The Tick Tock of the Clock

“Umm…” I stopped looking back at Pete scratching his head as Andy filmed him. “Ella…” He whined turning to look at me as I held Jack to my chest, the poor little guy still sleeping. “How do I get both Pat and Joe out of the van and into the rental place?” He asked softly, I shrugged lightly.

“Just put them by the bags, maybe the cold cement will wake them.” I stated going inside as he shrugged muttering a cheery ‘okay’ to me. The rental place had the A/C on high as I walked in and up to the counter with everything I needed to return the rental.

“Is the car ready?” I looked out the door as Pete trying to pull Pat out of the van, Joe already laying on the sidewalk.

“We’re still getting out things out of it.” I muttered she nodded following me outside as Pete laid pat down as Joe sat up like a zombie and looked around a bit confused. “Morning princess.” I stated patting Joe’s head as Pete took the last of the bags out. “That it?” I asked as Joe stared up at me confused. Nodding Pete let out a deep breath. Nodding I handed the lady the keys watching as she walked away.

“Where am I?” Joe asked softly.

“The rental place, now we gotta get on that bus and go to the airport.” I stated pointing to the shuttle bus coming down the street. Nodding he stood up slowly stumbling. “Careful now.” I teased. Lifting his arms over his head he took a deep breath in and stretched, his back cracking slightly.

“So what’re we doing to day?” Joe asked fully away as his arms dropped to his side. “Why do you have a camera?” Joe asked lightly as I shook my head. I’ve always been envious of how Joe can sleep through anything then when he wakes up be wide awake the second after he’s stretched.

“You’re a freak.” Pete laughed as he sat on the curb laying down next to Pat. “So how do we get trucker hat inside?” He asked nodding is head to the man laying beside him on the curb. Andy and Joe shrugged making them all look at me while I busied my self with taking care of Jack as I thought about it. “El-la.” Pete sang lightly. Dropping my gaze to him he smiled at me. “How do we get Pat inside?” He asked pointed at Pat.

“Carry him.” I stated shrugging my shoulders as if it wasn’t that hard to think of.

“How do we get him through security?” Joe asked, rolling my eyes at them I sighed.

“Wave coffee under his nose and hope to god he wakes up.” I stated they all nodded, happy with my idea. “Can’t you guys ever come up with anything?” I asked they all shrugged.

“Pete’s going to have to. You’re off for a week when we get back.” Andy stated, smiling at him Pete lifted his hand to me. Swatting it away he groaned before forcing it back to me.

“Give me my schedule!” Pete huffed sighing I held Jack out to Joe, who took him a bit confused and unsure what to do with the sleeping four-year-old.

“You put him on your hip.” I stated softly to Joe who nodded doing as told. “And hold him there.” I added thinking that through.

“I know that part.” I nodded at his words with a small smile.

“Just making sure.” I muttered softly to him as I crouched down and began digging through my back pack for the calendar that had just Pete’s events in it. Removing the large black folder I slapped it into his hand. “There.” I stated closing my bag and standing back up. I took Jack back quickly as Joe laughed at Pete’s whining form at how much crap he had to do.

“Crap!” Pete yelled sitting up, Pat sat up next to him a bit startled. “Good morning sunshine.” Pete laughed at him before looking back at his calendar while Pat lay back down.

“No! No! No!” Joe muttered quickly sitting Pat back up. “We need you awake buddy.” He stated to Pat holding him up. “And what’s wrong?” Joe asked

“I can’t force her to go anymore.” Pete sighed snapping his fingers. My mind began to run through everything he had when we got back looking for something he was trying to force me to go to that I didn’t want to go to. “I want her to be at the Ball but now I have to reason to force her, before I was using ‘you’re working and have to go where I go’ but now she’s not working and doesn’t.” Pete huffed turning to glare at me, smiling I batted my lashes at him.

“Have I ever told you I love you?” I asked softly as I batted my lashes. Rolling his eyes he began flipping through the calendar a bit nosey. “And my week off is you most relaxed week so far.” Smiling Pete nodded as the shuttle pulled up.

Loading all the bags onto the shuttle we got on and sat down as the man took us and a few other people to the airport. A teenage girl with her family was staring up at Pat next to her with wide eyes as the half asleep man leaned back against the window.

“Kick him.” I stated as Joe pointed to Pat’s closed eyes.

“That’s mean!” Joe gasped, I held my tongue about all the things that happened to the two of them while they were asleep, it wasn’t that mean. Pete eagerly used his hands to prop him against the edge of his seat as he moved out across the wide isle and kicked Pat in the shin.

“Ow!” Pat gasped holding his leg to his chest, rubbing his shin as Pete quickly sat back in his seat next to me. “What was that for?” Pat snarled lightly.

“You were dozing off dude, had to wake you.” Pete gasped. “But it was Ella’s idea!” He stated pointing and accusing finger at me. Pat looked at me and frowned.

“Any thing less and you wouldn’t have woken up.” I stated Pat bobbed his head and nodded slowly. “I’m sorry it hurt.” I added he nodded still frowning as he rubbed his chin.

Jack shifted against my chest yawning as he stretched my little fist over his head towards my face. Smiling down at him I moved the blanket away from his head and face staring down into those large green eyes as he watched me.

“Good morning.” I whispered, he simply waved up at me and rested his head back against my collar bone. Fixing a few pieces of his hair that were sticking straight up I smiled down at him.

“Wow who knew the daughter of Satan sent upon the world to rule it could easily be subdued by an innocent child sent from god?” Pete mused, turning I glared up at him. “I have a new song title!” He gasped as ran his words through his head. “Yes!” He gasped clapping. “I’m good.” He added pulling at the front of his shirt while leaning back into his seat, the guys all laughing at him.

“I could write a pretty good song for that title.” Pete pointed at Pat telling him to do it, and not to waste any time. “We’d have to shorten it a bit.” Pat mused rubbing his chin, fully awake now. “What about ‘The daughter of Satan sent upon the world was easily subdued by a child of god’?” Pat asked pointing at the guys. Joe and Andy shrugged not really caring to talk business so early in the morning, while Pete rubbed his chin in thought.

“Could we throw the innocent in there?” Pete asked. Pat nodded. “I think it’ll be our longest song title yet!” Pete muttered slapping his thigh. “We should make it start out evil ‘cause Ella was evil before Jack.” I looked down at Jack as he looked between Pete and Pat.

“Well she didn’t start evil.” Pat muttered pointing a finger at the ceiling. “She was very naïve and innocent when you hired her Pete.” Pat stated as I smiled at him then looked at Pete. Huffing and rolling his eyes Pete crossed his arms.

“It was an act because after two weeks of her working for me, she offered me to Jessica.” Pete stated as I recalled the past.

Unlocking the door to Pete’s lost apartment I let myself in looking around a bit unsure. He’d always told me to just walk right in because he hardly answers the door for anyone and he was tired of me waking him up with the doorbell. It was awkward.

Setting my bag down I pulled my phone out to look at the time and then the time of Pete’s meeting at Fueled by Ramen.

I let out a deep breath and smiled at the glowing screen; we had time to spare. If he wanted we could even stop for breakfast if he got up in time.

Reaching over I turned on the lights I stared at a woman sitting on his couch, arms crossed over her chest, legs crossed, a scowl and glare on her features, her blonde hair framing her angry features.

“Can I help you?” I asked softly closing the door behind me as I did so. She didn’t move. “Pete.” I called watching as she stood up. “Are you Pete’s girlfriend?” I asked her as she headed up the stairs with her nose in the air.

Blinking as she vanished into the darkness of the loft I looked around catching my reflection. My red-brown hair was pulled back into a mess bun, I wasn’t wearing any make-up I had a stud in the right side of my nose and a stud in the left side of my lip. I was small and box framed for a twenty-two-year-old.

My attention was called back as her hot pink heels hit the metal stairs and she made her way down, Pete following behind her with half opened glazed over eyes and in nothing but boxers.

“Morning Ella.” Pete waved, the woman’s head swiveled to me, her eyes wide.

“I thought her name was Isabella.” She growled at him, he shrugged lightly passing her as she stopped on the stairs glaring at me. I followed Pete into the kitchen. “That’s Jessica Merlo.” Pete stated softly to me. “She’s my stalker.” He added as if it were a normal dinner conversation.

“And Pete is mine.” Turning I looked at Jessica staring at me as she grabbed a knife out of the cutting me. “Mine, not yours you little bitch!” She hissed at me. Every step she took towards me I took back, passing Pete as he made coffee, not even paying attention. “Don’t run, this won’t hurt too bad.” I stumbled falling on the floor as she held the knife towards me, quickly getting closer.

“Pete’s yours I’m only an assistant!” I gasped hands up. Pete turned looking at us. “He’s yours.”

“Way to stand your ground.” Pete grumbled walking out of the kitchen as Jessica leaned over me holding the knife to my neck.

“You promise he’s mine?” She hissed at me. I nodded slowly unable to do anything else at the moment. “Yeah! I love you.” She stated pulling the knife away and tossing it onto the counter as she skipped out of the kitchen. “Petey!” She called as she went.

“Oh my god.” I whispered taking in deep breaths as my body relaxed into the floor. “What have I gotten myself into?” I asked

“Ella!” Pete yelled sounding completely and utterly annoyed by something.

“I’m gonna die.” I whispered slowly getting up off the floor. “Gonna die.” I whispered throwing my arms up in the air.

“Pete that doesn’t count.” Pat sighed.

“Yes it does, and what twenty-two-year-old doesn’t have friends unless they’re plotting to take over the world or they’ve been sent from hell?” Pete gasped throwing his hands up, smacking my in the face on accident. Growling he looked down at me. “Sorry.” He muttered sheepishly patting me on the head.

“I had friend then, I don’t anymore because I had to work for you.” I growled at him as he rolled his eyes.

“You should have more friends now.” Pete muttered in a pee-shaw short of way towards me.

“I do, but I don’t have all the same friend when I started working for you, that’s the point.” I muttered to him.

“Why aren’t they your friends anymore?” Joe asked softly arms crossed over his chest lightly.

“Because I never had time off to hang out, the only friend I still have from back them is Jenna really.” I stated

“You knew Chizz.” Pete pointed out.

“I knew Chizz in middle school when he first moved here from Australia.” I stated Pete nodded. “And I only knew him through middle school because he moved back after eighth grade.”

“But you kept in touch.” I nodded lightly. “There friends.”

“He joined TAI after I was working for you for three months and was surprised to even see me.” I added Pete shrugged.

“Still you knew him.”

“But,” I looked at Pat. “The point is, all the people she could physically hang out with at that time period that didn’t have anything to do with you are no longer her friends other than Jenna.” Pat sighed as Pete shrugged again.

“She’s dating Beckett.” He stated slapping my forehead I shook my head.

“You won’t survive a week with out Ella.” Joe mused lightly, his eyes wide, mouth open slightly.