Trouble-Maker

"What does this make us?" Ronnie inquired a few minutes later as I was slipping into my shoes so that I could head home and take a shower.

"Ronnie!" I groaned, drawing out his name like a child would with their parents. "Don't," I whined.

I stopped when I felt two arms slip around my waist and Ronnie's chin rest on my shoulder. Ronnie, being six foot one, had to lean down slightly seeing as I was five foot five, a whole head shorter than him. Ronnie placed a kiss to my jaw line as his arms tightened around my waist.

"Don't go," he pouted, "Stay here with me."

I turned my head to the right so that we were face to face. "I would if I could," I told him honestly, "But I do have to go."

Ronnie buried his face in my neck, pouting as I tried to slip out of his grasp. He wasn't having it, his arms were like a vice as he held me flush against him. I felt him kiss my neck, getting higher and higher until his lips were touching the side of my mouth. All I would have to do was turn my head slightly and we'd be kissing again. It killed me knowing that Ronnie was leaving that choice up to me.

"I can't," I reiterated, "I really have to go, Ronnie. Or else I'd stay here all day with you."

Ronnie let go of me quickly, pulling away so fast that I almost fell over seeing as I was kind of leaning into him, subconsciously. Ronnie chuckled and grabbed me before I could fall. "I guess your body didn't want me to go."

I rolled my eyes playfully as he stood there, looking down at me with a cute smile. I walked up to him, the top of my head meeting the same spot as his chin. I brushed his dark hair out of his eyes before I grabbed his chin softly and lead his face down to mine. I pushed my lips against his soft ones for just a moment before pulling back. "You're a cute one, aren't you?" I asked rhetorically as pushed my lips to his one last time, savoring the feel.

He shrugged and then leaned in again. I couldn't help but smile into this kiss, feeling him make me swoon. "Mm," he murmured happily against my lips, "Don't go."

I pulled away with a laugh, opening my eyes. "We've been through this," I stated, keeping the laughter in my voice, "But you keep distracting me."

"Maybe you don't want to go and you're using me as an excuse to stay," Ronnie stated matter-a-factly with a smirk that wasn't quite cocky, just cute.

"Mm," I murmured, "Maybe I am." I turned to walk to Ronnie's door. As I pulled it open I glanced back at him. He was standing there with his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned on the backs of his heels. That same look was on his face as he looked me over once. "I'm keeping your jacket," I told him as I stood between him and the door.

He looked me over from head to toe one last time before shrugging. "It looks better on you anyways."

I smiled at him as I started to slip through the opened door. "Bye Ronnie."

He lifted one hand and did a little half-wave. "Bye Atticus."

I turned and walked out of the door, shutting it behind me as I went. I walked down the long, colorful hallway before taking the stairs two at a time and emerging outside to search for my car. I unlocked it and got in. For a moment I just sat there staring up that the apartment building. I knew that Ronnie's apartment was on the other side but I couldn't help but wonder if maybe he too was standing staring out at where I'd gone like I was. It seemed that Ronnie, although there were a few bumps along the way, would eventually get everything he wanted. What scared me was that I was included in that.

I did really like Ronnie, especially his sweet side that seemed to be more frequent than I had initially thought. He was like a big kid sometimes, the leader of the pack, the front-man in the band. He was the type of guy that my father had wanted me to stay away from. Hypocritical, yes, but not without good reason.

My Dad had been a part of this world, the rock and roll world, long enough to know that men who played instruments and sang for a living were usually up to no good. They weren't looking for commitment, just a fling to hold them over under someone better would come along. Although I didn't see Ronnie as that type of person, I still didn't want to go against my father. He had done so much for my siblings and I. I guess a father kind of has to, but not to the extent of my Dad. I would always purely be "Team Dad". No matter what he would say or tell me not to do, I would listen because he'd always done everything for me.

Ronnie, on the other hand, was different. "Team Ronnie" was something that I very much wanted to be a part of. I wanted to let myself have fun like Ronnie and the guys. I wanted to be able to party, drink, and wake up in bed with no recognition of the night before. Since childhood I'd been taking care of my siblings and when they got older I figured I'd have more freedom. But when Dad got married they talked about having another baby, so they did and I became the full-time babysitter once again.

"Team Ronnie" would allow me freedom and fun. Ronnie would give me the comforts I needed while allowing me to be an adult, my own person, not just Brett Gurewitz's daughter and babysitter. Ronnie had pulled me in and pushed himself into my brain and it seemed that he wouldn't be leaving any time soon.

The entire drive back to my house was plagued with thoughts of him. What he was doing and thinking. No matter what distracted me, my mind always got reverted to Ronnie once again. When my father called while I was driving home, I gasped, nervous all of a sudden.

"Hey Dad," I greeted as I answered.

"Atti, I'm surprised you picked up. I figured that you'd still be with your friend." Dad said, causing me to wince.

"Uh, no. Actually I'm on my way home. What do you need?" I replied, trying to be a chipper as possible.

"Well the band that I'm working with, Falling In Reverse, remember? The guys you met at Epitaph? Well, they have a few days off as production works on getting copies of their album made and shipped out, so that means that I don't have to be in the building supervising. There are no bands any where in there today."

"That's great Dad, you could use a break," I told him, "What are you thinking about doing?"

Dad said, "Pool party? Our place. Just the family since you skipped out on dinner last night."

I winced against slightly. "Pool party? That's it?"

Dad kept talking about all the things that we could do as a family and all the games we could play. I kind of zoned out as he spoke. I pulled into my driveway and told him that I'd call him back once I was inside.

Once I was inside I hurried up to my bedroom and threw myself down onto my huge bed, happy to be home but missing the comforts of other people. Of Ronnie. After a quick minute I got up and walked into the adjoining bathroom. I stripped out of my clothes and got into the shower, letting the scolding water relax me. I washed my hair with my favorite apple scented shampoo and conditioner before cleaning my body as well. I turned the water off and grabbed a fluffy baby blue towel from the rack above the toilet. I wrapped myself in it and another around my hair before I wandered back into my room, leaving my dirty clothes on the bathroom floor.

My closet was filled with all sorts of clothing. I skimmed through my band shirt section, deciding against it before I pulled out a simple but cute purple tank top. I yanked down a pair of jean shorts from the shelf above and smiled when I noticed which ones they were. The blue jeans that had been faded from so much wear and tear. I tossed the attire to my bed. I pulled my clothes on and went back into the bathroom to do my hair. I didn't blow dry it completely, knowing that everyone would be expecting me to swim once I got to Dad's. Once it wasn't dripping on me I tied up up that it was sticking out around my head, cutely. I went over to my dresser and opened the top drawer, looking for my powder blue bikini.

I slipped it on and them put my clothes on over. I searched the bottom of my closet for my blue flipflops before grabbing my keys again and heading down the stairs. I called my Dad back quickly to confirm that this was actually happening and when he said 'yes' I got back in my car to head in the opposite direction that I had previously come from, Ronnie's place.