The Punchline to the Joke Is Asking

Five minutes later, two figures were racing down the street at me, opposite the way I’d come. I could see Joe, Brendon, and Ryan peering around the corner of the building curiously, wondering why I’d stopped my purposeful march.
“Keisha! Blaise!” I yelled, as we tackled each other, screaming and crying tears of joy.
“Cyan, do you know how much we’ve missed you?” Blaise yelled at me.
“Not as much as I’ve missed you.” I laughed. “And everyone calls me ‘Cyn’, now.”
Blaise hauled Keisha and I off the sidewalk, then took my face in his hands and kissed both my cheeks.
“I missed you so much.” I said, grabbing them and hugging tight enough to make them choke and sputter incoherently as tears of joy leaked down my face.
“We missed you, too.” Keisha gasped when I released them.
“Where’d you go? Where’d you come from? How’d you get here? Why’d you come back?” Blaise started rambling, but I clapped a hand over his mouth.
“You really haven’t changed.” I grinned crookedly, nodding happily.
“Not like you, ‘Cyn’.” Teased Keisha, and I laughed.
“You have no idea, sweetheart.”
“Are those creepy guys watching us?” Blaise whispered, his gaze locked over my shoulder.
“They would be my so-called friends, who decided to stalk me for the safety of myself and my parents.” I rolled my eyes. “Brendon, Ryan, Joe, stop being creeps and get your asses over here or back to the bus!” I yelled over my shoulder, turning towards them.
I saw Brendon take off for the bus, but Ryan grabbed him by the back of his shirt and hauled him along as he and Joe strode towards us. It was comical, really, watching the slightly shorter, much skinnier Ryan drag Brendon around.
I giggled slightly, watching Brendon try to get away, screaming something about how I’d kill him in his sleep.
“Is that… Ryan Ross dragging Brendon Urie towards us?” Keisha asked, wide-eyed.
“With Joe Trohman?” Blaise added.
“Yup.” I sighed, hooking my arms through my friends’ and marching towards the three men.
“Cut it out, Brendon. I can’t kill you.” I rolled my eyes, trying not to laugh.
“’Cause you love me, right?” He perked up, smiling at me happily.
“No, your fangirls would lynch me.” I sighed, shaking my head sadly. “They can be vicious.”
Brendon’s face fell comically. “But…but… what about all the laughs, the Monsters we shared? I thought what we had was special!” He wailed, dropping to his knees and wrapping his arms around my legs, pretending to sob theatrically into my jeans.
I considered him for a moment, then shrugged. “I’ve moved on, sweetheart. I’m sure you can find someone else, though.” I glanced at Keisha out the corner of my eye, grinning wickedly, and her already black cheeks darkened slightly. She was one of the only African Americans in our town, and one of my best friends. Blaise was openly gay. The Nazis hated both of them, but I loved them because they were such amazing people.
Brendon glanced up and noticed Keisha, then smiled up at her, giving her his infamous puppy eyes. “Will you be my bestest friend?” He batted his eyelashes innocently, and she giggled.
“Of course.” She reached down and ruffled his hair, then he sprang up, glomming onto her in a tight hug. “I’m Keisha, by the way.”
“I’m Brendon!” The hyperactive singer yelled happily.
“She knows.” I smirked. “She likes Panic!”
“Really?” Brendon asked happily, pulling back to look at her as she nodded, grinning crookedly. “I KNEW you were awesome!” He hugged her tightly again, making her laugh.
“Well, we feel loved.” I rolled my eyes, draping an arm around Blaise’s shoulders, then frowning slightly. “When did you get taller than me?” I mused, making him snicker.
“We’re all taller than you, sweetheart.” He reminded me, and I nodded glumly.
“Yeah. Even Pete.” I sighed. “I’m fun size.”
“More like bite size.” Blaise winked at me.
“What would you do if I did bite you?” I teased, shoving him a little, then looking at Ryan and Joe. “Dudes, meet the awesomeness that is Blaise.”
“Hello.” They replied together, slightly cold. I just raised my eyebrows, somewhat amused.
“He’s gay.” I grabbed his left hand, holding it up so the guys could see the rainbow terrycloth wristband he wore proudly.
“Ok.” Joe grinned, visibly relaxing, and Ryan looked relieved. “I was worried about having to give you ‘the talk’.” Joe snickered.
“Do you realize how horribly I would hurt you if you even mentioned ‘the birds and the bees’?” I grinned wickedly, and his smirk slid right off his face.

“So, what have you been up to for the past 7 years?” Blaise asked as we walked down the street. I had linked arms with him and Ryan, and Keisha had linked arms with Brendon and Joe.
“It’s been seven years? I thought it was six.” I mused. “No, wait, you’re right.” I thought back. “Dude, I’m seventeen!” I grinned at him, and he laughed.
“You’ve been seventeen since May.” He informed me.
“Shit, have I really? I forgot when my birthday was!” I laughed, earning strange looks from everyone.
“You’re the oddest person I’ve ever met.” Ryan shook his head at me sadly.
“You’re pretty odd yourself.” I teased wickedly, making Brendon giggle as Ryan rolled his eyes.
“Clever.” He replied drily, and I stuck my tongue out at him.
“You know you love me.”
Ryan heaved a dramatic sigh. “That I do.” He admitted sadly.
“Anyway, where’ve you been? What’ve you been doing?” Blaise repeated eagerly. I hadn’t been telling them in my emails; I hadn’t wanted them to worry.
“I hitchhiked to New York city. I lived there until Joe and Pete found me playing guitar in Central Park and brought me back to sign me.”
“When did you learn to play that?” Keisha asked.
“I taught myself when I got the guitar.” I shrugged. “It wasn’t hard, really.”
“You never had a problem learning an instrument.” Blaise sighed enviously. “You and Keisha both got those expensive classical lessons, I just got a puppy.”
“I’d rather have the puppy.” I informed him, and he stuck his tongue out at me.
“What’d you learn to play?” Ryan asked me. I never really talked about my ‘before New York’ time.
“Eh, classical stuff. Of course, once I learned everything I started pirating the good music, stuff I liked, off the internet.” I grinned.
“But what instruments?” Brendon interjected as Ryan opened his mouth.
“Violin, piano, and cello.” Keisha answered for me when she saw another vague answer coming from me.
“I kinda understand the cello.” Brendon grinned at me.
“It was so big this idiot locked me in the case, once.” I rolled my eyes, nodding at Blaise, who giggled.
“You’re my new hero.” Brendon grinned at him ecstatically.
I just rolled my eyes. “Anyway, it’s lame classical stuff.” I shrugged.
“Tell us about New York!” Keisha squealed. “I’ve always wanted to go! Is it like in the movies?”
I hesitated, thinking this over carefully. “Yeah, it’s just like the movies.” I said slowly. The movies with all the violence and horror, I amended silently. “The city light are beautiful at night, and New Year’s is always a party. Skating around Christmas time is fun, and you won’t ever get bored.” I shook my head a little. “I met two guys there, and we stuck together. Trey and Jamie, they’re great. Jamie showed me around the city, and I showed Trey.”
“New York sounds great.” Keisha breathed, completely entranced.
“It was better than here.” I agreed, smiling crookedly at her, unaware of the looks all four boys were giving me. The looks that asked me why I was lying.

“I can’t wait to start senior year. It’s gonna be so much fun!” Keisha squealed, talking about her life after Blaise had gone into detail about his own. It was great to finally catch up with them.
“Are you looking forward to finishing up your education?” She grinned at me.
I shrugged, trying not to comment.
“You always hated school.” Keisha nodded sympathetically.
“I don’t… go to school anymore.” I admitted, staring at the sidewalk.
“You dropped out?!” Keisha screeched, jerking to a stop as she, Brendon, Blaise, and Ryan all gave me astonished looks.
“Well, no, see-”
“You promised you wouldn’t! You told me that you’d stick it out!” Keisha wailed.
“I told a lot of people a lot of things.” I admitted. “But I didn’t drop out, ok? I just… never mind. It’s none of your business.”
“Why not? You’re my best friend!” Keisha glared as we started walking again.
“I know.” I replied quietly. “But I don’t want to talk about school, ok? I hated it, and… I get embarrassed.”
“Why would that embarrass you?” Joe finally asked. He was the only one who knew how my high school career had ended because he’d heard Pete’s phone call.
“In case you haven’t notice, I’m not much of one to talk about myself.” I mumbled.
“You never were.” Keisha sighed, still upset with me.
“She graduated at 15 as valedictorian.”
“Joe!” I screeched, glaring at him as everyone once again stumbled to a stop for the sole purpose of staring at me.
“Why didn’t you just tell us you were a genius?” Ryan asked, raising an eyebrow at me.
“Because I don’t like bragging.” I retorted mulishly.
“It’s not exactly bragging if we ask.” He reminded me, grinning a little, and my face softened.
“Yeah, but still.” I shrugged. “I still don’t like it.”
He sighed, unhooking our arms to slide his around my waist, and I did the same to him. “You’re the first person I’ve met who’s too modest.” He teased.