Do You Know What It Feels Like?

Saturday, 11:07 am

Fall Out Boy/Panic At The Disco tourbus; backlounge

There comes a time when one must wonder how exactly the world goes round. You can't feel it, so it just can't be. You don't get dizzy, so it's either you're motion-sickness immune, or it's just simply not happening. Or, maybe, one is just so absorbed in such a shocking turn of events that one just simply could not give a flyingfuck about the way the world moves.

Hey-

Wanna go catch a movie tonight? ;)

-Gabe

At the very least, she was thankful for the proper spelling - Lord only knows what wrath she would have unleashed on the slowly revolving Earth should it have read something along the horrible lines of " wna go ctch a mvie 2nyt?". The merciful almighty help his damned soul, should his fingers have even hovered over those forsaken letters.

Lazily, she tossed her phone onto the smooth wooden counter, watching as it slid carelessly across the surface. This was not right - another boy problem presenting itself to her, trying to push her to insanity. First, there was getting to know Ryan, liking him, trying to hide it, liking him behind a "just friends" facade, finding out he had a girlfriend, hating him for his stupid emo boy problems, then suddenly realizing she knew basically shit about the guy.

Now, just as she found herself recovering from the trauma that was the "Ross problem", this (hot) Spanish guy came prancing by her way, and happened to take what seemed to be genuine interest in her - either that, or he obviously didn't have a life and friends to go bother. This was where all the real confusion came in, and it was driving her crazy.

Apparently, this was where Ryan came in too.

"H-hey."

Andy looked up, chewing on her bottom lip, and stared at the figure by the door. She didn't recognize who it was at first, but after a few seconds processing, the name matched the stubbled face staring at her.

She nodded at him and turned away, still slightly, maybe, not really, hella mad at him. She couldn't help it - she held grudges. And everyone who knew her long enough knew that fact.

"Can... Can I sit next to you?" he asked quietly, glancing from her to the empty seat next to her.

She didn't hear him - or, at least, she pretended not to.

"Okay, then." Obviously, he remained as big-headed as he'd acted towards her, taking her cold silence as an affirmation of some sort.

The seat beside her sank down slightly, just enough to indicate that there was a change in the weight on the couch. She shifted away, not enough for him to notice, or so she thought.

"Look, Andy, I'm sorry about ... you know, what happened a few days ago."

She shrugged. There was nothing else to say to him because, oh my God, he got her so pissed, she couldn't even describe it. He was supposed to be her dream on legs, but even dreams die and melt into nightmares.

"You can't blame everything on me, you know. I mean, I know I shouldn't have gotten so mad, but I just got dumped, and I already asked you to, but you didn't just leave me alone."

She frowned and snapped her head to him, forgetting that she'd resolved never to speak to him again unless absolutely necessary - because, holy shit, he didn't just go there.

"Excuse me?"

"Sorry, I know I'm supposed to be apologizing, but haven't you ever gotten your heart broken? Add that emotional stress to someone annoying the fuck out of yo- that's not what I meant," he quickly covered up, hoping she didn't notice, but he was just too much, too late.

Andy stood up angrily and left Ryan there calling out to her, and maybe wanting to run after her. She went out to the main lounge and spotted her brother lazily slumped on a table, his shirt riding up his torso just a little.

Ew. She couldn't fathom the reason behind his millions and millions of crazy girl fans begging him to marry them. It was hell to be in the presence of her brother - an embarrassment so undescribable you could never fully bring yourself to speak of it, should you have the unfortunate chance to experience it.

"PETE!" she yelled, causing him to start and topple the poor piece of furniture over.

"JESUS CHRIST, ANDY! What the FUCK do you WANT?" He retorted angrily, irritated by her constant interfering with his (pointless, Andy always felt) life and actions.

"I'm going out to a movie tonight with Gabe," she told him simply, smoke still practically coming out of her ears. It would've made Pete laugh if only he could actually see the smoke.

"Yeah okay, whate- GABE?!"

"What, scared I'm stealing your boyfriend?" Andy smirked; making fun of Pete and his bisexuality always made her feel better. Already, she felt as though she once again had a shot at identifying someone else who had an even more miserable existence than she.

"He is not my boyfriend, but I don't trust him with you. You're not going."

Andy rolled her eyes, because, really, why did she even bother telling him when she knew he would totally disapprove?

"I'm going anyway," she replied curtly before turning away from him and heading for the bunks so that he wouldn't have the chance to yell at her some more.

"Where are you going?" She heard a voice to her right ask.

She turned her head and saw Brendon grinning at her from his bunk.

"To the movies with Gabe."

"Gabe who?" he quirked an eyebrow. "Saporta?"

"Any other Gabe we both know?"

"Point, but still, it could've been some other Gabe."

Andy shrugged and opened her mouth to ask him something but the question was lost when Ryan emerged from the backlounge. She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes.

"Damn, Ross, did you even try to apologize to Andy?" Brendon laughed at the scene in front of him.

"Bren, don't laugh, it's not funny," a voice behind him said.

"Tay?"

"Hey Andy." She leaned her chin on Brendon's chest and smiled at her friend.

"It so is funny, I mean, look at their faces."

All their eyes shifted from Andy to Ryan to Andy to Ryan and back again. It would've been funny, had the situation not been so serious.

"It's not funny, and I did apologize. She just doesn't want to forgive me," he frowned, his seemingly perfectly plucked eyebrows furrowing, and his lips, oh God, his gorgeous lips formed into a pout.

Andy very nearly attacked him with a spork for being so fucking adorable. Honestly, nothing was more attractive than his slight innocence, slight confusion, and one hundred percent natural slightly - effeminate beauty. He's too good-looking for someone so mastered in the art.

"Whatever, I'm going to relax and enjoy whatever the fuck movie Gabe's planning on watching tonight."

The tension that seemed to have momentarily lifted fell back down like a ten ton weight. "You're going out with Gabe?" Ryan wondered, less than nonchalant, leaning towards demanding. Andy haughtily raised her eyebrows, challenging him to say a little more.

"Yeah. So what if I am?" She snapped, obviously bothered by his being bothered by the bit of information she'd just shared. If that'd even made any sense.

"Gabe. Like Gabe Saporta?"

"Yes, Jesus Christ!" Andy yelled, this having been the third moment of questioning in less than fifteen minutes. "I don't suppose it's any of your fucking business either!"

"Of course not, your bitchy highness." Ryan replied with evident sarcasm, all attempts of patching things up with the Wentz sister escaping his consciousness. "Sorry for wondering like a normal human being." Andy opened her mouth to protest, but was interrupted.

"That's not nice," Brendon remarked in a slightly childish way.

"Fuck off." Ryan and Andy barked in the same manner, which would have been slightly amusing if not for the almost concrete amount of clashing electricity between the two. Andy's knuckles turned white from the fists her hands were balled into. How she could have found this insufferable man even the least bit attractive was beyond her at the given moment.

"Guys, chill out," Brendon tried to intervene. A hand shot up to silence him, and he did so, reluctantly.

"I don't suppose you even had a real plan of going out with the guy until like, what, five minutes ago? And I bet he texted you, which is so like Gabe." Ryan rolled his eyes. Andy shook a threatening fist at him.

"You are such a pain in the fucking ass. I cannot believe I even thought you -" She caught her tongue before her secret could slip out. Taylor cleared her throat, which didn't help matters at all.

"Thought that?" Ryan pressed, his eyes flashing.

"You - You're just... Get off my case already!" Andy yelled, flustered. She stomped away, into the back lounge, where Ryan had just come from. Plopping on the soft couch she had basically claimed the usage right to call her own, she crossed her arms and let out a small growl from the back of her throat.

"Maybe you should talk to her," Someone whispered from the bunks area. She recognized the voice as Brendons, and rolled her eyes - he was probably trying to get Ryan to apologize, which was, by far, the most unintelligent thing to suggest. And even if he basically grovelled at her feet, she wouldn't take it - he was insufferable, that was what he was.

"I don't enjoy people biting my head off," Ryan replied in a sort of angry attempt at a whisper, which just made it louder.

"If you haven't noticed," Taylor interrupted, "YOU haven't exactly been a saintly role model yourself, Ryan."

"Oh, shut it, Taylor." Ryan said sarcastically, and Andy could picture him giving her some sort of sour look that everyone else would probably ignore.

"It's true, though." Brendon's voice piped in.

"God, you guys are fucking annoying. Go jump in a hole." Andy heard his footsteps collide with the floor to the main lounge, where she faintly heard a, 'what's going on?' from her idiot brother directed to Ryan.

"Are you okay, Andy?" Brendon appeared at the doorway. "You're not mad, are you?"

"Not at you." Andy replied bitterly, looking at the floor.

"Don't worry," Brendon assured her. "Ryan's just having some sort of bad day. He'll get over it, I'm sure."

"Yeah, okay." Andy muttered, her face scrunched up in anger. "Whatever you say."

"Aw, come on, cheer up. Wanna go see a movie?" He teased.

"Oh, shut up Brendon!" She snapped tiredly. "Go entertain yourself in your little head and just leave me alone."

"Jeez, okay." He actually sounded quite hurt, and she immediately regretted her words and tone. He retreated back to his sanctuary, crawling into his bunk. A muffled, "does everyone hate me?" reached her ears.

"No, I don't." Came the slightly sleepy reply.

"Yeah, but you don't count." He said childishly. A scoff was heard.

"Thanks." Taylor didn't even try to hide the sarcasm in her voice. "That's real sweet."

"I didn't mean it like that!"

"Yeah, I know, you usually never do."

"What does that mean?" He demanded, and she heard the thunk as his head shot up, hitting the upper bunk's bottom. The 'ow,' followed quietly, pitifully.

"Nothing. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. What does it mean?"

"It means you should probably not involve yourself right now." Taylor said warily.

"They're my friends."

"I know. Surprisingly, they're mine too."

"... You're not on your peroid, are you?"

"Funny, you should mention that." Came the slow answer. Andy giggled, despite herself.

"Oh, sorry."

"Yeah, me too." A silence followed, probably filled in my actions more than words.

Andy sighed, lying down on her couch, her head sinking down into the squishy armrest. Sadly, she thought about how she wished she could have conversations like that with someone, even slightly dysfunctional arguments like those. She wished it would be with a specific someone, a certain man who she had been furious with a moment ago.

She wished she could have that moment of silence, too.

x

"It's really great that you could come out tonight." Gabe smiled dazzlingly, and Andy wondered exactly how her mind could still be wandering about when the attractive Hispanic man was leading her to the movie theatre across the mall.

"Yeah, I thought, you know, why not have some fun?" Andy shrugged, trying her best to remain externally nonchalant.

"Oh, fun you'll have, I guarantee." He replied cheekily.

"Well, okay, great, but the fun has to end by eleven because Pete'll start losing his marbles if I'm not back by then." She warned him. He rolled his eyes and shot her a cocky grin.

"Pete's such a loser sometimes. But, hey, you gotta love the man."

"I am the sole exception to the rule." Andy breathed. Gabe laughed, then put his arm around her shoulders.

"No sweat, querida. I'll have you back by eleven. And as a bonus, your brother will find you in one piece, too, just because I'm that nice."

"Thanks, I guess."

They approached the ticket booth, and, with a gentlemanly flourish, Gabe whipped out his wallet to pay for the expenses.

"Real smooth," She commented, smirking. More and more, she was beginning to wonder why she had even considered rejecting Gabe in the first place. "You've stolen my heart."

"Of course I have, it's inevitable." He grinned, walking her to the entrance of the movie theatre. He pulled the door open in one careless motion, gesturing her inside. She couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous, yet noticably sweet effort to please her.

"Has anyone ever told you you're so full of it, Gabe?" She wondered, as they travelled through the dark hall that opened to the rows of overstuffed red seats and the large, bright screen.

"Every single day, in every single way." He answered.

You might think that the movie date played out the way all movie dates would - the girl, immersed in the movie, does not notice that the insanely desperate boy trying to pull all the traditional moves he scrawled onto his palm two minutes before their meeting. She warms up to him, and they watch the film in tense yet loving silence. They exit the movie theatre, grab a bite to eat (perhaps share on a plate of spaghetti, reminiscient of 'Lady and the Tramp', though this might be a slight exaggeration already) and the night ends on a sad yet sweet note, with an exchange of quiet words and shy kisses between the two parties. And they lay in bed, still sighing and dreaming of the events that passed, blaming time for walking too fast, and quietly reprimanding the night for coming to a close.

But, then again, we speak of Andy Wentz and Gabriel Saporta here.

Oh, Gabe did try to make it as cliche as possible - by the opening credits, he'd gotten bored and begun to let his mind wander around, thinking of a way to attract Andy without bringing about a fuss. He'd even gone so far as to try to maneuver his arm around her, in the well-known technique that was "THE yawn".

But our Andy is not that type of girl.

"Gabe."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry, but your arm around me is really distracting, not to mention just totally lame." Immediately, he pulled his extended body part back to where it belonged, dejected and somewhat appalled. Andy let her eyes flicker amusedly towards his face for a brief second before returning her attention back to the screen. Unable to pull any more stunts on his companion, Gabe Saporta promptly fell asleep by the tenth scene, giving in to a long battle against his heavy eyelids.

Andy then had to go through the trouble of waking him up, which he'd done so reluctantly, mindlessly uttering an, "Is it done? FINALLY," before getting up and stumbling out of the theatre.

They did grab a bite to eat, but it could hardly be classified as romantic - By ten in the evening, almost all restaurants were closed or closing, leaving fast food chains as the only available option. Silence passed as they munched away in the ever-loved McDonalds.

"I hope you had as much fun as I did." Gabe piped in as he drove her back. She yawned comically before replying.

"It was alright."

"Alright?" He quirked an eyebrow. "You're joking."

"No, YOU'RE joking." She rolled her eyes. "Had as much fun as you did? You fell asleep before anything even HAPPENED."

"I had a lot of fun sleeping, excuse me." He defended, not skipping a beat. She scoffed, but did not comment. "Okay, I know I wasn't exactly the best guy to have around at that time. It would probably be more interesting if you sat and watched with a stuffed toy. But you have to understand, I honestly haven't gone on a proper date in a couple or more years. People tend to get rusty after a while."

She didn't speak, and so he left it at his reasons, hanging over the tension that pressed down.

Arriving at their venue, she quickly stumbled her way out of the car and began to stride towards the tour bus she considered the closest thing to home. She heard the car door slam behind her, and in a few steps, Gabe had caught up with her - damn him, for being a six footer.

"Sorry."

"What for?"

"About the shitty time you had tonight."

She smiled slightly, stopping at the entrance to the bus. Behind his head, she could see, the curtain rustled suspiciously. "That's okay. It wasn't that bad."

"Honestly?" He looked shocked.

"Well, okay, it was pretty bad." She giggled as his face fell. "But it's okay. Maybe next time, you'll act better. And maybe have picked up a cup of starbucks before we go out."

He grinned, his former glow returning. "Next time. Awesome."

No other contact passed between the two; a simple goodbye wave would have to content them both for the timebeing. Andy entered the bus, plopped down on her beloved couch, and closed her eyes as she listened to the sound of the car grow further away.

Of course, even if this date had not completely turned out as expected, there is one consolation - the thought that there is always something, something that will happen the way it should.

About three seconds after Andy positioned herself comfortably on her cushions, a large, somewhat heavy mass in the form of her best friend attacked her, laughing gaily all the way. Taylor looked her friend straight in the eye, and, with full attention and eagerness, demanded:

"Tell me EVERYTHING."

x.fin.x