The Tick Tock of the Clock

Sighing I opened my eyes at the sound echoing through that rather large apartment I now hand. It wasn’t crying which I’d woken up to yesterday- Jack had fallen on his way to my room and scraped him knee pretty badly- and it wasn’t my alarm which I’d turned off the second I got home seeing as I wasn’t working for a week.

Pushing myself up on my arms I looked around the barely lit room, Jack lay next to me tucked into his favorite blanket as he sucked his thumb. Grunting I laid back down figuring it had been his footsteps to get to my bed that woke me.

Then it repeated, more clearly this time as the sleepy fog cleared from my brain. Turning I looked at the green numbers glowing at me. Frowning at the normal hour in which most people woke at I slipped out of bed ready to kill who ever it was that was knocking at my door.

Crossing the living room I stepped on one missed placed green crayon, the only item Jack forgot to put away yesterday that belonged to him. Grunting I bent down picking it up in my hands and glancing at the green stain on the bottom of my foot that would more than likely track across the cream colored carpet.

“I’m coming.” I barked at the door as the person knocked again, obviously impatient. “Fucking asswhole…” I whispered crossing the room the green, broken crayon clutched in my hand as I swung the door open; the gold chain catching after two and a half inches. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.” I hissed slamming the door in the man’s face and removing the gold chain before swinging it all the way open. “It’s only been a day.” I hissed at Pete standing there a bag over his shoulder, sleep still crusted in his eyes, his sweater hanging off his left shoulder, his belt half done and one shoe on the other in his hand. “I’m not helping you unless you’re going bankrupt.” I hissed at him watching as he glared at me with a deep frown setting onto his lips.

“I’m not here for your help.” He stated, crossing my arms I rose a brow at him waiting for him to explain himself. “Okay I have meeting today with the board, I don’t know what time I’m getting out and you’re a bitching whore of a mother fucker who turned her phone off so you are going to come with me and wait in the lobby because,” He lifted finger as my mouth dropped open to protest. “Because we’re going to my mother’s afterwards we promised her we would and she yelled at me yesterday when I said you had the day off and you better come or she won’t let me in… and we’d better bring Jack.” He finished lamely. “And I want my moms cooking.” He whined lightly stamping his foot, the one with out his shoe on mumbling about the fact that it hurt his foot.

“Fine...” I sighed stepping aside letting him in. Smiling he took a seat on the couch as I closed and re-locked the door. “But I’m not helping you with the board.” I stated he nodded mumbling something about not wanting or needing my help.

Wandering back to my room I got dressed quickly and grabbed a few things I’d need slinging them into a large, black leather purse. Leaving the room I went to Jack’s grabbing a few things for him slinging them into the bag as well.

“Hurry up or I’ll be late.” Pete snapped at me as I headed back to my room to get Jack.

“Bite me.” I hissed at him. Turning I pointed at finger glaring at him as he stood up. “Sit down…” I hissed at him noticing another man with a black camera in his hands. “You’ve gotta be shitting me.” I whispered. “What’s that?” I snapped pointing at the man. Pete turned in his seat looking at the man before back at me and crossing his legs, hands folded over his knee.

“That is Fred.” Pete stated licking his lips. “The camera man.” He finished as I huffed. “We’re making a DVD! I got Fred, Pat’s got Danny, Joe’s got Mikey, and Andy’s got confusingly enough Andy.” Pete elaborated waving a hand at me. “Now hurry, if I’m late I’m gonna kill you.” Snorting I rolled my eyes walking into my room and unwrapping Jack from his blanket.

Whining Jack opened his eyes looking at me through the slits that were created, the emerald green color peaking through the butter cream colored skin he had. Smiling I undid the red and green Reptar one-z he had on. Groaning he tried to push me away.

“You have to get dressed then you can go back to sleep.” I whispered to him. Nodding he whined a bit but let me undress and redress him. Wrapping him back in his Rugrats blanket I picked him up with a smile.

“Come on.” Pete hissed at me as I wandered back at into the living with Jack on my hip.

“I have to get him breakfast.” I hissed back at Pete. Groaning Pete threw his arms up as he threw himself back into his seat being dramatically. “Drama Queen.” I whispered to him as I moved into the kitchen grabbing some cereal, a couple juice boxes and a small package of diced apples; all of which when into my purse. I paused grabbing an extra cheerios on before moving back into the living room. “Shut up.” I hissed at Pete chucking the cereal at him. He’d rubbed the sleep from his eyes, fixed his sweater, belt and put on his other shoe.

“I didn’t say anything.” Pete grumbled tearing open the cereal bar.

“No but you were going to say: Hurry up lady! You move slower that Patrick does in the morning. Jesus! He’s slower than smell!” I gasped as Pete snapped his fingers and pointed at me, the cereal in his bar. “Is that a touché?” I asked softly opening the door. Nodding Pete passed me along with Fred the camera man. “You’re an idiot.” I whispered closing and locking the door. “Don’t call me an old lady!” I snapped at Pete waiting by the elevator with Fred the Camera man.

“You have like… super hearing!” Pete gasped through a mouthful of cereal bar. Rolling my eyes I stopped next to him. “She’s also physic, and has eyes in the back of her head its hella creepy when you’re in your own home she’s totally not even in the same room and you sneak down the stairs for a beer and before you can even step into kitchen you hear Get your ass back in bed Wentz, I’ve already locked the fridge.” Pete clicked his tongue as he bobbed his head.

“I’m not physic, nor do I have eyes in the back of my head.” I stated glared at him. “You’re just very predictable.” I stated as the large silver doors opened. “And no,” I pointed at Pete as he walked in behind me. “I don’t have anymore cereal bars for you.” Snapping he frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. “You should have fed your self, it’s not my job right now.” I stated as he sighed deeply.

“I know.” He mumbled. “But you wanna know the hardest part to this?” He hushed at me, looking up at him I waited for him to answer. “Getting up on time on my own.” He muttered rubbing his face. “It’s soo hard.” He added as we crossed the lobby towards the car waiting for us.

“You’re a lazy bum.” I muttered to him getting in the car, a car seat waiting in the middle seat. Quickly I buckled Jack in as Pete slid into the seat on the other side of the car seat, Fred the camera man getting in the passenger seat and pointing the camera between the seats at us.

“But you love me.” Snorting I slapped my hand over my mouth and looked out the window as Tom drove off to out destination. I could feel my shoulders rock slightly at the thought just to annoy him. “Shut up.” Pete whined at me. Glancing back at him I reached over the car seat grabbing his shoulder and giving it a small squeeze.

“If you want loving turn to Ashlee, she for some odd reason cares for you. Your mother and I have not figured out why yet.” I stated watching his mouth drop open as he stared at me. “What?” I asked smiling at him.

Leaning between the seats he pointed at the camera.

“Do you see what I have to put up with everyday almost? I get verbally, physically and mentally abused.” I snorted again turning he looked at me.

“I can’t mentally abuse you Pete.” I sighed. He glared at me, pointing. “You don’t have a brain to mess with mentally.” I stated lightly as his frown deepened.

“I hate you some days.” He whispered sitting back in his seat with his arms crossed over his chest. “I really do.”

“Pfftt, you love me.” I stated lightly he snorted. “You better love me.” I muttered he looked at me. “Or you can deal with Jessica on your own.” I muttered lightly watching his eyes widen.

“No! I love you!” He gasped nodding I looked out the window the rest of the time as he messed with his phone and day planner. “We’re really boring people.” Pete stated to the camera as he worked.

“If you wanna see something funny that happens in an hour? Give Pete coffee with four shots of espresso.” I stated watching Pete as he laughed. “He’ll pass out cold in an hour on his feet.” I stated.

“It’s true.” Pete muttered softly lifting his day planner. “I have no idea what that says.”

“I can’t help you.” I muttered softly.

“Tell me what it says.” He gasped. “I think it says Minley, which means a photo shoot with Michael Minley. It could say Finland, but I don’t think we’re going to Finland with out it saying airport, or the other option is Ninley which means I gotta talk financial bull and I don’t wanna do that.” Pete stated as I looked at it, it was clearly Ninley. Looking up at him I just watched him. “Tell me is that’s an N or an M.” He stated.

“Hell.” I stated he paused, frowning at me a bit confused by what I meant by it.

“Hell… aw… It’s Ninley isn’t it?” He asked I shrugged. “I don’t wanna talk financial bull.” He whispered looking back at the day planner as the car pulled up to the curb. “I’ll take Jack.” He stated stuffing his stuff into his back pack before undoing the buckles. Nodding I got out of the car and closed the door as cars passed me. Moving around the car I stepped onto the sidewalk and looked back at Fred with a frown before I looked back at Pete holding Jack on his hip. “Let’s go.” Pete stated walking up the steps of the building and in it, it was packed with people.

“Didn’t call ahead to clear it did you?” I hissed at Pete as he looked down at me.

“Am I suppose to?” He whispered as people turned to him taking pictures.

“Yes.” I hissed. “You call ahead and clear the press.” I hissed at him shaking my head.

“I don’t know this shit.” He whispered to me pushing through the crowd, following him I sighed as we got to the elevator and went up two floors. “You should tell me this stuff.” He added after awhile.

“I thought it was obvious!” I gasped at him throwing my arms up. “Seriously? I tell you when I can’t get the press cleared that should mean I normally get them cleared. For fuck sakes you are you.” I hissed at him as he shrugged his shoulders at me throwing his free hand up, the other holding Jack to his side.

“I’m sorry, I don’t like dealing with the press so I have you do it!” Pete gasped. “And what does being me have to do with anything?!” He hissed as I slapped my forehead following him lightly.

“You’re the bassist of one of the biggest bands in the world, you own your own label carrying some of the other biggest names in the world right now, you own a clothing line and you like being in the public eye at big events. They wanna know what you do on your free time! I mean seriously? They’d love to get a picture of you jacking off.” I gasped at him as he froze mouth open, eyes wide in utter disgust. “Doesn’t help with the pictures you put on MySpace a few years back.” I stated as he smiled sheepishly at me at the thought of his rather personal pictures. “Glad you’ve matured a little sense then.” I added lightly, lifting my arms from my sides a bit.

“Just a tad.” He whispered lightly leading the way. “So just sit in a chair look scary because you scare the crap out of the board members.” He muttered walking along, sighing I followed him lightly.

“Oh, I’m scary so we know that, I’m not opening my mouth though.” I warned as he paused outside the door passing me back Jack.

“Good cause I don’t want you to say a word and you don’t leave till I leave because you’ll abandon me here.” He hissed at me as I gave him an innocent smile. “If you hadn’t ended up being my best friend I don’t know how I’d put up with half the crap you put me through.” He added before slinging open the door and walking in. “Good morning gentlemen.” He called smiling at them as I moved to a chair on the side. My eyes lifted I noticed Fred filming by the closed door.