The Tick Tock of the Clock

“How’s this?” My eyes drifted up from the calculator as I sat on Pete’s glass kitchen table, to him rubbing down a black vest over a hot pink t-shirt and a red tie with his normal black jeans. “Does this look good?” He muttered still running a hand over the lapels of the vest lightly.

“You’re just going to a party.” I stated lightly looking back at the small book in my lap. “And seriously you can’t use one of the many bills in your wallet to pay for Starbucks?” I asked as he turned looking in the mirror at his outfit.

“I meant for tomorrow night and I don’t see what the hell you’re doing with my check book.” He mumbled lightly, still playing with the vest a bit, running his fingers over the large black buttons and down the small, hardly noticeable white pinstripes.

“Put on a yellow shirt.” I muttered pressing in numbers not even caring to answer the fact that I’ve been balancing his check book since he never found the time to do it himself.

“Yellow?” He questioned wandering over to see what I was doing, I guess, by how he lifted my head to look at his checkbook. “What the hell are you doing?” He asked letting go of my head and staring at me startled. “That’s my checkbook!” He gasped startled though he’d already pointed that fact out moments ago.

“I know. I’m balancing it for you since your sense of responsibility ran away about a year or so ago. Because I remember when you use to do this while I helped organize large events you wanted to go to.” I stated. “And yes, if you’re wearing a red tie you want people to see it better and yellow will make the red pop and you’ll look better.” I muttered avoiding the word hot, good, or anything that would inflate his already over sized ego.

Bobbing his head Pete snatched his checkbook from my hands looking at it and flipping through the many pages I had yet to get through.

“Oh my jebus...” He whispered pausing. “This is from when I got this checkbook almost six months ago.” He whispered.

“I noticed. Could you learn to balance it?” I smiled at him lightly folding my hands in my lap at him. He bobbed his head.

“Yeah, but… yellow?” He muttered tossing it on the table leaving me nothing to do while he wandered back to the mirror pressing the vest still. It reminded me of old times, when he still had a strong hand in running his life.

“Remember the day we met?” I asked lightly, he paused focusing on my reflection in the mirror just behind him. “And Jane?” I asked lightly, smiling at the memory of when I went to first apply to the position figuring ‘what the hell it’s worth a shot even if I know I won’t get it.’

Laughing Pete turned to me with narrowed confused brows and leaned against the mirror, tucking his hands behind his back as he watched me.

“Yeah, I do. Why?” He questioned as I shrugged lightly.

“You were a lot different back then, then you are now.” I muttered swinging my legs and tipping my head to the side, thinking about after three or four months on the job I thought I was in love with him. How dedicated, driven and passionate he was about his work, friends and family. How he could be extremely weird and funny at times, how he could always break the hardest tension or awkward moment. Now… he lacks many of those qualities and half the time I just wanna kill him.

“We all grow up.” I smiled at him, at how his old self seemed to be peeking through at the moment.

“I grew up Peewee, you didn’t. You were already a man and an adult when I met you. Know you remind me of the weird guy in freshmen class.” I muttered his smile dropped as his brows knitted together. “The guy everyone loves or likes because he’s weird, but at the same time having trouble running his own life because he’s focusing to much on making other people happy that his minds in so many different places he can hardly focus on his school work if he focus’s on it at all.” I muttered watching as he hung his head a bit licking his lips slowly as if processing my words.

“No I’m not.” He stated sharply.

“Bill’s birthday last year was planned two weeks in advance because you told me a month a head, I would’ve already had your Honda Civic plane ticket, because you would have told me a week ahead, I would have a hotel room for you at the Honda Civic tour instead of hoping even a motel will take you at this point… you would have more than likely not just sat down when the board told you no. You would’ve kept fighting for it ‘till they caved.” I muttered he sighed running a hand through his hair. “You had such better control of things and now you look at me and go please? Or give me puppy dog eyes so you don’t have to voice it.” I muttered watching him nod.

The one thing I’ve learned about Pete is, no matter how much he many be reverting back to childhood he still has that man in there that I first met and he listens to every serious word you tell him, even if it doesn’t look like he is. That’s why I don’t have problems talking to him as he looks around at other things like a kid in a candy store.

“Okay then, on that note. I’m doing my checkbook, don’t touch it.” He muttered smiling at me. “And I’m wearing a green shirt.” He stuck his tongue out at me as he leaned against the mirror and stared at me with a small smile.

“I applauded you on your recovery.” I smiled clapping for him, watching as he bowed.

“Oh, also set up another meeting with the board, don’t suspend them I want it three weeks from today.” I nodded pulling out my calendar trying to find a place for it.

“How about three weeks and a day?” I asked watching his face twist up. “You got the Fueled By Ramen and DecayDance ball, along with dropping of the new Phantom Planet album party, you also have a hair cut and your visiting your mom that day.” I muttered he nodded his head.

“Fine three weeks and a day, and move my visit with my mom to the same day so I have more time, cause something tells me I’ll have to flake on her otherwise and I don’t wanna flake on my mommy.” He stated nodding I smiled at him writing it down and moving it.

“That works fine, because that’s the day you took off for yourself, if that’s alright with you?” I muttered a bit unsure if I should just remove that day. Clapping Pete jumped around a bit, doing a small dance.

“Sweet! I get my mom’s home cooking on my day off!” He stated still dancing around. Smiling I shook my head at him waiting for him to give a time for the meeting, or if he’d tell me to fully set it up since he had a free-day that day.

“And a meeting with a board.” He shrugged stopping.

“They won’t ruin my day that day. Make it ten A.M. so I don’t have to get up too early and I can hold them hostage for as long as I need to before going to get a home cooked meal.” He stated as he ran up the stairs to the loft. Writing it down I waited for something else to come up.

“Anything big coming up in the next few weeks other than Honda Civic, Beck’s birthday and your new found meeting?” I muttered He poked his head over the railing staring down at me. “Something I don’t know about because these next few weeks are pretty bare.” I stated he nodded lightly fully leaning on the railing.

“Tell me what I’ve got.” He stated. Taking a deep breath I nodded glancing down at the calendar.

“Well tonight you got that party Ashlee invited you to, that you’re going to.” I muttered simply he nodded. “Tomorrow you have Beck’s party at night, during the day you said all you wanted to do was sort through demos. After that on the 12th we’re heading out to Arizona to talk with Crystal you have an interview with her, we’re staying the night while the boys fly out on the 13th, which is the day you have your interview, on the 14th when they arrive as a band you have an interview with her and your doing the cashdolla session. We come back on the 16th then on the 17th you have nothing you don’t have anything but a photo shoot with Hayley Williams, William Becket, and Bren Urie.” I muttered looking up at him. “And that’s two days before your meeting.” I sighed as he bobbed his head lightly.

“I have a whole free week don’t I?” He mumbled rubbing his chin as he thought about it. Nodding I looked at it.

“A week and two days, actually.” I stated watching as he stood up rubbing his bare chest lightly with pursed lips.

“I wanna go to California for a few days, just kick back and relax with the guys. Could you do that?” He asked lightly with hopeful eyes.

“Where in Cali?” I asked my pen hovering over the notes section on the side of my calendar as I watched him wander away from the railing to possibly go look for a shirt to wear to the party in an hour or so.

“Somewhere with beaches but isn’t too crowded but still isn’t totally barren.” He muttered as I slipped off the table and wandering over to his laptop on the coffee table. Flipping it open and turning it on, I waited for it to boot up so I could start searching for places they could go and he could approve of before exiting for the party. “So don’t send us to L.A.” He called down the stairs to me. “Do you think I should wear my black shirt with the fake bow-tie on it?” He called as I paused, imaging him showing up to a rather fancy party in it and Ashlee freaking out on him because he doesn’t look nice.

Standing I headed up the stairs and stared at him holding the shirt in front of his bare chest. Storming over I took it from him in a huff.

“What is wrong with you?” I snapped, he shrugged lightly laughing at me. “It’s a fancy party that she actually invited you to because,” I gasped placing my hands over my mouth. “She actually likes you as a human being, how I’m not quite sure.” I gasped watching him glare at me darkly for insulting him. “You are not going in that shirt, because not only does she like you but don’t you like her too?” I asked he nodded crossing his arms over his chest. “And guess what?” I smiled at him sweetly.

“What?” He mumbled annoyed as he rolled his eyes slowly.

“Your mom likes her too, so we’re going to try and not screw this, little relationship you’ve got started with her, up.” I hissed wandering to his closet and grabbed a white regular t-shirt and the black vest he had been wearing. “Put these on.” He did as told running his hands over the vest as he shook his head. “Vest off.” I muttered grabbing a nice black jean jacket. He placed it on a bobbed his head a bit debating it. “You look good.” I muttered watching him smile at me in the mirror.

“Thank you, but it lacks style.” Groaning I began digging through is cloths before holding up and black and white Skelanimal swirl shirt. “Oh, I like.” He stated changing shirts and putting the jacket back on. “I look hot.” He growled at him self.

“You make me wonder sometimes.” I sighed shaking my head and wandering back down stairs.

“Don’t insult me I’m your boss!!” He screamed as I logged on and began looking for cheap flights and things to do in California that he’d want to do.

“Do you wanna go to Disney Land?” I called up at him to hear and girlish squeal before he came flying down the stairs to stare at me, a wide smile.

“Could you do that?” He gasped nodding he clapped running the rest of the way to me and throwing himself on me in a huge hug. “I love you!” He screamed in my ear as his rather strong arms cut off my airways.

“Pee….” I gasped for air. “Pete.” He pulled back letting me suck in a large amount of air. “I need to live and breathe to set that up.” I gasped he nodded standing up and running in circles screaming about Disney land. “And you wonder why I wonder about you…” I sighed placing a hand on my chest as I lay on the couch ignoring him as he ran around. “Call the boys and see if they wanna go.”

“Trick!” Pete screamed into his phone before I could even finish my sentence. “We’re going to Disney Land!” He screamed like a little girl as he jumped around.

“You’re wrinkling your jacket and shirt.” I stated watching as he didn’t stop, just kept bouncing and running around like the energizer bunny.

“What days are we going?” Pete asked sitting on me, phone still pressed back to his ear. Shrugging he growled slapping my stomach. “Why don’t you know?” He gasped dramatically as he pulled back acting offended.

“Because you tried to kill me after I even asked if you wanted to go…” I sighed simply staring at him blankly.

“Oh, then hop to it.” Shifting under him, I listen to him rant to Trick about what rides he was going to go on first and what he was going to do each day since they had a week to relax.

Running my fingers over the mouse pad on the laptop I looked for days that would be good for them before I tapped Pete’s knee and pointed at the screen. Nodding he gave me a thumbs up and stood as I booked the flights, hotel and week long passes to the park.

“Do you wanna go to Naught berry Farm too?” I asked lightly, he stopped.

“Why do I wanna go to a Farm?” He asked rolling my eyes I got passes to it too knowing Andy and Trick would wanna go, even possibly Joe who would spend most his time on Splash mountain in Disney Land. “Oh my god, I wanna meet Cinderella!” Looking up I stared at Pete amazed. Laughing I shook my head as he turned to me confused. “Don’t laugh at me Trick! She’s my favorite Princess!” He whined childishly. “Ella tell Trick to stop laughing at me!” Nodding I held my hand out for the phone. “Ha.” He laughed handing me the phone.

Sighing into the receiver, I licked my lips trying to focus on the words I was going to tell the laughing man on the other end of the phone.

“Trick…” I muttered softly as Pete shifted his weight crossing his arms over his chest with a puffed out cheeks.

“Yes?” Patrick laughed.

“I know Pete isn’t the maturest human being we know, but at least he can get exited about something so leave him alone, ‘cause I know you’ll squeal like a little girl when you see Aladdin and Jasmine.” I sighed as Pete chuckled.

“Will not! That’s Joe!” He gasped as a soft ‘I’m what?’ echoed from the background.

“That’s right you like the Little Mermaid.” I stated hearing him gasp as Pete burst into fits of laughed. “Pete, stop it.” I snapped. Standing up right Pete covered his mouth trying to control his laughter. “Now, I’m going to say no laughing at each other for whatever Princess they like, because you all like one and I know it.” I stood up pointing at Pete. “Got it?”

“Got it.” They both groaned. Nodding, I handed Pete back his phone.

“Good then everything is booked for it and Peter,” His head snapped up to me. “You’ve gotta get going so you can get to the party on time.” He said good-bye to Trick and left. “Have a good time.” I called as he waved at me while exiting his own apartment.

Some time I feel like his mother with how much I take care of him.