It's Really Happening

I stepped out into the hallway, chuckling lightly at the last few remarks I heard before closing the door behind me. I quickly scrolled through my contacts before selecting Josh's number and calling.

"I miss you." I smiled the second I heard his voice, and I began to walk down the hallway slowly before I answered.

"I miss you too. Rian told me you called."

"I did. I wanted to hear your voice."

"Can you be any more adorable?"

"I'm going to try and salvage what's left of my masculinity right now." Josh chuckled.

"You do that," I replied, still smiling. "How was your day?"

"Pretty good. I told my folks about us."

"Oh? How'd that go?" I asked as I glanced out the window at the end of the hall. I traced my fingers over the glass as I listened to Josh tell me about his day.

"It went well." I rolled my eyes.

"And?"

"And my mom cried in happiness and my dad clapped me on the back. He hasn't done that since I graduated!"

"Your father is weird."

"He is," Josh replied with a laugh. "But the good news is they love you and they're happy for us."

"Well that's good to know," I answered with a sort laugh. "When are you coming out here?" I asked, trying to keep my tone from being a whine but sadly I failed miserably.

"As soon as I can. Who's there now?"

"Well you knew Zack and Rian were here, but Alex and Jack showed up about an hour ago."

"Oh yeah, Rian mentioned something about you hitting them," he said with a laugh. "What was that about?"

"Well it all started when Zack, Eris, Rian and I were playing Bullshit and Eris accused me of cheating-"

"Which you do."

"I do not!"

"You did that one time!"

"That was one time! And I didn't hear you complaining."

The time I was referring to had actually happened years before, back when Josh and I had first started spending time with each other outside of shows. One of the nights he was at my place, we started playing cards and since neither of us had money and I didn't have poker chips, we began betting silly things.

It started out with things like "loser gets the winner a drink" or "loser gives winner a neck massage" among others. Luckily for me I won the neck massage while Josh won the drink. As I rummaged through the cupboards, I stumbled upon a bottle of Jack Daniels and brought it out since I knew Josh almost never turned down a drink.

"But...you're not legal?" he asked in confusion when I set the bottle on the table.

"Did that ever stop you?"

Another few rounds of poker later, I was a bit more adventurous than I had been before. Even though I was slightly intoxicated, my luck (dubbed beginner's luck by my dad and it had definitely carried through the years) was still helping me win the rounds I wanted to. Since the game had started, I had had an ulterior motive. Now that we were both under the influence, I could use it to my advantage.

"Alright," I began as I started to shuffle the cards. "If I win, I get something but you don't get to know what until I win."

"What if you don't win?" Josh asked, setting his elbows up on the table.

"You mean I lose and you win?" I asked, mimicking his position. "Then you can have the same prize." I held out my hand, smirking a little.

"Deal," he agreed as he shook my hand. I dealt out the cards with a smirk, which completely vanished when I looked at the hand I had gotten. It was then that I decided that I would use the tricks I had learned but never used before. I cheated.

"Did I ever tell you what I was going to ask for if I won?"

"I don't think so," I answered as I peered out of the window, seeing a suspiciously familiar-looking figure entering the building.

"I was going to ask for the same thing you did." I tapped my fingers on the glass as I chuckled softly.

"I love you."

"I love you, too." I started walking back towards the apartment, which coincidentally led me to the staircase as well.

"Hey, Josh?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"Is Dave in California?" I asked as I peered down into the depths of the staircase. A moment later, a familiar face popped up on the ground floor and waved at me.

"Yeah...why?"

"Because he just popped up at Eris' place."

"I see," he replied with a laugh. "I'll let you go, then. Love you."

"Love you too. Call me tomorrow." I hung up the phone and looked down at Dave as a chuckle passed my lips. "David?!"

"Abby! What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question!" He started climbing the stairs and I leapt into his arms as he reached the third floor. "It's good to see you!"

"You too! So what are you doing here?" As I pulled back I lifted my left hand and wiggled my fingers. He looked back and forth between the sparkly ring on my finger and my face before he hugged me again.

"You know, this is the 3rd time today that I've been attacked after telling someone I'm engaged?"

"Aww, this wasn't an attack. It's just a hug." Dave hugged me tightly once more and laughed. "And now I wanna know why you didn't tell me before."

"Because I thought Josh would?" I proposed. "Apparently I give that boy too much credit."

"Doesn't everyone?" Dave asked. I rolled my eyes and smacked Dave's shoulder roughly. He laughed, stepping back to avoid another blow.

"And people say I'm mean," I muttered under my breath as I turned towards the apartment door, motioning for Dave to follow. As I pushed the door open I heard Eris yelling at Jack to shut up, and I looked back at Dave with a smile.

"Pulp Fiction?" he said with a light chuckle. "Nice."

After various hellos, random conversation, and Jack being nearly beaten to death with a pillow by Eris, the seven of us were kicked out of Eris' apartment by her roommate. Turns out she really was trying to study.

"Where are we going to go now?" I asked Eris as the two of us pulled on our coats while hiding out momentarily in her room. It was probably the last time the two of us were going to have any time to ourselves for quite a while.

"I have no idea. You?" I racked my brain for an idea as I patted my pockets down in search of my wallet. I swore under my breath when I didn't find it before beginning to spin around in a circle to look for it.

"Well, we could...go...to...fuck- where did it- umm...that one place...ahh!" I threw my hands up in the air and turned to Eris with a pout on my face and she laughed.

"Lose something?" I nodded.

"My wallet," I grumbled. I whimpered pathetically as I flailed my arms around. "Where did it go?!"

"Five bucks says Bassam took it."

"Dammit," I cursed, striding over to the door and yanking it open. "BARAKAT DO YOU HAVE MY WALLET?!"

"NO!"

"GASKARTH?!"

"NO!"

"Yes he does!"

"FUCKER!"

"THANK YOU RIAN! GET IT BACK FOR ME!" I yelled before slamming the door again. "Okay. Now that that's over..."

"Back to more important things?" Eris asked with a smirk. I nodded.

"How about...we make the boys take us out somewhere?"

"Sounds good to me," she answered as she swung the door open, revealing Zack standing in the doorway. "Hello boyfriend!"

"Hey," he replied. "What's the plan?"

"Night on the town!" We slipped out of her room around Zack and greeted the rest of the boys. "Alexander's paying!"

"And not with my wallet!" I shouted as Rian held it out for me with a smile. "Thank you!" I hugged him quickly before looping my arm with Eris' as we headed for the front door, the boys hot on our tail.

The seven of us ended up in the Haight, where there was always something to do.

Even though most of the weird, indie shops were closed for the night, there were plenty of other places that piqued our interest. Luckily, Amoeba was still open and since all of us were at least somewhat musically inclined, the record shop was a must.

Upon stepping into the store we all split up and spread out among the racks upon racks of CDs, tapes, and records. Eris and I did have an upper hand on the guys, since we weren't supposedly famous, but I always had a weird feeling people were watching me when I was in a record store.

Maybe it was because I sometimes ran from rack to rack, searching for just the right artist for my mood, maybe it was because I'd put on the huge headphones to listen to a new CD and rock out if I liked what I heard. I couldn't help that I had weird habits that just happened to draw the attention of others.

So there I was, in the vinyl section, drooling over David Bowie when out of the corner of my eye I saw Dave coming up the aisle. I did a double take when I saw him because as he was getting closer, I realized he was dancing.

"David? What aisle are you in?"

"I'm in the dancing aisle!" I burst out laughing, leaning on the rack of vinyl for support.

"You're ridiculous."

"So's your fiancé."

"Touché." Dave smiled at me as he began to peruse the row of vinyl next to the one I was hovering over.

"So what're we doing next?" I shrugged and let out a sigh as I turned away from the Bowie that I might've wanted but really didn't need.

"Alex and Jack will probably drag us back to the hookah bar we passed on the way here." Dave let out a chuckle as he followed me back down the aisle, looking around for our comrades.

"I've never been in a hookah bar," he admitted a moment later.

"Really? Well we will have to document it!" I smirked.

"Hey. You know what happened the last time you and I were on camera together."

"Good point." I bit my lip. "I don't think your mom likes me."

"She does! She just...hates seeing me being an idiot."

"But...you're always an idiot!" Dave put me in a headlock and I couldn't stop myself from laughing. "I mean in a lovable way!"

"Yeah, sure," he answered as he kept me under his arm.

"Hell-oh. This is new." I looked up as far as I could, given Dave's hold around my neck, to see Eris cocking her head to the side to get a look at me.

"Not another word!" She snickered and looked at Dave.

"What'd she do now?"

"She called me an idiot!"

"Aww, but you're such a lovable idiot," Eris cooed as she pinched his cheek.

"See? She said it too! NOW LET ME GO!" Dave released me finally and I rubbed my neck as I rolled my head from side to side. "I'm going to sic Josh on your ass."

"Bring it!" Dave countered with a laugh. I wrapped my arms around him in a hug and he chuckled good-naturedly as he hugged me back.

"Hookah?" We turned to see Jack and Alex standing beside us with large grins on their faces. I looked at Eris and she rolled her eyes.

"Hookah."