So Kiss Me Goodbye

“Pete if you so much as breathe on my laptop I swear I will make sure the only kids you ever have are the ones you lure into your car.” I threatened from my seat on the couch.

He looked up at me with puppy dog eyes that rivaled Hemingway’s.

“I was just looking at it.” He murmured in an innocent voice.

I snorted. “You’re about as innocent as Richard Nixon and Michael Jackson in a burlesque house.”

That little analogy got Pete to giggle like a school girl before running off into another corner of the apartment.

I shook my head and began to get up off the couch to grab a box when Will popped out from nowhere.

“You’re thinking about moving boxes aren’t you?”

I looked back and forth nervously while replying. “Uh… maybe… but just one little box I swear! I just hate sitting around and-“

Gently but firmly Will put his hands on both my shoulders and sat me back down on the couch.

“Don’t stress yourself out. Pregnant women shouldn’t be doing heavy lifting anyway.” Will assured me, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

I sighed and gave in to him, watching him leave with the box I was ready to grab.

After trying to tell him I was only four months pregnant and the only thing in my way was him and hormones, I had unwillingly given in to his charm, however annoying it was today.

Just as I was ready to resign myself to another two hours of watching successful, hot, and rich musicians carry my stuff to the car, complaints broke the silence.

“I can do it on my own Patrick.” A voice whined.

“Yeah like the last three times.” I heard him reply.

Turning around I saw a sight I didn’t think I’d see; Natalie walking toward me.

“Hey.” She muttered with a weak wave.

I mirrored it without audio.

Patrick didn’t move from behind her except for giving her a slight poke.

With a sigh she began talking.

"I’m sorry I abandoned you in your time of need. It was morally wrong of me and-“ Natalie paused to lift up her sleeve where she continued reading off her hand. “and inconsiderate. Even if you are pregnant and not married and never ever planned having the kid I should still be your rock, the peanut butter to your jelly, the-“

She cut off a moment from her intense hand moments and let out a deep breath.

“Alright I’m sorry but it really was stupid of-, ow!” Natalie exclaimed jumping forward a bit from a rather hard jab in the back from Patrick.

With an eye roll sent toward me at his silliness, Natalie continued.

“As I was saying. I made a crucial mistake in judgment as your friend and confidant and although you may never be able to, if you could find it in your heart to forgive me for all that I have done wrong against you I would be eternally grateful.”

After finishing that long spiel Natalie took a deep breath and took a few more steps away from Patrick for good measure and closer to me.

“If you could just translate that into my normal speak that would be my sincere apology. And I for one didn’t write that in case you didn’t notice the pushy musician behind me.”

“And producer.” Patrick hissed without moving from his spot.

In a completely over exaggerated sigh that spanned her entire body, Natalie rolled her eyes.

“Fine, musician slash producer. Are you happy now?”

I laughed at her complete annoyance toward her boyfriend.

“So do you forgive me?” Natalie asked, sounding less aggravated and more sincere.

A small smile grew on my face.

“Only under the condition you stay here with me to wallow in boredom on the couch.”

My small smile was mirrored tenfold in Natalie’s grin as she quickly threw her arms around me.

“I missed you!” We both exclaimed as Patrick slunk out of the room.

“It’s just not the same without my partner in crime.” She murmured.

I laughed. “Tell me about it, all I can do is cleverly insult Pete because of this lump. But if I had a cohort...”

“We could take over the entire music business just by using a cupcake.” She finished for me with an evil smile.

With a sigh of relief I hugged her once more.

“See this is why I love you! Travie would’ve been completely oblivious to the cupcake factor.”

Natalie grinned.

“Ah but see I’ve spent about the last three months with them, I’ve got more dirt on him than just cupcakes.”

My heart just about stopped out of sheer joy.

“Oh my hero! Now I can get him where he’s least expecting it, and he’d never think it was the poor innocent pregnant woman.” I ranted happily.

She nodded as if I finally understood the big picture.

From that moment on we moved from plotting against Pete, to baby names, band exploits, random stories, kidnapping Hemingway, and by the time Will came in we were laughing about old stories.

Everything had finally been moved to his apartment a few miles across town and while it wasn’t completely set up, it was still time to go.

From out of nowhere in the once empty apartment Shelby, Madi, Jamie, and the entirety of Fall Out Boy and The Academy Is… appeared.

“Thanks so much you guys.” I said with a smile, hugging each of them in their sweaty glory. “I promise when we get moved in I’ll cook you all a huge dinner to make up for this.”

The Butcher laughed. “Alright, but I expect some Chicken Caboodles out of it.”

Mike rolled his eyes with his arm around Jamie’s waist and let go for a minute to slap him on the back of his head.

We all had a good laugh till Joe announced he had to go see his girlfriend Sara and everyone soon followed his lead.

It wasn’t long before it was just the five of us standing in the seemingly empty apartment.

“I’m gonna miss-“ I started, getting cut off by Shelby.

“Don’t say it sweetie, we’ll still see you on a regular basis. Hell we’ll probably end up at your place more than ours for the next few months.” She said with a wry smile.

Jamie turned to Will. “That’s what you get when you move in with Lilly, we move in too.”

Madi laughed. “There’s no escape now.”

Will just grinned and put his arm around me. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”