The Tick Tock of the Clock

Blinking I shifted the blankets off my lap to hear a loud piercing screeching sound. Freezing I looked over at Jack pressed on the small button as he colored, as if it was nothing.

“Sell out.” I whispered over at him as colored. Slowly he lifted his large green eyes to me and shrugged. Huffing I got out of bed to hear the screech again from him. “Press it all you want.” I stated limping towards the bathroom. “He’s as deaf as a bat.” I added, laughing at the thought as I hobbled my way to the bathroom. It took me longer than it should have to get to the bathroom.

I could hear the constant repeating off the screeching coming from Jack as he pressed the button repeatedly, despite the fact I had to use the bathroom.

I opened the door and blinked up at Pete glaring down at me, arms crossed over his chest tightly, his lips formed a hard line, his jaw tight and his dark brown eyes narrowed at me.

“When’d you get back?” I asked softly.

“All of five seconds ago to hear Jack pressed the button.” He snarled at me. I shrugged lightly moving to take a step around him. “You’re suppose to be in bed.” He stated scooping me up quickly. Jack stopped pressed the button and went back to putting all his attention into coloring.

“Sorry I had to pee.” I stated.

“Then call Nate.” I frowned at him. He sighed at my simple response to statement. “What?” He gasped at me as he placed me back in his bed and tucked me in. I crossed my arms over my chest as he patted my blankets.

“Can’t I atleast stay at my place and not have to fuss over me like your mother did?” I asked, he snorted.

“Nope.” He smiled at me before he moved around to Jack. “Thank’s little man.” He stated handing Jack a dollar. I laughed.

“He conned you into a dollar, I thought you were only giving him a quarter.” Pete gave a nervous laugh. “He got you to give him a dollar? I can’t even get a raise!” I gasped. Pete and Jack both shrugged at me. “You two are so cheap.” I whispered.

“Hey, I’m forking up a dollar to him a day, that’s not cheap.” My face fell at his words. “Not cheap.” He gasped as Jack looked at him as if debating if he could get more money out of a Pete or not. “A dollar only.” He stated down at Jack, pointing a finger at him to make his point. Jack huffed and went back to coloring. Rolling my eyes I sat there. “Now I’m only getting something, so if you need something call Nate.”

“Oh yes I’ll call the cooking wonder who can’t even hear Jack setting off that annoyingly loud alarm.” I scoffed. Pete pulled out his phone and quickly dialed.

“You’re up to bat.” He stated into the phone before hanging up. “Ha.” He stated.

“It better not be Gabe.” I hissed. Pete smiled at me lightly. “Oh my god it is.” I whispered covering my face with my hands. “Last time Gabe ‘watched me’ I had to hear about his love life and Jack didn’t need to hear some of those details.”

“I know you yelled at me for two hours after he left.” Pete stated grabbing a few things. “But it’s not Gabe, I don’t want to get my head bit off again.” He added before walking down the stairs. “Hey Nate.” He yelled. Jack sat up and rushed down the stairs after him.

“I hate you Peter.” I yelled down after him and sat back in the bed. I couldn’t understand why I had to stay in bed for two days and why I couldn’t go home to stay in my bed.

“I love you too.” He called up the stairs. “NATE!!” He yelled at the top of his lungs. “What did you do to my kitchen?!” Sliding out of bed I hobbled to the stairs and down them. I watched Jack tugged on Pete’s pants and point at me. “You bed now, you dead.” Pete growled pointing at me then into the kitchen.

“I made a fucking cake. Sorry I just stared cleaning up.” Nate muttered.

“There’s a brown blob on the ceiling.”

“Blame Ryland.” I grabbed Pete’s side and looked in the kitchen at Nate cleaning and Guy Ripley eating the batter out of the bowl. “He decided to throw it up in the air to try and catch it in his mouth.” Nate growled looking over at Ryland still munching down on the uncooked cake batter.

“Well that plan failed.” I muttered lightly. Nate and Pete both glared at me as they froze. Ryland smiled at me.

“I know, I through it just a bit too high.” He laughed.

“Not funny.” Pete growled lightly. “Now.” He added. “You keep cleaning,” He stated pointing at Nate. “You help him before I strangle you with a guitar sting or down you in cake batter, and Nate can help.” He added. “And while you do that, you,” He spun looking at me. “Bed.” He huffed at me.

“Bite me.” I gasped as Pete leaned down quickly biting the side of my neck. “Son of a B.” I growled at him as he let go.

“You need a shower.” Pete coughed lightly picking me up. “Now, I’ve done what you asked, now you get to do what I asked.” He stated carrying my up the stairs as Jack followed us.

“That really hurt.” I whined gripping my neck.

“Couldn’t have hurt, I didn’t feel a thing.” Pete mused tossing me into bed roughly. “Stay.” He huffed at me before leaving as Jack climbed up in the bed and bit my leg.

“Hey.” I huffed at him playfully. “Peter you’re teaching Jack bad tricks.” I called pushing Jack over. “Color.” I stated pointing at the coloring book and crayons. He bit my finger. “Hey.” I stated pushing him again. He bit my wrist.

“What am I teaching him?” Pete asked walking back in the room with out even looking at Jack gnawing on my forearm. “Is he bribing you with a… why is he biting you?” Pete laughed. I frowned at him. “You said bite me.” He stated pointing.

“Who’s coming?” I asked grabbing onto Pete’s arms as I flipped Jack over on the bed, pinning the little boy. Jack giggled wildly at the action. Pete shrugged at me as he dug through his nightstand. “Who’s coming Pete?” I asked making sure I kept Jack pinned to the bed as he tried to bite my hand still.

“Don’t know.” He stated leaning over and kissing Jack on the head. “Be good, I already gave you your dollar, ‘kay?” Jack nodded with a small salute to Pete. “And you,” He kissed my forehead. “Stay in bed.” He muttered pulling his arms out of my lose grasp and walking off. “Bye.” He called before closing the door behind him.

Slowly I lifted my hand to the spot where he’d kissed my forehead and swallowed my heart back into my chest as it tried to come up and out of my throat. I took in a small shaky breath staring at my feet blankly.

“Ow.” I gasped looking down at Jack biting my lower leg. “Stop it.” I gasped as he giggled. “Color in your book.” I added. He snapped his teeth at me a few times. “Paraná!” I gasped at him snapping my teeth back at him. He giggled and crawled over to his coloring book satisfied. “DO you know who’s coming?” I whispered to him. Simply he nodded. “Who?”

We both froze hearing the front door and thundering feet. My eyes turned to the stairs and watched carefully as the heavy foot steps pounded up them. I blinked as two bodies came flying at me, words blurring together as they yelled at me. Jack giggled up at them.

“Oh my god! Cash! Singer! Down!” I yelled pointing at them as they waved they’re hands around as they’re words blended together. “Stop!” I gasped, they both stopped. “What the hell are you guys doing here?” I asked.

“Pete called.” Cash smiled. “And we happened to be in town.” He shrugged.

“You guys are suppose to be on tour.” I gasped.

“And the tour happens to go through Chicago after the ball.” Singer stated poking my forehead. Instantly I swatted at his hand viciously, that was the spot… I groaned falling over in bed. “What unhappy to see us?” I nodded. “Oh well.” He laughed hugging me as I frowned into the sheets.

“I smell cake!” Cash yelled jumping off the bed rushing off.

“Cake? I love cake!” Signer gasped. “Let’s go get cake.” He stated scooping up Jack off the bed and running down the stairs.

I sighed into the sheets. Pete’s charm was pulling me in again and just after I’d gotten out of it too.

“Damn you.” I swore to the sheets.