A Few of My Famous Friends

I had a plan for my return to Chicago. I didn't want any of that messy word of mouth occurrence. But for my plan to work, I would need a person on the inside, who wouldn't tell everyone. I had just the person in mind.

"Yo, what's up?"

"Trent, are you drunk? Stoned?" I asked my brother. I needed him sober.

"I'm not stoned but I might've had a beer today…"

"Trent, it's one in the afternoon!"

"Do you need something?"

I sighed. "I need you to make sure that Jon, Brendon, Ryan and Spencer are in one house. If Scarlett is there too, that's fine. I need to know what house that is. I would prefer for this to be soon." I hoped that they were in Chicago. I knew Panic wasn't touring right now, as they just finished a tour and I think I read that they were writing another album. But Brendon, Ryan and Spencer might be in Las Vegas, and that would ruin my whole plan.

"Well, if you're in Chicago right now, they're having a band practice. Our house. Hey, if you're still in New Zealand, can you get me a few Cuban cigars?"

"Trent! I'm not in New Zealand, and even if I was, it's illegal to bring them back to the United States!"

"So that's a no?"

I hung up the phone disgustedly and turned to Trixie. "You wanna meet my brothers and friends?"

"Later. You need to do this by yourself." Trixie had a newspaper in her hands and was searching for apartments.

I got a taxi and told the cabbie my address. Soon, I was standing in front of my house, where I was told my brother and friends were having a band practice. My stomach clenched and I almost turned around and went back into the taxi.

But something inside of me, my heart I suppose, told my brain to ignore my stomach and enter my house. I reached for the knob, and twisted it. It was open. I let myself in quietly.

I knew exactly where they would be. In the basement. I bet they had instruments down there since Jon joined the band. I padded over to the door and eased it open, hoping it wouldn't creak. Thankfully, it didn't.

I felt like I was twelve again, and spying on my brother and his friends. They were talking in the basement. I was sitting on the top steps, eavesdropping, and hoping I'd have enough time to get away if they decided to go upstairs.

They were talking about the premiere. They did go.

"What was your favorite part of the movie?"

"I'm going to kill that Nikolas"

"Ryan, chill. It was in the script. She probably didn't feel anything towards him."

"Why did we even go see that movie? It sucked."

"Ryan! We did it to support Kate! You're such a dumbass. Why are so torn up about her leaving us? You're as bad as her boyfriend."

"Don't you ever compare me to that worthless piece of shit!"

"Ryan, I don't know what happened between you and my sister, but if you don't shut the hell up right now-"

"I think I saw Kate at the premier."

"What! Spencer, how could you be holding back on us!"

"Chill out man. I said I think I saw her. I shouldn't have brought it up. I didn't talk to her."

"I miss Kate."

"Brendon, you're such a dumbass. We all miss Kate."

I didn't exactly plan how I was going to enter, but I decided to wing it. I snuck down the stairs. "Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear!"

"KATE I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!" Brendon shouted, tackling me. "Six months without a word? How could you?"

I started to cry. I didn't realize how much I missed everybody.

"Oh shit. Jon, I think I broke your sister."

"No you doof, I missed you too. So much. I promise never to do it again." I said, wiping my eyes.

He got off of me and helped me up. He engulfed me in a bear hug before letting go of me and letting Spencer hug me.

When Spencer let go of me, I got a good look at him. "What the hell happened?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You shaved your beard and now you look like a freaking '70s porn star. What the hell happened?"

"You don't like my mustache?"

"SPENCER! I finally got used to the beard and you shaved it off and grew a pornstache instead!" I punched him in the arm and hugged my brother.

"Jon, your sister hurt me."

"Pansy," Jon replied over my head.

I let go of Jon and looked around for Ryan. "Where'd the skinny one go?"

"I think he had to piss." Brendon chirped.

I went back upstairs to check the bathroom. It was empty.

"What the hell? The car's gone!" Brendon said from the foyer. Brendon, Spencer and Jon had followed me upstairs.

I groaned. That bastard.

"Kate, I think we need an explanation. Come in the family room. You too Brendon."

I silently joined Spencer and Jon in the family room. Brendon bounded in after me, taking the third spot on the couch. I sat across from them in an armchair.

"Yes?"

"We know some facts. We need you to fill in the blanks."

"Well, I don't know the whole story either."

"We'll tell you what we know and you tell us what you know. That way, we'll be able to figure out the whole thing." Spencer reasoned.

"We know that you got the part, something happened so that you stopped dating Josh, and you left the next day leaving a short note behind. After the tour, Ryan breaks up with Keltie, he develops a hatred of Nikolas Orlovsky, and when you return home, instead of greeting you, he runs away."

"That bastard! He broke up with Keltie?"

"Kate! What happened before you left?"

"Um, I got the part, I called Josh to tell him, Josh broke up with me, quoting a lyric from your song in doing so-"

"Wait, what lyric did he use?" Brendon asked, curious for a detail that was so incredibly insignificant.

"I don't love you, I'm just passing the time. Anyways-"

"That bastard!" Jon exclaimed, standing up. "I'm going to castrate him!"

"Jon, you might change your mind by the end of this. I'm not done." I said, tiredly.

He resumed his seat, but his eyes were burning with an elder brother's overprotective fury.

"So, I'm upset, and crying, and Ryan finds me. He brings me back to his bunk to talk to me and he comforts me. I end up crying into his shirt, and then he kisses me and I tell him that no, we can't do that cause he has a girlfriend and I just broke up with my boyfriend."

"That bastard!" Jon stood up again. "I'll castrate both of them!"

"Jon, you're talking about cutting the balls off of one of your best friends. No you won't. Break his nose or something, but don't castrate him," I said. I calm in the mass of the chaos.

"Kate! Don't tell him to break Ryan's nose!" Spencer said, horrified.

"Would you rather he castrates him?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"No," Spencer said, his lips pursed.

"Well, I'll be back soon, I've got to do some stuff," I lied. What I needed to do was talk to Ryan. I had an inkling of an idea where he was.

"Don't leave me Kate! You just came back!" Brendon shouted, throwing himself at me.

I laughed. "I'll be back later today, I promise."

Brendon pouted and held out his pinky.

I rolled my eyes and locked pinkies. I hugged everyone and walked outside.

A few minutes later, I was at a music store. This was a locally owned place, and was an old favorite of mine and Jon's. I heard that Pete, Joe and Andy used to shop here too.

"Hey Jamie," I greeted the guy behind the counter. Jamie and I were somewhat friends, as most storekeepers and regular customers are.

Jamie smiled and pointed to the back room, where all the best guitars were kept.

I nodded and entered. I found Ryan, his head bent over a guitar, singing softly to himself.

"Let's get these teen hearts beating faster, faster. So testosterone boys and harlequin girls, will you dance to this beat, and hold a lover close? So testosterone boys and harlequin girls, will you dance to this beat, and hold … oh, hi," he said, looking up and meeting my gaze.

"What the fuck's wrong with you?"

"Sorry for singing…?" he asked, a bit confused.

"No dumbass, why did you break up with Keltie, and flee the room when I entered?"

Ryan sighed. He took the guitar off and put it down. "Why did I break up with Keltie?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. "Because I realized that I was in love with another girl. Why did I flee the room? Because I don't do well with rejection, and you pretty much told me you didn't want to date me when you shoved me off of you, left without saying a word for six months, and come back dating some douche bag."

"Ryan, this isn't love, I don't even know what it is. You're my brother's best friend, we're friends, we slept in the same bed, but then again, I slept in the same bed with Brendon, and a bunch of other people. Don't call me a whore; you know it was all innocent. And rejection? You were dating someone! I never want to be a home wrecker, and I needed some time to think. I blew off everyone, remember? Not just you. And I'm not dating Nik, and he's not a douche."

"You looked pretty cozy on the red carpet."

"Ryan! Have you ever heard of a publicity stunt? We were faking! Besides, do you know the saying 'All the good guys are gay or taken'? Nik is both. So take that and shove it up your ass. You could at least be happy for me instead of being a world class douche."

I stormed out of the store, pissed off to no end.