The Matchmaker of Decaydance

The only thing I could think about while walking through the rows of buses was that it was grossly hot and humid outside. Looking for TAI’s bus was turning out to be a chore.

“I give up,” I grumbled. “William? Sisky? Butcher? Chizzy?” I called. “Quit hiding. It’s hot and gross and I want to see you guys.”

Suddenly a pink scarf covered my eyes and an arm wrapped securely around my torso just below my ribs. Fear rushed into my veins and I felt panic rising.

“Looking for me?” a voice crooned in my ear.

The fear instantly turned to anger. “William Beckett!” I turned in his arms, the scarf still around my eyes, and smacked his chest with my open palm. “You have no idea how much you just scared me.”

He was just chuckling.

“I was seriously ready to punch your lights out.”

“Aw, you wouldn’t do that to me.”

“Who says?” I growled. “I’m going to walk around. If you want to come with, you can.”

“I’ll get mobbed, but I guess I owe it to you.”

“Damn right. Let go of the scarf.” The pink scarf fell off of my head, and it was bright out again. “Whose is this, anyways?”

“Chizzy’s, I swear.”

“Sure. Proves the point to all of the people that think you’re gay.”

“Only for Gabanti.”

“Hey, I dibsed him.” I stopped walking as my phone vibrated. “Hold on, Bill. What is with everyone calling me today? Hello?”

“OH MY GOD ALANA!” Ashlee shouted in my ear.

“What!” I yelled back, holding the phone away from my ear.

“I’m pregnant!”

My jaw dropped. “No way!”

“Yeah! We didn’t think so because I wasn’t puking or anything but this last week was my second missed whatchamacallit and so I went in to the clinic and they tested and it was POSITIVE!” she ranted in one long run -on sentence.

“Oh my Guy Ripley, that’s amazing!”

“What’s going on?” a confused William asked.

“Ashlee’s officially going to have a kiddo!” I whispered to him. “How long? I mean, when are you due?”

“Late November, early December. I only had a short appointment today. So how’s the first week of Warped going?”

“Who cares? Can I tell people, please?”

“Yeah. Paparazzi rule, though.”

“Of course.” I giggled as William poked me in the side. “Quit it, Bill.”

“No,” he said, grinning like a little kid.

“Are you bored?”

“Yes.”

I sighed. “Okay, I’m off to spread the word among friends and entertain Bill, because all he can think about now is tickling me.”

“And succeeding,” he interjected.

“Right, whatever. I’ll call you later, Ash, I promise.”

“Okay. Miss you tons.”

“You too. Bye.” I snapped the phone shut and shoved William over. “Come on, you dope. I want to go see the BANK! booth.”