Eli was busy in the kitchen, thinking  and occupying himself with the food he was preparing for his friends. It was his turn to make lunch today, and he had decided on making lasagne. The glass pan was just about ready to be put in the oven for a while, Eli only had to finish up with the cheese on top.

Eli heard quick footsteps come up to the door before Geoff opened it, wearing a wide grin. The shorter of the two glanced Geoff's way, furrowing his brow. "What?" he asked, reacting with a slight smile of his own, "You look like you won the lottery or somethin'."

Geoff raised his eyebrows and made hand motions as if something was obvious, his smile never fading. Eli just shrugged, not having a clue what the bass was referring to.

After a few moments of disappointment, the bass looked shocked at his friend, blinking once in the silence before pacing over to the radio and turning the volume up a couple notches. "It's our song." he exasperated, "How could you forget?"

Eli let out a small laugh, shaking his head before looking back down at the pasta he was preparing. "Since when is this our song?"

Just then, Layne entered the kitchen, head bobbing to the beat. "I like this song." he mentioned as he went over to the fridge to grab a drink. "Ah, high school. Good memories."

"Layne remembers," Geoff pointed out, already getting into the beat. "Isn't this our song, Layne?"

Layne pulled out a side from the fridge before shrugging, "It was either this or Spice Girls."

Geoff chuckled in response and so did Eli. It wasn't too long after when Earl peeked into the room, saying with a slight grin, "This song? Really?" Earl asked.

Eli carried the pan over to the oven before opening it and sliding it in. He then set the time and replied with, "Apparently it's our song, according to Geoff."

"Ooh, count me in." Earl answered, strolling into the kitchen with a swagger in his step.

"Hold up, men." Geoff interrupted the gang, holding up his hands to make halting gestures. "I believe we are missing one fifth of our party."

"He's in his room." Layne mentioned knowingly, "He just got back."

Earl rolled his eyes, "I'll get him." he exasperated before heading out the door to get the remaining member.

Soon enough, Earl had the black-haired baritone following after him, only half his hair done. Tony entered into the kitchen, his first response being, "The Jackson 5? Our song? Since when?"

Geoff's eyebrows rose, "Seriously? Any of you?" he asked with a look of betrayal. 

"All I remember is hips." Earl mentioned as he looked back on the memories, "Hips that couldn't tell a lie."

Geoff shook his head in utter disappointment before saying, "Well then, boys, I think it's time for another stroll down memory lane."

~ Flashback~

The five sat on the grass in the front of of the school. Their school was hosting activities outside along with lunch.

Layne sat next to Tony, who lay on the grass with his shades on. "Why is it so hot?" Tony groaned as the sun beat down on all five of them.

"Well the sun's heat in the atmosphere —" Eli began, but was soon interrupted by Earl.

"I know we're at school, but I don't think a science lesson is wanted at the moment." Earl answered.

"It's not that hot." Layne pointed out, then glanced down at Tony. "It probably doesn't help that you're wearing mainly black either." he told the man beside him.

Tony rolled his eyes.

Eli glanced around the area at all the students. He sat cross-legged with his hands absentmindedly pulling at the grass blades in front of him. As he did so, the song playing outside had switched to the Jackson 5's ABC. "Haven't heard this one in a while." he commented.

"It's an oldie, but a goodie." Layne added in optimistically with a small nod.

"Well then what'd ya say, Layne? Wanna dance?" Earl challenged the taller man.

"Whoo, boy. I have got to see this," Geoff said with interest as he leaned back to glance around Layne.

Layne laughed before standing up and stepping aside from the group, followed by Earl. Both of them had their game faces on, Geoff and Eli clearly amused.

"Hey, boys." came Tristan's voice as she approached the group, wearing the school logo and sporty clothes to go along with it. The girl took note of the two boys' behaviour. "What's going on here?" she grinned a bit, "Either it's some sort of male right-of-passage or you boys are actually gonna bust a move."

"Male right of passage. Definitely." Eli agreed with the right amount of sarcasm in his voice.

Tristan let out a soft laugh, "Either way, I've got to see this."

"Do you doubt all this?" Earl raised an eyebrow as he motioned towards himself. 

"I think that I better show you guys how it's done." Geoff said before also rising to his feet and rolling up his sleeves.

"Do you dance, Eli?" Tristan asked the shorter man as she took a seat on the grass next to him. The shorter man pondered this with a finger on his chin.

"Well, I had to study foreign dance in history." he pointed out, then smiled slightly, "And I picked up a thing or two from New Kids on the Block."

"Then what're you waiting for? Show those guys who has the best moves!" Tristan encouraged the tenor. That was enough to earn a bright smile from him and a confident nod of his head. She giggled before Eli was up and on his feet and ready join his friends.

Tristan sighed as she watched the boys play. Catching a glimpse of the oddball laying on the grass, she decided to scoot on over his way.

Tony, on the other hand, decided that if he stayed still long enough, maybe no one would notice he still existed.

Then he heard a familiar voice say, "Hey, Tony." she was surprisingly close, so much it started him a little. "Don't act like I don't notice you're being an anti-social butterfly over here."

Tony sighed, then opened his eyes to see the dark-haired girl looming over him with a playful grin on her lips. "Hey, Tristan. And I'm not anti-social, I just don't dance."

"Ha!" the girl replied in disbelief, "I think you're just scared those guys'll cramp your style."

Tony raised an eyebrow skeptically, his green eyes meeting her blue ones. "Okay, okay." he gave in, then raised an hand, "My name is Tony Wakim and I swear by the Name of Starbucks that I do have style."

As Tony attempted to get comfy once more, Tristan had said, "What's that even supposed to mean?"

"How much you wanna bet that they've already tackled each other to the ground?" Tony assumed without even a mere glance. Tristan glanced up to see exactly that.

"Not bad. But if you don't get up, I'm gonna tell them to doggy-pile on you next." Tristan threatened with a taunting tone.

"What is this, blackmail?" Tony asked before Tristan took his hand and offered to help him up.

He reluctantly accepted it and stood up. The baritone mumbled words as he brushed the grass and leaves off his clothes. His green eyes glanced upwards and towards his friends.

Geoff, who had grass blades and leaves stuck in his hair, was now standing. He hip-bumped Layne before laughing and saying, "C'mon, Layne! Your hips are made 'a nothing but sugar, spice, and everything nice."

"Isn't that all Layne's made outta?" Earl questioned. Layne gave them both looks as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Geoff caught the looks Earl was giving him and accepted the hip-shaking competition, strolling his way over to the tenor.

"Have you been living under a rock or do you not how to 'shake it'?" Tristan asked the baritone as she put her hands on her hips.

Their eyes met for a second before Tony shrugged and came back with a playfully sassy remark, "I said it once, I'll say it again, I don't dance."

Tristan gave him a look that said 'you did not just sass me', but before she could say anything, she was cut off by a catcall coming from Layne's direction.

The two glanced over to Layne, both sharing equally confused looks.

Layne, who also had grass and twigs in hus hair and on his clothes, spun his invisible lasso and threw it towards the baritone. An amused look played on the girl's lips before she turned her eyes towards the person standing next to her.

Tony blinked with confused eyes before gesturing towards himself and mouthing the word, 'me?'. Layne nodded with a growing smirk and a twitch of his eyebrows before he began to pull Tony in to the beat of the music.

"Is it just me or did it get a lot hotter out here?" Tristan joked teasingly as she peered at the very confused Tony. The baritone shot her a look that could kill, but she only gave a laugh along with a firm shove in Layne's direction, saying, "Go on, you scaredy cat."

Little to Layne's fear, Tony was firing looks at him that could only mean one thing, 'I'm gonna take that rope and I'm gonna strangle you with it.'

Layne was amused by it, so he hip-bumped Tony lightly. Unexpectedly, the baritone sought revenge and Layne felt the smaller man's hip collide with his knock him off balance.

Meanwhile, Geoff was already on the ground with his hands behind his head and his brown eyes looking up at the sky.

Eli joined the bass and sat next to him, "Tired already?" he questioned with a surprised tone.

Geoff blinked and tried to hold back a pained smile, "I actually think I pulled something." he confessed.

"Should I go get you an ice pack?" Eli offered.

"Yes, please." Geoff accepted before Eli began to walk off to the office to fetch an ice pack for his friend.

"Out of the game so soon, Geoff?" Tristan asked as she, Layne, and Tony all took a seat near him, Layne rubbing the side of his hip.

"He just couldn't handle all 'a this." Earl answered smugly as he, too joined his friends.

"Hey, who knew hips could move that way?" Tristan pointed out in all fairness.

"They don't. At least mine don't. That's probably why I'm down here." Geoff answered.

Layne laughed before jerking a thumb towards Tony and saying, "Same goes for him."

Tony rolled his green eyes but couldn't seem to hide his slight smile. Tristan gave him a look, then said, "If I woulda known, I wouldn't have gone so easy on you."

Just then, Eli came back with an icepack, taking a seat before offering it out to the bass.

"Thank goodness." Geoff said gratefully before resting the ice pack on his forehead instead of his hip. "It's hot out here."

~ End Flashback ~

Eli sighed, "Good times." he reminisced as the other four seemed to also be lost in thoughts.

"I think I still feel that pulled muscle right here..." Geoff pondered as his hand went to his hip and he rubbed it.

"And I still remember this," Tony said before crashing his hip into Layne's once more. Layne yelped in surprise before stumbling and smashing into Geoff.

"Ah! The soft spot!" Geoff said in reference to his hip before catching  himself on the counter.

By this time, the song had long ended and Eli had already turned down the volume to its normal setting. "Guys, guys." he shook his head. "Let's not break anything."

"That means my bones, too, Tony." Layne said to the baritone, who only smirked.

"You guys gonna help set the table or not?" Earl asked as he began to get the dishes out.

"Yeah, yeah." Geoff answered before opening a drawer and getting the cutlery out.

Just as Tony was going to get cups, Layne decided to get his sweet revenge and hip-bump Tony one last time. Tony, who was caught off guard, stumbled too the side.

Despite Eli's looks off disapproval, Layne smirked while Tony just shook his head.

~•~

ScarletMIX