Scream: A Drake & Josh Story

Ready Or Not

Drake groaned when music blasted from his phone. For a moment, he didn't move, and instead just listened to the rock tune as he continued resting on his stomach and hugging his pillow.

The fire in your veins is just a joke you tell yourself
Another way to cut the cost, hide your face from all the guilt
And it's a shame to have to say you had to kill to gain control
But at least you made some money, hey, let the good times roll

During the guitar solo that followed, Drake realized that this wasn't the song he had set as his alarm; this was his ringtone. He turned over and picked it up, then looked at the screen, which read Unknown ID. Usually, he didn't answer these kinds of calls, but he was half asleep and wasn't thinking clearly.

"Hello?" he said.

"Good morning, sleepyhead."

His brows furrowed as he rubbed his tired eyes. He didn't recognize the scratchy male voice, and he couldn't think of anyone who would greet him this way. "Hmm?"

"Wakey wakey."

"I think you have the wrong number," he almost slurred.

"I don't think I do, Drake."

He opened his eyes finally and lifted his head off the pillow as if that would help him see clearer. He checked the screen again, wondering if he had seen the name wrong or perhaps dreamt it. "Who is this?"

"You'll find out," the man said, "soon enough."

"Who the fuck is this?"

"Do you wanna play a game, Drake?"

"Fuck you."

He hung up, then pushed himself into a sitting position and rubbed his eyes some more. He was still so tired, his sleep having been riddled with nightmares, as usual. At one point, Josh asked him if he was okay, to which he said he was. Being plagued by nightmares made him feel weak, and he didn't want anyone to see him as such. Plus, he didn't want to live through the bad dreams again by retelling them, so he buried them deep in the back of his mind.

Now that he'd given himself a bit of time to wake up, he thought about the strange phone call. Someone was trying to mess with him, but who? Trevor maybe? He was probably stoned and desperate for entertainment. Or perhaps Vance? Drake had changed his phone number twice already. Who kept giving that kid his contact info?

He brushed that thought to the side and picked up his phone again to check his texts. He had one from his bandmate Jaysen, informing him about the practice they were having later that afternoon. There was one from Braid Girl, last night's date. He didn't have her number saved in his phone, and she didn't give her name because she assumed he remembered it, but he knew it was her based on the context clues from her message. She wanted to hang out again after school. There was another text from an unnamed girl from his past, the contents similar to the first, and lastly, there was a message from Trevor, asking him if he wanted to smoke before school. That was the only one he replied to.

He had one last stretch, and the bones in his shoulders popped, then he climbed down the ladder and got an outfit together. He stopped by the bathroom for his morning routine, then headed to the kitchen and made himself a bowl of cereal. He was reading a message from Trevor when Josh entered. His stepbrother grabbed himself a bowl, then sat down in the seat across from him and poured himself some cereal.

"Hey," he greeted cheerfully. Early mornings never bothered him.

"Hey," Drake replied absently.

Josh took a bite of his Cap'n Crunch, waiting for the boy to acknowledge him, but he didn't. "Did you do the homework for Mrs. Hayfer?"