Sequel: Infinite

Trouble-Maker

Has Me.

"Hey boys," I greeted as Ronnie led me over to the guys.

They said there various greetings and Jacky wrapped his arm over my shoulder. I leaned into him as we walked down the familiar hallway towards one of the conference rooms at the end.

"Are you hanging out for awhile, Atticus?" Derek asked as we rounded the corner into the room.

I nodded my head. "I got the day off."

Ryan nodded. "Ron told us."

I nodded solemnly, knowing that Ronnie had relayed the news about Arch to them in the few minutes it took me to get to the Label. I smiled at the guys as I moved to one of the large leather chairs that surrounded a large wooden table.

The guys took chairs around me. "This is where your dad signed us onto the label," Derek said with a grin.

I looked to Ronnie, who was sitting next to me, and said, "I'm really glad that he did."

Ronnie smirked and nodded his head. He reached out and tangled our fingers together. Ronnie chuckled. "This was my second time on the label," Ronnie told me, "Your dad was my saving grace."

I bit my lip and nodded my head, knowing that my dad had always believed in Ronnie and knew that he was meant to do something important because of all the talent that was just rolling out of him. I imaged a young Ronnie Radke trying to make it in the music world.

"I wonder if I ever saw you around," Ronnie said with a grin, "Back in the day."

I looked up to him and chuckled my head, his thoughts having taken a similar course. "You didn't," I told him with a smile.

"How do you know?"

I chuckled and gave him a pointed look. "Because I would remember you," I told him matter-a-factly.

He grinned cockily and leaned over to press a sloppy kiss against my cheek.

"Oh Ronnie!" I groaned as I wiped his slobber off of my cheek and turned to glare at him. "You're nasty."

Ronnie feigned being insulted and then he glared at me.

I laughed loudly and pushed my hair out of my face. "Aw, babe," I laughed before I leaned in to kiss him. He kissed me back softly and this time there were no cat-calls from our friends, just a quiet awe.

Ronnie's fingers touched my cheek softly when we pulled away. I opened my eyes and looked into his. "I love you," I told him quietly.

"I love you too," Ronnie said back, then quickly looked up as the door to the room opened. "Mr. Gurewitz," he greeted as he pulled away and sat back in his own chair. He grabbed my hand again.

I turned and looked to my dad. The chair was so large that only the back of my head showed over the top. I spun around and looked at him, not smiling or frowning, just looking as I watched for him to say something.

He quickly covered his shock with a facade of indifference as he moved to the head of the table and greeted the band as one. "What do you say we get started," he said, not glancing to me, "Then we can all get out of here sooner."

I bit my lip and leaned back in my chair. Ronnie squeezed my hand and rested our connected hands on the table.

Dad started passing out papers to the guys and then tossed pens across the table to the five of them. "These are just the Warped tour dates, the contract for Warped, and some other shit that needs to be signed before you're allowed to play on the stages."

I watched as Ronnie read over the dates and places with a grin on his face. "We're playing all these?" he asked, looking up to my Dad who reluctantly looked to us.

"That's what you wanted, correct?"

Ronnie nodded. "Hell yes."

The guys cheered along with Ronnie and I smiled.

Ronnie turned to grin back at me. "Excited?" he asked, squeezing my hand.

I laughed and nodded. "Of course." It would be great to be on the road with the guys and every other band. I knew that we would meet a lot of musicians along the way. I was most excited to be able to get away for awhile, I knew that I would be leaving my family for a few months, but they already weren't talking to me.

As Ronnie talked to the guys about the dates, the thought of Arch popped into my head and brought down my excitement. Not only would I be leaving my family, but I'd be leaving a child who honestly needed someone to be there for him.

I touched Ronnie's shoulder and leaned into him. "I need to talk to you about something when we get home," I told him.

He looked to me and then nodded his head. "Yeah, sure, baby."

I smiled lightly and sat back in my chair, letting him continue to be thrilled about the entire tour.

"Are you buying or renting the tour bus?" I asked the guys.

Ryan said, "We already bought one."

Derek added, "We're having it painted."

I chuckled. "Painted?" I questioned, "What color?"

Ronnie said, "The guys and I voted, and we decided to get the band name on the side. We talked to a few bands on the tour and they said that most guys get their names on the buses."

I shook my head. "So it will be incredibly noticeable and everywhere we go you boys will be stampeded."

The guys stopped nodding and looked at me.

"Stampeded?" Derek asked quickly, concerned.

I shrugged. "Well, if all your fans know that you're on the bus and they see you pulling into a venue, they might run over and tip the bus or something."

Derek glared at me when he realized I was joking. "Oh shut the hell up, Atticus!"

The guys busted out laughing at Derek. I grinned at him and then stuck my tongue out when he flipped me off.

Ronnie glared at Derek. "Don't flip off my girl," he demanded, "She doesn't need to fuck herself, she has me!"

My eyes grew wide when Ronnie said that. I smacked his chest roughly. "Ronnie!" I shouted, glaring at him now.

He chuckled and looked to me. "What, Att? It's true."

I pinched Ronnie's arm and then turned to look at my father. My dad sat with his hands folded in front of him. I could tell right away that he wasn't happy with the conversation.

My dad looked up and caught my gaze. Then he looked away. "Are we almost done here? I don't think I need to go through everything with you guys, just sign the Warped Tour contract and we can be on our way," he said and he started packing up the rest of his papers.

"Dad-" I said softly, knowing that he felt put out.

He looked up to me. "What Atticus?" he asked harshly.

I was taken aback by his tone. I looked to him and then shook my head. "You know what, never mind," I said, "I'm done trying to work things out with you or caring what you think about being with Ronnie."

I turned to Ronnie, who was looking between my dad and I.

"We are you going to be after this?" I asked softly.

Ronnie shrugged. "Probably get some lunch with the guys. You want to come out with us?"

I nodded my head. "I'd love to. But I'm going to run back to your place and take a shower, alright?"

Ronnie nodded too. "Alright, baby. Do you want me to pick you up or do you want to meet us there?"

"You can grab me, if that's alright," I told him, offering a small smile as I stood up next to him.

Ronnie nodded and then reached up with his right hand to touch my cheek. I smiled and leaned down to press my lips against his. The kiss lingered and when we pulled away, I waved goodbye to the guys.

"I'll see you all later," I told them with a smile, feeling lighter as a bubbly feeling erupted in my stomach from the feel of Ronnie's lips on mine.

"Bye, Baby," Ronnie called back. "I'll call when we're done."

"Sounds like a plan," I replied as I slipped out of the door and then down the hall of Epitaph Records, a place that was no longer all about my father, much like my life.