The Tick Tock of the Clock

“You can’t kill Ross.” Pete stated as he drove us back towards my apartment. Laughing lightly I nodded at him. “You can’t, he’s a good friend, he’s just… a little strange.”

“The Joker in the new Batman movie is strange, Ross is just stupid and hoping to die.” I snapped at him as Pete shrugged lightly.

“True, but, Ross doesn’t run around with face paint on.” He paused. “I take that back, he use to. So he’s a little strange, and he thinks that we should be together. Obviously so do a lot of other people. It’s no big deal, just let it go. As long as he hasn’t told my mother, we’re good.” He mused. Huffing I crossed my arms over my chest like a small girl being told she can’t have ice cream and if she says another word on the subject she’s grounded. “Okay?” he asked lightly.

“No, it’s not okay. First gossip magazines and now this. People need to realize that we’re not together.” I snapped bitterly. Pete winced lightly.

“I get that.” He whispered softly as we pulled into the parking lot of my apartment complex. “Just… be nice okay. I know I piss you off.”

“You don’t piss me off. You bug me some days, but you don’t piss me off. Other people piss me off.” I stated as I climbed out of the car. A small smile spread over his lips.

“Well that’s good, but still these other people are our friends and..” He stopped as I cut him off.

“You make it sound like we’re married.” I stated as I pulled Mikey and Jack out of the car. “Go push the button.” I stated pointing to the elevator a few feet from us. Giggling and laughing as they ran towards it. Pete and I laughed as well while following closely behind them.

“We may not be married, but we are pretty much attached at the hip, you have to admit. If they’re my friends, they’re your friends. If they’re your friends they’re my friends.” I nodded at the truth he spoke. “So, be nice. I mean you guys normally get along.” He stated as the elevator doors swung open and we stepped inside with the boys. “Maybe this is all a misunderstanding.” He shrugged lightly.

“You’re going to have to explain that to me. How is this whole thing a miss understanding?” I snorted.

“Maybe he was drunk.” Pete stated. “You know how he gets when he’s drunk. You could tell Ryan he’s on fire, literally on fire, despite the fact that he isn’t and he’ll believe you and stop, drop and roll. So assuming his drunk, what happens, he find a magazine were on the cover it says we’re getting married. Because we both know that the magazines are liars. Right?” I nodded, listening to his explanation as the doors opened and we wandered down the hall to my apartment. “So, Ryan seeing this, freaks out. He’s drunk off his rocker and starts calling people going: ‘did you know Pete and Ella are getting married?’ and everyone else goes. ‘What?’ because they don’t believe the magazines like Ryan does in his drunken state, but the statement coming from Ryan they believe it, he’s a close friend of ours and then they go. ‘holy…” Pete trailed off looking down at the boys a bit unsure of his next words. “then a few choice words,” he stated as he lifted a hand at me. “After the few choice words go ‘they’re getting married.’ All shocked like and then start calling and texting people to see if it’s true everyone going back to the main source.”

“Being Ryan.” I stated lightly. Pete pointed, a smile on his face.

“A very drunk Ryan, and he says ‘yeah, I just found out about it.’ The magazine still in his hands or near him. Then everyone starts texting you to congratulate us knowing that if they just text you I’ll get the messages as well so there’s no need to text me… despite the fact a bunch of people probably did, I just haven’t looked at my phone lately. But a drunk Ryan starts all this and if you called him now I’m sure he’d be hung over and have no idea what your talking about.” Pete gave a sharp nod as he fell back onto my couch. Sighing I crossed my arms over my chest as I watched the boys pull toys out of Jack’s room and start to play. Kicking the door closed I bobbed my head debating Pete’s words. It was true, when Ryan got drunk he believe anything.

“I don’t know Pete. Ryan is a gullible drunk but he’s not that gullible.” I stated lightly. Pete cleared his throat as he leaned forward on his news.

“New years eve,” He stated while lightly lifting a finger at me. “two-thousand-six, Ryan got completely hammered, you remember right?” I nodded lightly. I did remember him being completely wasted. “And Hayley, thinking she was funny told him he was gay. Do you remember this?” he asked, I nodded again trying to force down a smile. “What did he do after that?” He asked, a hand raised at me.

“His on every guy in the room and tried to get into their pants. Thus birthing many Rydon stories from those of you, who are freaks and write fan fiction while on tour.” Pete snapped and leaned back in his seat.

“He’ll believe anything you tell him when he’s drunk.” Pete stated.

“Yeah I guess. But why would he be that drunk?” I asked pointing at him.

“Hello, they’re probably celebrating the fact that they’re on the Honda Civic tour. I keep getting drunken phone calls from Jon and Spencer’s a drunken text master.” He gasped overly dramatically when he pulled his phone out. “Yup I got messages about it too.” He stated lightly as he waved his sidekick in the air.

“Why can’t people get it through their heads. We’re not together?” I asked as I moved into the kitchen and got a glass of water.

“I don’t know.” Pete muttered softly as he leaned in the kitchen doorway. “Maybe they think we should. I mean… we do spend a lot of time together.” He mused.

“I wonder why.” I stated sarcastically with a roll of my eyes. Pete looked at the ground and scuffed his toe against the while linoleum.

“Maybe we should, ya know, go out some time. Just me and you.” He stated lightly. My brows narrowed as I watched him.

“We hang out all the time Peewee.” I stated. He smiled lightly as he cast his gaze to the right, away from me.

“I don’t mean, hang out. I mean… uh… well…onadate.” The words come out in such a rush I hardly understood them. I stood there nailed to the floor trying to figure out if he’d said something else. His brows eyes focused on me, his tan cheeks a few shades redder than usual.

“Are you asking me out on… on a date?” I asked softly. He gave me a weak smile.

“Yeah. I’ve wanted to for a while.” I blinked as the air in the lungs seemed to freeze.

“Why?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged as he pushed off the door frame. “I like a girl that can kick my ass?” he asked lightly, his tone playful.

“Pete I…” I could form words as he stopped next to me, just standing over me.

“I really like you Ella. Have for a while. I just… I just thought it worldn't work.” He shrugged lightly.

“And what makes you think it’ll work now?” I still couldn’t breath. He sniffled lightly and looked at everything but me.

“Nothing, I just think I’ll never know unless I ask. So… what’d you say?” He asked softly. All I could do was nod. A wide smile spread over his lips.