Stick Boy and Match Girl

The relaxed and approved feeling settled in when I woke up and noticed that school wouldn’t start until Tuesday because of parent teacher, parent night something along the boring lines of that was the cause of Monday off. I was overly stressing about this sudden change of my mom being engaged to my crush’s dad. I never noticed that there was chattering going on downstairs and that my mom was actually laughing on this Sunday morning.

I brushed my teeth and tried to tame the mop on my head the best I could, I just shrugged and walked down the stairs lazily. I blinked a few times at how bright everything looked, I wrapped my arms around my waist loosely just causally passing the living room like I did every day, I heard a low hello causing me to jump.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to make you jump,” Ryan apologized adding a warm smile.

Ryan was surprisingly cheerful; I looked at him oddly and hid the Powerpuff Girls shorts that I was wearing behind the couch. “It’s okay… W-what are you doing here?” I asked.

“Hm, well as you remember our parents are engaged so we’re having breakfast here,” He answered and patted the spot next to him.

“You’re acting really calm about this.” I walked around the couch and sat somewhat close to him and grabbed a pillow to cover up my Powerpuff pride.

“I’m just trying to be happy for them.” Ryan stated as he breathed in deeply, he looked forward at the blank T.V. and looked back at me. “Why can’t we go back to us eating cereal and poptarts in front of the T.V.?”

“We still can.” I laughed lightly and looked down to the spot that Ryan and I spent numerous Saturdays and Sundays on.

“I think we should and get the flow back of being us.” Ryan gave me a small nudge. I smiled widely as he brought me into a hug, I couldn’t help but hug him back.

While we all ate breakfast the mood was comfortable, I didn’t speak to my mom as much as I did to Ryan. I wasn’t at all curious why my mom didn’t mention who she was dating, I didn’t care. I don’t think it would’ve manner anyways. My mom and George cleared the table excusing Ryan and myself, as if we were 4 and 5 excited to start playing outside.

Instead of walking outside to start an intense game of cops and robbers, I walked up to my room and gathered clothes for a shower. As if things never changed, Ryan made him at home by lying down on my bed and turning on the T.V. I smiled lightly and headed for my restroom.

After my warm shower, I got changed and headed back to my room seeing Ryan talking on my phone, I watched him closely and ran my fingers through my wet hair and raised my eyebrows as he hung up the phone and smiled.

“Brendon will be here less than a minute, his mom is taking him out driving and he wants us to be his support system.” Ryan said as he got up.

“So basically he wants us to die with him.” I laughed and put some socks and shoes on.

“Pretty much, so let’s hope you got everything you wished for.” He said walking passed me as the continuous honks started outside.

I sighed at the thought and shook my head; I turned and followed him until we were stopped at the front door. I opened the door hoping that they would just let us go; I looked at the street seeing an eager Brendon in the front seat of the car, still honking. I noticed his mom trying to stop him but his hands just kept slipping right passed hers.

“Where are you kids going?” I heard my mom ask.

“To hang out with Brendon,” Ryan explained.

“To end our lives early,” I mumbled. Ryan nudged me and then pushed me out of the house closing the door behind him as we got the approval. The honking was really starting to bring my happy mood to rather annoyed one as Brendon started to make a song out of his gift of honking. We slid into the backseat and waited for Brendon to stop while putting on our seatbelts. “Brendon, we’re here!” I said loud enough to hear.

“I know,” He stated. “HONK SOLO!” He yelled loudly, his hands going as the speed of light… almost.

“Why did that sound like a rip off of a Star Wars’ character?” I asked Ryan who just shrugged looking at the back of Brendon’s head irritated.

“Brendon,” His mom said sweetly. “Brendon,” she continued. “Brendon,” She said a bit louder. “Brendon Boyd Urie I swear that I will kick your little butt out of the driver’s seat and you will never get behind the wheel again!” His mom yelled.

“Mrs. Urie, have you ever considered on getting him tested for ADD?” I asked softly and looked at Brendon who secretly flipped me off.

“No but it’s in great consideration now.” She said sounding serious.

Brendon groaned lightly and started to drive, he was actually doing well but then again we were still in the neighborhood. I looked out the window and took a deep breath. I started to notice that he was entered a busy street. I snapped my head forward mimicking the other two heads in the car.

“Honey, slow down…” Mrs. Urie said keeping her sweet tone. “Brendon, slow down…” She said starting to panic like Ryan and I.

“Bren, brake…” Ryan added.

“Or at least slow down….” I told him.

Brendon was ignoring the warnings that were given; the closer he got to the busy street more of a rise he got out of us. I was holding back a scream and it finally broke free when he wasn’t slowing, it was odd that I wasn’t alone. “BRAKE, BRAKE, BRAKE!” We yelled in some form.

Brendon eventually did as told. I was sending him lines and lines of bad words in my head along with dirty faces that were visible. I rested my hand on the middle seat that separated me from Ryan, I was breathing heavily and it only creased at the feeling of Ryan’s slim fingers curling around my hand. I quickly laced my fingers with his; at least if I’m going to die I would be holding his hand.

The day spent driving around with Brendon was hectic and nerve racking and not to mention that he actually made me car sick, luckily I didn’t throw up. His mom managed to get Brendon out of the driver’s seat and into the passenger seat. My hand remained in Ryan’s grip, slowly but surely it loosened up and his fingers were starting to dance along my fingers and my palm sending me all kinds of chills and butterflies.

My house was in view and I couldn’t get out of the car fast enough, I looked over to the passenger seat and stared at Brendon who was smiling like a wack-a-do. I shook my head disappointedly and gave a small wave. I started to walk up the path to my house and was quickly lead the opposite direction towards Ryan’s house, I didn’t fight.

“You know what scares me?” I asked as we entered his quiet house, it was obvious that his dad wasn’t home.

“The fact that Brendon can’t drive or the fact his mom let him drive for that long?” Ryan asked and smirked.

“Both but I was going to say that he’s probably going to get his driver’s license before one of us.” I sighed deeply at the thought.

“Then everyone in the area is fucked.” Ryan laughed and grabbed my wrist leading me to the stairs and then his room. I placed myself on the bed and leaned back against the headboard as Ryan picked a movie and put it on. He joined me on the bed and my head mindlessly went onto his shoulder as his arm went around me.

We didn’t talk, either we were tired or still trying to get over our experience. My eyes were starting to close; I was drifting off to sleep when I heard Ryan starting to talk. I lifted my head and looked at him confused. “Hmm?” I asked.

“I… I need to tell you something,” He repeated not making any eye contact.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yes, I don’t like the idea of our parents being engaged.”

“That makes two of us.”

“But I think it’s just a sign, if it was meant to be… I think those two would’ve been something.”

I looked at Ryan, trying to figure out what he was trying to tell me. I frowned and looked over his face, “What are you talking about?” I asked tiredly.

“Never mind,” He dismissed with his hand.

“Tell me,” I started to wake up due to curiosity.

“No, it’s nothing Anna.”

“I hate when you do that.” I said a bit grumpy as I climbed over his legs and got off the bed.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to walk off because of that…” Ryan stated annoyed.

I looked at him and turned around walking out of his room, I was almost half way down his stairs when he stopped me. I turned my head and looked up at him as he stood one stair above me.

“Are you going to tell me?” I asked and got my arm free from his hold.

“I don’t know how to tell you, it’s not that easy to spill something you’ve been hiding for a while.”

I turned fully to him eager to know what he was about to say. I moved up one stair as he moved back one, I kept moving until we were standing at the top of his stairs, almost at eye level or not, I still had to look up at him.

Ryan took a deep breath, I watched as the bones in his neck sort of popped out as he breathed, his shoulders shrugging up as he struggled to get the right words. His lips were parted just a bit showing me just a glimpse of his white teeth, his brown eyes stayed locked with the ground.

“I… Well… I don’t know when it actually started but I was expecting it in a way, it scared me a lot because all of those ‘What Ifs’ questions started to cast in my head. I didn’t know how to tell you, I still don’t know how to tell you.” Ryan struggled and leaned back against the wall.

”Anna, my girlfriend is pregnant and I don’t know what to do, I need you more than anything right now, I’m so scared. I didn’t want this to happen, help me.” Is what I was expecting, he was taking too long and it was starting to get uncomfortable.

“Anna, I…. love you…..” He said rather slowly, or it could’ve been me just making it that way. “I flipped out when you forgot our kiss; then again we were drinking and I wish we didn’t, but it still meant something to me because I knew that my feelings for you were true. And I was being really stupid about getting in a “relationship”” He said and used air quotes. “She’s cheating on me, but I don’t care. She’s not you. She’s not the ant killer I fell in love with.” He stated with a wide smile.