hi Katie." She quickly put her bookmark in the book and closed it. "You did a great job yesterday."

Katie grinned. "You too."

"I didn't do anything. I was backstage the entire time."

"You got us there, Sum. We couldn't have played a great show without you."

"Thanks, but it was nothing."

After a short silence, Katie spoke again. "I'm having a sleep over tonight for the girls of the band. Do you wanna come?"

"Sure," Summer nodded. "I'll check with my mom at lunch."

"Great."

The girls continued talking until the bell rang, where Katie promptly walked back to her seat, waiting for Ms. Mullins to enter. Most students were quiet, as the rules stated they should. "Good morning," Ms. Mullins announced entering. "Today we were unfortunately unable to find a substitute, so you will be watching a documentary about abuse, and what to do if you suspect someone is being abused, or abusing themselves." Two students shifted uncomfortably in their seats. "This documentary will take all day but you will have short breaks in between tapes and for lunch. The audio visual equipment is on its way down. You may talk quietly amongst yourselves until it arrives."

Summer reopened her book.

§ § §

Summer carefully placed her lunch tray that had been precariously balanced on her good arm on the table before sitting down. "My mom says I can come."

Katie picked up her sandwich. "Great. Be over at my house by five thirty. By the way, what happened to your wrist?"

Summer sipped her milk before answering. "The housekeeper didn't tell me she waxed the kitchen floor. I slipped."

"You are such a klutz sometimes, Sum." Katie laughed, as did Tomeka and Alicia.

"Hey, any idea why guitar man Zack is headed over here?" Alicia asked, grabbing Katie's apple.

Tomeka shrugged. "Probably wants to say something about the show." "Hi Zack." The four girls greeted as the guitarist arrived at their table.

Zack nodded. "Hey. Here's your bracelet Summer. I think I managed to fix it." He held out a silver charm bracelet, which Summer took gratefully.

"Thanks."

"No problem. I'll talk to you later." Zack turned and began walking back to his table but then turned back. "By the way, I added a charm. I hope you don't mind."

Summer eyed a small electric guitar. "Not at all. I'll talk to you later."

Zack continued walking back to his table. The second he was out of earshot the three others at the table joined in a communal "Oooooooooo."

Summer snapped. "What?"

"What was Zack Mooneyham doing with your charm bracelet?" Katie teased. "And why did he add a charm?"

"It broke when I fell. I was walking around the neighborhood fooling around with it when I ran into him. He volunteered to try and fix it. End of story." Summer concluded, in her usual classroom tone. This meant she didn't want to talk about it.

Alicia pursed her lips, determined. "Oh, come on girl. You were practically making gaga eyes at him. Are you sweet on him or something?"

"We're friends. A guy and a girl can be friends without a relationship."

Katie smirked. "So what kind of charm did he put on?"

Summer held out her good wrist, where she had attached the bracelet. "An electric guitar."

Tomeka spoke before biting her sandwich. "Looks like someone wants you to remember him."

§ § §

Freddy Jones stopped drumming on his lunch tray with two straws as Zack came back to the table. Though content with the drumming, he was curious as to his friends choice of visiting place. Zack wasn't the type to visit the girls, especially during school. Especially Summer Hathaway. "Hey man, why did you just talk to Summer?"

Zack sat down in front of his empty tray. "I had to return her bracelet. I fixed it last night for her."

"Uhh...why?"

"Because it was broken. Isn't that obvious, Spazz?" Freddy gave Zack a dubious look. "She was down about it. And she's going through some stuff at home. I wanted to try and help her out."

"You like her or something? Cuz if you do, you might want to seriously rethink yourself there."

"She's a friend, Freddy. Friends help friends. It doesn't go any further than that." Zack sent half a glare across the table. "Can we drop this now?" "Whatever." Freddy picked up the straws and continued with his drumming.

§ § §

That night at Katie's, Alicia, Katie, Summer, Tomeka, and Marta sat on the floor in their pajamas which they had recently changed into. Currently, they were simply talking about the show that occurred yesterday. Summer didn't speak much, opting instead to fiddle with the charms on her bracelet. Particularly the electric guitar.

Alicia laughed, but then spoke four unsuspected words. "Marta, truth or dare?"

Marta smiled. "Truth."

"How did you get out of the fitness testing three weeks ago? Did you pay Mr. Smithe off? I had a twisted ankle and he still made me run laps and climb that damn rope."

"I told him I had, feminine problems." Marta giggled. "You should have seen his face. All I had to do, was start to say period and he practically was shouting that I could sit out." The other girls laughed, Summer, who was now paying attention, included. "Katie, truth or dare?"

"Dare." Katie nodded confidently.

"I dare you to...take a lick off the top of that lamp above the table."

Katie rolled her eyes. "I did that last time we had a sleep over."

"I know. But I couldn't think of anything good. You'll do anything."

Sighing, Katie stood and climbed on top of the kitchen table. After the dare was complete, she grabbed a dishtowel and wiped her tongue off. She spoke as she walked back. "Summer, truth or dare?"

Summer thought carefully. If she picked truth, Katie could ask about Zack. But if she picked dare, who knows what she could end up doing. Against her better judgment, she answered with the response that shocked the others. "Dare."

Katie though taken aback, quickly thought of a decent dare. "I dare you to go without your shirt for the next hour."

"Excuse me?!" Summer sputtered.

"You heard me Summer." Katie put her trademark smirk on. "Take it off."

Alicia removed her pillow from her lap. "You have to Summer. You chose dare."

Summer moved her hands to the first button then hesitated. "Summer its no big deal." Marta assured. "It's not like you don't keep your bra on at a sleep over."

Tomeka, nodded. "And you know we won't laugh. Besides, what could you possibly have to be ashamed of?"

Summer sighed heavily, then continued unbuttoning her pajama top until it slipped over her shoulders, revealing bruises and small scars on her torso. None of the girls spoke for a minute, but Alicia was the one to break the silence. "Girl, what happened to you? Those bruises from when you fell?" Summer nodded silently. "What about those scars?"

"I scratched my chicken pox."

"Oh." Was the collective response from the girls before a long silence ensued.

"Summer, it's your turn to ask someone." Katie finally pointed out to a pale Summer. "Summer?" Summer's only response was to stand and run to the bathroom. Katie quickly bolted in after her. "Summer, are you OK?"

Summer sank to the floor. "I think I'm going to be sick." As if prompted she leaned over the toilet beginning to throw up.

Katie quickly grabbed Summer's hair and held it back with one hand, while preparing a paper cup of water with the other. When Summer's head came up she handed it to her. "Here." She flushed the toilet and then turned back. "Do you want me to get my mom to take you home?" Summer nodded in between sips of water. "I'll have the girls pack up your stuff and bring in your shirt."

§ § §

Summer shivered though in her sleeping bag, on the floor of the tree house. The sick feeling had left her stomach, though she was still uncomfortable. She could still feel blood oozing from the stinging cut on the corner of her lip, and the bruise forming on her right chin. Moonlight was shining through the makeshift slats of the roof, every few minutes disappearing due to the clouds.

There was a slight creaking for a few minutes, causing Summer to sit up, her eyes widening, before Zack appeared in the entryway, his own sleeping bag and a lantern in hand. "Summer, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to Katie's sleep over."

"I did, but then they saw the scars on my stomach, and I got sick, so Katie's mom took me home."

"And your mom. She did that to you?" The 'that' Zack referred to was the cut lip.

"I walked in on her with her latest affair. She wasn't pleased. Needless to say, I'm glad you're letting me use this place too."

"I couldn't leave it out of our agreement."

"You have a black eye now." Summer observed. "What for?"

"I was humming 'Stairway to Heaven' when making dinner. And you know how my dad hates rock." Summer nodded. "It kinda makes ya wonder."

"About what?"

"What it'd be like to have someone truly care for you. Ya know?"

"Yeah. I do." Summer's response ended the conversation, leading to stare at each other for a while.

"Can I—,"

Summer cut Zack off, knowing what he would ask. "Yes." And slowly, the two met in a short kiss.