Dear You

Pete can't stop thinking about Aubrey, naturally. They text each other constantly, despite the fact she's in classes and he's in meetings with Fall Out Boy's new record label. That was another thing he had to talk to her about. Fall Out Boy. Pete asks if he can see her again soon, and she invites him over for Friday night. The rest of the week practically drags on, and Aubrey is so excited to see Pete it's embarrassing.

She spends the afternoon making her apartment spotless, making sure everything is in its rightful place. She buys a bunch of snacks and gets out her movies and has the beer already in the fridge. She decides she'll wait for Pete to come before she orders pizza. She buzzes him up to her apartment at half past six and a moment later he's knocking on the door. When Aubrey opens the door she lets out the breath she was (apparently) holding. She wraps her arms around Pete's torso, instantly calm. "Hi, Pete," she murmurs, leading him inside. All the lights are on and her apartment feels toasty compared to the cool April night.

"Hey, you. How are you doing?" Pete follows her into the kitchen like a lovesick puppy.

"I'm good, how about you?" She leans against the counter, smirking at him.

"I'm great," he smiles at her dreamily. "Did you have a nice rest of your week?"

"Yes, definitely. I'm glad it's Friday though. How about you?"

"Yeah it was...busy. Really busy." Pete crosses the kitchen, hugging Aubrey again. "I'm just glad I'm here right now."

"Me too, Peter Lewis." Aubrey grins up at him. She pulls away from him, grabbing the phone to order two large cheese pizzas. She sets out her bags of chips and her cans of soda and beer, laughing at Pete's facial expression. "I'm a big eater, Pete. You'll learn that about me." She chuckles, plopping onto the couch. When the pizza arrives Aubrey hands Pete the money, telling him to answer the door.

"I'll pay for it Aubs," he says, giving her the two twenties back.

"No way, man. I'm paying," she grumbles. "I just didn't want to answer the door. But guess what? Now I have to because you're trying to be a fucking gentleman." She snatches the money from him, sprinting to the door.

"Fuck you, Aubrey. Stop it!" Pete wrestles her to answer the door but she gives him a hard shove, knocking him away. She gives the pizza guy her money, gets her change and grabs the pizzas before Pete can say anything.

"Sit the fuck down and eat." She sets the boxes on the coffee table with the rest of their food. Pete can't argue, taking the pizza she hands him.

"I love you," he tells her in between bites of pizza. "But not as much as pizza."

"Well you'll be glad to know the feeling's mutual." She sticks out her tongue before snatching up the remote. "Hey are you staying the night? I mean it's totally cool if you want to." She repositions herself by Pete's side, tucking her feet underneath her.

"Uh, yeah. If you want me to."

Aubrey gives him a shy look. "I'd like that," she says, glancing at him quickly. She starts flipping channels to see their viewing options, stopping on MTV. "Oh, I like this song a lot, it's so catchy!" Pete's eyes grow wide as he realizes the Sugar We're Going Down music video is playing on Aubrey's flatscreen and his face is going to show up in three...two...one. "Hey, wait wait wait. Pete." She turns to him and then back at the TV, waiting for him to come on again. "No way. No. Way."

"Surprise?" Pete holds his hands up with a shrug.

"Fuck you! Why didn't you tell me?" She smacks him. She changes the channel, setting the remote down. She turns her attention to Pete, waiting for his response.

"It slipped my mind?" He chuckles nervously. "I don't know, Aubs. I was going to tell you tonight, honest. I just didn't want to say anything the first time I met you, you know? And the reason I have secret blogs like that is so that people don't hang on every goddamn thing I say." He lets out a frustrated sigh. "But," he grasps her cheek with his hand and her breathing nearly stops. "That didn't stop you did it?"

Aubrey is frozen, she's not sure what she's supposed to do or say. She just stares at Pete until he lets his hand fall. "I don't know, Aubrey. I just don't like people knowing so much about me, so I make those hidden blogs, but sure enough someone finds out and spreads it like wildfire. Then it all starts again," he shrugs, looking over at her again. She's eating the crust of her third piece of pizza and Pete thinks it's sexy that she's a girl willing to eat more than half a slice.

"I wouldn't do that to you, you know that, right?"

"Now I do," Pete's voice is quiet.

"Pete, there was no way I could've known it was you. I don't even know your last name." Aubrey reaches for his hand, holding it in hers lightly. "To be honest I don't know your band's name either."

"Wentz," Pete murmurs. "Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz the third." He gives her a goofy smile. "Stupid, huh?"

"No, it's charming," Aubrey bumps her shoulder with his. "And the band's name?"

"Fall Out Boy."

"Now that's kind of stupid. Like the Simpson's character, right?"

Pete rolls his eyes. "Someone screamed it out at a show, it became the name."

"No shit," she laughs. "Well, Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz the third. I liked you before I knew you were on MTV, okay? And I still like you." She rests her head against his shoulder, propping her feet up on the coffee table. "So, wanna watch a movie?" Pete nods, and she pops in Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey. Pete admires how she looks in skinny jeans as she bends over the DVD player; he can't help himself and he can't stop staring. Aubrey clears everything from the coffee table, leaving a few drinks and some chips. She sets everything else on the counter before returning to Pete, snuggling up beside him.

"Hey, Aubs?" Pete asks halfway through the movie. She hasn't moved in a while and he's afraid she's fallen asleep already.

"Yeah, Pete?" She sits up to look at him, letting out a little yawn.

"I just wanted to talk to you about some stuff if that's okay."

"Totally, what's on your mind?" She pauses the movie and turns to face Pete, crossing her legs.

"I don't know. I just feel like I need to warn you...about me. Things were rough for a long time, Aubrey. I tried to kill myself. I was addicted to pills. I just don't want you to get mixed up in that stuff. My band is getting real famous real fast and our second album is coming out next month on a major label. It's scaring me. I'm not going to be home a lot, I'm going to be busy. I don't wanna hurt you, Aubs."

"You're not going to," she tells him. "Don't think for a minute I'll let you." She gives him a half smile, and he wraps his arm around her tight. Pete cradles her cheek in his hand, and he wants to kiss her. She can feel the tension, and just as she leans forward to close the gap between their lips the front door opens, startling them both. "God is this a goddamn movie?" She groans. "Trisha, what's up?" She calls to her roommate. "I swear to God, of all the fucking times she has to come home," Aubrey mutters to Pete, patting his knee before standing up to find her roommate. He lets out a long breath, leaning back on the couch.

"Fuck," he sighs under his breath. Trisha enters the room, stopping dead in her tracks.

"Why is Pete from Fall Out Boy on our couch right now?" She turns to Aubrey. "Aubrey? Are you gonna answer me?"

"Trisha, this is Pete. Pete, my roommate Trisha," the introductions are brief as Aubrey sits beside Pete again. Pete holds out his hand to Trisha.

"Nice to meet you," he says, giving her the Wentz Charm. Aubrey's roommate blushes, not sure how to react.

"Uh, nice to meet you too. What are you doing on our couch?"

"Pete's a friend of mine, Trisha," Aubrey explains.

"And you never told me?"

"I'll tell you about it later," she whispers. "What are you doing home anyway? I thought you were going out with the girls?" Aubrey changes the subject, and she almost jumps when Pete takes her hand in his. It doesn't go unnoticed by Trisha either, her eyebrows arching at Aubrey.

"I am," Trisha says. "I broke one of my heels, which is why I came back." She holds up her broken shoe. "The girls are waiting for me, I should get going." She sprints up the stairs to her bedroom to grab a new pair of shoes. Aubrey turns to Pete again.

"Sorry about her," she whispers. "She means well...I guess she's a fan?"

"I guess so," Pete chuckles, brushing a lock of hair from Aubrey's cheek. Trisha comes down the stairs, giving Aubrey a warning look. She mouths text me to her as she crosses the room.

"It was nice to meet you, Pete!" Trisha calls, opening the front door. "I'll talk to you later 'Rey!" The front door slams, leaving the two in silence. Aubrey immediately picks up her phone, pleading with Trisha not to tell anyone about Pete, and that she'd explain tomorrow.

"So," Pete sighs, gazing at Aubrey. She looks so beautiful right now, he can't even put it into words.

"So," Aubrey repeats, meeting his stare.

"You're really pretty, you know that?" He tilts her chin so he can look directly into her eyes.

"You tryna charm me, Wentz?" She stands up, stretching her arms above her head. It's only half past nine, but she's getting tired.

"No, I'm just bein' honest." Pete stands, resting his hand against the small of her back. "Where we goin'?"

"I'm gonna put my pajamas on. You can sit your ass back down." Aubrey laughs, pulling away from Pete. She has to admit, she is nervous. They were going to kiss, for Christ's sake. She was about to kiss a famous guy. More nerve-wracking than that, she was going to kiss Pete. Her Peter Lewis. She'd thought about him for months, and here he was in her apartment. And he wanted to kiss her.

"I can't join you?" Pete pouts, following her toward the stairs.

"What, you wanna take the party to my bed?" She laughs. "That sounds so dumb."

"What if I do?" Pete smirks, following her into her bedroom. The carpet is white, the bedding is white, the dressers are dark mahogany. The walls are a pale green. "I like your room," he teases, flopping onto the bed. Aubrey waves her middle finger in his face, digging in her dresser for her pajamas.

"I'll be right back," Aubrey says, abandoning Pete to change in the bathroom. When she comes back she's in red plaid pajama pants and a gray t-shirt. Pete's sprawled across the bed, his shoes already kicked off. Aubrey sits in the middle of her bed with him, petting his hair. He turns over to look up at her.

"You are pretty, you know," he tells her. "You're unlike anybody I've ever seen." He sits up, brushing her hair from her forehead.

"Yeah?" Aubrey's breathing hitches as Pete runs his fingers through her hair. He swallows nervously, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

"Yeah, you are. I got lucky, didn't I?" His smile is so genuine, it reminds Aubrey of the first time she met him.

"How so?" She tilts her head a little and she's so cute Pete can't stand it. He lets a deep breath escape his lips.

"My new best friend is so beautiful, so smart, so talented. And I love her more than anything." Pete kisses her then, and Yeah, Aubrey thinks to herself. This has to be goddamn movie.