Smile for the Paparazzi

I spent so much time focusing on Trixie that time flew by. It seemed like I blinked and it was already May. By then, Trixie had gone through several rounds of chemotherapy. She was getting progressively better, so I finally left Chicago and moved to Los Angeles temporarily. I did a few movies and my relationship with Ryan continued getting more serious.

In the end of June, Ryan told me that he and Jon were leaving Panic at the Disco. The news didn’t really shock me, but I would miss hanging out with all of them together. The official stance was that they left for musical reasons, but I could see that Ryan was drifting apart from Spencer and Brendon.

In mid July, there was a photo leaked of Ryan with three girls and cocaine. That sparked a screaming match between us, but we eventually worked it out. It was now the end of August, and I returned to Chicago, with Ryan. Trixie was getting a bone marrow transplant soon, and I wanted to support her.

“Hey Trixie, you look great,” I said as Ryan and I entered her hospital room.

“Yeah, the doctors say that after this transplant, I might be able to go home,” she said smiling.

“That’s great!” I said, beaming.

“Yeah, it is. Hey Ryan, how’s the disco going?” She shifted her attention to Ryan.

“Huh? Oh, um, I’m not in Panic at the Disco anymore. Kate didn’t tell you?” he said awkwardly.

“No, she did not,” Trixie shot me a look before looking at Ryan again. “What are you doing now?”

“I’m in a new band, with Jon. We’re called the Young Veins.”

“Like young veins/old souls?”

“Something like that yeah,”

Trixie nodded and I jumped into the conversation. “I hope you haven’t been lonely with me in L.A.”

“Oh, no, it’s fine. Actually, Nik is in Chicago. He’s been visiting me for the past two weeks.”

“Really?” I asked raising my eyebrow. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Ryan tense. He still hated Nik. I made a mental note to myself to lock those two in a room together so Ryan could stop being such a bitch.

“Yeah, he’s been really supportive.”

“That’s great,” I said smiling.

We continued to talk for a while, until a nurse came in and told us that visiting hours were over.

While Ryan was driving to my apartment, I called Nik.

“Hello?”

“Hey, I didn’t know you were in town.”

“Trixie told me you went to LA to work, and I wasn’t working, so I flew up.”

“Cool. Hey, do you want to come over and tonight? I’ll make eggplant parmesan,” I said, smirking. Eggplant parmesan was Nik’s favorite meal and he knew I was a good cook. I had him trapped.

“I’d love to! What time?”

“Seven.” I then told him the address of my apartment and said goodbye. I glanced over at Ryan and took his right hand in my left.

“I love you, Ryan,” I said, intertwining our fingers.

“I love you too, Kate,” he said, looking over at me and smiling.

I was grateful that Ryan and I had been grocery shopping the day before. We had all the ingredients for eggplant parmesan except for the eggplants, so I ran out and bought some.

I set Ryan to work, helping me cook. “Ryan, please give Nik a chance,” I said as I rolled the eggplants in breadcrumbs, “for me.”

He nodded and I smiled. “For you,” he agreed.

Nik arrived a little before seven. I answered the door while Ryan was setting the table.

“Hey Nik. Wow, it’s been forever,” I said, smiling and kissing his cheek.

“It seems that way,” he said, smiling as well.

I led him into the kitchen. “Ryan, this is Nik. Nik, this is my boyfriend Ryan.”

“Hey Ryan,” Nik said, waving.

Ryan nodded in Nik’s direction and I said, “Okay, let’s dig in, shall we?”

We took our seats, Ryan on one side of me and Nik on the other. “So, Ryan, Kate tells me you’re in a band?”

“Yeah, I’m the guitarist in the Young Veins. I used to be in Panic at the Disco.”

“I’m so jealous. I’m pretty much musically disabled. I can’t play any instruments. I can’t even sing,” Nik said, laughing.

I could see Ryan soften from the compliments. Nik was truly a people person.

By the end of the night, Ryan no longer hated Nik. I would even go so far as to say that they were on their way to becoming friends.

“You’re boyfriend’s cute,” Nik said as I walked him to the door. “If he ever finds out that he swings the other way, give him my number, okay?”

“Nik!” I laughed. “I don’t appreciate you trying to steal my boyfriend.”

“I’m not trying to steal him, I’m just letting you know that if, God forbid, he realizes that he prefers men and you two break up, I’d like it if you could give him my number. I don’t try to turn straight men.”

I smiled. “Thanks Nik. If he becomes gay, I’ll give him your number.”

“Thank you, dear. Goodbye!”

“Bye,” I said, closing the door after him. I returned to the kitchen and helped Ryan clean up.

“Kate?”

“Yeah, Ryan?”

“I’m sorry for being such a bitch.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. I was completely rude about Nik for months without even knowing him.”

“Hmm, well, apology accepted,” I said, smiling. I wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a kiss. “Let’s watch Mean Girls tonight,”

He sighed. “That’s a horrible movie!”

“It’s funny!”

“No, it’s not,”

“Please Ryan?” I asked, giving him my puppy dog eyes.

He sighed. “Fine. Only for you,”

I smiled triumphantly, gave him a peck on his lips and bounced over to the TV to put in Mean Girls.