Melt Your Headaches, Call It Home

Five pairs of eyes were staring widely at me.

"Hello?" I repeated, "Is anybody there?"

"What? Oh, sorry Charlotte, I zoned out for a second. It's Neil," said the familiar voice.

"Oh, hey Neil,” I sighed in relief, “What's up?”

Everyone else visibly relaxed. The boys went back to talking and Alice looked at me. "A boy?" she mouthed.

I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to Neil, who was saying, "I'm out in front of your building, Nazi woman told us all that you were sick with the flu or something. It's my break and she's sending me with work for you to do, what a bitch."

I remember the brief call I had given to Mrs. Hutler, I distinctly remember telling her that I had been in the hospital after getting mugged, what a bitch.

"Oh, well, that's not exactly true, I don't have the flu. I'll explain once you get up here, do you have the apartment number?" I asked.

"Yeah," he replied, "See you in a second."

I put my phone back on the coffee table and told Alice to buzz him in. Once she did, she jumped on the couch facing me and said, "So who's Neil?"

"Yeah," said Brendon climbing on the other side of Alice to gang up on me, "Who's Neil?"

"He's just a friend from work," I explained.

"Suuuure," they said in unison as I blushed slightly.

"Ok, ok," I admitted, "He's hot, but it's not like I like him or anything."
Brendon and Alice exchanged a look.

I ignored them and tried to climb onto the other couch which had survived the trashing much better and was much more comfortable.

I slipped at the last second, but Ryan was there to catch me with one hand. As he sat down next to me Brendon and Alice exchanged another look.

"Oh, come on," I exclaimed looking at them.

"What are you talking about?" asked Ryan, but I was looking at Brendon and Alice who were trying to put on innocent expressions.

Before I could answer him, there was a knock at the door and Brendon vaulted off the couch to answer it. Spencer immediately occupied his seat. Brendon yanked the door open and I could see Neil's confused expression perched over a huge stack of files.

"Neil!" I called, he looked over at me and smiled, but it faded when he said what condition that I was in.

He dumped the files on the floor next to the door and walked over to me, "What happened?" he asked concerned.

I had to recount the entire story to him, and when I mentioned that the guys saved me, he seemed noticed them for the first time. Then I told him about the condition that our apartment had been and he looked around amazed.

"So I guess you have been cleaning for awhile?" he asked rhetorically.

Then he held his hand out to the closest guy, who was Ryan, "I'm Neil Lawrence."

Ryan stood up, he's about average height, but he seemed dwarfed by Neil's frame, "Ryan," he supplied and after shaking his hand, sat down quickly, closer to me than last time.

Brendon put in, making Neil turn, "If it wasn't for Ryan, you wouldn't be talking to Charlotte right now. I'm Brendon by the way."

"Oh," said Neil a little stiffly as he shook Brendon's hand, glancing back at the nonexistent space between Ryan and me.

For some reason I felt like the boys were setting down their territory and I wanted none of that so I said, pointing, "That's Spencer, and this is my roommate Alice." Both waved.

I was about to tell Neil to sit down next to me but Jon walked in the room, back from doing god knows what, and flopped down, "Hey," he said, "I'm Jon."

"Neil," he said, looking uncomfortable. Not for the first time in my life, I came to the conclusion that guys are morons.

"Why don't we go get some coffee," I suggested to Neil, "We can talk some."

I sent a look around to everyone else warning them not to argue.

Ryan purposely avoided my gaze and said, "I just got you coffee."

Sure enough, I was holding the warm mocha he had brought me. I blushed slightly, "Well…" I couldn't think of anything to say.

However, Alice, being the wonderful friend that she is, said, "You guys could go grab some lunch and talk about work; I mean it is after noon."

"That's a great idea," said Neil brightening, "I haven't eaten yet."

"Ok," I replied and sent a grateful glance to Alice, who just smiled and winked. However then she glanced in Ryan's direction and her smile faded.

I wasn’t going to worry about that now though so I put my coffee down and began to struggle into my chair, Neil moved to help me but Jon and Ryan beat him too it.

"Phew," I said, smiling around at everyone once I was situated, “Well, see you in a little bit."
Neil wheeled me out the door and I waved, before the door even shut I could hear conversation erupted.

As we were getting into the elevator, I heard my name being called.

Neil turned the chair so I could see who it was; Ryan was coming towards us with my coffee in his hand, "Don't want you to forget your favorite."

I smiled as I took it from him and I was possessed by this strange urge to pull him down to my level by his shirt and kiss his cheek, "Thanks."

"No problem," he said softly and gave me that sweet smile of his, nodded a bit curtly to Neil, and turned back to my apartment.

Until we were seated at the diner two blocks away, Neil was quiet.

I, however, rambled on about the menu at the restaurant to keep the awkward silence from beginning again.

Finally, after our food came he started talking. Slowly conversation turned to my attack, and then the band.

"So don't get pissed at me or anything, but how well do you know those guys," he asked, like he was concerned.

"I've known them a couple days," I replied, "Why?"

"Really? You seem pretty close," he said, as if suggesting something.

"Yeah, they saved my life and because of it one of them had to have surgery, it's kind of hard not to get close to someone after that. Anyway, they're good guys."

Neil didn't respond, he just looked away uncomfortably.

"What?" I asked, "Do you have a problem with them?"

"It's just that, well, who knows who they really are. Most likely they are genuinely nice but there's always a chance -"

"They're in Panic! at the Disco," I said interrupting him.

"Excuse me?" He was confused.

"Brendon Urie sings, Ryan Ross plays guitar, Jon Walker plays bass, and Spencer Smith plays the drums. They're not criminals or anything," I said, I'll admit I was a little annoyed.

"Really?" I didn't answer him, "Oh, well sorry then. I just..."

"It's fine," I said, softening my expression, "You were just loofking out for me."

There was a slightly uncomfortable pause before normal and easy conversation started up again. The rest of lunch was really nice, Neil is funny and I have a great time with him.

A little while after we finished eating I glanced up at the clock on the wall above our table, we had been here for an hour.

"Neil, doesn't your lunch end at one?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Umm, it's 1:30 now."

"Shit!" he exclaimed, standing up and throwing some money on the table, "Let's get you back then I'll run."

"Just let me call one of the guys or Alice," I said and when he looked reluctant, "I'll wait until they get here, I'll order another strawberry lemonade."

"You sure?" he asked, looking concerned brushing back the shaggy hair that strayed into his brilliant blue eyes.

"I'll be fine, now go before Hitler decides to behead you or something," I called as he rushed out the door giving me a wave and a smile. He’s cute, I thought, sighing to myself. I guess the good thing about this accident was that I was suddenly surrounded by very attractive guys.

I picked up my phone and called Alice but she didn't answer. When I tried again, a voice answered that definitely wasn't Alice.

"Ryan?" I guessed.

"You wish. Guess again, sweet-cheeks."

"Brendon," I said dryly.

"Oh don't sound so disappointed, what's up?"

"Can you come and get me?"

"Sure, I'll be there in a second," the line clicked off.

Wait for it.

On the first ring I picked up.

"Where are you?"

I laughed and told him the name of the diner.

Five minutes later Brendon slid into the seat that Neil had been occupying, "What's for lunch?" he asked.

"You haven't eaten?"

"Well, of course, the rest of us ordered pizza; I'm still hungry since your beautiful roommate had a lot. I like a girl who can eat," he said and ordered a burger from the waitress.

After she moved away, I laughed, "I should set you two up."

"That would be awesome, I mean really, really, really, really, really -"

"Ok Brendon, I get it."

"Speaking of setting people up, you and Ryan..."

"Just met..."

"Yeah, people who just met with a huge amount of sexual tension," he said smirking.

I just rolled my eyes and fished a strawberry out of my drink.

Brendon's smirk grew larger, "You don't deny it."

"Just eat your burger so I can get back to..."

"Ryan?"

"...my apartment," I said firmly.

"Where Ryan is."

"Has anyone ever told you that you are annoying?" I asked.

"Yeah, I take it as a complement now though, because people usually laugh when they tell me, and I know they love me," answered Brendon, stuffing a fistful of french fries into his mouth.

Twenty minutes later I was being wheeled into my suddenly clean but quiet apartment, Alice walked out of her room, "Brendon, the rest of the guys went to the hotel to grab the rest of their stuff."

"Ok, I'm gonna go, see you guys later." He said waving, "Oh and Charlotte, remember the little conversation we had."

The door clicked shut and Alice sighed and sprawled on the couch. "Wow, those boys are tiring."

"You can say that again," I said, wheeling myself next to her. I smiled to myself, hopefully Brendon was right.