The Way We're Living

hadn’t been able to sleep. I glanced at the alarm clock, it was barely six. I decided to take a shower before the guys woke up and left it all gross. The water felt so damn good. Driving non-stop in the summer meant little shower opportunities, so times like this were like heaven. I’d almost forgotten how nice it felt to take a warm shower.

“you’ve got those little things that you’ve been running from
You either love them or I guess you don’t
You’re such a pretty thing to be running from anyone
A vision with nowhere to go
So tell me right now, ya think you’re ready for it?
I wanna know why you got me going
So let’s go! We’ll take it outta here
I think I’m ready to leap
I’m ready to live
I’m ready to go
Get me out of my mind; get me out of my mind
I’m ready to go uh-ohh
You’ve got those little things, you wanted something for ‘em
You’ll either get it or I guess you won’t
What does it really mean to get nothing from anyone?
There’s a million ways it could go
So tell me right now, ya think you’re ready for it?
I wanna know why you got me going
So let’s go, we’ll take it outta here
I think I’m ready to leap
I’m ready to live
I’m ready to go
Get me out of my mind; get me out of my mind
I’m ready to go oh-uh-oh
I know I think I’m ready
I think I know I’m ready”

I finally shut off the water and dried myself off. I pulled on my red jeans and my white t-shirt; I just had to look for my vest in the trunk of the car later. I had just picked up my dirty clothes when there was a knock at the door. I opened it and gave Mike a small smile.

“I have to pee,” He squeezed past me and started to pull down his pants I quickly got out and shut the door. Mike never really thought anything through when he first woke up, he needed couple minutes to get on his game.

I looked around for my shoes, and giggled at Sisky and Garrett still sleeping. Sisky was always a cuddler, and Garret was unfortunate enough the share the bed with Sisky. I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and took a few pictures of the two intertwined, you never know when things like these will come in handy.

Mike walked out of the bathroom and shook his head at the huge grin on my face, he knew I was up to something. I pointed towards the door to let him know I was stepping out, he gave a small nod and crawled into the bed.

I shut the door behind me and walked down the hall. I stopped at Claudia’s room and knocked. The door opened revealing a half-naked Chizzy.

“morning Lizzie,” he looked down the back up to me, “why aren’t you wearing any shoes?”

I smiled at his accent it sounded funny, not funny weird but funny because it’s the first thing he said. “Morning, I couldn’t remember where I left ,my shoes.”

I stepped inside and found the Butcher watching cartoons, Chizzy soon joined him on the bed. Claudia was by an outlet blow drying her hair. I gave the Butcher a small wave then I approached her. She turned off the pink blow drier and smiled.

“you’re up early” I commented, knowing she was usually the last one to wake up.

She shrugged, “the people in the room next to us are early risers and uh. . .very active.”

Chizzy laughed at her statement, the butcher added, “that’s an understatement.”

She cringed slightly but turned her attention back to me, “did you want me to do your hair?”
I nodded and let her dry and flat iron my hair. She was attacking the back of my head with product when the bathroom door opened and William walked out wearing a towel around his waist.

“where are my pants?” his eyes landed on me and he bashfully retreated to the bathroom.

She laughed, “ at least he has some shame.”

I wasn’t too sure what she meant by that, but judging by the looks on the guys faces, I really didn’t want to know what went on in here last night.

“Lizard dear,” she was using her fake sweet voice, this either meant I was doing something wrong or she wanted me to do something I wouldn’t like.

I gave a sigh, “what?”

She grinned, “can I put make up on you? I swear you’ll look awesome”

She walked over to the bed and picked up a pair of jeans and opened the bathroom door only enough to slip the jeans in. I waited for her to shut the door and come back over to me. She gave me an expectant look, I gave a shrug I needed a reason for make up, I typically didn’t wear make-up.

She smiled, “you’re wearing your Pete pants, and I gave you cool Pete hair, you have to wear eyeliner, please.”

I gave in only because she remembered I bought these pants because Pete Wentz had some, I loved that man. I really wanted him to sign our band, but I’ve ask Brendon not to say anything because I want to get signed because my music is good, not because Brendon has connections. Though I’d never actually met Pete I think we’d get along really well, everyone says our lyrics are similar.

The bathroom door opened and Will emerged fully dressed, “whoa you look like Pete.”
I smiled, today was obviously going to be a good day. Claudia finished straightening the last bit of her hair, she saw the Butcher heading towards the bathroom, and she ran in before he could get in. He pounded on the door.

“I need a shower come on!”

“I have to do my make up!”

“I smell bad!”

“I look weird without make up!”

I sat on the floor and watched him pound on the door, William sat next to Chizzy and watched the TV.

“You’re a jerk!”

“What did I do?”

“you didn’t say anything when I said I looked weird”

I giggled at the look on his face. He turned around and gave me a funny look, this caused me to laugh harder.

“Lizz help please?”

I sighed, normally I’d let her torture them but I was bored so I might as well get her out. “Claud come on we’ll go wake the guys up, and you can hog that bathroom.”

The door opened, she emerged smoothing down her dress and holding her makeup bag. The Butcher sprinted in and shut the door, he probably thought she was going to go back in. She giggled at his action.
“Sorry Andy, I love you dude.”

“Love you too, now go away.”

She rolled her eyes and turned to me. I walked to the door, and waited for her. She slid her feet into her flats and walked over to me. William grabbed her by the shoulders; she spun around and looked at him he pressed his lips to her and pulled away. She gave him a small nod.

“I’ll be right back okay.”

He nodded, “okay babe.”

She grinned but didn’t say anything because Chizzy was ‘awing’ her face matched her red hair. She followed me out the door.

She followed me to the room, I pulled the key out of my back pocket and opened the door, and Mike was gone. He’d probably gone out for a smoke, or to take his things to the van since his stuff was missing. The shower was running, it had to be Garrett since Sisky was still asleep. I figured I’d let him sleep until Garrett got out of the shower, I mean I did keep him up all night watching Criminal Mindsre-runs. I sat at the edge of one of the beds, she copied the action. The serious look on her face worried me a bit.

“so Bill and I were talking last night, we decided it would be a good idea if I moved in with him.”

I nodded, “that’s nice.” I thought she was going to spring something more major on me.
“I figured that the sooner I did it the better, so um. . .I was talking to Spencer too.”

I nodded again, that wasn’t out of the ordinary she and Spencer knew each other back when they were in high school, she didn’t talk to Brendon but she and Spencer kept in touch. None of this was odd yet, but the look on her face told me this conversation was heading somewhere I wouldn’t like.

“Um, he and Brendon have agreed to let you stay on their bus if you want to continue the tour.”

There it was, the thing she’d been dreading to say. I didn’t know how to respond I mean I normally would have shouted and cursed until I got my way, but she had thought this out so that I could still do what I wanted. I also couldn’t yell at her for wanting her kid to have a normal family. But why has she just been springing things on me lately?
I don’t want to go home because I love meeting new people, and the music. I also just met Garrett. But I really missed my mom. I also didn’t want to stay without Claudia, I mean it’s lame if I’m alone. I also really don’t want to rely on Brendon, I love him and all but I want to make it on my own, not because he helped. wait William lives in Chicago, that’s way too far from Vegas! I didn’t know what to say.

“hey.”

I looked up and saw shirtless Garrett walking around. He was so gorgeous. Was that enogh reason to stay?

“hey, you and Sisky slept well.”

He laughed “yeah, I guess you saw that.”

I nodded and made a mental note to show Claudia the pictures later. I realized that I needed to go with her. I had to help her move, and I would miss her too much.

“Garrett, I’m uh. . .you’re okay riding back with the guys?”

He nodded, “yeah sure. Why?”

“Claud and I are heading home. Ya know I have to help her move, she’d be lost without me.”
She rolled her eyes earning a chuckle from him.

“alright, but call me or text me we should hang out sometime after the tour. “

I nodded and gave him a hug. He smelled so good. Wait he wants me to call him, are we friends or like does he like me? Why is he so confusing?