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The Number 27 bus took off from the parking lot of the middle school to begin the afternoon route where the students would be brought back home. It was a Monday, so the kids were fully aware that there were still four more days, four more grueling, mind-numbing days of class until they were liberated to enjoy their much deserved rest. Even worse, they all knew that there were still two more weeks before Christmas vacation, and that would only make time slow down to a snail's pace. Life was incredibly hard at that age.

"Damn, it's cold outside," said Sandy, bundling his coat up around his body.

"Yeah," said Ethan the otter. "Normally it doesn't get like this until mid January. Makes me wonder what kind of winter we're in for."

"Oh, listen to you two big, blubbering pussies," said Robbie. "You don't hear me complaining, do you?"

"That's because you've got a cold heart," said Sandy. "You probably live for this kind of weather."

"I hate the cold weather," said Robbie. "But I don't have to bitch and moan about it like you two little girls."

Ethan, having gotten accustomed to Robbie's foul mouth and grouchy disposition, pulled the raccoon's tail, making him jump up slightly and yelp. "Now who's the pussy? Yelping cause somebody touched your tail."

"That hurt, you son of a whore," said Robbie, rubbing the base of his ringtail. "Do it again and I'm gonna have to kick your ass."

"Don't worry, Ethan," said Sandy, coming to the otter's aid. "Robbie's just mad because his monthly friend is visiting. Isn't that right, Robbie? You having a heavy flow day?"

"Fuck you, Sandy," said Robbie, looking away from the squirrel.

"Don't worry, Robbie," said Ethan, patting the raccoon on the shoulder. "When we get to my house, you can feel free to go to the bathroom to change your tampon."

Robbie turned, looking at both the squirrel and otter smiling at him. "Why do I hang out with you two pricks anyway? I need to move to a better area."

"Go right ahead," said Sandy. "You'll be doing the community a valuable service."

"Hey," said Ethan, pointing to the window. "My house is coming up. You guys ready?"

"Uh huh," said Sandy. "You ready, Robbie?"

"I guess," said the raccoon, taking hold of his book bag.

The bus ground to a halt and the three boys stood up and walked outside, feeling the cold wind hitting their fur. It was on day's like this, or when it was raining, that Ethan regretted having such a long driveway where he lived. With such a long way to go to the front door, the three boys felt like they were going on some wild adventure, marching up to the house. Their only saving grace was that despite the bitter cold and high winds at least there was no snow on the ground to trudge through.

Winston, the Ellsworth family's English wolf butler was there to open the door for the three, who by this time were feeling their teeth chatter. "Good afternoon, Master Ethan, Master Sandy and Master Robbie," said the proper servant. "If the weather is like this again, would you prefer that I bring you to the door in the car?"

"Would you, please?" said Ethan. "It's pretty nasty out there today."

"I think I might have hypothermia," said Sandy.

"Pussy," said Robbie under his breath so low that no one but him could hear it.

"I take it you three gentleman are going to be practicing today?" asked Winston.

"We are," said Ethan. "Is Dad in the studio right now?"

"He is," said the wolf. "He told me that he's presently recording some musicians, so he's not to be disturbed unless it's an emergency."

"Okay," said Ethan. "We'll be in basement practicing."

"Very well, Master Ethan," said Winston. "I'll be down there with refreshments soon if you'd like."

"That'd be great," said Sandy. "I'm hungry."

"Me too," said Robbie, feeling his stomach growl right there."

"So am I," said Ethan. "I guess we'll look for you in half an hour then, Winston."

The trio of Robbie, Sandy and Ethan had been practicing almost every day for the past few weeks after Ethan had agreed that the raccoon and squirrel were now proficient enough with their instruments that he felt comfortable to start a band with them. At first, things got off to a rough, slow start, as Ethan had anticipated, but in just those few short weeks, things smoothed out, as Sandy and Robbie got used to playing together rather than just playing along to songs on their stereos or practicing scales or drum patterns. Though things had smoothed out in some respects, there was still one area that needed to be dealt with if they were going to continue as a band.

"I told you guys," said Ethan. "I don't want to be the lead vocalist. Sure, I'll sing background vocals, but the only leads I like to take are on the guitar."

"I'm not singing either," said Sandy, playing an ascending C Major scale on the Fender Jazz Bass that Ethan's father Randy had let him borrow for the time being. "I don't even wanna sing background vocals."

"I sure as fuck ain't singing," said Robbie, sitting on the throne behind the drum kit, wearing a t shirt with a picture of a drum set that read WEAPONS OF MASS PERCUSSION. "Just leave me hear in the back to bang away on the drums." The raccoon played a series of drum rolls, demonstrating to the other two boys how much he'd progressed since taking up the instrument only three months ago.

"Then we have a problem," said Sandy. "Unless we just want to play instrumental music, we're going to have to look for a fourth member."

"No way," said Robbie. "I can barely stand you two assholes. The last thing I need is to have to put up with another one."

"That's how Ethan and I feel about you," said Sandy, momentarily thinking about taking the strap of his bass off from around himself and hitting the raccoon over the head with the heavy wooden Jazz Bass, but thought better of it when he considered that it might damage the instrument and that would upset Ethan's father.

"Sandy's right," said Ethan.

"About Robbie being an asshole?" said Sandy.

"That, and we're gonna have to find a fourth member if we want to go any further or we're just going to keep arguing over who has to sing."

Robbie rolled his eyes, "Fine, fine, but who do we know that's a good singer?"

"More specifically, a good rock singer," said Sandy. "I can't think of anybody off the top of my head."

"I might know someone," said Ethan. "Do you guys know who Felix Moratti is?"

"No," said Sandy.

"No clue," said Robbie.

"He's in my science class and I swore I heard him tell someone one day that he not only sings, but he plays some guitar and keyboards too."

"That'd be even better," said Sandy. "What is he?"

"A red fox," said Ethan.

"Forget it," said Robbie. "Foxes are really sneaky, and I think they stink too."

"Damn it," said Sandy, taking his bass off and placing it on an instrument stand. The angry squirrel stomped over to Robbie, getting right in his face. Normally their little insults and jabs were all in fun, but Sandy was sincerely irritated at the moment. "You're always bitching and whining about how you hate it when someone calls you bandit, because it makes raccoons look like thieves, right?"

"Yeah, so?" said Robbie, crossing his arms.

"So, you can't see how what you just said is the same fucking thing?" said Sandy. "Really, you're starting to get on my nerves, Robbie. If you're gonna keep saying things like that, then I don't want to be with you anymore, or be in a band with you either."

Sandy's sudden revelation stunned the raccoon, who went from a look of indignation to one of horror. Robbie was aware that he could be grouch, cynical and a smart ass, but he loved Sandy more than anything and couldn't stand the thought of losing him, especially when both of them had come out together as a gay couple. Robbie got out of the drummer's throne and went to the squirrel.

"I'm sorry, Sandy," said Robbie, a tear coming out of his right eye. "I know I'm a pain in the ass, but I'll stop saying things like that. I promise."

Sandy could see that Robbie was not joking. It wasn't like the raccoon to get emotional like this, but when he did, Sandy knew that it was serious. Sandy hugged him, letting the anger pass out of his system. "I forgive you, Robbie. You know I love you."

The two lovers embraced and gave each other a kiss on the cheek. Ethan clapped his paws, though it was really to make fun of them. "Aw, how sweet," said Ethan. "You two gonna suck each others' dicks now?"

"Fuck you, Ethan," said Robbie. "You oily otter bastard."

Ethan's jaw dropped. "Did you hear what he just said to me, Sandy?"

"Yes, I did," said the squirrel. "And after your smart ass comment I'm gonna give Robbie a pass on that one."

Ethan shook his head. "Anyway, maybe I could talk to Felix tomorrow and see if he really does sing and all that."

"And if he'd be interested in joining our band," said Sandy.

"Guess if he doesn't wanna we'll have to go around the school and ask people if they know of anyone that can, and is willing to, sing," said Robbie. "Don't you have science class first period, Ethan?"

"Yeah," said the otter. "I'll be sure to ask him first thing in the morning when I see him."

"Maybe see if he wants to eat lunch with us?" said Sandy. "Hell, even buy him lunch if we have to."

Ethan pulled out his wallet, looking through all the money in it. "That can definitely be arranged," he said with a smirk.

Ethan wasn't able to have any contact with Sandy or Robbie prior to lunch, so the squirrel and raccoon just went to their usual table and waited to see if Ethan would emerge from the lunch line with Felix beside him. They were hoping that the fox would at least hear their proposal, if for no other reason than that they didn't want to be forced to look high and low throughout the school to find someone else.

"Think he's interested?" said Robbie.

"Hey," said Sandy, jerking his direction to the right. "See for yourself."

Robbie turned around, having been faced towards the stage in the school's "cafetorium" as they called it. Robbie saw Ethan walking beside a slender red fox. Both of them were headed towards their table.

"That's step one," said Sandy to Robbie. "Get ready for step two."

"Hey, guys," said Ethan. "This is Felix Moratti. Felix, this are my friends, Sandy Evans and Robbie Atkins."

"Nice to meet you guys. Hey," said Felix, pointing at Robbie. "Aren't you the guy who punched out Dean Miller last month?"

"I didn't punch him out," said Robbie. "He kept calling me and Sandy faggots, so I told him to shut his fucking mouth or he'd regret it. He shoved me, so I busted him right in his nose; kind of took all the fight out of him when he fell to the floor and started crying like a little bitch."

"I'm just glad that because he was the one who started it, you didn't really get in any trouble," said Sandy.

"Principal Chadwick told me if I did that again, he'd suspend me for a week," said Robbie. "I told him I'd learned my lesson and I think Dean Miller did too."

"He sure did," said Ethan. "He got what he deserved too."

"You guys were the ones who came out, right?" said Felix. "Good for you for doing that."

"Thanks," said Robbie, actually warming up to the fox. "We decided that we not only had to tell our families we needed to come out to everybody so we didn't have to hide anything."

"Anybody give you problems, other than Dean Miller?" said Felix, only now starting to eat his lunch.

"Nope," said Robbie. "We realized more people are accepting of gays than ever before, and everybody knows that Dean Miller is a huge piece of shit anyway, so it's not like they would sympathize with what he said to me and Sandy."

"Ethan tells me you guys have started a band, right?" said Felix.

"We have," said Sandy. "And he told us that he heard you sing, play guitar, and keyboards."

"I do," said Felix. "My whole family is pretty musical. My Mom teaches piano from home and my Dad plays guitar in a jazz band. My two older sisters are singers and I've also got two older brothers who are both going to Juilliard to study classical music."

"Juilliard?" said Ethan. "Holy shit. They must be good musicians."

"They are," said Felix. "I'm just glad they got scholarships because that's no cheap school."

"That's what my Dad told me," said Ethan. "So, you interested in coming over sometime and sitting in with us? I'm pretty sure Sandy and Robbie would love it if you did."

"Hey," said Felix. "I'd love to. I've actually been looking around to find kids to play music with, but it's like nobody really is interested, or they're not good enough musicians to play with."

"You don't have to worry about Ethan's ability," said Robbie. "He's been playing since he was four."

"And he kicks ass," said Sandy. "I'm just glad he agreed to form a band with us."

"He seems like a pretty cool guy," said Felix, grinning as only a fox could at Ethan. "Hey, looks like we've only got about five minutes before lunch ends. I gave you my number, right Ethan?"

"Sure did," said Ethan. "Just call me whenever it's best for you, okay?"

"Will do," said Felix, standing up with his lunch tray. "See you guys later."

"Bye, Felix," said Sandy.

"See you," said Robbie.

The three friends watched as Felix took his lunch tray up to the front and dumped out the remains. Robbie and Sandy noticed that Ethan had a strange look on his face as he watched Felix leave their table. The otter sat with his head propped up by both paws, a silly grin hung on his face.

"You okay, Ethan?" said Sandy.

"Yeah," said Ethan in a dreamy voice. "Tell you what, guys. Even if Felix isn't interested in joining our band, there's one place I hope he does join me."

"Where's that?" said Robbie.

"In my bedroom," said the otter. "God, he's cute."

Robbie and Sandy looked at each other, grinning. "Somebody's in love," said Sandy.

"Yeah," said Robbie. "Felix seems like a nice guy and I hope it works out."

Ethan looked at both of his friends. They'd never seen him look happier before in their lives. Yeah, they hoped it worked out for him alright.